Castletown mill used as a toilet by holidaymaker, says community councillor
THE old mill in Castletown was used as a toilet by a holidaymaker in a camper van, according to a local community councillor.
David Bertram told his colleagues he was out early one morning walking his dog when he spotted a man at the building with a toilet roll in his hand.
Mr Bertram shouted to him that there is no toilet there. "He was like a deer in headlights and got into his camper van and went away very quickly," he said at last week's virtual meeting of the community council.
The building is owned by the Dunnet Bay Distillery which plans to use the premises for warehousing and to expand its business.
Mr Bertram said he would let the owners know about the incident.
Community council secretary, Liz Geddes, said camper vans are getting on to the battery walk along from the Castlehill Heritage Centre as the ground there is "so dry and so hard" because of the lack of rain. That area is often wet and muddy and not accessible to the vans.
Chairman, Billy Dunbar, pointed out that community wardens are moving on camper vans which are parked in places they should not be and it was agreed to take the matter up with them.
Mrs Geddes also pointed out that residents on Battery Road are unhappy with camper vans and other vehicles going down there. It is a private road and for access for people living there and farm vehicles.
Camper vans and other traffic go there and have turn on people's drive ways and gardens to get back on to the main road, she said.
Mrs Geddes said discussions had taken place with the landowner in a bid to resolve the issue.
Earlier, Mr Bertram said the lack of drains from the Castlehill lodge down to the old mill can cause water to run down the left hand side of the Castletown to Dunnet road.
Mr Dunbar agreed: "It can be bad around the area of the lodge house," he said.
Members agreed to take the issue up with Highland Council.