The Yorkshire Dales now has it's own "mountain area"
weather forecast from the Met Office. The forecasts, which will
be updated twice each day, include a colour-coded hazards forecast
to highlight key risks on the fells, including hill fog,
thunderstorms, chill effect and blizzards.
Pat Boyle, Public Weather Service Manager at the Met Office,
said: "The weather in the Dales can change with little or no
warning and an unprepared walker can quickly find themselves at
risk. Whether it's a well-planned expedition or a spur of the
moment decision to go to the hills, it is important to check the
forecast first".
Mark Allum, Access Projects Officer at the Yorkshire Dales
National Park Authority said: "The Yorkshire Dales is a
fantastic area for outdoor activities and, whether you are a hill
walker, a caver or a mountain biker, an accurate forecast is a
critical piece of information. The weather in the Dales is often
very different to what is happening in Leeds or York, so this
specific mountain weather forecast is very welcome."
The new forecasts for the Yorkshire Dales National Park will
join the comprehensive forecasts already provided for the Brecon
Beacons, Peak District, Snowdonia, Lake District, and West and
East Highlands.
Researchers from the RSBP are heading to Africa to try and
determine why there has been such an alarming decline in migratory
birds who come to northern Britain for the summer.
Cuckoo (www.northeastwildlife.co.uk)
A decline of around 40% in species such as the cuckoo, wood
warbler and yellow wagtail has been recorded over the last three
decades. Other species affected include the nightingale, turtle
dove, flycatcher and winchat.
The RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), have
joined forces to mount the largest research project of its type to
understand more about our birds that spend the winter south of the
Sahara desert.
The project will involve researchers monitoring birds along a
corridor stretching from Ghana's Atlantic coast to northern
Burkina Faso, spanning a range of habitats from coastal rainforest
to the edge of the Sahara desert.
The RSPB's Dr Danaë Sheehan, who will be monitoring birds in
West Africa, said: "The drastic declines of some of our
best-loved summer-visiting birds, such as the cuckoo, turtle dove
and nightingale, is one of the greatest concerns currently raging
in conservation."
A number of potential causes for the declines of migrants have
been suggested, including: climate change, changes in rainfall
patterns, and land degradation. Predicted increases in human
population and climatic variability in West Africa are likely to
exacerbate these threats.
Of 105 widespread countryside birds in the UK, eight out of
twelve of those declining most rapidly since the mid 1990s are
summer migrants. According to the latest bird population
estimates, published in the 2008 Breeding Bird Survey, the
following summer migrants are suffering the greatest population
declines between 1995 and 2007: turtle dove,-66 per cent; wood
warbler,-60 per cent; pied flycatcher, -51 per cent; yellow
wagtail, -49 per cent; whinchat, -43 per cent; nightingale, -41
per cent; spotted flycatcher, -38 per cent; and cuckoo, -37 per
cent.
Residents of Cautley, near Sedbergh, are appealing for better
policing in the run-up to next year's Appleby Horse Fair. They have
arranged a meeting with Cumbria Chief Constable Craig Mackey in
November hoping to resolve problems arising from temporary
encampments for travellers in the area.
This year's fair was hailed as a success by organisers and
Gypsy representatives, following the introduction of new
regulations and a Multi Agency Strategic Co-Ordinating Group to
oversee the event. Strict licensing regimes governed street
trading and caravan sites, with access to the traditional Fair
Hill site blocked until the start of the fair.
However, the new regime at Appleby led to greater pressure at
the transit camps south of the Eden Valley, such as the one at
Cote Moor, north of Cautley.
John Challoner, who set up a neighbourhood forum as a sounding
board for residents in the area of Cautley, said: “We sympathise
with the travellers because they are all being bundled together
and they are living up the road in Cautley for weeks and it’s
very unsanitary and unpleasant for them.
“We want better designated areas for caravans so they are not
just crammed together in one little corner and they can graze
their horses.”
“But our sympathies also go out to the police because they
have to deal with large numbers of people and to the local
residents because it is going on their doorstep.”
Local MP Tim Farron said Cumbria Constabulary had done a ‘brilliant’
job of policing the Eden district during the annual event but said
the southern district past Cautley had been almost entirely ‘lawless’.
He said: “Cumbria Constabulary has taken the view that this
is an Appleby problem but it affects villages all the way up the
roads to Appleby.
“When the travellers get to Eden they can’t move any
further than Cautley. There were plenty of police in Eden but only
about two officers on Cautley road.”
The number of Gypsy and Traveller visitors this year was around
20 per cent down on 2008, with around 1,500 caravans at Appleby
and around 1,500 horses sold.
Ingleton Folk Weekend - “One of the best small folk festivals”
- kicks off on Friday October 2nd for the weekend, and most of it
is free.
The
McCalmans headline the main concert on Saturday and on Friday
night the Festival Ceilidh features Mooncoyn and Curragh Sons. But
the festival is best known for the many free gigs and impromptu
sessions around the pubs, clubs and cafes of Ingleton, with events
as far afield as the Station Inn at Ribblehead and the Hill Inn at
Chapel-le-Dale.
On his Radio 2 Blog last year, Mike Harding said “There are
lots of folk festivals that I go to in the course of the year:
some of them big, some of them massive, some of them middling and
some of them small. Being a friend of Snow White's myself…, I've
long held that small is both beautiful and more interesting (think
of it: Arthur Askey, Janette Krankie, Mussolini). One of the best
small festivals is Ingleton Folk Weekend.
“Ingleton, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park,
suffered really badly under Foot and Mouth and, as part of the
regeneration that went on after that disaster, it hosted its own
folk festival. It was only supposed to be a one-off event, but it
proved so popular that it's gone on ever since.
“Like all great festivals the pubs are the core of the
weekend with great (and free) music coming out of every bar and
orifice.”
