Where to 'Go' in the Great Outdoors - Human Sanitation Advice for Paddlers from the Scottish Canoe Association

The subject of human sanitation in the outdoors has been neglected over the years by many of the books and manuals that explain other essential outdoor skills.  It has in many ways been a taboo subject, which is a pity because if done carelessly, the consequences of 'doing it wrong' can be very damaging.  This advice is considered by the Scottish Canoe Association to reflect the latest thinking on what is good practice, and is based on a wide range of information from the UK and abroad.

The SCA has worked with health professionals, environmental health officers and a range of paddlers during the preparation of these guidelines, and we are very grateful to all those that have contributed to our thinking.  Download the Guidelines.

Perth & Kinross Council Comfort Scheme

A line in the SCA Human Sanitation advice says: "Never miss an opportunity to use a proper toilet".  Nevertheless, from time to time we receive complaints of paddlers arriving at a car park and instantly getting out of their vehicles to relieve themselves.  A great new scheme in Perth & Kinross is worth knowing about because it enables you to make a visit to a proper toilet before you arrive at your paddling destination.

Toilets in certain hotels, pubs, garages and cafes are publicly available and "free of charge" even if you are not a customer of that business.  A number of these establishments are close to rivers, so it is well worth visiting this webpage and making a note of the places where you could make use of a publicly available toilet the next time you head for the Tay, Ericht, Isla, Earn or one of the other Perthshire rivers.