The Lancaster Group of the Ramblers’ Association 1969-2019

A history prepared for RA General Council, Lancaster, April 2003 and extended on the occasion of the Group’s 50th anniversary

Local place names are referred to in this account. We hope that these will not distract our visitors from the general thrust of the narrative.

Part of the Ramblers’ Association, a company limited by guarantee Registration number 4458492. Registered charity number 1093577 THE LANCASTER GROUP The Lancaster Group was formed in October 1969 after a public meeting at the Oddfellows’ Hall where 30 people attended and another 12 showed interest. Since the start many people have been actively involved and some are still with us. A list of office holders is given at the end. Needless to say, there have been many members who have given their strong support in many ways over the years but have never been officers or committee members. This history was written, on the occasion of the second visit of RA General Council to Lancaster in 2003, to entertain or give solace to, active members of the RA who may say ‘it happened to us too’ or ‘let’s try that’ or ‘let’s hang in for another 20 years’. It has now been revised and extended to cover all our first 50 years. The Lancaster Group membership is mainly within the two major settlements of Lancaster and . Although there is considerable friction between the historic and the reviving seaside resort of Morecambe there has never been any call to extend the name and in fact it was the Lancaster and Morecambe Group for the first two years. The third part of Lancaster District is the rural hinterland of the lower Lune Valley extending to a point in the East on , the highest point of but now in the National Park (YDNP), and covering the northern part of the . The territory of the Group covers all of Lancaster District and the six south east parishes of : the three parishes, Casterton, Barbon and Middleton which cover much of the middle Lune Valley and the three parishes, Dent, Garsdale and Sedbergh which have been in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) for many years. Although the area of land has not changed, the transfer of footpath and planning management from Cumbria CC to the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2016 has simplified our contacts lists and improved the maintenance of the paths and countryside. We worked hard for this expansion of 2 YDNP into our territory. We therefore have an interest in the YDNP and the Forest of Bowland and the & Silverdale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Another major recreational resource is a section of the , approximately the navigable stretch north of the Glasson Arm. The Group is part of the RA Lake District Area and preferred to keep its links with its northern walking grounds when many Lancashire RA Groups left the LD Area to form the Mid Lancs Area. The present geographic extent of the Group territory can be understood because it was one of the strongest groups in the LD Area when there were vast areas of neglected rural paths to be looked after and this arrangement attempted to equalise the load between the Groups. The membership grew from 117 in 1973, 172 in 1983, 395 in 1993, 450 in 2003, 278 in 2013 to the present 255. A possible cause for this present decline is the rise of other walking groups. Many villages have their own group and the U3A groups compete. There is considerable cross membership but for those who just wish to walk these local groups have a considerably lower membership fee. Attempts have been made to encourage affiliation. In recent years we have deliberately emphasised our role in promoting footpaths and countryside issues over being simply a walking group.

GROUP ACTIVITIES We have run a full set of walks over the years. In the early years members never went walking together, they only went working together. There was no programme of walks at all until the winter of 1975/76 when six were included on the programme, one per month. By contrast we now have about 120 each year. We started with weekend walks and introduced mid-week walks in the early 80’s and ‘easy’ walks in 1988. This hides a lot of detail, variety and trends. There were monthly winter moonlight walks on good tracks. These were to balance the summer Tuesday evening walks which started initially as footpath 3 inspection exercises in which several small groups of three or four would set out to inspect all the paths in an area. In this way we learned our territory, filled in numerous defect reports and, in passing, cleared overgrown stiles. We have invited Parish Councillors to our walks in their patch but this has had poor take- up. With the paths in a better state and a growing demand for ‘just a walk’ these evening events now involve large bodies of members on simple routes. Once a month we now brand a weekday walk as a Footpath Checking walk where the routes are chosen so that we will gradually cover all our paths and report defects. The walks in the programme are graded in length and difficulty. We mainly use car sharing but local walks can use public transport. The meeting place is readily accessible from most places in the central area. Since our area is very rural with usually no facilities at mid-day we rely on a packed lunch but some walks now end in a tea shop. We have occasional Walk and Lunch days. We now have a variety of multi-day trips. These are treks using Youth Hostels or the Ramblers’ Chalet in the Lake District and week-long coach trips to farther corners of the country. During the winter months there have been indoor meetings of various types but these have now stopped. These will be discussed later since they have usually had the aim of encouraging walking. Since 2009 we have had a web-site which includes the programme, and a Facebook page with pictures. The Group has always been supportive of Area and national activities. National Council, hosted by Lake District Area was held in Lancaster in 1980 and 2003. Several members led sections of the RA Jubilee Walk in 1985, when it passed nearby. We have made individual representations on national issues such as the retention of the 2½” OS maps. Gaining access in Bowland and elsewhere has always been a priority. As well as the RA Area Footpath Committee we meet regularly with our colleagues in the rest of Lancashire and at the 4 Access on Foot Forum of the YDNP. Through these we have guided the various council plans and strategies and the Lancashire Rights of Way Improvement Plan, although this has become a rather weaker document than the 2005 version, and the Lancaster District Walking Strategy (2004). The Foot and Mouth disease outbreak in 2001-02 caused a major upset in our walks programme but as different areas closed and opened we managed to keep walking by heading in different directions. For the 40th Anniversary of the Group in 2009 we held one of our Quizzes for our Affiliated clubs and produced logo clothing.

