Loch Lomond staff face 'aggressive behaviour' as thousands enjoy heatwave
Record-breaking temperatures saw Scots scramble to make the most of the sunshine, but the good weather also led to multiple emergency incidents.
It was the hottest day in Scotland for two years, bringing thousands out and about at rivers, lochs and beaches.
But as temperatures exceeded 30C, increased safety risks led to a number of emergency call-outs.
On Monday, the First Minister led condolences after a 15-year-old boy died in the River Kelvin in Glasgow. His body was found on Saturday night after a five-hour rescue operation.
The teen's death was one of four tragedies across the country this weekend.
In East Dunbartonshire, a 63-year-old woman died in a fall near Campsie Glen Waterfall and the body of a 39-year-old man was found in the River Tyne in East Lothian.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man died in hospital after being rescued from the water in the north of Loch Lomond. STV News Clear up begins in Loch Lomond
The team from Loch Lomond Rescue Boat attended to a total of six call-outs across the weekend and is urging visitors to wear life jackets when entering the water.
Elsewhere, national park rangers say large crowds led to major clean-up operations. Police were also forced to shut down the road on the east side of the Loch due to overcrowding – something park authorities say led to some aggressive behaviour.
Gordon Watson, chief executive of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, told STV News: 'Obviously, the vast majority of people were enjoying a great day in the national park and there were lots of good things – we had no fire issues, which was so good to see.
'Another part of our advice is of somewhere is is to please have a plan B and think about going to an alternative location. STV News Litter left in Loch Lomond
'Unfortunately, in some of our popular locations, that wasn't happening. In East Loch Lomond and Luss, people were parking on road verges, and obviously, the roads became very congested. The police had to close the road at times.
'And unfortunately, also at some of our car park sites, our staff were on the receiving end of aggressive behaviour of people insisting that they should be able to get into the car park.'
As the sunshine and crowds disappeared, a major clean-up operation began for the staff.
Rubbish including barbecues were left behind and Mr Watson is reminding visitor to beauty spots to take their litter home if bins are full. SWNS Gordon Water, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
Mr Watson added: 'We obviously have put a lot of effort into water safety messaging both on social media and on site where we have a whole suite of signage, rescue equipment and messaging to the public, warning them of the hazards on the water.
'Open water swimming is a really popular activity, but it's important that people know what they're doing.
'The loch is still extremely cold, no matter how hot the weather is. Cold water shock is something that even the best swimmer will not survive.'
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STV News
2 days ago
- STV News
Loch Lomond staff face 'aggressive behaviour' as thousands enjoy heatwave
Staff at Loch Lomond faced aggressive behaviour from members of the public as thousands flocked to beauty spots across the country to make the most of the heatwave. Record-breaking temperatures saw Scots scramble to make the most of the sunshine, but the good weather also led to multiple emergency incidents. It was the hottest day in Scotland for two years, bringing thousands out and about at rivers, lochs and beaches. But as temperatures exceeded 30C, increased safety risks led to a number of emergency call-outs. On Monday, the First Minister led condolences after a 15-year-old boy died in the River Kelvin in Glasgow. His body was found on Saturday night after a five-hour rescue operation. The teen's death was one of four tragedies across the country this weekend. In East Dunbartonshire, a 63-year-old woman died in a fall near Campsie Glen Waterfall and the body of a 39-year-old man was found in the River Tyne in East Lothian. Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man died in hospital after being rescued from the water in the north of Loch Lomond. STV News Clear up begins in Loch Lomond The team from Loch Lomond Rescue Boat attended to a total of six call-outs across the weekend and is urging visitors to wear life jackets when entering the water. Elsewhere, national park rangers say large crowds led to major clean-up operations. Police were also forced to shut down the road on the east side of the Loch due to overcrowding – something park authorities say led to some aggressive behaviour. Gordon Watson, chief executive of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, told STV News: 'Obviously, the vast majority of people were enjoying a great day in the national park and there were lots of good things – we had no fire issues, which was so good to see. 'Another part of our advice is of somewhere is is to please have a plan B and think about going to an alternative location. STV News Litter left in Loch Lomond 'Unfortunately, in some of our popular locations, that wasn't happening. In East Loch Lomond and Luss, people were parking on road verges, and obviously, the roads became very congested. The police had to close the road at times. 'And unfortunately, also at some of our car park sites, our staff were on the receiving end of aggressive behaviour of people insisting that they should be able to get into the car park.' As the sunshine and crowds disappeared, a major clean-up operation began for the staff. Rubbish including barbecues were left behind and Mr Watson is reminding visitor to beauty spots to take their litter home if bins are full. SWNS Gordon Water, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Mr Watson added: 'We obviously have put a lot of effort into water safety messaging both on social media and on site where we have a whole suite of signage, rescue equipment and messaging to the public, warning them of the hazards on the water. 'Open water swimming is a really popular activity, but it's important that people know what they're doing. 'The loch is still extremely cold, no matter how hot the weather is. Cold water shock is something that even the best swimmer will not survive.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
2 days ago
- STV News
Boy, 15, among four dead in incidents on Scotland's hottest day of year
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Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Exact date heatwave will end as Scots face 'thundery downpours' and cool nights
While we saw a sweltering weekend, this week will see widespread downpours over much of the country. Scots saw a summer heatwave over the entirety of last weekend (July 11 - July 13), with blistering sun and temperatures as high as 32.2C in Aviemore in the Highlands on Saturday. But after Scotland's hottest day in two years, things are about to take a cooler and rainier turn. After three consecutive days of weather hotter than 25C, which officially confirms a heatwave for Scotland, things are to change from today, Monday, July 14, as Scots are to face widespread showers and slightly cooler temperatures hovering in the late teens and early twenties. The Met Office wrote on X: "Low pressure begins to move in through Monday morning, increasing the risk of heavy showers and thunderstorms for some fresher conditions also starting to arrive." According to Met Office weather maps, showers are to sweep northwards up the west of Scotland throughout this morning, with Glasgow to see some of the heaviest downpours. By 11am, much of the central belt will have seen the thundery showers that are putting an official end to the heatwave. The rain will continue to spread across the country throughout the day, with downpours this afternoon spreading all the way from Edinburgh diagonally north west to beyond Fort William. The showers will continue to travel north until they reach the top of the Highlands at around 9pm tonight. Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: 'The heatwave is starting to come to an end as low pressure starts to move in from the Atlantic. "We say goodbye to high pressure as this area of low pressure takes over, bringing bands of heavy rain, some thundery downpours, but also bringing in some fresher conditions across many parts.' While temperatures will mostly hover between 15C and 19C, some areas will continue to see some summer heat, as the mercury around Inverness is to reach as high as 24C and Glasgow is to see 21C this afternoon. But night time temperatures are expected to cool significantly. Greg Dewhurst explains: "Temperatures will be lower than recent nights, 12C - 15C, so it's starting to become a little more comfortable for sleeping." And some Scots can expect a rainy rest of the week too, as Tuesday, July 15 will bring more scattered showers for southern areas of Scotland, with the Highlands benefitting the most from drier weather. While Wednesday, July 16 appears drier overall, Thursday afternoon is forecast to be very rainy indeed for most of the country, with more downpours travelling northwards as the day goes on. Friday is to finish off this rainy working week, with further scattered showers that are expected to be heavy in some areas. This drastic change in the weather comes after Scotland saw its hottest day for two years on Saturday, July 12. While temperatures stayed in the late twenties for most of the country, Aviemore in the Highlands saw the hottest recorded temperature of 32.2C. According to the BBC, Saturday was the hottest day for Scotland since June 2023. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