The Hill Inn is the setting for the much loved Comic Song
Competition on Sunday afternoon where competitors face a tough
audience (see photo). There are also free workshops on singing,
dancing and musicianship for adults and kids throughout the
weekend.
Bright September sunshine greeted 35 members and friends of
the Dales Way Association on Saturday as they completed the final
leg of the celebrated long distance walk, marking its 40th
anniversary.
Walkers head down to Lake Windermere (above). Dales
Way Association footpath officer Alex McManus and chairman
Colin Speakman relax (below).
The 80-mile walk across the Yorkshire Dales, from Ilkley to
Bowness-on-Windermere, was first walked 40 years ago, when 120
people met up in Ilkley to cover the first leg. Amongst those was
Association chairman Colin Speakman, who surveyed the original
route and wrote the first guide to the Dales Way in 1970. He led
Saturday’s walk. Another of the original walkers was Shirley who
was also there on Saturday, aged 80, finishing the walk in style.
In 1967 Colin Speakman and Tom Wilcock of the West Riding
Ramblers first put forward their plans for the route to local
government officials. Colin explains; “Sadly the old Countryside
Commission were lukewarm about the idea as they had their own
plans for a long defunct proposed Pennine Way – Lake District
link across the northern Howgill Fells, and our idea, serving
villages and towns where people could actually stay overnight and
spend money in pubs and cafes, was studiously ignored.
“So we decided on People Power. We, as ramblers, would create
the Dales Way, not the office-bound bureaucrats and we’d get the
route known to walkers, publish a guide book, organise walks along
it, raise its profile so that sooner or later it would be
recognised as a major popular route.”
The Dales Way has never received recognition as an official
National Trail, yet it remains one of the most popular long
distance walks in the country. Thousands of walkers set out each
year to follow its gentle riverside route through the heart of the
Yorkshire Dales and on into Lakeland. For many it is the first
long distance walk they ever undertake.
In 1991 the Dales Way Association was formed to support and
maintain the route and now has over 500 members. The importance of
the Dales Way is also now officially recognised.
“Resources are now being spent on the route which is seen by
the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and other local
authorities such as Bradford and Cumbria County Council as a prime
example of green tourism development, encouraging people to walk,
offering major physical and mental health benefits in so doing,
but also bringing real benefit to the rural economy as people
spend money on food and accommodation.”
A Dales High Way Companion is launched later this month
at the Sedbergh
Festival of Books and Drama. The new book, an illustrated guide
and companion to the walk, complements the original Route Guide
which was published last year.
“The first book was designed to be a very practical, useful
guide to the route,” said co-author Tony Grogan. “It’s
pocket sized and contains mainly strip maps. However, we always
wanted to produce a book which delved deeper into the more
interesting aspects of the geology, history, culture and wildlife
you’re likely to see along the way. This is that book.”
“The Route Guide has proved very popular with walkers,”
said Chris Grogan, “but this is the book that you read in the
pub at the end of a long day’s walking, or pull out when you
stop for a break. We’re really proud of this. We aren’t
experts in geology, archaeology or botany, but we’ve had a lot
of help from people who are. The book also contains some really
stunning images by a number of professional and amateur
photographers and we’re very grateful to them all. We hope this
book will add to the enjoyment of the walk and help people get the
most from it.”
Chris and Tony will be joining Mark Richards, author of the
Cicerone Lakeland Fellranger series, at the Sedbergh
Festival. Mark said “I will be looking at how we perceive the
fells, what they mean to us, where we love to be and then, how we
can repay the fells for the joy they bring into our lives.”
This is the fifth Annual Festival hosted by Sedbergh, which was
recognised as England’s official Book Town in 2006. The book
will go on sale officially after the Sedbergh event.
You can also catch the Saltaire launch of A Dales High
Way Companion at Saltaire Bookshop, Monday 14 September,
6.30 pm, £2.50.
7 September 2009
August 2009
Take a virtual 3-D Tour of A Dales High Way
You can now follow the entire route of A Dales High Way without
stepping
out of the front door, courtesy of Google Earth and publishers
Skyware Press.
Using Google's free earth mapping software and a simple link to
the Skyware Tour, it is possible to fly along the entire 90 mile
route in stunning 3-D detail in just 20 minutes.
"We first showed the Google Earth fly-by as part of our
presentation on the launch of the route at last year's Saltaire
Festival, and it proved very popular" said author Chris
Grogan. "So we decided to make it available to anyone who
could access the website. It's great fun, and gives you some idea
of what to expect on the walk itself."
Google Earth was released in 2005, after Google bought Keyhole
Inc., the company that created it. Google Earth has already proved
a huge hit with walkers. It combines detailed aerial photographs
covering the entire globe with an accurate 3-dimensional model of
the terrain to produce a very realistic representation of the
landscape. Skyware's Tour maps points along the route and combines
varied camera angles to produce a compelling fly-by experience.
"It's free and very simple to download," said Chris.
"It only takes a couple of minutes, and as well as the tour
you can use it to look at the terrain at any particular spot in
detail."
Saltaire's historic Boathouse has reopened following a
£500,000 refurbishment
by owners Punch Taverns.
The new-look, extended pub and restaurant is run by Jas Bhatt,
who also co-owns Don't Tell Titus on Victoria Road.
The contemporary design retains most of the original features, but
the new open frontage and wide, full-length windows indicate a
more relaxed approach from conservation officers in the World
Heritage Site.
Originally built by Titus Salt in 1871 as part of Roberts Park,
the Boathouse changed from a tea shop to a restaurant in the early
1980s and eventually busted Salt's "no alcohol" rule in
1997 when it was granted a pub licence. The Boathouse closed last
year and suffered fire damage from two arson attacks.
"After the fires, the pub was literally a shell, so it's
an absolute delight to see the finished site" said Jas Bhatt.
