An influencer with over one million Instagram followers has found themselves at the centre of a social media storm following a wild camping trip on the Isle of Skye.
Last week, Adrian Trendall a respected mountaineer and Isle of Skye guide, published a post on Facebook accusing Danish influencer August Vallat, known online as Outdoor Ginger, of damaging a beauty spot within the Cuillin Hills.
Trendall described following a “trail of litter” to the influencer’s tent, discovering what he called an “environmental disgrace”, with scorched grass, discarded food wrappers, and damaged trees.
“I was out guiding a client near my home in Glen Brittle at the foot of the Cuillin on Tuesday,” wrote Trendall. “I began following a trail of (presumably) wind-blown litter which led to two tents and a tarp. These were surrounded by empty drinks bottles, packets of raw meat, bags of rubbish and general debris.”
He also claimed to have found evidence that Vallat and his group had attempted to light a fire, stating that various pieces of dead wood had been gathered, and that a silver birch tree had been “either cut down or snapped off”.
After confronting the group, an argument ensued.
“I tried to wake the occupants and get them to clear their mess,” Trendall wrote. “Only August emerged – the other two were presumably still cowering in their sleeping bags.”
The Facebook post quickly spread, sparking strong reactions from the UK’s outdoor community and gaining national press coverage.
Vallat, who regularly promotes the principles of Leave No Trace to his followers, has since responded with a post on Instagram in which he calls the accusations “fake news”. He claims that the group cleaned up after themselves, only burnt deadfall, and left no trace behind.
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However, many social media users were quick to challenge this defence, noting that any fire on open ground contravenes Leave No Trace guidelines – especially at a time of year when the risk of wildfires in Scotland is high.
“Why are you even making a fire on the ground?” asked one user. “Leave No Trace is a basic principle for anyone with outdoor knowledge.”
Another person added: “This is not the UK outdoor community being a bunch of A-holes. It’s the outdoor community sick to death of people posting and promoting the wrong way to do things.”
A wider issue: Outdoor naivety?
The incident has drawn renewed attention to a broader issue: the varying levels of awareness around the principles of Leave No Trace.
While many outdoor enthusiasts express a commitment to responsible access, there is often confusion or inconsistency in how those principles are applied. In particular, the use of open fires arguably remains a common point of misunderstanding. Though frequently depicted on social media as a traditional or romantic aspect of wild camping, fires can pose significant risks to the environment, especially during dry seasons or in sensitive habitats like peatland.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code advises against lighting fires except in specific, controlled conditions. Campers are encouraged to use stoves rather than open flames and to avoid damaging vegetation or scarring the ground. Gathering deadwood, cutting branches, or burning material on unprepared ground is not in line with the Code’s guidance – even if done with good intentions.
