The Highlands Bloom but Litter Looms

As the first day of spring marks the start of another busy tourism season in the Highlands, an award winning roadside stop in Tyndrum is urging visitors travelling north to respect the landscape and bin their litter when they visit.

The Real Food Cafe, a popular stop for those heading to the picturesque valleys of Glencoe and walkers on the West Highland Way, says the start of the tourism season often brings a rise in roadside rubbish.

Sarah Heward, owner of The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum, shares first hand the impact of irresponsible tourism on rural communities, and urges visitors to act responsibly when they visit. ‘We are incredibly lucky to live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, and one of the most famous landscapes in the world. As visitor numbers increase each spring, we simply want to remind people that small actions really do make a big difference. Please take your rubbish with you, or use the bins provided so we can all help keep our charming scenery special for years to come.”

The Real Food Cafe is the organiser of ‘Pick N Chips’, a community led litter picking initiative to help protect the surrounding landscape. Held monthly, the events bring together locals and visitors to tidy up the area before rewarding participants with the cafe’s award winning fish & chips as a well deserved treat.

Since launching in 2020, the programme has hosted 41 events, welcomed 446 volunteers and helped remove more than eight tonnes of litter from the local area. To find out more about Pick N Chips and how to get involved please visit: https://therealfoodcafe.com/blogs/news/dates-announced-for-pick-n-chips-litterpicking-season-2026