"The changes are incredible. The interior and exterior
have been completely refurbished in a traditional but contemporary
style. There's a brand new central bar, an extension for the new
kitchen and sliding doors to make the best of the view of the
river Aire."
The speedy renovation comes alongside a £4.5 million scheme to restore Roberts Park to its former glory, expected to be
completed next Easter.
Unfortunately this means that the park will not be available as
a venue for this year's Festival, which runs from the 10th - 20th
September.
The famous Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales is to gain
an organised
Friends network. The launch event is scheduled for August 21st
when groups of walkers will meet to climb one of the peaks, Pen-y-ghent,
Ingleborough or Whernside, before gathering at the Station Inn in
Ribblehead.
The first member of the Friends will be Calendar Girl Angela
Baker, whose husband John worked for the Dales National Park
Authority and initiated the original Three Peaks Project in the
1980's.
Over 250,000 people visit the area each year. Many come to take
on the Three Peaks challenge, a gruelling 24 mile hike round all 3
mountains. The traditional starting point is the Pen-y-ghent café
in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, where between 1968 and 2000 over 200,000 people
clocked in before departing it's doors to take on the walk.
In 1987 a study of the path network in the area by the
Institute for Terrestrial Ecology found that it was the most
severely eroded in the UK. In the following years the National
Park's Three Peaks Project worked to provide sustainable routes
and allow the damaged surrounding land to recover. The original
project ended in 2004 but a new project was initiated last
October.
Steve Hastie, the Park's Three Peaks Manager, said: "The
launch of the Friends group is a very important step in the
development of the project because it will provide a mechanism for
long-term support by people who feel a real affinity for the
area."
Heavy rain lent a certain authenticity to the experience of
walking across
Ribblehead Viaduct. This was how those navvies who toiled, 130
years ago, to build it must have often felt.
But the rain didn't dampen spirits as an army of volunteers
co-ordinated around 3000 walkers across the quarter mile long
viaduct with cheerful efficiency.
Hundreds of cars were marshalled into fields at Horton-in-Ribblesdale
and visitors were dispatched in a fleet of coaches that made the
round trip to Ribblehead station in a non-stop circuit. The event
was by ticket only, allowing arriving visitors to be staggered
throughout the day. No-one had long to wait as they lined up on
Ribblehead's station platform before embarking on the rainswept
journey across the viaduct in groups of 50 or so. Free cagoules
were available for those not quite prepared for conditions in this
remote region.
After dropping from the northern end, a team of guides were on
hand to lead a well informed tour of the former shanty towns and
work areas beneath the arches at the foot of Blea Moor. With
plenty of food and drink available and canvas shelters, visitors
were well looked after.
Network Rail and the Settle-Carlisle Development Trust had
agreed to repeat the successful walk of 2007, but on a larger
scale, as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the line's
reprieve from the threat of closure. Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s
route director said: “This year is an important anniversary in
the history of the line, which is why we have decided to open the
viaduct to the public for one last time."
Proceeds from the event will go to the Settle-Carlisle Railway
Trust.
A number of recent events have raised concerns about the safety
of walkers
in fields with cattle.
On Sunday, 21 June 2009 vet Liz Crowsley was killed when she
was trampled by a herd of cows whilst walking her two dogs on a
stretch of the Pennine Way, near Hawes. The dogs were on short
leads and it is thought she was trying to protect them after the
cattle became aggressive. The dogs were found unharmed.
On 10 May 2003 Shirley McKaskie suffered serious injuries
whilst walking her dog near her home at Greystoke in the Eden
valley. She was trampled by a herd of cows with young calves and
rescued by the farmer who heard the disturbance. On Monday, July
6th this year a court awarded Mrs McKaskie interim damages of
£250,000. The farmer is expected to appeal, but insurers are
likely to issue new guidelines to farmers as a result.
In a recent report the Health & Safety Executive said:
"Between April 1996 and March 2006, 46 incidents involving
cattle and members of the public were investigated by HSE across
Britain. Seven resulted in death. Almost all these incidents were
in fields and enclosed areas. Many other incidents are not
reported to, nor investigated by, HSE. The two most common factors
in these incidents are cows with calves and walkers with
dogs."
The National Farmers Union spokeswoman Rachael Gilbanks said:
"We don't want people to be unduly alarmed. Tens of thousands
of people are out walking in the Yorkshire Dales in the summer
without any incident at all and it is important people don't think
the countryside is off-limits or be particularly afraid when out
walking.
"However, while cattle are normally very docile every now
and again they might decide that they are not happy with a
situation. That is potentially heightened when they have got young
calves and it is heightened when a walker has dogs present."
The Dales National Park offers this advice on Suckler cows and
calves: "If you are walking with a dog, then it is worth
taking extra care around cows and calves. Cattle are naturally
inquisitive. If they approach, walk slowly with your dog at heel.
If you feel threatened, let go of your dog - it can run faster
than cattle and escape. Make sure you always walk round cows with
calves, as walking between them can be seen as a threat. If in
doubt do not enter the field."
Not all incidents however, involve walkers with dogs. In early
June this year Graham Dugdale, a well known author of walk guides
and a feature writer for the Lancaster Guardian, was trampled by a
herd of cows with young calves near Holme, south of Kendal. He
said; "I tried to move around them and they in turn moved
away. Unfortunately, a calf walked towards me which precipitated a
stampede in which I was bundled to the ground. It was terrifying.
I thought, if I don't get out of this situation I am going to get
trampled to death". Graham was fortunate to escape with
bruising and torn knee ligaments.
Ramblers chief Tom Franklin said "As with any working
environment there are certain risks, and it is untenable to remove
all those risks from our surroundings. However, the incidents of
people being attacked by cattle are few and far between,
thankfully."
Unless it's winter or early spring, walkers on A Dales High Way
are likely to come across cattle, particularly in the Eden Valley.
