So Wednesday evening I attended my first BMC area meeting, for the Peak District. I have to say that I don't really know what I was expecting as I went there is no real idea of what goes on at BMC area meetings. I'm pretty active in the Peak District (even though I hate to admit it) so I figured that it would be a good idea, plus there was always the chance to get into a good arguement with someone about bolting.
So what was on the agenda? Well first off I managed to grab a copy of the minutes from last meeting. It all seemed like pretty standard stuff really. Comments on current access in different areas, how the bid for the Roaches was going, Staden Quarry, the Peak Newsletter (which I've never heard of), a call for volunteers and guidebook updates. This meeting was really just a continuation on from that , and it started first and foremost with The Roaches.
So whats going on here? Well currently publicly owned land (The Roaches Estate) manged by the the PDNP (Peak District National Park) is being sold off. As to why this public land is being sold off isn't clear, or at least it's not made clear to me. The point is is that they are selling it and the BMC are not buying it. It's a large estate why many different things to handle (upland environmental managment, recreational needs of various activities and a few archeological sites and conservation areas). Instead there have been bids from 3 different bodies: The National Trust (NT), the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Land Trust (LT). At the meeting it was stated that the BMC fully supports the NT in thier bid but also supports the SWT, incase they win I guess. The free radical here is the LT. Now I've never even heard of the LT and I've not idea what they do. From the meeting and a little research on the web I can gather that the trust should probably be referred to and the Land Reclaimation Trust, as this seems to be what they do. They have experience in reclaiming land (brown field sites) and creating recreational areas. You can read all about what they do here, but I'm going to be honest and say that it all feels a little fake. The tustees seem to consist of around 12 Man, all from business and academic backgrounds. They also act as a contracting agency, buying up the land to manage and then employing someone else to manage it for them. As a body most of thier mangament experiences lies in lowland areas and green spaces in town and cities. They don't seem to have much knowledge of how to manage the complex issues of and area such as the Roaches Estate. Added to this there is nothing to stop them buying it, then selling on in a few years.
If it comes down to a choice then I hope the PDNP will choose the NT. This agency has much more experience managing the different interests and the NT receives enogh public money that they can declare it a public area yet again. I guess the safety of a such a great and varied climbing, bouldering and multi-activity area such as the Roaches is a small price to pay for the extortionate carpark charges that they'll envitably put there.
There was a couple more notes on the Roaches, namely the spread of a bilberry disease in the surrounding heathland which is signposted but several of the people present, dispite passing the signs didn't notice them. Basically don't let your dog run all over the place or yourself go tramping through bilberries, it'll spread the disease. Sadly the only way to treat it is the dig our the roots, burn everything and start over. Also Peregines are back at Hen Cloud this year, and taking advantage of the lack of climbers (currently the chicks are redpointing Borstal Breakout!). So please don't go there and ruin it for others.
The next large issue was Staden Quarry, which as many of you might know has a current ban on climbing. Actually it's more of an agreement not to climb during the planning and decision making process based on the wishes of Paul Hockenhall (possibly his name is incorrectly spelt). In conversation with the BMC he has asked climbers not to get in the way of access or planning as the proposals are considered, in turn he'll allow access for the climbers regardless or the proposal outcome. The BMC has seen right to honour this this agreement based on previous experience. Seeing as we [as BMC members] currently are not getting involved in any action, then all we can really do is watch it unfold. Having a waterbottling plant at the base of the quarry will destroy some of the asthetic appeal of the place, but I personally a not worried. There was 170 letters sent against the plan, and only 1 for it. There is also outside issues like access through Cowdale Village, and actual quarry floor access which are still problmes that need to be addressed. Considering the proposal is going through on next week I don't see there being any problems with access.
The meeting was proud to announce that the "Over The Moors" guidebook is soon to be completed. They even had a front cover to show us! The new guide will cover 120 or so crags on the high moors in the northern and eastern peak. This should be a good guidebook and hopefully will promote some exploratory trips up on the peak if I get a copy of it. Other guidebooks in the pipeline worth a mention are a new "Peak Limestone" book. This will clearly be in direct competition to the Rockfax peak limestone guide that is also coming out soon as well. I'm actually really looking forward to the peak limestone book coming out as I feel is a sorely neglected part of the PDNP.
There was a call for more volunteers to actually help out the with Roaches hut, which is something I'd like to get involved in. Basically it needs someone to pop up once every 2 months or so to go and see if it needs any work doing to it etc. They also need an electrician and a plumber to do some work for them, preferably at a cheaper rate! There was also some excessive gardnering at a couple of the crag. Namely an oak tree at Rivelin Edge and a couple of holly trees at Burbage. The basic message was that this shouldn't be happening. If any gardening needs to take place then get intouch with the local BMC rep for the area.
