Update Tuesday
8/05/01 - 1563 cases
That's 20 new cases over the Bank Holiday weekend, so the number
of new cases is definitely dropping. The bad news is that if you're a
sheep, you're not safe, even in your own living room... Dark spot:
Exmoor which has been affected by the virus for the first time.
Check this
story from the Independent for a good summary of the overall
access picture across the country.
The Bank Holiday was characterised, south of the border at any
rate, by token re-openings of paths in high profile areas, for
example, the four footpaths on Snowdon, which sparked misleading
media reports implying that more was open than was really the case.
Today's Guardian actually says 'Some restrictions on walking remained
in place.' Guess who hasn't left London recently. For the record, the
vast majority of paths in the Peak, Dales, N Yorks Moors, Lakes and,
yes, Snowdonia, remain closed despite recent government guidelines
recommending that high moorland in low risk areas be opened up.
In a frenzy of activity, the Ramblers Association declared itself
'annoyed' that more footpaths weren't open, or more specifically that
government guidelines have been ignored. 'Annoyed'? Virtually all
upland areas have been closed down with no rational justification and
against government advice and the Ramblers are a bit cross...
Update Friday 4/05/01 - 1543 cases
Nine new cases yesterday, so while the epidemic's in decline, it
isn't over yet. See our separate
article for what's open over the Bank Holiday, but be warned,
it's not that much.
In brief, there will be four paths open on Snowdon, a few forest
tracks in the Peak and precious little else in the main mountain /
hill areas south of the border.
Meanwhile our Tony has said that the epidemic is now under
control, but we mustn't be compacent - 'we' here means farmers, who
are the only people with a serious chance of actually spreading the
virus, particularly given the draconian, knee-jerk path closures. If
someone could explain to use why areas which have no foot and mouth
like the Peak and Snowdonia are still subject to a near-blanket ban
on access, we'd be very impressed.
We'd also love to know why the representative bodies for climbers
and walkers have done little more than squeak impotently while great
swathes of the country are closed down. The Ramblers seem more
concerned with their spat over one blocked path in a millionaire's
garden than than the wholesale closure of the country to pacify
agricultural interests. Are we wrong?
Update Wednesday 2/05/01 - 1525 cases
'Devon County Council are re-opening a further 65km of footpaths,
bridleways and cycleways in time for the May Day Bank Holiday
weekend. As of 2nd May a further 80+ routes are available to the
public under the 'Green for Go' scheme.' Details from www.devon.gov.uk.
More Scottish areas are opening up all the time - check
the Mountaineering
Council of Scotland and Walking
Wild for details. Meanwhile the national
media have decided that foot and mouth is a non story, despute the
continuing devestation of the outdoors and tourist industries.
Update Tuesday 1/05/01 - 1520 cases
Just seven new cases yesterday and, astonishingly, foot and mouth
is out of the news in one paper - the Guardian - at least.
The BMC is reporting that Stanage Edge is to be re-opened on a
limited basis from this Saturday 5 May - click here
for details - between the popular end and the Causeway with
disinfectant pads in place and access only from recognised car parks.
No dogs, no camping or bivvying.
Update Monday 30/04/01 - 1511 cases
As far as we're aware, there have been no major devlopments over
the weekend. There's a definite fall-off in new cases, which gives
some credence to government claims that by June, the epidemic will be
effectively over.
Unfortunately the re-opening of rights of way looks like taking
far longer than the almost instantaneous closure despite recent
guidelines aimed at clarifying the process. There are moves to look
at the possibility of re-opening paths in Snowdonia (see here)
and the Peak District.
Don't hold your breath though. This is what Peak Park Authority
Chairman Martin Doughty had to say about the situation: "The
government's guidelines call for care at present. So far we have been
fortunate with no confirmed cases of foot and mouth in the National
Park. It would be wrong to act precipitously in a way that might
jeopardise that situation."
He appealed to people to 'be patient' while the risk consultation
process proceded at normal bureaucratic speeds (our
interpretation).
Meanwhile, The Observer yesterday profiled Phoenix the calf and
described how it changed Government policy. Click
here.
Update Friday 27/04/01 - 1488 cases
The BMC are urging local authorities to follow government
guidelines and open up moorland in low risk areas. The Peak District
Park has reportedly targeted the May Bank Holiday as - 7 May - as a
deadline to open up Stanage, the country's most popular climbing
crag. They're also urging climbers and walkers to follow any
specified precautions once areas are re-opened. It's all subject to
negotiation though and even in low risk areas, some farmers and
landowners are likely to be very reluctant to play ball. Time for
coercive legislation?
Update Thursday 26/04/01 - 1479 cases
Almost surreal - the government are predicting the whole thing
will be more or less over by June 7, but current slaughter policy now
seems to be determined by Phoenix, the calf, who has single-hoofedly
rewritten the policy on the slaughter of healthy animals. It's enough
to make you cry.
Meanwhile, new government guidelines on opening up access contain
provisions which would seem to recommend the opening of moorland
grazing in non-infected areas - see this
article on the site. That would include, for example, most of the
open access areas of the Peak District. Will it happen? We wouldn't
bet on it.
Bad news from the Lakes where there are now 24 outbreaks within
the National Park boundaries and another 95 within two miles. The
Park Chief Exec is calling for vaccination now before cattle are
brought out and mix with sheep making vaccination impossible.
Update Wednesday 25/04/01 - 1461 cases
The big picture is that there are three suspected cases of foot
and mouth in humans, so the tabloids can go into a rabble-rousing,
fear-breeding frenzy over something that's not far off flu. The TT
races have been cancelled for this year, meaning that the Isle of Man
could be a pleasant walking / biking venue during June.
Meanwhile, here's a useful site we missed - Walking
Wild, a specialist Scottish site, which according to
OUTDOORSmagic member Lloyd Bower is pretty much on the ball as far as
access north of the border is concerned. Still your best bet. Thanks
Lloyd.
Update Tuesday 24/04/01 - 1452 cases
Just 13 new cases yesterday, which gives some credence to claims
that the outbreak has peaked and is in the process of subsiding.
Elsewhere, Tam Dalyel has raised the idea of using Napalm to speed
cattle burning a mere six weeks or so after it appeared on the New
Scientist web site - with Napalm the burn lasts a matter of hours and
harmful dioxide emissions are limited, without you're looking at
days.
The BMC has formed a Walkers and Climbers Rural Development Panel,
which is aimed at 'supporting rural economies' - politics or what?
They also estimate that turnover in the outdoors industry has fallen
by 80 per-cent and have been lobbying for the opening up of low-risk
land and rights of way. Which will be why the Peak is still 99
per-cent closed despite the absence of any case of foot and mouth in
the area.
Update Monday 23/04/01 - 1441 cases
In the midst of all the debate over culling and not culling,
vaccination and not vaccination, yesterday's Observer ran an alarming
story claiming that foot and mouth has now infected wild deer. The
story says that if this is the case, it renders the government's
slaughter policy useless as the deer population will form a reservoir
for the disease which will repeatedly reinfect farm animals. Deer,
says the Observer, cannot be culled or vaccinated effectively.
Full
story here.
If the article is correct, the government will be forced into a
policy of vaccination.
Meanwhile, the main news issues now centre around the potential
pollutions stemming from disposal of the carcasses of slaughtered
animals. Path re-opening proceeding at a very slow rate, though
according to one OUTDOORSmagic member, the Malvern Hills were open
from Saturday, though we're unable to confirm this.