These are quite well walked tracks, though, and the cattle are
generally used to walkers. If you should feel troubled, however,
there are plenty of relatively quiet country roads nearby which
provide a safe alternative.
A rare opportunity to walk across the famous Ribblehead Viaduct
on Sunday July 26th has led to a flood of applications. Already a
third of the available time slots have been booked up.
Essential engineering works mean the line is closed to rail
traffic between July 10th and 27th. The Friends of the
Settle-Carlisle Line have taken advantage of the closure to
organise the walk as part of the 20th anniversary of the line's
reprieve from the threat of closure.
In July 2007 a similar event took place, with 2000 people
taking what was believed to be a once in a lifetime chance to walk
across the viaduct. One participant took the opportunity mid way
across to propose to his fiancé – she accepted. The event was
organised by the Friends and Railtrack, and hosted by musician
Mike Harding, who said: “This is the line that refused to die,
and quite rightly, because it’s part of the heritage of this
country and is probably as important in its own way as York
Minister.”
The event on the 26th has been divided into six one-hour slots
to allow the maximum number to take part. Already the 11.30-12.30
and 12.30-1.30 slots are fully booked.
The event will be officially launched by actor Tom Brown, who
plays Carl King in ITV’s Emmerdale. Tickets cost £15 and can be
booked online or by downloading an application form.
The eighth Dent Folk Festival got under way on Friday, in a
field just outside Sedbergh. Meanwhile the first Dentdale Music
and Beer Festival got underway, in Dent.
The Dentdale Festival site on Saturday
afternoon (Above).
Andy Irving plays at the Dent Festival on Friday night
(below)
Confused? Some of those who turned up certainly were, unsure
which festival they were at. But it all ended well as both events
looked to be resounding successes, with the scorching June
sunshine emerging just on cue. Plenty of people and a few
performers ended up travelling to and fro between the two
festivals.
The Dent Folk Festival has gained a deserved excellent
reputation on the folk circuit. But it's growing success led
organisers to look for a new venue.
"In a nutshell we have outgrown our original site in
Dentdale and although we are very sad to leave we didn't really
have much choice if the festival was to continue. So we are moving
to an absolutely stunning setting at Buck Bank Farm under the
Howgill Fells near Sedbergh, Englands book town" organisers
said.
But some Dent locals didn't want to lose their local festival
and so decided to organise their own to fill the void. And what a
fine job they made of it. A true community festival combining beer
and music - and all completely free.
As they describe it: "Musicians have been coming to Dent
for many years to enjoy the views, meet friends and enjoy the
crack, so The Dent Folk Festival was born out of this initiative
and continued to grow year on year until 2008, when it reached
bursting point. This is why Dent has a new name for 2009 -
Dentdale Music & Beer Festival, as the old committee and the
name has moved several miles up the road to a brand new home /
venture to accommodate the full growth potential it deserves - we
wish them well!
"So here's to a brand new chapter in bringing great music
to Dentdale."
The Dent Festival's Sedbergh campsite was packed by Friday
evening. Camping at the new site generates additional income for
the festival and allows some top performers to be booked. Kila and
the FOS Brothers were sold out a month in advance. Others
appearing include the legendry Andy Irving, Solas, Ade Edmundson
and the Bad Shepherds, and Black Umfolosi.
Meanwhile back in Dent the line up was more modest but no less
entertaining, with perfomers including Martin Stimpson, Last
Orders, the Duncan McFarlane Band and Gordon Giltrap. The
atmosphere was fantastic, campsites were heaving and getting a
pint in the local pubs for the packed impromptu music sessions was
proving to be a difficult task.
Both festivals look certain to be repeated next year. Can
Sedbergh and Dent sustain two festivals? Judging by this weekend
the answer seems to be an emphatic Yes.
Crisis for hill farmers could damage upland landscape
Hill farmers are facing a crisis as their incomes plummet and
youngsters turn away from the hard, precarious lifestyle. And
fears that a collapse in
hill farming will also damage the landscape were expressed to a
new inquiry into the plight of upland communities, which begins
preparing its final report this month.
"Without hill farmers, much of the beautiful British
countryside which we take for granted could very quickly become
unkempt, inaccessible and poorly maintained" said Tim Farron,
MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. "The average income of a
hill farmer is around £8,000. Up to 85% have no one in place to
take over the business when they retire."
Evidence given to the inquiry shows that the average net income
for a hill farmer dropped from £17,459 in 2004 to £10,786 last
year, a fall of 40%. The average age of hill farmers is 59 with
over one in five already past retirement age. Changes in
subsidies, designed to reduce overgrazing, have generally meant
cuts in income for hill farmers. Many are selling up. The number
of small farms in the Dales National Park area has halved since
the mid 1950's.
The Inquiry into the future for England's upland communities
will release an initial draft report in July with the final report
going to the Prime Minister in September. The Inquiry has been
held by the Commission for Rural Communities, created in 2005 to
provide independent government advice.
Countryside Tsar Stuart Burgess, who chairs the Commission, set
about visiting rural farms, pubs, homes and businesses. He was
shocked by what he found and urged the government to initiate the
inquiry, telling the Prime Minister: "I believe the future of
our hill farming communities merits particular attention. There
needs to be a stronger recognition that the management of these
upland landscapes and environment has a real economic and social
value, alongside the production of food and crops.".
Burgess, the former leader of the Methodist Church, was made a
CBE in the Queens birthday Honours List this weekend.
As the temperature soars Appleby is preparing for a huge turnout
this week at the annual Horse Fair. Around 10,000 Gypsies and
Travellers are expected, with another 30,000 visitors who come to
enjoy the spectacle. All this in a town with a normal population
of just 2,500.
The fair is based around Fair Hill, where some 1800 caravans
will gather, and runs from this Thursday to next Wednesday, with
the weekend being the busiest time.