And then there was a nice debate about windfarms, namely for a very nice chap named Mike Batty and a friend of his on the other side of the room. I felt it nessessary to chip in occasionally with helpful and unhelpful comments. Mike actually had a very good point as some people in the discussion felt that the BMC had an obligation to fall down onf one side of the windfarm debate. It was pointed out (quite firmly) that if the BMC takes a stand on one side of the debate then it can either count for or against us in access argument and agreements. Apparently several people in the BMC have resigned over the issue of windfarm (both for and against them). Mike argued that Windfarms are not the concern of the climber, this point was counter that maybe a windfarm is the concern of the walker, a group which conprise the majority of BMC membership. Sadly there was very few walkers if any at the area meeting. I know that the agenda was more climbing focused, but it seems a little poor show. In the end it was agreed that the BMC peak policy was that windfarms would be decided on a cae by case basis, and currently the BMC has no solid stance on them. Members are entitled to thier opinions though.
For my first area meeting it was a real eye opener into what goes on behind the scenes as regards to gaining and maintaining access to various crags, and what was really surprising was the amount of volunteers that did it. It seems that the PDNP is a tough area to manage.
If it comes down to a choice then I hope the PDNP will choose the NT. This agency has much more experience managing the different interests and the NT receives enogh public money that they can declare it a public area yet again. I guess the safety of a such a great and varied climbing, bouldering and multi-activity area such as the Roaches is a small price to pay for the extortionate carpark charges that they'll envitably put there.
There was a couple more notes on the Roaches, namely the spread of a bilberry disease in the surrounding heathland which is signposted but several of the people present, dispite passing the signs didn't notice them. Basically don't let your dog run all over the place or yourself go tramping through bilberries, it'll spread the disease. Sadly the only way to treat it is the dig our the roots, burn everything and start over. Also Peregines are back at Hen Cloud this year, and taking advantage of the lack of climbers (currently the chicks are redpointing Borstal Breakout!). So please don't go there and ruin it for others.
The next large issue was Staden Quarry, which as many of you might know has a current ban on climbing. Actually it's more of an agreement not to climb during the planning and decision making process based on the wishes of Paul Hockenhall (possibly his name is incorrectly spelt). In conversation with the BMC he has asked climbers not to get in the way of access or planning as the proposals are considered, in turn he'll allow access for the climbers regardless or the proposal outcome. The BMC has seen right to honour this this agreement based on previous experience. Seeing as we [as BMC members] currently are not getting involved in any action, then all we can really do is watch it unfold. Having a waterbottling plant at the base of the quarry will destroy some of the asthetic appeal of the place, but I personally a not worried. There was 170 letters sent against the plan, and only 1 for it. There is also outside issues like access through Cowdale Village, and actual quarry floor access which are still problmes that need to be addressed. Considering the proposal is going through on next week I don't see there being any problems with access.
The meeting was proud to announce that the "Over The Moors" guidebook is soon to be completed. They even had a front cover to show us! The new guide will cover 120 or so crags on the high moors in the northern and eastern peak. This should be a good guidebook and hopefully will promote some exploratory trips up on the peak if I get a copy of it. Other guidebooks in the pipeline worth a mention are a new "Peak Limestone" book. This will clearly be in direct competition to the Rockfax peak limestone guide that is also coming out soon as well. I'm actually really looking forward to the peak limestone book coming out as I feel is a sorely neglected part of the PDNP.
There was a call for more volunteers to actually help out the with Roaches hut, which is something I'd like to get involved in. Basically it needs someone to pop up once every 2 months or so to go and see if it needs any work doing to it etc. They also need an electrician and a plumber to do some work for them, preferably at a cheaper rate! There was also some excessive gardnering at a couple of the crag. Namely an oak tree at Rivelin Edge and a couple of holly trees at Burbage. The basic message was that this shouldn't be happening. If any gardening needs to take place then get intouch with the local BMC rep for the area.
And then there was a nice debate about windfarms, namely for a very nice chap named Mike Batty and a friend of his on the other side of the room. I felt it nessessary to chip in occasionally with helpful and unhelpful comments. Mike actually had a very good point as some people in the discussion felt that the BMC had an obligation to fall down onf one side of the windfarm debate. It was pointed out (quite firmly) that if the BMC takes a stand on one side of the debate then it can either count for or against us in access argument and agreements. Apparently several people in the BMC have resigned over the issue of windfarm (both for and against them). Mike argued that Windfarms are not the concern of the climber, this point was counter that maybe a windfarm is the concern of the walker, a group which conprise the majority of BMC membership. Sadly there was very few walkers if any at the area meeting. I know that the agenda was more climbing focused, but it seems a little poor show. In the end it was agreed that the BMC peak policy was that windfarms would be decided on a cae by case basis, and currently the BMC has no solid stance on them. Members are entitled to thier opinions though.
For my first area meeting it was a real eye opener into what goes on behind the scenes as regards to gaining and maintaining access to various crags, and what was really surprising was the amount of volunteers that did it. It seems that the PDNP is a tough area to manage.
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