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PEAK AREA Inspecting the repaired Ringing Roger. Photo:Austin Knott. NEWSLETTER January 2019 [email protected] Rocking Chair yet he’s still firmly rooted in the UK, having Rob Greenwood walked extensively throughout the British Isles. Looking further ahead, the RSPB’s Raptor Happy NewYear! Persecution Team will attend our March It only seems like five meeting, and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Tim minutes since the last meeting, Birch at our June meeting (TBC);Tim will be but here we are just a few weeks talking about the trust’s ambitious rewilding away from the first Peak Area plans throughout the Peak. In September meeting of 2019. we’ve managed to persuade the man, myth We’ve got an exciting programme of and legend Stu Bradbury to do a talk (quite a speakers lined up this year, kicking off with feat, as he’s got to drive all the way from Carey Davies, the BMC’s HillWalking Cornwall to get here!). Stu’s exploits along Development Officer, who’s going to talk about the south-west coast are the thing of legend – the influence of writing on his career in the check out his ‘Hostile Terrain’ article on outdoors. Carey is a frequent contributor to UKClimbing and you’ll see what I mean. The Guardian’s Country Diary and a former So, you can’t accuse us of having a dull year assistant editor atTGO Magazine. His lined up (and I haven’t even mentioned adventures have taken him across the world, November’s quiz)! See you there. Next meeting: Wednesday 23 January, 7.30 p.m. The Maynard, Grindleford, S32 2HE Stanage Pllantatiion.. Photo::John Coefiielld.. Updates on key issues and projects: Access News • Planning permission has been sought Louise Hawson by Sheffield City Council and Ride Sheffield for a new mountain bike track in the Stanage Redmires plantation.The BMC responded Andrew McCloy, new chair of the Peak to the consultation supporting the proposal, District National Park Authority, attended as long as potential conflicts between the last meeting of the Stanage Forum mountain bikers and walkers on Long Steering Group, and made clear his Causeway are mitigated through design, commitment to the forum and the estate. signage and information on responsible use. I’m sure we’ll continue to have ‘robust • Proposals to make improvements to the discussions’ on key issues with the national parking at High Neb, which were discussed at park, but in Andrew we have a chair who the last meeting, may run into issues with understands and values the role of the BMC planning.We will keep working on this to get as a stakeholder and partner. a better solution. It’s particularly important We’re still unclear on the level of staffing given plans to promote the Long Causeway as and resources for the estate this year, but route for those with mobility issues to access we’ve made strong representation that the the top of Stanage. estate ranger post – ably filled by Mark • Ring ouzels won’t start arriving Anderson – must continue as a full-time until late March, but we’ll start to recruit role. We’re working with the estate team volunteers for this year’s monitoring project on a management plan to support this. on Stanage, Burbage and the Eastern Moors in the next couple of months. Keep an eye out for information on the BMC’s website and twitter feed. 2 Peak Area Newsletter January 2019 We’ll be promoting other volunteering Eastern Moors and Burbage opportunities up on the estate throughout Henry Folkard 2019. If you’re a member of a club (climbing or otherwise!) that might want to get There isn’t much to report from the involved, then let one of the access team Eastern Moors or Burbage since the last know and we’ll put you in touch with Mark. meeting, though it is anticipated a number • Finally, we’re keeping an eye on the of management issues will crop up a bit situation with parking fees and enforcement later in 2019. at Hollin Bank (Plantation). Check the A couple of years ago there was a lot BMC's Regional Access Database (RAD) of discussion about activity on National for the latest information. Trust land that could be deemed to be commercial activity – like climbing Peak District Local Access Forum instruction for which clients paid an The LAF advises the national park authority instructor. Commercial activity is excluded on access and rights of way issues, from the from open access arrangements under perspective of key stakeholders and user CROW. This was not a Peak thing groups. A couple of key issues of interest exclusively, but common to all such activity from the last meeting: on all National Trust property – and was The Glover Review of Protected Areas a much bigger issue at places such as is consulting on whether the protections Purbeck than it was here. for national parks and Areas of Outstanding The matter was never completely Natural Beauty are still fit for purpose, what resolved then, and it has now re-emerged: might be done better and what changes will the question as it came to me was whether help. The meeting discussed the importance or