The annual fair is run under a Royal Charter and has been held
since at least 1750. It is not an organised event as such, just a
traditional gathering of Romany and Irish families travelling to
meet up with old friends, celebrate their culture and conduct
business - particularly buying and selling horses. It is probably
the biggest and oldest such gathering in Europe.
There's a definite touch of the wild west about the event but the anarchic atmosphere doesn't suit
everyone's sensibilities.
Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson said he recognised the mixed
emotions that the local community had about the fair and the
police's responsibility to manage the potential for public
disorder.
"It is also vital that we respect the traditions of the
fair and make sure that we are sensitive to the gypsy and traveller
cultures, which have been around far longer than our policing
operation" he said.
An estimated 1500 horses will be sold over
the six days. Sellers wash them in the River Eden and run them on the
so-called Flashing Lane in front of potential buyers. This year the RSPCA has doubled the number of
inspectors it has attending to 20.
The Horse Fair has been growing in popularity in recent years
and the best way to visit is by train. The chances of booking
accommodation in Appleby at this time are nil.
Brigantes offer baggage service to A Dales High Way
Brigantes, one of the best known baggage couriers for walkers
in the Yorkshire
Dales and the north of England, have now added A Dales High Way to
the routes they cover. For a modest fee they will pick up and
transfer your baggage from stop to stop, giving you the freedom to
enjoy each day's walking carrying only a day bag.
They can also offer a full holiday service, arranging and
booking accommodation for the entire walk.
Mike Schofield of Brigantes said; "We have already had
quite a few enquiries regarding the Dales High Way, and indeed
secured a number of bookings. From past experience we have found
that new routes tend to take up to two years to become known, so
for us to have even one booking for a new walk is good news.
Everyone we have spoken to about the new walk has given a good
opinion of it and we are sure it will prove to be popular."
A Dales High Way was launched as a new long distance route last
September. Author Chris Grogan said: "A lot of people have
asked us if any baggage couriers covered the route, so we are
really pleased Brigantes have picked it up. They are a well known
local company with a good reputation and I'm sure they will help
make the walk a real experience to remember."
Brigantes have been in business transferring baggage and
providing walking holiday packages for the main long distance
routes in the north for twenty years. The Pennine Way, the Dales
Way, the Coast to Coast, the Cleveland Way and the Inn Way walks
are amongst the most popular. It looks like A Dales High Way is
set to join them.
National Park to take in final sections of A Dales High Way
Plans are being considered to extend the Yorkshire Dales
National Park, to take in areas such as the northern Howgill Fells
and the Orton Fells - areas covered
by the last stages of A Dales High Way.
Natural England, which is the government's statutory advisor on
National Parks, is setting up a project team whose first job will
be to undertake a public consultation on the proposals.
At present the northern boundary of the Dales National Park
ends in the centre of the Howgill Fells, at the Calf. It has long
been recognised that the northern fells and the Orton Fells beyond
are outstanding landscapes but have never been designated. An
alternative option is to classify these as Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty.
Natural England had already started the process, but halted its
designation work last year to await clarification of legal
uncertainties that were being considered during the Public Inquiry
into the South Downs National Park.
Other areas under consideration for inclusion in the Yorkshire
Dales National Park include Mallerstang & Wild Boar Fell,
parts of the Lune Valley, Firbank Fell, Middleton, Barbon &
Leck Fells, and areas around Cold Cotes and Kirkby Lonsdale.
Birkbeck Fells to Whinfell, Helsington Barrows to Sizergh, and an
area around the River Kent will be considered as a variation to
the Lake District National Park.
Poul Christensen of Natural England said: "I am delighted
that our work in reviewing parts of the Lake District and
Yorkshire Dales National Park boundaries can now continue. It is
fitting that as we celebrate 60 years of National Parks - and all
that they have achieved for people and wildlife - we now have a
unique opportunity to look at a major expansion of two of
England's most cherished protected areas."
Bingley Harrier triumphs at 55th Three Peaks Fell Race
Rob Jebb from the Bingley Harriers took first place on this
year's grueling
Three Peaks Fell Race yesterday. Second spot went to Ricky
Lightfoot of Ellenborough, with Karl Gray of Calder Valley taking
third place.
This is the 55th outing for the mother-of-all Yorkshire fell races. 688 runners took part, with 50 places held for international
competitors. The first 3 Peaks race in 1954 attracted just 6
entries. The first attempt to walk the 3 peaks was
recorded in 1887.
The race starts at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, with runners climbing
Pen-y-ghent first, then crossing to Ribblehead to climb Whernside,
before finally crossing Ingleborough to return to the start.
The route, at 23.3 miles, is slightly different from that taken
by walkers, as is the completion time. Whilst walkers are
considered to have done well if they cover the course in under
12 hours, the top runners finish in under 3 hours!
The record for the race is held by Jeff Norman, who finished in
just under two and a half hours in 1974. The course has changed
slightly since then. Bingley Harrier Andy Peace holds the record for the current
course, finishing in 2 hours 46 minutes and 3 seconds in 1996.
A Hog Roast, skiffle band and beer tent provided the
traditional finale to the event.
A special viewing point with telescopes has been set up at
Malham Cove to give visitors the opportunity for a close-up view
of the wild birds who nest
there, including peregrine falcons.
It is the sixth year that the Dales National Park Authority and
the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have organised the
free Falcon Watch. Last year over 21,000 people took advantage of
the high-powered telescopes and the experts on hand to view these
magnificent birds of prey.
The watch will be open each day from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm,
weather permitting. It will run from April 10th to August 30th.
The viewpoint is located at the bottom of Malham Cove next to the
public footpath.
Matthew Capper of the RSPB said: "We are hoping the
Peregrines will be true to form and produce some young again this
year."