FOOTPATH WORK Reporting Defects When the Group was formed the paths were in a very neglected state. Much of the work of the Group was in doing formal and systematic inspections. With just 1-inch maps and totally overgrown stiles this was quite an effort. Now, most paths can be expected to be navigable and defects are found on ‘pleasure’ walks rather than being ‘searched for’. However systematic surveys of footpaths in the more remote areas are still done regularly throughout the year. Defects are reported to our two (formerly four) Highway Authorities and their claims of rectification are checked. As you might expect, the standards that we expect have gradually increased and signposts and waymarks in difficult places are now suggested. The experience gained in map reading and navigation has been useful for the footpath condition audit surveys requested by the (then) Countryside Commission and the County Councils. We have helped with these Best Value surveys (BVPI or Ease of Use Surveys) in the counties before they were discontinued but have continued with LDNP, although we have no territory there, to help out our LD Area colleagues. With such a large and wild territory direct action on footpath improvements, such as stile building, has never been popular with 5 members, especially since work by amateurs was discouraged by Lancashire County Council. However, where there were personal contacts or a demonstration project could be identified special arrangements were made. With the recession since 2008 the County Council has been slightly more interested in voluntary help. The Parish Lengthman scheme, started by the Countryside Commission was helped by the County at first and then broadened to other approved maintenance teams. The Group enrolled but has rarely been assigned any jobs. We are still willing but need to convince the County that we can be of value. A particularly difficult path at Biggins was cleared in collaboration with the Kirkby Lonsdale Civic Society in 1978. This narrow sunken path between hedges passes from one Highway Authority to another and has caused other problems over the years with flooding and effluent seepage between 1985-9 and up to 1994 when the worst problems improved. A very muddy spot on the popular North bank of the Lune, between Halton and the Crook excited the Group in 1974 who submitted a defect report. After no response, the Group attempted to drain it in 1983 but this only lasted a few seasons. The County Council was persuaded to carry out larger engineering works a few years later and another scheme was undertaken as part of the Lune Millennium Park in 1999. at Caton has been a continuing effort over the years. Stepping stones were achieved and finally a bridge in 2003, when also the nearby Lune riverbank path was moved away from the river near Bull Beck.

Waymarking The introduction by the Countryside Commission of standard yellow waymarking arrows interested the Group who had found many spots which were difficult to navigate, even by practised map readers. As relative pioneers in this work we developed paint techniques, especially for limestone and sandstone stile and gate posts. The number, location and orientation of the arrows 6 was probably the most contentious topic within the Group’s history. It is therefore perhaps fortuitous that Lancashire County Council was not very encouraging and required the RA to obtain permission from the landowner for each sign. We did complete schemes for individual landowners at Thwaite House (1977), Leighton Hall Estate (1976) and the Estate (Lord Sefton and now the Duke of Westminster) (1988 and 1995). [As an aside we have had very cordial and professional relations with the Estate over footpath matters, although the access position has been of national interest]. Since then we have signed individual places on request (eg Camp House) and completed projects for Parish Councils (Arkholme, Whittington and Melling). Now we mainly make offers of help and give advice.

