Proof that walking is damaging the countryside

[jontera]

Dunno if this is the right place for this....

I have to say that I enjoy watching programmes such as Countryfile (is Craven a lucky sod to get to do all that laning or what?) and any thing with Julia Bradbury in it..
Well about a week or so ago I caught one of these programme, and there was an article about the Mourne Mountains in Ireland. The program was mainly about the fight to preserve it's current status as opposed to the proposal to turn it into Nothern Irelands first National Park. There are a lot of folk enjoying rambling on the mountains but in turn these walkers are damaging the pathways, believe it or not some of them don't like getting their feet muddy and wet!!!! so they walk arround the muddy puddles and eventually create a new path..Don't get me wrong I'm not against everyone enjoying their time in the countryside, but I would/do like to see honest and fair reporting of how leisure pursuits are harming the countryside.

here's the report about the Mourne Mountains
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsline/content/a ... ture.shtml

A friend of the wife's is a farmer and believes that as long as folk are repectful of property then they can enjoy the countryside (he's on the edge of the yorkshire moors) and prefers greenlaners rather than the walkers. As the greenlaner's keep his routes open and don't have a tendency to stop for a picnic in the middle of his land (or garden...it has happened before) leaving litter and gates open.

just thought i'd share that with you all........mainly because i'm bored at work.

[Drift]

Ive been walking the mountains for many years since a kid, though not so much recently

The worst places I have seen for footpath errosion is Kinder Scout or any of the Three Peaks in the Dales.

They lay down hard core to stop the errosion but the cost of doing this is unbeleivable and in doing this they quiet often have to use helicopters (pop that into the carbon footprint equation) this runs into hundreds of thousands of pounds just for one hillside and is often funded by the National Park Authorities.

Its just a case of who shouts loudest wins.

[drinksoptional]

To be honest never done it and i can imagine it would brillant up here in scotland, But those nutters that go out in blizard, gales fog or any other stupid weather should be hunted by hounds and ppl on horses save the foxes hunt the idiots. Yeah some of these careless rambler are a pain i have seen some lovely area been damaged by thier careless wanderings. Which is a shame as imagine there are those who go walking an respect the countryside.

potholers they just aff thieir heeds

[Drift]

Duno what to say, I did blizzards in Scotland, potholing in Yorkshire and big mountains in Switzerland................Think I best shut up

[furball]

And then there's people like this lot...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20091019/tuk ... a1618.html

[gregster]

A Possible solution?????

[drinksoptional]

Why would you do that go walking in crazy condition like that our putting your own life and others in danger if you get into trouble

[Drift]

Why would you drive a car off road up a steep hill

[drinksoptional]

Fair pointish least if the offroader gets lost it in a smaller area or if gets stuck its a push/pul , where as the walker will have helicopter ambulance dogs hundreds of other people wandering about bbc news and the hills steeper, wetter, windy-er , colder darker and empty-er ....plus i got heating and sheleter compared to the nutter in his trainers and fleece. i may of lost the danger arguement but i may have a better chance in a tumble unless i catch fire and explode, or fallout and get squashed by the 4x4 or an irrate rambler sick of me rambling. If i had wanted to explore the countryside i would of bought shoes not tyres but each to thier own crazy little adventures

[Drift]

Hundreds? about a dozen at most on most occasions, I used to help raise money for the Ogwen Mountain Rescue Team and they are all more than willing volunteers and do not claim any cost except for equipment.

Any sport has its dangers be it motorised or physical sport, take surfing or moto cross both risky but in differing ways so not really comparable as you may have a hobby building matchstick boats comparing to others who may like base jumping, extreme opposites I know but just shows the point the people want different things from there hobbies be it adrenalin or satisfaction.

I have to say in my climbing days Ive seen sights I could only ever have dreamed of and been to some fantastic places around the world and have some great stories (As one or two might have heard ) and for that all the risk was worth while.

I have got into a few scrapes but always managed to survive and escape but thats all just the fun/pain

[jontera]

I think that, in fairness Drift has been climbing and walking in an organised way. I.E with the right equipment /weather prepared etc,and as we do when we green lane, with an experienced group or leader. It seems to me that most of the numpties that need rescue, are effectively "day-trippers" who have watched something (or read) about how wonderful the countryside is on foot.

Like I said in my original post, I've nothing against ramblers, cyclists, horse riders and anyone else who wants to enjoy themselves in the countryside..It would just be nice to see some other reporting about what "groups" are using and harming the green/muddy bits of the country rather than the usual..."four wheel drivers are destroying the world"..Yet it is usually a 4x4 or a copter that has to rescue the fallen climber or sprained walker....

I'm sure that I read, either here or on one of the other forums/sites, about how a group of greenlaners "rescued" a pair of walkers who had experienced some kind of injury. that kind of thing very rarely gets to a national press. and neither does the original link i posted (i know it's bbc site but I'm sure i've not seen it elsewhere neither on the interweb nor the papers..but i did see it on countryfile...I know i've just argued against myself, what with the beeb being national an all that and I found it on tinernet...but you get my drift (pardon the pun))

[drinksoptional]

I not saying the whole rambling lark wrong,i think its should be encouraged its when the weather man say its gonna be the wrath of god weather and some nutter goes up a mountain that annoys me, a mate of mine did it every weekend but he had proper equipment, so you can go walking climbing i loved to see your picture`s i love scenery and i loved hearing his stories , but if it say it gonne pee down with sleet winds of 100mph with a chill of -10 with heavy fog and you think hmm good day for a walk up a hill/mountain in the middle of nowhhere in some swamp/marsh ridden moor then hell mend if they get stuck thats my only issue. Never mind the litter louts that ruin it. There is always the bunch that ruin and give something bad name.For the record im not trying to offend you or saying you or your hobby stupid . you will learn im not very good a conveying my point and can come across as arrogrant sometime`s

[Drift]

No offence taken at all

I personally think walkers do more damage to the countryside as well.
Now they have far more places to go and spread out more as opposed to our very few places and all activity is concentrated in very small areas and as such the damage is inevitable to a certain extent and maybe more noticeable, especially with the arsseholes playing offpiste.

See we agree

But what drain on society that hobby takes is more debatable but as in any sport or hobby that can be even slightly dangerous the correct procedures and equipment must be used and be known how to be used.

Twas a chilly nigh in the Caingorms

[drinksoptional]

WOW ok see why you go in a blizzard point taken least you have equipment not a fleece and trainers, truth are you smiling in the photo or is it your teeth are chattering or welded together with cold

[Drift]

Smiling, just
We camped out 4 nights that week and had to carry out an ice rescue.
There was only two of us and we needed to cross a frozen river so we roped up and I went first my mate followed and promptly dropped through the ice, the river was only about 3 foot deep at that point but was rushing at a good rate under the ice but because we had roped up it saved him getting dragged under, we then pitched a rent for a couple of hours and got him changed into the dry set.
At night he took the wet set of clothes into his sleeping bag (they where permanently damp) in a plastic bag and wore them the next day to always make sure you have one dry set.

One morning we had to thaw our boots out over the cooker the froze solid

[drinksoptional]

Well you wont be getting up there Still to far from help. Still for the scenery i will leave it for the trained