During the 1950s the peregrine population in the UK declined
dramatically due to
the use of agricultural organochlorine pesticides. Following a
complete ban of these pesticides, the peregrine population began
to increase, and in 1978, the first pairs returned to the
Yorkshire area of the National Park. Despite the large number of
people that visit the Malham area each year, peregrines settled at
the Cove and first bred in 1993. They have been present ever
since.
As well as the peregrines, visitors to Malham can expect to see
green woodpeckers, little owls, redstarts and cliff-nesting house
martins.
Picture at top shows the first of the 2008 peregrine falcon
chicks to fledge. Photo by Neil Aldridge.
On April 11th a very special bronze statue will be unveiled to
mark 20 years since the official reprieve from closure of the
Settle-Carlisle railway line.
Ruswarp
was the only dog to sign the petition against closure, but more
importantly he was to become a symbol of courage and dedication
that inspired campaigners and gained him the RSPCA Medallion for
"Vigilance".
In the 1980's the scenic Settle-Carlisle railway was threatened
with closure. Amongst campaigners who gathered to fight the
closure, under the banner of "The Friends of the
Settle-Carlisle Line" (FoSCL), was Graham Nuttall, a modest
Lancashire man who became the first secretary of the the group.
Graham loved to walk the fells with his faithful companion Ruswarp
(pronounced Russup).
Shortly after the line's official reprieve, on January 20th
1990, Graham bought day return tickets from Burnley to Llandrindod
Wells, to walk the Welsh mountains. When Graham didn't return his
neighbours raised the alarm and police and mountain rescue teams
in the Elan Valley and Rhayader went looking for him, but with no
luck.
Eleven weeks later, on April 7th, a lone walker found Graham's
body by a mountain stream. Nearby was Ruswarp, who had loyaly
remained besides Graham throughout those long, cold winter weeks.
The 14 year old Border Collie was so weak he had to be carried
from the mountain, where he was cared for by Graham's aunt and
uncle.
Ruswarp survived just long enough to attend Graham's funeral.
The RSPCA had been inundated with offers to re-home Ruswarp.
The life-size bronze statue of Ruswarp will be unveiled at the
newly restored Garsdale Station, one of Graham's favourite spots. A
fitting symbol of the heroic battle to save England's most
beautiful railway line.
On a beautiful sunny Saturday morning, the life-size bronze
statue of Ruswarp was
finally unveiled at Garsdale station. Hundreds turned out for the
very moving ceremony, which marked both the 20th anniversary of
the successful campaign to save the line from closure, and a
£250,000 restoration of the isolated station.
Network Rail's Route Director Jo Kaye said: “With the help of
the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line and the Settle Carlisle
Railway Development Company to name just two, this line has gone
from strength to strength."
Sculptress Joel Walker said: "After hearing the stories of
the petition and the faithfulness of this remarkable dog, it was
an honour to create and provide the bronze Ruswarp statue. This
story and the scenery really inspired me."
Dogs and their owners posed for photos with Ruswarp, including
our own Chris and Jess.
Update: 12 April 2009
March 2009
Holiday Eco-pod trials for Dales barns
Trials have begun on a new concept to allow temporary holiday
homes to be created in disused field barns in the Yorkshire Dales.
Planners
at the National Park have given the go-ahead for the temporary use
of a free-standing 'eco-pod' inside an isolated barn on the Bolton
Abbey estate near Skipton. For the next year, it will be occupied
occasionally by experts from Bath-based architects Feilden Clegg
Bradley Studios (FCBS) who will be testing its viability as a
place to stay or work.
"Barns are one of the National Park's special qualities
and, with around 2,000 now in 'poor' or 'very bad' condition, it
is becoming imperative that we find ways of stopping them from
deteriorating any further," said Gary Smith, the Park's Head
of Conservation and Policy.
The free-standing pod is installed inside the barn, having no
material impact on the fabric of the building. It can be removed
at any time to leave the barn exactly as it was. All that is
required is that the barn be made weatherproof - an essential step
in any case for the barn's conservation.
If successful the eco-pods could be installed in barns across
the Dales, with power, water and sewage services provided on a
trailer towed into position by the farmer when required.
Dent Folk Festival, judged by many to be one of the best in the
country, is moving venues this year - to nearby Sedbergh.
"After
six years in Dentdale we have outgrown our original site and we
are moving to a new venue, with on site camping, a few miles down
the road. It’s an absolutely stunning site between the Howgill
Fells and Wild Boar Fell just outside Sedbergh, England’s Book
Town" said one of the organisers.
The new site is at Buck Bank Farm, just over a mile from
Sedbergh. For the first year the festival will have on-site
camping, plus a free regular shuttle bus link to the town.
"We're really pleased about this as many of our regulars
have asked us over the years to run a festival campsite. By
camping on the festival site you will be making a major
contribution to the sustainability of the festival. The camping
will be basic but comfortable. The site is in a fantastic setting
and you'll be with a great crowd of other festival goers, so lots
of potential for sessions and meeting people from all over the
place with a shared passion for music."
This years artists include Andy Irving, Tony Wilson, Adrian
Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds, Kila and Black Umfolosi from
Zimbabwe. The festival runs from June 26th - 28th.
"We are very sad to leave Dentdale, but to see the
festival come to an end after six years of dedicated hard work
would be unthinkable to those involved in it. We've had to take
difficult decisions and move on."
Work is expected to start on a pioneering new green energy
project in Settle this April. Craven Council finally gave the
go-ahead last week for the
Settle Hydro project, a community-funded scheme to generate enough
hydro-electricity to power 50 homes.
The £300,000 scheme, funded through a £100,000 community
share issue with backing from Yorkshire Forward, Future Energy
Yorkshire and the Co-op, will use an Archimedean Screw installed
at the town's Bridge End Weir.