Diversions and Extinguishments Rights of Way Orders have been a regular feature of our activity and have created a considerable amount of work. It is apparent that to pursue these to a satisfactory conclusion requires an ‘immortal’ organisation with considerable continuity of membership and long personal memories. Issues seem to outlast even the longest serving Footpath Secretary and every now and then someone says: ‘We had a problem there. Can you remember what it was? Was it ever resolved?’ Although none of the Highway Authorities are blameless and efficient, our biggest problem has been with Lancaster City Council which took over the ‘core’ City area on behalf of the County Council. They did not have Rights of Way specialists in the Highways Department or the Legal Department. In many cases Orders were made and the diversion put in, but never confirmed. Considerable efforts were made to review all these and push for the completion of the legal processes. We think that the last of these is the Lower Burrow Beck path, just north of . The Group really got its teeth into this, with leaflets and public meetings in 1973. The path crossed the Beck by a stone slab bridge. The Beck is the dividing line 7 between the responsibilities of the City and County Councils. There were separate housing developments planned on the two sides of the beck so that the Order was made under the Town and Country Planning Act. On the City side the estate was put in with the paved path on a compromise route. The other development never took place but a cycleway was placed along most of the line of the path and over a narrow cart bridge near the beck crossing. There are three possible lines at this point; the original, the Diversion and the cycleway. It is not clear that the Order ever came into effect (46 years, so far). Our longest project was the obstruction of Lancaster 28, at the end of town on St. George’s Quay. The path links the riverside road with the river bank. It was obstructed by a secure compound subdivided into a builders’ yard and an oil storage depot. The obstruction was reported in 1971. There was a press campaign and a walk for councillors in 1974. We went to the Ombudsman, but did not win there. At intervals the property changed ownership, but each time that we managed to start the Council moving again the City Solicitor would resign. Eventually the City Council was convinced and took the owners to the Magistrates Court, twice. The path was reopened as a passage between the compounds in 1998 (27 years). It is not satisfactory since the entrance is narrow and hidden and the path where it meets the river bank had rubble tipped on it. Our best hope is that the English Coastal Path will be placed on both sides of the river here. Our footpath problems in the Lancaster City Core area decreased once the County took back their responsibilities. Another longstanding dispute was at Docker Moor, on a sporting estate. An obstruction by growing conifers was reported in 1980. We rejected a proposed diversion the next year because it was in the shape of a ‘W’ [‘Ramblers will like it because it is longer’!]. We won an inquiry in 1984. Eventually a diversion was agreed in 1992, but it is regularly overgrown. We took part in a major Inquiry in 1996 into the status and line of the historic route across . An interesting 8 experience with a High Court Judge making audible comments in the body of the hall. Several Inquiries in 2001 included a path over the in which was closed but has still not been legally diverted. Another long-standing and unresolved problem is the obstruction created by the county council itself at Guldrey Fold, Sedbergh which was inherited by the YDNP. A meeting in 2002 failed to progress this. The exact route near Brown’s Houses in Silverdale has been in dispute for many years and a DMMO made but not implemented. This has become more serious now that the saltmarsh has been washed away and the line of the English Coastal Path is due to be defined along the shore. An informal Inquiry is due in 2019. Another unresolved battle was with the -M6 Link Road, or Bay Gateway, in 2012. The plans had good new paths, but they had been designed for cycles so that there were very long gentle descents down the slopes. Walkers prefer a more direct route. Changes were promised at the Inquiry but did not materialise and the County Council has refused to honour their promises.

NEW ROUTES New possibilities for open access or improvements in the rights of way network have been pursued. A very early study was to use the line of the former Lancaster-Wennington railway, up the Lune Valley. The lower part was opened as a cycle track from Lancaster through the Crook o’ Lune, past Caton to Bull Beck Picnic Site as a County Council initiative in 1981. Unfortunately this was urbanised, with a hard surface and street lights as part of the Lune Millennium Park in 1999, despite the RA (early) and local peoples’ (later) complaints. The upper part was sold off to unsympathetic owners. A possible new path along the line was pursued by the former Lunesdale Civic Society with no success. However, after the foot and mouth disease outbreak, 9 the benefits of such initiatives to the local economy are becoming more appreciated. At Village Appraisals in Hornby and Wray in 2001-2 interest was expressed in commuting and shopping footpath links, so that another attempt may be made. The Thirlmere Pipeline Bridge just above the Crook o’ Lune is an obviously useful crossing which greatly enhances the number of loop walks. The Group asked for this to be opened to foot traffic (by just unlocking the gates) in 1970 but this was refused for ‘security’ reasons. It was eventually opened in 1995 (25 years). The north bank of the had a path most of the way from Lancaster to Kirkby Lonsdale (18 miles), although not in very good condition. It slowly improved and we helped to negotiate ways over the two missing links to give a continuous route in 1988. The official Lune Ramble was opened at the end of 1992 and the Group published a book of walks, including walks along both banks and loops, the following year. This has been acclaimed as a major help to local rural tourism but is no longer supported by the authorities. A major initiative was a claim in 2004, based on historical evidence, for a footpath link from Baines Crag down to Caton. This was based on the Finance Act statement which unfortunately did not specify the route so that the claim failed in 2006. We will keep researching this under our Lost Ways initiative.

