Rights of Way under threat ?

[s.stirley]

Posting on a message to bring up a point of concern over rights-of-way ..

Just read a most worring page at:
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/campaigns/footpaths/Ridgeway1.htm

Where it says they can now TRO lanes because the ramblers are having a bad hair day.

Some of these are apparently passed already, which is concerning for some parts of the country percieved as 'walkers territory' (like the Lakes or Yorkshire Dales) where with a suitable precedent they will try to close lanes all over the place.

We need to get organised and oppose this by writing to our MPs and the secretary of state as well. I will try to get more details of the best way to do this ASAP.

Simon.

[OldFart]

I was intrigued by the request at the bottom of that link.

quote-:

Please continue to send us examples of paths which are being damaged by the activities of off-road recreational vehicles, with photographs wherever possible, for our 'at risk' register. Please send to Donna O’Brien: donnao@london.ramblers.org.uk

unquote:-

I think we should start taking photos of damaged paths and trails that the Ramblers have been responsible for.
The Ramblers are VERY political and extreme, dont underestimate them !!!

Quote..... From John Muir Trust...

An example of the damage Ramblers do

FUNDING BOOST FOR ONE OF SCOTLAND'S BEST LOVED MOUNTAINS
The mountain Schiehallion in Perthshire is to be restored to its former beauty thanks to grants totalling over £580,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage, it was announced today.

The 3,547 ft high conical mountain is one of Scotland's best-known landmarks but is the victim of its own popularity. Thousands of people visit the mountain each year and the path to the summit has become an ugly scar visible for many miles around.

Thanks to an imaginative plan, the John Muir Trust, one of the country's leading conservation bodies, is embarking on a major path restoration programme aimed at returning the mountain to its former glory.

The Trust has been successful in securing a grant for £506,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in Scotland. This grant represents 62% of the total project costs of £816,962 and will be used for woodland restoration, interpretation of the mountain environment for visitors and restoration of the path. Scottish Natural Heritage is giving a grant of £75,000 to the project.

Tim Wheatley, Senior Grants Officer with the Heritage Lottery Fund said "The proposals submitted for Schiehallion by the John Muir Trust were innovative and exciting and they were well received by the HLF Trustees. By awarding this grant to the Trust we are ensuring the future sensitive conservation of the mountain as well as open access to all visitors to enjoy its splendour."

Nigel Hawkins, director of the John Muir Trust which owns the eastern part of the mountain right up to the summit, said: "The path on Schiehallion has become one of the ugliest mountain scars in Scotland. Now with the support of HLF and SNH we are going to re-align the path up the east ridge of the mountain and set about restoring the ground that presently carries the path.

"This is a mountain rescue with a difference. This time it is the mountain itself, rather than a climber or walker, which is being rescued. It is appropriate that this is happening now as 2002 is The International Year of the Mountain, when we all become more aware of our impact on the mountain environment and the importance of mountains to local and national communities."

Work is planned to start on the mountain early this summer but because of the complexity of working on the sensitive terrain the project is expected to take up to five years to complete.

Schiehallion lies within a National Scenic Area and part of the land owned by the Trust lies within a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the limestone pavements and the flowers which flourish there.

The highly distinctive conical shaped mountain has a special place in science as the place where experiments were carried out in the Eighteenth Century to determine the mass of the earth by observing the deflection of a pendulum caused by the mass of the mountain itself. These experiments involved marking locations of equal height around the mountain and from this came the concept of contours so important to today's mappers and hillwalkers.

For more information:
Nigel Hawkins; Tel: 01382 320 252; Email: director@jmt.org
OR
Alison McGachy; Tel: 0131 554 0114; email: development@jmt.org

Alternatively, view our website at www.jmt.org

[timbott]

Yep, I'm a Rambler (not a member of the Ramblers Association I hasten to add - dreadful single minded bunch) and a Green Laner. I admit that I have caused damage to the surface whilst out greenlaning, it is inevitable, but I drive to the best of my ability to minimise damage.

Out walking though, I reckon I have probably caused more damage than I ever have done with my Landrover. It is amazing what a pair of walking boots will do to a bit of fragile ground.

Why the hell can't we just live and let live:Cross: Sorry but this is just one of those subjects that always gets me going. I think I had better stop now otherwise I will be typing into the early hours...............

cheers, Tim

[antshybrid]

well , its like this i think. there are enough rights of way for all to enjoy, the walkers with their footpaths and at the other end of the scale -us with our byways.more voluntary restraint needs to be enforced to protect sensitive lanes in winter but also a clampdown on bloody hooligans who think its fun to get a 4x4 and think they have the right to drive anywhere they want! :Rant: we have to be self policing on this one because if we dont it will get to a stage where closing a lane will be easier than dealing with the idiots.