The proposed scheme was initially turned down by council
planners in October last year, over concerns on the effect the
scheme might have on the River Ribble's fish stock. Fishing is
estimated to bring £11 million annually to the local economy. The
Ribble is one of the most important migratory rivers for salmon
and trout in Europe. In Autumn nearby Stainforth Force, on the
route of A Dales High Way, is a popular spot for people to watch
as the salmon struggle upstream to spawn.
However, after assurances from the Environment Agency that the
needs of migrating fish would not be put at risk by the 50 kw
hydro station, councillors voted to back the scheme.
Director of Settle Hydro Ann Harding said: “This is brilliant
news and just the decision all our shareholders were hoping for.
We’ve got a great scheme which will provide electricity for
years to come at no cost to the planet. And what’s more, any
surplus funds will be ploughed back into community projects. I’m
hoping the hydro will be a great source of pride for Settle and I’m
sure people will come from all over to see the project as it
progresses”.
The unexpected February freeze - the coldest weather for 20
years, has taken it's toll with a number of walkers in this region
injured in the icy conditions. 7 people have died so far walking
on mountains in Scotland, Wales and the Lake District.
One Bradford man was lucky to be rescued when he got lost climbing Great Whernside in
Wharfedale. He was picked up
after 11 hours in blizzard conditions suffering from frostbite and
dehydration after he became disoriented. He had set out without a
map or compass, but fortunately carried a mobile phone.
Alan Hudson explained: "I’ve been up there dozens of
times in all weathers. Sometimes visibility has been really bad
but I’ve always been able to see the path and knew exactly where
I was.
“On this occasion the path got covered with snow and somehow
I got off it. I tried to trace my footprints back up Great
Whernside but they were covered. It was then I realised I was lost
and phoned the police.”
A police spokesman said "Walkers should ensure that they
have a mobile phone on their person, and that they tell their
contacts their planned route and which vehicles they would have
access to during this time."
Some sections of A Dales High Way cross areas which can be
tricky in adverse weather conditions, such as the steep descent
from Ingleborough to Humphrey Bottom which should be avoided in
icy conditions.
Bearing in mind that in many remote areas a mobile phone signal
may not be available it is vital to leave details of your route
and expected time of arrival with someone, particularly if you,
like many walkers, prefer to walk alone.
The Time Team excavation of the Rise Hill shanty town, on the
route of the Settle-Carlisle railway, is to be screened on Sunday,
February 1st at 5.35 pm on Channel 4. The programme will be shown
again the following Saturday.
Presenter Tony Robinson and the Time Team spent three days with
the Yorkshire Dales National Park's Senior Conservation
Officer Robert White investigating the site of one of the
construction camps set up to house the workers who built the
railway.
The railway navvies - arguably the toughest and most lawless
breed of the Victorian era - lived on site with their families and
endured harsh conditions. Many perished through accident or
disease and over 200 are buried at St Leonard's church in the tiny
hamlet of Chapel-le-Dale, on the route of A Dales High Way.
The investigations centred on construction camp 2, which was a
group of five huts that housed some of the workers and their
families who built the Risehill Tunnel north of Dent Station - the
second longest tunnel on the railway - between 1869 and 1875.
Occupations recorded in the 1871 census included a carpenter,
two blacksmiths and stone masons as well as railway miners.
"Although we know a little bit about the construction of
the Settle Carlisle Railway, we had very little knowledge of the
actual process and the living conditions of the people who built
it," Robert said.
"The Risehill camp was on top of a hill in the middle of a
peat bog. The excavations showed just how harsh their living
conditions were and helped give an idea of the scale of the
machinery that was used to help build the tunnel."
The awesome splendour of Gordale Scar will soon be opened up to
everyone thanks to a huge project to improve access through the
gorge.
Work
by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, aided by
volunteers, to resurface the path, improve drainage and clear away
fallen scree is virtually finished and it should be ready for use
by the end of the month.
“Although Gordale has always been more accessible than many
areas in Malhamdale, the improvements will mean it will be much
easier for everyone to reach the base of the waterfall,”
said Cat Kilner, the Park’s Area Ranger for Malhamdale and Lower
Ribblesdale who has overseen the work.
“The path is often virtually washed out in heavy rain so we
have improved the drainage to prevent this happening in the
future. Another problem was that it was rather steep at one point
so we have reduced the gradient there.
“We also have a problem with scree falling onto the path so
we have organised a set of volunteers to regularly patrol the
route and remove it – which means it should always be
accessible.
“Gordale waterfall is a spectacular limestone feature with an
apron of delicate tufa rock on its face that is created by calcium
carbonate from the stream being deposited. It is only right that
this area should be available for everyone to view.”
As the credit crunch bites more people than ever are planning
camping holidays at home this year. This is a trend that has grown
over the last 3 years, despite the wet summers we've enjoyed
recently.
The
Caravan Club reports advanced bookings for 2009 up by 40% on 2008.
Nick Lomas for the Caravan Club said, “We confidently predict
that 2009 will be the year that welcomes the return of the great
British holiday, something Caravan Club members have enjoyed for
over a Century.”
In a recent report the Camping and Caravanning Club, the oldest
such club in the world, said that 40% of new members who join do
so as tent campers. This is a trend that has been steadily
increasing for a number of years. What’s more, the average age
of people camping with the club has dropped from 60 to 49.
Frances Tuke, a spokeswoman for the Association of British
Travel Agents, said that UK holidaymakers are taking more
traditional breaks than ever, also pointing out that so-called ‘posh
camping’, or 'Glamping' has gained more fans recently.
There's not much chance of Glamping on the route of A Dales
High Way, but Caravan Club members can pull up at spots such as
the Old Hill Inn at Chapel-le-Dale, while wild campers can pitch
behind the Station Inn at Ribblehead.