Lost ways With a time-limit of 2026 for claims to add PROWs to the definitive map using historical evidence we started work in 2014. Interested members were briefed and the work explained. In Lancashire the job is fairly straightforward since much of the initial work can be done at home using the LCC MARIO online map system. We gave training and prepared an online guide in 2015 available to anyone for work in Lancashire. Only three members have continued working and in 2017 reached their first milestone. The whole group territory has been 10 studied and all likely possible claims recorded in a standard format. Thus at any time they could be submitted but much more work needs to be done to make what we would consider as convincing claims. During this review many mapping anomalies were found which were passed to the LCC and also possible claims for upgrading paths to bridleways were passed to the horse riders.

NEW ACCESS Barrow, a hill within Morecambe, was suggested for public access in 1980 and parts were opened in 1989. We have continued this by trying to protect this fine viewpoint in the Local Plan, Lancaster City Council published a list of local charities. It was noticed that one was for the upkeep of Hermitage Field adjacent to the Crook o’ Lune Picnic Site, a very popular spot for all sorts of activities. The view from the knoll is superb, possibly the finest in the area, with the Lune valley and in the background. It was apparently purchased largely by public subscription in 1940 and dedicated for public access. It was to be used for food production during the second world war and then to be available to the public. However it had been let as grazing land with no access. An opportunity to gain access was lost when the Lune Millennium Park scheme was floated and later with the council’s ‘£1 Million for the Millennium’ small grants celebration scheme. Several attempts were made to persuade the charity trustees of their obligations and these were fruitful in 2001, with an opening in 2002 (62 years, 20 for RA). The Ramblers offered £1500 as a contribution to the work needed to make the field suitable for general public access. A level path for the less able has been put in and a tree planting scheme has taken place. The Ramblers commissioned a stone bench at a good viewpoint with engraving appropriate to the royal Jubilee on the front. It was fashioned from reclaimed stone by local craftsmen. Although overtly a Jubilee memorial it also has 11 ‘Ramblers’ Association’ on the back to commemorate a small access victory.

The CRoW Act Increasing access to the Forest of Bowland has been a continuing campaign with adjacent Groups and Areas, and laterly the national organisation. One of the first Group events was the support of the Chipping Rally in 1969. The original County Council access agreements over a few linear routes were made in 1967 and renewed agreements were eventually signed in 2000. These were be superseded by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act although were still kept in place. The Group was active on the RA Executive Committee’s Bowland Access Committee during the run up to the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act. The Group was active in the mapping of this new access in mapping areas 2 and 4 (2002). For the 2004 opening of CRoW access there was a national launch at Marshaw, . The Group led walks and featured in media coverage and Jean’s boots featured on the front of a Countryside Agency publication. The next year the RA with the Countryside and Landowners Association (CLA) presented a certificate to the Lancashire CC countryside service for doing the job well. There have been few problems but Warton Salt Marsh had restricted access for a few years but this was relaxed later. The group has welcomed, but not been affected much by the increased access on Forestry Commission, Natural and Woodland Trust land.

Coastal access The proposal for an English Coastal Path in 2010 was of great interest to the Group, with its long coastline. The implementation of the NW section started in north Cumbria and worked southwards. In preparation the Group formed a small group to walk the coast and suggest how the path could be implemented 12 according to the statutory rules. The Report was produced in 2011-2012 complete with maps, photographs and suggestions of enhancements for other user groups. There were delays in 2018 when our section was due to be published, but we have hopes for 2019. The choice of the line was made easier by the existence of the Lancashire Coastal Trail, although that did not follow the prescribed rules.

