Tourists are "vandalising" the ancient landscape on Iona by making Pagan labyrinths out of stones, it was warned.<br /><br />The sacred Inner Hebrides island is a magnet for Christian and Pagan tourists interested in the origins of Christianity in Scotland dating back to 563AD.<br /><br />Mysterious labyrinth patterns measuring 10m across have appeared in recent years, which are regularly dismantled by islanders who graze livestock there.<br /><br />Former islander Iain Cameron, 50, who works for a malt whisky company, visited earlier this week and was horrified after seeing one large stone formation and the beginnings of another one.<br /><br />Iain, who lives near Stirling, said the age-old concept of 'leave no trace' appears to have gone, and visitors are now determined to leave their stamp on the landscape.<br /><br />The majority of Iona is owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) but Iain said he doubted signs would deter Instagram-obsessed tourists.<br /><br />Iain said: "The labyrinths are semi-permanent<br /><br />"They have been there for a number of years, there are periodic attempts to clear them but they tend to come back.<br /><br />"Locals told me they are tired of clearing piles of stones, it has become almost part of the landscape.<br /><br />"It's a form of vandalism.<br /><br />"People seem to be unable to go and absorb their surroundings without leaving a fingerprint that they were there.<br /><br />"It's like the Fairy Pools on Skye, the locals go and routinely dismantle piles of stones.<br /><br />"It's a trend that seems to be increasing.<br /><br />"NTS don't own all of Iona but I think it would be futile if they put up signs.<br /><br />"If the locals didn't dismantle them the whole bay would be full of manmade structures.<br /><br />"That area is where cattle and sheep graze, it's impacting the landscape and the livestock.<br /><br />"We should be trying to make 'leave no trace' popular again in the Instagram age.<br /><br />"Iona attracts people searching for spiritual nourishment.<br /><br />"The labyrinth is a Pagan symbol.<br /><br />"When people go down there they are completing some form of pilgrimage.<br /><br />"St Columba's Bay is the end of the pilgrimage, I think that's why the labyrinth keeps coming back again."
