Not above 450m

You naughty boy. Camping below 450m on National Trust property! Seriously, the more I think about it, the more ludicrous this 450m rule is. When you think that the highest Lakeland peaks are only around 900m, it seems daft. It rules out most of the valleys. Only the cols are high enough. Clearly the rule was not made by a wild-camper. I’m not knocking the NT as I think they do a great job and I can understand that they don’t want to give carte blanche to one and all to camp on their land, but above 450m?  Get real. Why not “above the intake wall”?

Excellent rant

Great stuff from Alistair at eBothy Blog . Stitch that Jimmy!

Give us back our rights!

A lot of the land that we might use for wild camping is termed common land, but as has been pointed out on numerous occasions, every bit of land is owned by someone. However, it wasn’t always like this. Two hundred and fifty years ago, considerable tracts of land were truly common land. Then came two hundred years of Inclosure (apparently the correct spelling) Acts, over 5,000 of them, which effectively confiscated the land (with no compensation) from the common people. By 1875 over half the agricultural land in England and Wales was owned by about 2,000 people.

Obviously it is impossible to go back and right the wrongs of the past 250 years. However, giving us (back) the right to wild camp on formerly common land would be a gesture of some recompense for the deeds of a greedy few visited on our forefathers.

Some links to read:

Wikipedia , How the English people became landless,  National Archives 

National Trust and wild camping

From the National Trust website:

“The Trust does not generally allow camping on non-recognised sites without permission. ‘Wild camping’, where permitted (for example in the Lake District, in upland areas above 450m), should be out of sight of the public highway, entail only one-night stopovers with a maximum of two campers and leave no trace of their presence.”

 From the National Trust “Camping: guiding principles & good practice” page:

“There is a presumption against camping on non-recognised sites without permission. This presumption is waived in certain circumstances and areas, eg in the Lake District, in upland areas above 450 metres out of sight of the public highway, to allow the wilderness experience to be enjoyed.”

Taking a quick look at my Lake District map on Tracklogs, above 450m is quite an onerous requirement.

It would be interesting to know if there are other areas where the NT allows wild camping.

 

Wainwrights

I usually manage to miss any decent programs on TV, mainly because my default assumption is that it’s nearly all rubbish. However, I’ve just discovered a new way to watch TV: BBC’s iPlayer. You can chose either to watch a streamed version of most of the last week’s TV programs or you can download a copy. You have to use the BBC’s downloading program and view it within the next 30 days. Once you’ve watched a program you can view it again as many times as you want within the next 6 days. After the expiry, it deletes itself. Using peer to peer technology it takes about 1-2 hours to download a 30 minute programme.

 I’ve already watched a glorious programme on the wildlife of the Isles of Scilly, bringing back some wonderful memories of childhood holidays. I’ve also watched a couple of episodes of Wainwright Walks (Crinkle Crags/Bowfell and Helm Crag), which I probably would have missed. It’s not hard to make a good program about the Lakes, when you have such beautiful scenery. Even so, the camera work is of a high standard and brings out the splendour and majesty of the fells. I wonder what Wainwright would have made of Julia Bradbury’s fell walking attire of skimpy black T-shirt, hipster trousers and bare midriff?

 

Keep ‘em coming

Hopefully you will have noticed by now that the blogging community has welcomed constructive debate on the wild camping petition. As Stef has said in his comment on “Up and down”, we’re exploring ideas. Other than the principle of the right to wild camp, everything else is open to debate. I would encourage everyone to look at all the various blogs and Darren’s Legalise Wild Camping web site and make up your own mind. None of us have claimed that we have the correct view. It is as well to tease out all the issues before the campaign becomes more serious. So keep the issues/objections/ideas coming!

Up and down

The wild camping petition is creating a bit of a roller coaster of emotion at the moment.  It is a great achievement to have over 600 signatories on the petition (618 to be precise). Apparently, it ranks as 242nd highest amongst 7,866 proposals. BG has found a surprising amount of support when canvassing support in his home town. It just shows that it is not a small minority that cares about this issue. As you’re probably aware by now, the campaign has a web site: http://www.legalisewildcamping.com/.  All this is very encouraging.

