What I learned this weekend

"Geoff Berrow" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I learned that just because there is a footpath on a map, this will not
stop a farmer placing several tons of silage wrapped in black plastic on
top of it. I also learned that the slope leading down from several tons
of silage may look solid but could actually be a large lagoon of slurry.

Glad I wasn't wearing sandals...

Congrats ! You're the first visitor of our new skiingcentre.:-)

--
Theo
www.theosphotos.fotopic.net

"theo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Geoff Berrow" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I learned that just because there is a footpath on a map, this will not
stop a farmer placing several tons of silage wrapped in black plastic on
top of it. I also learned that the slope leading down from several tons
of silage may look solid but could actually be a large lagoon of slurry.

Glad I wasn't wearing sandals...

Congrats ! You're the first visitor of our new skiingcentre.:-)

--
Theo
www.theosphotos.fotopic.net

I learned that just because there is footpath marked on the map, it

doesn't stop a farmer blocking a stile off with two new rows of barbed wire.
the rebel.

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 00:15:09 +0000, Geoff Berrow <[email hidden]> wrote:

| I learned that just because there is a footpath on a map, this will not
| stop a farmer placing several tons of silage wrapped in black plastic on
| top of it. I also learned that the slope leading down from several tons
| of silage may look solid but could actually be a large lagoon of slurry.

This is illegal, but the law is almost impossible to enforce. :-(

--
Dave F

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:24:44 GMT, "therebel" <[email hidden]>
wrote:

| I learned that just because there is footpath marked on the map, it
| doesn't stop a farmer blocking a stile off with two new rows of barbed wire.

Lidl sells cheap wire cutters.
Big ones work best.

--
Dave F

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Dave Fawthrop <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 00:15:09 +0000, Geoff Berrow <[email hidden]> wrote:

| I learned that just because there is a footpath on a map, this will not
| stop a farmer placing several tons of silage wrapped in black plastic on
| top of it. I also learned that the slope leading down from several tons
| of silage may look solid but could actually be a large lagoon of slurry.

This is illegal, but the law is almost impossible to enforce. :-(

The appropriate County Council will have a rights-of-way department,
with an enforcement section .. you'll often find the appropriate
complaint forms on-line. It'll take several complaints before they send
the heavies round though, so recruit some friends to (fail to) walk it
with you. 8>.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

I noticed that Message-ID: <[email hidden]>
from Dave Fawthrop contained the following:

Quoted message said:

| I learned that just because there is a footpath on a map, this will not
| stop a farmer placing several tons of silage wrapped in black plastic on
| top of it. I also learned that the slope leading down from several tons
| of silage may look solid but could actually be a large lagoon of slurry.

This is illegal, but the law is almost impossible to enforce. :-(

Well it was at SK161550 Mind your step :-)

--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

Geoff wrote :

Quoted message said:

Well it was at SK161550 Mind your step :-)

In other words on the southern side of Alsop en le Dale - and to be precise
Eaton and Alsop Footpath No. 9 !

I'm in touch with Derbyshire County Council on a fairly regular basis. Would
you like me to bring this to their attention just to see how the authorities
get on with sorting this type of problem out ?

I'll stick my head above the parapet and mention that I'm Footpath Secretary
for the Derbyshire Dales Group of the Ramblers' Association and Eaton &
Alsop is on 'my' patch ........

Incidentally I don't think there's much point cutting barbed wire ..... it
might give you some satisfaction but the farmer will invariably rewire the
fence. It's best to report it.

We had one instance in the Derbyshire Dales where someone [allegedly a
walker] cut some wire which unfortunately wasn't on a footpath and some cows
got into the
garden of a local District Councillor - you can imagine what this did for
her perception of walkers.

Charlie.

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Charles Frederick Wildgoose <[email hidden]>
said
<snip>

Quoted message said:

We had one instance in the Derbyshire Dales where someone [allegedly a
walker] cut some wire which unfortunately wasn't on a footpath and some cows
got into the
garden of a local District Councillor - you can imagine what this did for
her perception of walkers.

A very real problem given that public ROWs can be moved - they are not
shown guaranteed accurately on the map at the best of times, and if the
council have moved them they may be miles out (until the OS updates the
maps data, and until you buy a new map). Cutting things based on what
the map says is pretty risky unless you have great PI/legal insurance.

Any resemblance between the route of the ROW and the route of a
perceived path on the ground is also accidental in many cases.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:40:16 +0000, GSV Three Minds in a Can
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Cutting things based on what
| the map says is pretty risky unless you have great PI/legal insurance.

I have had that for decades, it is included with standard house insurance.

--
Dave F

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Dave Fawthrop <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:40:16 +0000, GSV Three Minds in a Can
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Cutting things based on what
| the map says is pretty risky unless you have great PI/legal insurance.

I have had that for decades, it is included with standard house insurance.