not a permit was required if instructing of responsible behaviour by users and at Lawrencefield, but this was in fact guidance on good practice. The BMC has essentially the same item. Before Christmas a history of providing positive guidance to the Trust’s countryside manager readily its members (for example on wild camping), agreed to meet with the local AMI co- and it seems this role is likely to become ordinator and myself to see what practical more important in the future. The review arrangements we could propose for the will report in 2019. Peak – and Rob Dyer from BMC head A workshop in January will look at how office will join us too. the national park can better manage the Both the countryside manager and impacts of events – from the Chatsworth I think it should be perfectly possible to sort Show to local fell races – on the landscape, something out which is of benefit to all infrastructure and residents of the park. parties without any imposition of financial Although the BMC won’t be directly or bureaucratic penalties for either. represented, the LAF representative will Hopefully there will be something to report share our views about charging and licensing back at the next area meeting. schemes, and the benefits of well-managed There should also be something to events for the economy, people and the report on a proposed Winnats event landscape.We’ll provide an update at the at the end of April, but the meeting at which next area meeting. details will be agreed is a bit later in January, after this newsletter’s deadline – watch out for details on the BMC website. http://community.thebmc.co.uk/peak 3 Bellow Mam Tor.. Photo::Roger Fanner.. Hill Walking News London and SE Area); protecting and Peter Judd and Austin Knott celebrating the upland landscapes; how to deal with incidents and hazards in the hills; The BMC’s first Hill Walking and navigation in the hills: hints and tips. Symposium One of the highlights of the event was The Hill Walking Symposium took place a very lively debate that took place on here on our own patch at Losehill Hall, Saturday afternoon delving into both access Castleton on the last weekend of improvements for walkers and the legalities November. Over 50 people attended, around wild camping, clearly both issues of including a good number from our own major concern to adventurous hill walkers. area, as might be expected, but we were The key points to take away from this also pleased to have representation from included just how fortunate we are to every other BMC Area too.We even had already have such a good public rights of our own homegrown president, Lynn way network (despite local government Robinson, on hand to welcome everyone. underfunding meaning maintenance, signage This event was run as an experiment, and repair of same are increasingly being having a real mix of activities on offer over neglected), and the excellent additional the weekend, to see what might grab open access gains achieved via the 18-year- people’s imagination. Some excellent short old Countryside and Rights of Way Act. workshops were delivered on Saturday However, BMC Access and Conservation with a diverse range of topics, including: Officer for Policy, Cath Flitcroft, explained organising clean-ups and path repairs; how that an interesting opportunity presents to lead a successful BMC hill walk (delivered itself presently as the government rewrites jointly by our own Peter Judd and fellow hill legislation around both agriculture and the walking area rep Chris Stone from the environment in preparation for leaving the 4 Peak Area Newsletter January 2019 European Union. Such work will likely rivers being able to stay within their banks. radically change how subsidies are targeted They already have good evidence that the and there are signs the government just present gully blocking and rewetting of the might choose to incentivise environmental moors has already led to a noticeable improvement and along with this also slow-down of rainwater runoff. incentivise improved public access. While Sunday ended with a range of different we may not have the same freedoms of walks on offer. Chris Dean took a group access that are enjoyed in Scotland, our to look at MFTFP’s work up on Bleaklow, situations are different and while pushing a navigation skills session was delivered on for a Scotland-like freedom to legally wild Kinder Scout, Peter Judd took walkers on camp might at first seem attractive, there a tour of limestone and gritstone geology may (given the present tolerance of discrete, during a walk around the Castleton end of low-impact, wild camping above the last wall the HopeValley, and Austin Knott (along line by most landowners and managers in with Carey Davies) took walkers to see our mountainous areas) be more to lose the past and future work of Mend Our by agitating for a legalising of our current Mountains by visiting the completed practice than there is to gain.This is because Ringing Roger project and also the site it would draw attention to what currently of the proposed work on Great Ridge.