The royal estate of Balmoral is highlighting the impact of litter louts on the famous mountain Lochnagar. 

The royal estate on Deeside embraces the 3789ft Lochnagar and staff keep an eye on its wildlife and environmental health.

But they have been shocked recently, by what those who climb it are leaving behind.

They posted a photograph on the Balmoral Castle & Estate Facebook page, showing the unwanted legacy and commenting: “Home to golden eagle, ptarmigan, snow bunting and lots and lots of used tissues, broken glass, drink cans and banana skins.

"This picture shows just some of the litter collected in and around the summit of Lochnagar yesterday!”

Prince Charles's illustrated children’s book, The Old Man Of Lochnagar, was published in 1980 and the prince still frequently walks on the mountain and its northern corrie. But it is not known whether he helped collect any of the recent Lochnagar garbage.

However he has spoken out before about those who leave their litter behind in the countryside and at the coast.

Others on Facebook shared the estate’s outrage. One commented: “And people wonder why landowners don't want people traipsing all over their land? If I turned up in town & sat on a strangers’ lawn for a picnic they wouldn't be happy!”

Another said “Besides cluttering up the amazing and beautiful scenery, leaving trash behind is dangerous to animals, their habitats, and to people who are walking thru the area. I wish people were more considerate.”

While one suggested that the rubbish should be examined to see if there is any addresses in it, so it could be posted to some of the guilty parties.

Lochnagar is not the only mountain to suffer such a fate. For years photographs, plastic flowers, toys, dolls and numerous cairn memorials to loved ones or pets blighted the summit of Britain's highest Ben Nevis.

The John Muir Trust which had owned the Ben since 2000, unveiled plans in 2005, plans to establish a memorial garden at the foot of the mountain, so that people who wanted to commemorate loved ones would not do so on the Ben itself.

But it didn’t solve the problem banana skins which could account for half the rubbish collected, with about up to 1000 skins found on the summit plateau at one point.

Many of the 200,000 people who climb Ben Nevis every year apparently believe the skins will quickly biodegrade or rot. But, because of the cold conditions on the upper sections of Ben Nevis, they can remain in their discarded form for years.