COUNTRYSIDE WORK The Group has always felt that the countryside seen from footpaths needs protecting and has been consistent in its pressure, both by itself and together with other amenity organisations.

Planning The Group has made representations on, and attended public examination of: County Structure Plans, Mineral and Waste Local Plans, District Council Local Plans, the Forest of Bowland AONB and Arnside & Silverdale AONB Management Plans. The RA has representatives on both AONB executive committees. Early on the Group persuaded Lancaster City Council to send us the weekly planning lists, consult us on all developments affecting public rights of way and include a question relating to the existence of a public right of way on its planning application form. This has been useful in enabling consultation to take place at an early stage in the path diversion process. We have developed a good relationship with the planning officers. Representations on development proposals have been frequent, often with good results. These appeared to have strengthened the decision of the planning officers in refusal or modification. A very early proposal was the enormous Morecambe Bay Barrage, which did not happen, but most representations have been on isolated barn conversions and farm tourism developments such as caravan sites. Proposals for large leisure complexes have usually been resisted. For example the battle against chalets at Leighton Hall in the Silverdale area was 13 lost at inquiry in 1983 but they were never built and a more recent attempt to build on the Home Farm was defeated by a grouping of local organisations, including the Group. Often planning applications from within the City Council, but outside the Planning Department, have been badly thought out. They have usually been modified after representations, but ill- conceived plans, such as the River Lune Millennium Park which had minimal public consultation, have appeared.

General amenity improvement Litter is a continuing problem which has been reduced by picking sessions at various places and by involving the authorities, lately by invoking the Environmental Protection Act 1990. A particular problem was at Freeman’s Wood, which is a neglected City recreational resource. Other campaigns have been to improve the public toilets at and to remove HGVs parking illegally in lay-bys. Trees are good landscape features and have been high on our priorities. Campaigns have been waged to prevent the planting of solid blocks of conifers in Bowland and elsewhere. The Group has been successful with several practical schemes. In 1976 we weeded surplus ash trees from the National Trust Eaves Wood and replanted them in the City at a riverside site at the Ramparts. However that was a dry summer so they did not survive. The area was redeveloped shortly afterwards anyway. A similar scheme two years later involved the pulling of surplus pines from a Lake District nature reserve at Foulshaw Moss and replanting them on the canal side at the Marina. Many are still there. Not far from there we were worried that the narrow strip between the A6 main road and the Lancaster Canal at Hest Bank was looking very bleak when they were cutting the hedge. We persuaded them to leave a few standard trees and these are a permanent reminder that good management takes little effort but can bring big results. 14 Good locations for tree planting are still being sought. Schemes which we have investigated have mostly not stayed the course because the landowner has made unreasonable requests, such as a commitment to fence the trees for ever. A smaller scheme in 1994 was the donation and planting of daffodils in the new Bolton-le-Sands Community Wood.

DONATIONS We have generated income from the sales of walks to newspapers and from the walks books which we write, publish and sell. As well as having a good product the important point here is to have an active and entrepreneurial distributor. We have given donations to various mountain rescue teams for services rendered to our walkers. These have all been accidents or sudden illnesses during our walks. We helped with a ‘Walkers Guide to Safety on the Fells’ for Bowland MR Team in 2007. Initiating our own schemes has been tiring and often unsuccessful: a bridge at Narthwaite in the Yorkshire Dales has not been forthcoming. A scheme for the repair of an iron gate and the installation of a stone seat on Ripley Heights was successful in 2016. An easier way of achieving our aims has been to give money for specific schemes proposed by others. The Yorkshire Dales National Park has been very willing to suggest projects for path improvements, usually gates to replace stiles and bridges. These have included two gates at Coat Faw in Dentdale and a Bridge at Crosdale Beck on the Dales Way. caused major flooding, path damage and many bridges were washed away in 2015. In our territory most damage was in the YDNP. We contributed money to repair Birks Bridge in Sedbergh (2016) and Fishermans Bridge below Fox’s Pulpit (2017). By chance we led a walk over this new bridge on the first day after it was reopened.