The global temperature for 2009 is likely to be 0.4 °C above the
long term average,
with an increased probability of record temperatures to follow,
according to climate researchers.
2009 is expected to be one of the top-five warmest years on
record, say scientists at the Met Office and the
University of East Anglia. The ten warmest years on record have
occurred since 1997.
Professor Chris Folland from the Met Office said:
"Phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña have a significant
influence on global surface temperature. Warmer conditions in 2009
are expected because the strong cooling influence of the recent
powerful La Niña has given way to a weaker La Niña." During
La Niña, cold waters rise to the surface to cool the ocean and
land surface temperatures.
These cyclical influences can mask underlying warming trends as
Professor Phil Jones, Director of the Climatic Research Unit,
University of East Anglia, explained: "The fact that 2009,
like 2008, will not break records does not mean that global
warming has gone away. What matters is the underlying rate of
warming - the period 2001-2007, with an average of 14.44 °C, was
0.21 °C warmer than corresponding values for the period
1991-2000."
The Met Office, in collaboration with the University of East
Anglia, maintains a global temperature record which is used in the
reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Each
January they issue a forecast of the global surface temperature
for the coming year. The forecast takes into account known
contributing factors, such as El Niño and La Niña, increasing
greenhouse gas concentrations, the cooling influences of
industrial aerosol particles, solar effects and natural variations
of the oceans.
will
be updated twice each day, include a colour-coded hazards forecast
to highlight key risks on the fells, including hill fog,
thunderstorms, chill effect and blizzards.
policing in the run-up to next year's Appleby Horse Fair. They have
arranged a meeting with Cumbria Chief Constable Craig Mackey in
November hoping to resolve problems arising from temporary
encampments for travellers in the area.
The
McCalmans headline the main concert on Saturday and on Friday
night the Festival Ceilidh features Mooncoyn and Curragh Sons. But
the festival is best known for the many free gigs and impromptu
sessions around the pubs, clubs and cafes of Ingleton, with events
as far afield as the Station Inn at Ribblehead and the Hill Inn at
Chapel-le-Dale.
Sedbergh
Festival of Books and Drama. The new book, an illustrated guide
and companion to the walk, complements the original Route Guide
which was published last year.
stepping
out of the front door, courtesy of Google Earth and publishers
Skyware Press.
refurbishment
by owners Punch Taverns.
organised
Friends network. The launch event is scheduled for August 21st
when groups of walkers will meet to climb one of the peaks, Pen-y-ghent,
Ingleborough or Whernside, before gathering at the Station Inn in
Ribblehead.
across
Ribblehead Viaduct. This was how those navvies who toiled, 130
years ago, to build it must have often felt.
walkers
in fields with cattle.
flood of applications. Already a
third of the available time slots have been booked up.
in
hill farming will also damage the landscape were expressed to a
new inquiry into the plight of upland communities, which begins
preparing its final report this month.
with another 30,000 visitors who come to
enjoy the spectacle. All this in a town with a normal population
of just 2,500.
Way to
the routes they cover. For a modest fee they will pick up and
transfer your baggage from stop to stop, giving you the freedom to
enjoy each day's walking carrying only a day bag.
take in areas such as the northern Howgill Fells
and the Orton Fells - areas covered
by the last stages of A Dales High Way.
grueling
Three Peaks Fell Race yesterday. Second spot went to Ricky
Lightfoot of Ellenborough, with Karl Gray of Calder Valley taking
third place.
nest
there, including peregrine falcons.
to
the use of agricultural organochlorine pesticides. Following a
complete ban of these pesticides, the peregrine population began
to increase, and in 1978, the first pairs returned to the
Yorkshire area of the National Park. Despite the large number of
people that visit the Malham area each year, peregrines settled at
the Cove and first bred in 1993. They have been present ever
since.
Ruswarp
was the only dog to sign the petition against closure, but more
importantly he was to become a symbol of courage and dedication
that inspired campaigners and gained him the RSPCA Medallion for
"Vigilance".
was
finally unveiled at Garsdale station. Hundreds turned out for the
very moving ceremony, which marked both the 20th anniversary of
the successful campaign to save the line from closure, and a
£250,000 restoration of the isolated station. 
Planners
at the National Park have given the go-ahead for the temporary use
of a free-standing 'eco-pod' inside an isolated barn on the Bolton
Abbey estate near Skipton. For the next year, it will be occupied
occasionally by experts from Bath-based architects Feilden Clegg
Bradley Studios (FCBS) who will be testing its viability as a
place to stay or work.
"After
six years in Dentdale we have outgrown our original site and we
are moving to a new venue, with on site camping, a few miles down
the road. It’s an absolutely stunning site between the Howgill
Fells and Wild Boar Fell just outside Sedbergh, England’s Book
Town" said one of the organisers.
the
Settle Hydro project, a community-funded scheme to generate enough
hydro-electricity to power 50 homes.
conditions. 7 people have died so far walking
on mountains in Scotland, Wales and the Lake District. 
the Settle-Carlisle railway, is to be screened on Sunday,
February 1st at 5.35 pm on Channel 4. The programme will be shown
again the following Saturday.
Work
by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, aided by
volunteers, to resurface the path, improve drainage and clear away
fallen scree is virtually finished and it should be ready for use
by the end of the month.
The
Caravan Club reports advanced bookings for 2009 up by 40% on 2008.
Nick Lomas for the Caravan Club said, “We confidently predict
that 2009 will be the year that welcomes the return of the great
British holiday, something Caravan Club members have enjoyed for
over a Century.”
average,
with an increased probability of record temperatures to follow,
according to climate researchers.
Anglia, explained: "The fact that 2009,
like 2008, will not break records does not mean that global
warming has gone away. What matters is the underlying rate of
warming - the period 2001-2007, with an average of 14.44 °C, was
0.21 °C warmer than corresponding values for the period
1991-2000."