Unfortunately there are also some downers. John Manning raised the issue with his MP. Unlike my MP, who has yet to even have the courtesy of replying to me, John’s MP (David Curry) contacted Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for the Environment very quickly. Unfortunately Mr Benn’s reply is not very encouraging.

I listened to Andy Howell’s excellent podcast with Chris Smith last night. While I enjoyed listening to Chris talk about his love of the hills, I was a bit nonplussed by his lack of enthusiasm for the wild camping petition. While I understand that coastal access is a higher priority, surely the fact that over 600 people have got off their backsides and signed the petition is not to be sniffed at.

Quite frankly, if the government is going to dismiss e-petitions in such an off hand way, it makes you wonder if it is worth it. On the one hand politicians appear to want to encourage participation in the political process by those that might not normally get involved, but on the other, they don’t appear to like it when people respond in an unanticipated manner.

Unlike the “Jeremy Clarkson for PM” petition (and many other e-petitions), this is not a frivolity, this is genuine, serious and sober grass roots democracy in action. If governments are so dismissive, then they are revealing a level of contempt for those with strongly held views that can only lead to further cynicism over the political process. So much of recent government legislation and action has been about restricting and controlling citizens, why not for a change, give us a bit more freedom?

Returning to the Chris Smith interview, it was interesting listening to how the attitude of landowners had changed from apprehension to a more positive attitude as they realised that the access laws did not precipitate a free-for-all. There has to be cooperation and responsibility on both sides. Landowners should regard the ownership of significant areas of land as stewardship rather than possession, in my opinion. This seems to be an attitude that is more common with owners who have inherited land and have an affinity with it. Sometimes this is in contrast to those that have recently acquired land and have an attitude of possession and exclusion (the example of Madonna was quoted).

Equally, those that enjoy the rights of access should see this as a privilege rather than an inviolable right to used however they deem fit. After all it is someone else’s land! The concept of a privilege that can be withdrawn if certain codes of behaviour cannot be adhered to seems to me to be a good way forward to avoid the abuses. If the privilege to wild camp can be withdrawn due to abuse, then it may assuage some of the opponents.

A card or licence system (like a rod licence for angling) has been proposed in some quarters. I think this has some merit and is worth examination. It would also be worth investigating whether it can be trialled in our National Parks. Wild camping is already encouraged in Dartmoor. Why should this not be extended to our other National Parks to see how it works on a wider scale? Perhaps this could be done in conjunction with a licensing system. Presumably, this would not require the “primary” legislation that Mr. Benn is opposed to.

If we really want this to happen, it will be a long haul. It’s not going to just drop into our laps. In the meantime, we need more signatures. If we get several thousand, the politicians will have to sit up and listen. One last thing, spurred by Chris Smith, I think I’ll join the Ramblers. Perhaps you can too. If we all start pushing for the right/privilege to wild camp, perhaps it will become their policy too.

Wool smart

After a somewhat mixed start, I’ve come to like merino wool as a base layer. The two companies that seem to produce the best (that I’ve experienced) are Smartwool and Icebreaker. I had a very lightweight T-shirt from Ortovox but it was scratchy. I also had the Bleat top from Alpkit, which I didn’t find very comfortable. I’ve had a mixed experience with Sportwool from Montane. The Terra long sleeve seems to be more comfortable than the Bionic T.

However, my Kent Polo and T-shirt (can’t remember the name) from Icebreaker are very good. I also have a very lighweight T and the lightweight zip-neck long sleeve shirt from Smartwool, the latter being my favourite cold weather shirt. I’ve now added another Smartwool T to my collection. As I was looking for a ski helmet, I espied a special offer from Facewest. The Smartwool light rib T. I liked the look of the tailored fit, so out came the credit card.

