Hermitage ‘Car Park Full’ Sign Now Officially the Most Ignored Text in Scotland, Overtaking Terms and Conditions

By Lachlan Menzies, Highland Perthshire Bureau

DUNKELD — The ‘Car Park Full’ sign at The Hermitage has been declared the most ignored piece of writing in Scotland, after autumn visitors desperate to see the leaves turn continued to treat it as “more of a suggestion.”

“We’ve tried everything,” said a National Trust for Scotland staff member, holding a sign that now reads “CAR PARK FULL. GENUINELY. WE CHECKED.” “People read it, nod, and then drive round looking for the secret extra car park they think we keep for nice people. We don’t have one. There’s just trees. Very beautiful trees, but you can’t park in them.”

The Trust has urged visitors to come before 10am or after 4pm, and has been unusually blunt about anyone thinking of leaving their car on the verge of the A9 instead. “It’s a beautiful waterfall,” said the staff member. “It is not worth that. Nothing on a phone screen is worth that. Go to Birnam, have a scone, come back at half four.”

Dunkeld residents say the autumn rush has reached the point where locals are staying home rather than try to park. “I haven’t seen my own street since September,” said one. “There’s a campervan where my wheelie bin used to be. I think the bin’s moved to Pitlochry.”

Linguists say the Hermitage sign has now overtaken website terms and conditions, “Please Wait to Be Seated” and the instruction “Do Not Feed the Ducks” as the most widely disregarded text in the country. The Trust says it is now considering a stronger version reading simply: “Honestly. Turn round. The leaves will still be here tomorrow. Probably.”

The real story: NTS pleads with Hermitage visitors not to park on the A9 verge when the car park is full; come before 10am or after 4pm (The Courier, 18 Oct 2026)