15 The Arnside & Silverdale AONB started a countryside management service very early on and over the years we have donated money for individual signs (1987, 1998) and a bridge over Leighton Beck (1996) and waymarks on (2014). A less successful donation was for a Tramper in 2011 for use in the AONB. The original operator had some problems and at present it is used almost entirely for RSPB members at Leighton Moss. Bigger sums were given for the purchase of Trowbarrow Quarry (1996) and a field called Coldwell Parrock (2000). In each case we anticipated future new footpath links. With the National Trust we paid for signs at Woodwell and Elmslack and a consistent set of signs in Eaves Wood, mainly to help walkers to get to, and from, the Pepper Pot and the Car Park (2007). Also for the National Trust we paid for handrails on a high stone stile on Farleton Fell.

The Lancashire County Council Countryside Service, with the Bowland AONB, has also been prepared to suggest projects. For the improvements on the upper Wyre Way we financed two carved stone waymarks. In the Bowland area we have also contributed to a Parish Footpath map at Hornby and footpath steps at Tatham.

ENCOURAGING WALKING Well used paths and an active and supportive public are a great help to the Ramblers. Fortunately, the area is very popular with visitors and those with outdoor interests, although many are retired folk or are independent walkers. In the first few decades winter indoor meetings were themed on ‘agriculture’, ‘things in countryside’, ‘kindred organisations’ as well as the three projects which led to Reports which are described later. We regularly organised quizzes between our affiliated Clubs. These indoor activities gradually declined but we have held open training sessions on ‘First Aid’, ‘Map Reading’ and ‘Walks Leadership’. These have changed over the 16 years with outside specialist providers being used for the first aid instruction, a wider spread of abilities for the map reading, an introduction to using GPS and on-line map apps, although we stress that these are no substitute for real paper maps. As our leaders have matured the leadership training has turned into a Leaders Thank You Day with a free hot-pot lunch. To help to improve the quality of leading we have Guides on our web site. For the RA Silver Jubilee (1985) the Group prepared and donated Parish Footpath Maps to each Parish. Some are still on display. We have attended a variety of outdoor festivals; at Glasson (2008), Greenwood Fair (2008), Wildlife Festival (2012) and helped Radio Lancashire with some Radio Walks. On a more personal scale we have several times approached our local MP’s to discuss our concerns and invite them for a walk. We may have had an effect in speeding up the extensions of the National Parks but have had only one taker for a walk. Probably our best method of approaching the public is with our series of Walks Books. These have been illustrated, written, checked, published and distributed by the Group. They have been real Group efforts and we have never mentioned the names of those involved, except for those friends from outside the Group who contributed sketches or maps.  Walks Round Lancaster (1) 1973  Walks Round Lancaster (2) 1992  Walks in the Lune Valley 1983 o New Edition 2001  Walks in NW Lancashire 1998 o Revised 2004  More Walks in NW Lancashire 2006  Walks from ‘The Limestone Link’ 1999 o Revised 2003  Walks Round Lancaster City 2006

17 There have also been many reprints with just minor amendments. Sales are now slowing. This is perhaps because many local people now have the set, although most sales go to visitors. Also the number of our sales outlets is decreasing and they are becoming more specialised in their stock. We anticipate few more reprints and continue to search out ways of selling our walks on-line. The ‘Limestone Link’ named path, which the above book refers to, was an initiative by South Lakeland District Council. It, in fact lies outside our territory. The publicity and waymarking of the route was discontinued but we have reprinted the leaflet and make it available on-line with the aid of the Long Distance Walkers Association. We also sell a leaflet on a walk along the Lancaster Canal between Lancaster and Kendal. In 2015, at the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witches trial at we cooperated with a Pendle author in designing a walk along the route that the defendants may have taken, although more scenic diversions were taken. This resulted in a guide book. Since 1973 (for 25 years) we produced nearly 400 walks for publication in the local newspaper, the Lancaster Guardian, and also some for the nearby Westmorland Gazette and the Lancashire Evening Post. In 2008 we took up an offer by Lancaster University to produce a set of walks from the campus and into town. We produced the text but the offer to produce maps and the leaflet did not actually materialise and we gave up the project in 2018. These walks books and newspaper walks have financed the Group activities. We have never taken the members’ subscription precept since the very early days.

