Yesterday I took another trip round the 'Above Glen Almond' route from the Pocket Mountains Southern Highlands book.
In the last four weeks, a new, THREE MILES LONG, double, two and three strand, LIVE, electric fence has been laid out starting from about Auchnafree farm coming up onto the moor at Sron Bealaidh and continuing northwards to join the old fence - shown on the OS Explorer 379 1:25,000 - that followed the south-east crags above Glen Lochan. It continues up past Greag Grianain then south easterly to meet the wall below Geal Charn. Where it's going from there I have no idea! Some of the posts have even been dug in on the old path in places.
Yesterday I took another trip round the 'Above Glen Almond' route from the Pocket Mountains Southern Highlands book.
In the last four weeks, a new, THREE MILES LONG, double, two and three strand, LIVE, electric fence has been laid out starting from about Auchnafree farm coming up onto the moor at Sron Bealaidh and continuing northwards to join the old fence - shown on the OS Explorer 379 1:25,000 - that followed the south-east crags above Glen Lochan. It continues up past Greag Grianain then south easterly to meet the wall below Geal Charn. Where it's going from there I have no idea! Some of the posts have even been dug in on the old path in places.
I was up there recently. There were posts at infrequent intervals along the hillside.. Now I know why.
In message <[email hidden]>, Andy Crawford <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Yesterday I took another trip round the 'Above Glen Almond' route from the Pocket Mountains Southern Highlands book.
In the last four weeks, a new, THREE MILES LONG, double, two and three strand, LIVE, electric fence has been laid out starting from about Auchnafree farm coming up onto the moor at Sron Bealaidh and continuing northwards to join the old fence - shown on the OS Explorer 379 1:25,000 - that followed the south-east crags above Glen Lochan. It continues up past Greag Grianain then south easterly to meet the wall below Geal Charn. Where it's going from there I have no idea! Some of the posts have even been dug in on the old path in places.
Thanks for posting that. I've passed it on to the MCoS Access & Conservation Committee to look into.
Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time!
"Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time! "
And possibly there is nothing illegal doing it! Why vandalise something that is perfectly legal?
As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
"Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time! "
And possibly there is nothing illegal doing it! Why vandalise something that is perfectly legal?
I think there is an <in> missing in there.
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As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
Just like nobody does more than 30 mph round town or 70 on the motorway.
Three miles of electric fence sounds a lot to me. I wonder how it is powered? There have been cases of electric fencing being hooked up to the mains rather than a safe power supply.
In message <[email hidden]>, J Smith <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Jim Ford wrote:
"Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time! "
And possibly there is nothing illegal doing it! Why vandalise something that is perfectly legal?
As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
The Access Code for Scotland says that land managers must not "be either deliberate or unreasonable in obstructing or hindering someone from exercising access rights. Examples of what might be deliberate or unreasonable could include: ...... putting up a high fence over long stretches of open country without providing gates, gaps or other access points". I guess electric fences would count.
Of course it should be reported to the local council access officer or the local access forum. "Local authorities have a duty to uphold access rights and have powers to remove prohibition signs, obstructions and dangerous impediments and to recover costs from the land manager responsible".
In message <[email hidden]>, J Smith <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Jim Ford wrote:
"Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time! "
And possibly there is nothing illegal doing it! Why vandalise something that is perfectly legal?
As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
The Access Code for Scotland says that land managers must not "be either deliberate or unreasonable in obstructing or hindering someone from exercising access rights. Examples of what might be deliberate or unreasonable could include: ...... putting up a high fence over long stretches of open country without providing gates, gaps or other access points". I guess electric fences would count.
Of course it should be reported to the local council access officer or the local access forum. "Local authorities have a duty to uphold access rights and have powers to remove prohibition signs, obstructions and dangerous impediments and to recover costs from the land manager responsible".
Have I missed something here? Where does it say that there are no crossing points on this fence?
As both a farmer and a walker/climber it never ceases to amaze me that both sides of the alleged "great access dispute" seem to adopt the line that everything the "other side" does is done specifically to inconvience them. There are believe it or not far more valid and useful reasons for putting up expensive fences than to cause inconvience to walkers.
"Three miles of electric fence sounds a lot to me. I wonder how it is powered? There have been cases of electric fencing being hooked up to the mains rather than a safe power supply."
Probably there is a legitimate reason for it AND legal. Nothing to do with keeping walkers out IMHO.
In message <[email hidden]>, Tim Jones <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Chris Townsend said:
In message <[email hidden]>, J Smith <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Jim Ford wrote:
"Shouldn't be a problem - just short it to ground with a bit of wire hopefully lying around. Vegetation should also do the trick. If folk keep doing it, they'll surely get fed up with checking the 3 miles of fence every time! "
And possibly there is nothing illegal doing it! Why vandalise something that is perfectly legal?
