TOILETS and car parks in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs area are being kept open under Scotland’s tough new lockdown limits, the National Park Authority has announced.

All visitor facilities, including vehicle parking areas and public conveniences, in the National Park were shut during the first lockdown last spring.

But this time round, the park authority says it wants to help people living locally to get exercise in line with the latest regulations.

Exercise outdoors is still allowed, but only with one other person from one other household, and with full social distancing in place – and people must stay within their local area.

Following the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon last week, National Park chief executive Gordon Watson said he believed that exercise and being outdoors was important for the health and wellbeing of residents.

He said: “While it hasn’t been the start to the new year that we had hoped for, we must all do our bit to help stop the spread of the virus by staying at home and staying as local as possible.

“Getting outside into nature and exercising is going to be important for everyone’s health and wellbeing so we know that people living in and close to the National Park will be keen to enjoy the park where they are allowed to within the guidelines.

“This includes only going out with one other person or meeting up with one other person from another household and staying in your local area.

“Our car parks and toilets remain open, on winter operating hours, to support people to do this responsibly.”

The decision during the first lockdown to close all visitor facilities within the National Park was taken because of worries that keeping them open might attract large numbers of visitors from outside the area.