Health Walks Work on encouraging the less able to walk for their health started in 2008 with Natural England’s ’Walks for Life’ but this stopped

18 locally at short notice at about the same time as we had compiled a database of about 50 walks. Now we hope to check these and find the best way of disseminating them.

THE THREE REPORTS In the first few years when the Group was a working rather than walking Group there was time and energy for proactive campaigning. Three major studies were carried out, each over nearly a year with winter inside meetings and summer outdoor walks with a purpose. As well as fostering a sense of Group purpose the reports have achieved many good outcomes. These originated directly from the reports and from later agitation. The reports gave us a clear idea of what we wanted but perhaps the good results happened because we were prescient and the rest of the world just caught up. Here we describe the reports briefly and list the main recommendations and what happened to them.

Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Report 1973 This small AONB was designated in 1971 for its intimate limestone scenery and the Group was excited that part of their territory (half is in Kendal Group territory) had been recognised nationally. The study looked at all aspects of the area and formed a primitive ‘Management Plan’.

Recommendations  Joint Planning Committee Forum established 1995 Executive established 2002  Management Plan 1996  Conservation Areas in: o Arnside √ o √ o (with ) √ 19 o , o Warton. √  Historic buildings and dry stone walls need protecting Heritage Lottery Grant 2001  Withdraw outstanding permissions at Trowbarrow Quarry. Now a nature reserve 1996  No expansion of Middlebarrow Quarry Closed 2000  Stop removal of Limestone Pavement. Legislation 1981  Footpath signs and waymarks needed. Done by Countryside Management Unit  Footpath maintenance needed. Done by Countryside Management Unit  Resist the Grey Squirrel. √  Deer control needed. √  New footpath to complete Coastal Path. ECP in progress  More general Access Agreements.  Remove overhead wires (eg Warton Village)  No ‘improvements’ to roads  Visitor facilities should not be ‘attractions’.

The Lancaster Canal Report 1975 The Lancaster Canal is a major recreational resource for walkers. In 1975 British Waterways was becoming more active as a recreational provider. Now the River and Canal Trust are active managers.

Recommendations  Hincaster Tunnel as recreation site √  Canal moorings only in marinas. √  Canalside picnic sites √  Mow footpath. √  Dedicate towpath as footpath. in places√  Canal in Kendal to be improved.  Canal bridges to be protected  Restore water level between and Holme 20  Replant the historic larch trees.

The Lancaster Recreational Paths Report 1977 This was an initiative by the (then) Countryside Commission to encourage local authorities to create urban fringe paths.

Recommendations  Open the two former rail bridges at the Crook o’ Lune as footpaths. 1981  Access to river bank from Bull Beck Picnic Site. 1981  Thirlmere Pipeline Bridge to be open. 1996  Problems on south bank near Scarthwaite. corrected by Lune Millennium Park 1999  Complete riverbank path in Skerton corrected by Lune Millennium Park 1999  Artle Beck crossing needed stepping stones 1998 bridge 2003  Connect Baines Crag and Little Crag to the riverside.  Status of Grimshaw Lane needs clarifying. Restricted Byway 2014

21 OFFICE HOLDERS

Chairman Secretary Jack Merrett 1969-71 Audrey Shaw 1969-70 Brian Greenwood 1971-72 John Atkinson 1970-72 Brian Jones 1972- Brian Greenwood 1972-74 Jean Gilligan 1974-2002 Vacant 2002-2004 Joy Greenwood 2005-2009 Vacant 2009-2011 David Johnson 2011-

Treasurer Footpath Secretaries and Assistants Hazel Bennet 1969-71 Henry Nurse 1969-85 Frank Bennett 1971-75 John McCall 1985-86 Jack Merrett 1975-86 Norma Benathan 1986-95 Dick Ingle 1986-92 Norma Benathan Ann Donnelly 1992-96 with Audrey Shaw 1995-98 John Westhead 1996-2011 Audrey Shaw 1998-2001 David Todd 2011- Gill Gale 2001-2009 Joy Greenwood 2009-2014 Vacant 2014-2015 Neil Herbert With Jean Walker 2015-

Many members and committee members have taken over specific tasks, such as book sales, checking book walks at reprinting time, walks programme organising, holiday trips, membership secretary, countryside secretary, webmaster, publicity, newsletter editor, programme distribution and of course leading walks. The Group has had the benefit of long-term Committee members; including Eddie Hibberd and Joan Hibberd.

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