I didn't know where else to put this and I hope too I am not repeating this but I thought I would just mention I saw a very interesting programme last night on BBC 4 about the owner of Honister Slate Mine, Mark Weir, and his plans for the zip wire, I think most of us have heard about.
Ultimately, it's a tragic story, but very interesting all the same.
Yes, watched it too. Really enjoyed it. I am surprised there have not been any strong emotions or responses to this on here. Normally lots of people want to voice how much they think the zip wire is a bad idea!
Was an interesting piece of TV I thought. I was interested to know the opinions of that Leaf bloke who is head of LDNPA. Seems he's all about turning Lakes into an adventure capital of the UK, whatever that means really.
Personally I think this topic has been discussed to death before on here as have most outdoors related development issues of that nature or land use issues like the 4x4 use in National Parks.These all seem to go round and round without agreement. However it all comes down to what you think a National Park is or should be. Once you've worked that out you tend to stick to it and ignore the other versions of a National Park that others have.
Like others on here I will look forward to the 4x4 show in this series.
Saw the programme last night, this time about the Peak District. All about 4x4/trials bikes versus walkers/villagers A fascinating insight into different peoples approach to life!
I think most walkers find the trials bikes and 4X4s intrusive but at the moment they have the entitlement to use some tracks. The problem is that their "rights" stem from ancient byways but the ancient traffic was horses and carts. Most tracks are not up to the job of coping with the considerable mechanised power of modern vehicles. As a result, many become deeply rutted - ruts over a foot deep are not uncommon. They are unpleasant to walk over, often fill with water and any passing traffic is likely to spray you. The trouble is that for some of the mechanised users, the more muddy and rutted the tracks become, the more appealing they are, so it gets progressively worse. Can't understand the appeal myself but they probably cannot understand the appeal of hiking either. It would be interesting to know what people who do both think - if there are any.
The majority of users of most tracks are likely to be walkers and logically, that is where the priority should be but however unappealing to me personally, if vehicle users enjoy the challenge of the mud/ruts etc then if land can be found to provide them with suitable dedicated circuits then that seems the best way to go. I cannot believe any of the 4X4/trials bikers need to use any tracks to actually get from A to B so lets protect byways .
According to the OS map there are at least 17 footpaths in the Great Longstone parish, yet only one unsurfaced unclassified county road: Cherpit Lane. What's wrong with the footpaths?
Cherpit Lane starts and ends on tarmac roads with no footpaths that are no wider than it is, yet carry more traffic travelling at higher speeds. Isn’t there more danger there? And, don’t the cars (and even 4x4s) which tow caravans to the site at Dale Farm on the lane pose as big a threat to other users as those vehicles which are using it for other purposes?