Check your policy, I think you'll find that is only in connection with
owning & occupying your house (at least that's the norm). If you fall
off a mountain on top of someone, or let a herd of cows across the M4,
I'm not convinced that your house insurance covers you.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

GSV Three Minds in a Can <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

A very real problem given that public ROWs can be moved - they are not
shown guaranteed accurately on the map at the best of times, and if the
council have moved them they may be miles out (until the OS updates the
maps data, and until you buy a new map). Cutting things based on what
the map says is pretty risky unless you have great PI/legal insurance.

Any resemblance between the route of the ROW and the route of a
perceived path on the ground is also accidental in many cases.

We beat a track through tall nettles and brambles for about 100 yards in
the Dales along a ROW, only to climb the stile at the end of the field
and see the painted sign diverting the path on the other side of the
wall. Out of date map.
--
Gordon

I noticed that Message-ID:
<[email hidden]> from Charles Frederick
Wildgoose contained the following:

Quoted message said:

Geoff wrote :

Quoted message said:

Well it was at SK161550 Mind your step :-)

In other words on the southern side of Alsop en le Dale - and to be precise
Eaton and Alsop Footpath No. 9 !

Wow, impressive. :-)

Quoted message said:

I'm in touch with Derbyshire County Council on a fairly regular basis. Would
you like me to bring this to their attention just to see how the authorities
get on with sorting this type of problem out ?

I'll stick my head above the parapet and mention that I'm Footpath Secretary
for the Derbyshire Dales Group of the Ramblers' Association and Eaton &
Alsop is on 'my' patch ........

I suspect it's not a very well trodden path (and the stile that leads
out of the wood is very dog unfriendly - it's a short metal A framed
ladder. Not easy hauling a 50lb border collie over that).

If it could be sorted out amicably that would be great, but I wouldn't
want to cause a great fuss. It wasn't /that/ much bother going round
(despite the slurry...). Still I suppose there is a principle at stake.

--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

I noticed that Message-ID: <[email hidden]> from GSV
Three Minds in a Can contained the following:

Quoted message said:

A very real problem given that public ROWs can be moved - they are not
shown guaranteed accurately on the map at the best of times, and if the
council have moved them they may be miles out (until the OS updates the
maps data, and until you buy a new map). Cutting things based on what
the map says is pretty risky unless you have great PI/legal insurance.

I'd be very wary of doing that. In the case of the silage, it was close
to the stile so I was pretty certain I hadn't got it wrong.

--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

Quoted message said:

If it could be sorted out amicably that would be great, but I wouldn't
want to cause a great fuss. It wasn't /that/ much bother going round
(despite the slurry...). Still I suppose there is a principle at stake.

Probably the most sensible approach Geoff - Farmers do have to farm
their land and unless the placing of the bales was deliberate and
there is no easy way to walk around, this is probably not worth
pursuing.
We as walkers suffer enough at the hands of the GOML's and we should
try not to add to their numbers by pi**ing off another guardian of our
land by using the sledgehammer of threatened legal action to crack
what is possibly an incongruous little nut. Far better to go after the
deliberate barbed wire path blockers. Its a question on our part of
trying to win hearts & minds rather than direct confrontation. Perhaps
the best solution here is to flag it to the attention of the local RA
(done - thank you Charles)) and for them to monitor as to whether this
was a one-off before intervening.
With the withdrawal of CAP subsidies in favour of eco-friendly
measures the & (slow) introduction of access legislation, the smarter
farmers are starting to wake up & recognise the potential income in
those that come trudging across their land.
The situation isn't perfect, especially as farmers tend to be an
'ornery' breed, but compared to 20 years ago we are gradually moving
the right way. Benny Rothman looking down from his footpath in the sky
would scarcely believe that we could have gone this far.

Steve

Geoff Berrow <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

I suspect it's not a very well trodden path (and the stile that leads
out of the wood is very dog unfriendly - it's a short metal A framed
ladder. Not easy hauling a 50lb border collie over that).

If it could be sorted out amicably that would be great, but I wouldn't
want to cause a great fuss. It wasn't /that/ much bother going round
(despite the slurry...). Still I suppose there is a principle at stake.

The County Council usually try and do it amicably but if there's no progress
then they might get a bit otugher. It depends on the problem - they might
just ask the farmer to leave the path completely clear next time around.

I will endeavour to keep you informed - though we are likely to be talking
weeks [or even months] rather than days.

Charlie.

I noticed that Message-ID:
<[email hidden]> from Charles Frederick
Wildgoose contained the following:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If it could be sorted out amicably that would be great, but I wouldn't
want to cause a great fuss. It wasn't /that/ much bother going round
(despite the slurry...). Still I suppose there is a principle at stake.

The County Council usually try and do it amicably but if there's no progress
then they might get a bit otugher. It depends on the problem - they might
just ask the farmer to leave the path completely clear next time around.

I will endeavour to keep you informed - though we are likely to be talking
weeks [or even months] rather than days.

Thanks for that.

--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/