As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
The Access Code for Scotland says that land managers must not "be either deliberate or unreasonable in obstructing or hindering someone from exercising access rights. Examples of what might be deliberate or unreasonable could include: ...... putting up a high fence over long stretches of open country without providing gates, gaps or other access points". I guess electric fences would count.
Of course it should be reported to the local council access officer or the local access forum. "Local authorities have a duty to uphold access rights and have powers to remove prohibition signs, obstructions and dangerous impediments and to recover costs from the land manager responsible".
Have I missed something here? Where does it say that there are no crossing points on this fence?
As both a farmer and a walker/climber it never ceases to amaze me that both sides of the alleged "great access dispute" seem to adopt the line that everything the "other side" does is done specifically to inconvience them. There are believe it or not far more valid and useful reasons for putting up expensive fences than to cause inconvience to walkers.
If there are crossing points then that's fine. I'm not assuming that this fence has been put there to inconvenience walkers. I have no idea why it's there. But under the access legislation there should be access points, whatever the reason for its construction.
"Have I missed something here? Where does it say that there are no crossing points on this fence?"
No you have not! Some walkers think they have a priority. Not so, probably there is crossing pionts that the original poster has missed.
As I've said in a previous post I'm taking bets that there is not anything illegal at all! Probably its less expensive to use electic fences than to build permanent fences or walls to keep livestock in or out.
In message <[email hidden]>, J Smith <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Chris Townsend wrote:
"Of course it should be reported to the local council access officer or
the local access forum. "Local authorities have a duty to uphold access
rights and have powers to remove prohibition signs, obstructions and dangerous impediments and to recover costs from the land manager responsible"."
Probably the local authority knows and have sanctioned it;-) I'd suggest not jumping the gun about this being illegal :-0
I'm not jumping the gun. I don't know. But if it hasn't crossing places (and quite a few would be needed on a three mile fence) then it goes against the access legislation and should be removed or access points provided.
On 28 May 2006 12:24:15 -0700, "J Smith" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
As long as they don't block public rights of way no problem. Although in Scotland debatable;-)Nobody would string out an electric fence for over 3 miles if it was illegal IMHO.
Right ... you must have very honest and ethical people in the UK .... this is an old trick out here ... doing something such as this, hoping to overcome any illegal objections given the cost of pulling it down etc or "it has happened, too late to undo" argument is put up.
I'm not jumping the gun. I don't know. But if it hasn't crossing places (and quite a few would be needed on a three mile fence) then it goes against the access legislation and should be removed or access points provided.
If you don't stick to the usual ways up and down Scottish hills it's not uncommon to come across deer fences with no stile/gate anywhere near to where you want to get over it isn't it? I don't expect to find convenient access (actually usually exit) points to everywhere I get to and presumably landowners accept that they're going to get the odd daft bugger going the "wrong" way and don't object to them climbing their fences.
Stirred up a bit of a hornets' nest here methinks! Thanks for your responses. The fence follows the route given in the book and there is not one access point on the whole three miles of it - no stiles, gates, isolators ... nothing! It's not high enough to be a deer fence so it must be for the (non-existent on Saturday) sheep. Or is it to control unruly walkers! ;-) Having been the only one of the party to get a 'kick' off it, I will back the theory that it's mains powered. I'm just glad I was ducking between the lines and it hit me in hte small of the back and not trying to straddle it! Thanks for reporting it Chris - it'd be a pity to lose a great moorland walk!
"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
In message <[email hidden]>, Andy Crawford <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Yesterday I took another trip round the 'Above Glen Almond' route from the Pocket Mountains Southern Highlands book.
In the last four weeks, a new, THREE MILES LONG, double, two and three strand, LIVE, electric fence has been laid out starting from about Auchnafree farm coming up onto the moor at Sron Bealaidh and continuing northwards to join the old fence - shown on the OS Explorer 379 1:25,000 - that followed the south-east crags above Glen Lochan. It continues up past Greag Grianain then south easterly to meet the wall below Geal Charn. Where it's going from there I have no idea! Some of the posts have even been dug in on the old path in places.
Thanks for posting that. I've passed it on to the MCoS Access & Conservation Committee to look into.
Very unlikely. The usual method with this sort of thing is to take 12V DC from a lead acid battery, chop it to produce 12V AC, then transform the 12V AC to several thousand Volts. The output source impedance is very high and therefore its current producing capacity is very low - so it won't kill you. It's the current that kills, but you need the Volts (potential difference) to stuff the current through you.
A 12V car battery has a huge current delivering capacity, but can't push enough of it through you to notice. Mains electricity, with 'Battersea Power Station' on the other end has both!