Even after only wearing it a few times, it is destined to become my favourite. The rib effect seems to make in even nicer against the skin and seems to control the temperature even better. The stitching detail and close fit are really quite flattering. I can’t see this model on the Smartwool website, so they may have discontinued it. I seem to have bought the last “medium” from Facewest as well.

 

Trisector

There is great excitement in that strange and wonderful parallel universe that Van der Graaf Generator fans inhabit. There’s a new album on the way called Trisector. It will be released on 17th March. On their short tour last year, two tracks were previewed (“Lifetime” and “All That Before”) and both sounded pretty good, so I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. I’ve pre-ordered my copy from Spin CDs, a rather fine alternative CD retailer with all sorts of obscure stuff. As I was browsing I found that “Back Street Crawler” by Paul Kossof was being re-released on the same day so naturally….. 

No reply

It’s been three weeks since I wrote to my MP in support of Darren’s legalise wild camping petition. As yet I’ve received no reply. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it’s small beer. It’s still a tad disappointing not to even get an acknowledgement. Has anyone else had a response?

Self explanatory

542 and counting.

Thanks to Aktoman for the poster.

Satisfaction

I’ve been occupied over the past few days listening to my new amplifier. It’s obviously a bit of a punt when you buy something unheard. I’m absolutely bowled over by how good it is. The level of detail, extra depth and bass extension is extraordinary. I think a good measure of this is down to the DAC and the fact that all the processing is done in the amp without the need for external connections. It just shows what value you can find in second hand HiFi, if you’re willing to look. I will keep listening just to ensure that I’m not imagining the difference. I also have to decide whether to go for the digital room correction module, which entails sending it back to the factory. It’s like getting a whole new CD collection!

 Lyngdorf TDA 2200 – super amp!

Short gear update

I’ve now had a reasonable chance to try out my Paramo Vasco jacket, although not under particularly testing conditions. I like it. It’s a slimmer cut than many Paramo jackets. The sleeves are also slightly shorter. I was a bit concerned about the back vent, but it adds considerably to the venting options and the temperature flexibility. Left loose it gives a lot more ventilation than other Paramo jackets, which may make it more suitable for summer use. Cinched down, it should defeat wind and rain. As the cord is elasticated, freedom of movement is not impaired. Both the arm vents and the chest pockets add further to the venting options. The arms are a closer fit than the Viento. Although I’ve not yet had a chance to use it in rain, I’ve no reason to believe that it will be any less effective than my other Paramo jackets. It is also a bit more stylish than other Paramo jackets (not difficult!). Definitely worth a look at.

I’ve also been using my Olympus WS-331M digital voice recorder a lot recently, mainly as an MP3 player. For such a small player, the playback quality is remarkable. I’ve not done much voice recording, but as a straightforward MP3 player, it is excellent. Being able to use a AAA battery rather than having to recharge it is an excellent feature for the trail.  It’s simple to use and the controls are well thought out. The screen is a bit basic, but tells you what you need to know. Again, this is definitely worth a look if you want an MP3 player that uses ordinary batteries.

An expensive hobby

No I’m not writing about backpacking, it’s HiFi. As you have read in a previous post, I love music and over the years I’ve assembled a pretty good system. At the front end I have a Denon 3190 CD/SACD/DVD player. A little while ago I picked up a second hand DAX Decade DAC for just under £1,000 compared to a price new of around £2,400. It’s all relative, but in HiFi terms that’s a bit of a bargain. It’s built to survive a nuclear war! For the amplification I’ve got an AVI S2000MP pre amp and an AVI Lab Series S21MA ver2.0 power amp. These drive a pair ofKEF Reference 203 speakers together with a Velodyne sub woofer (SPL 1200).

 

Just to show you how mad I am, I have a completely separate ring main and consumer unit, together with a technical earth (three copper rods buried in the back garden). I also have a mains condition (IsoTek mini sub). The cables…..let’s not go there!

Anyway the reason for the post is I’ve just lashed out on another second hand bargain. Drum roll…… a Lyngdorf TDA2200 amplifier.  This little (well big) baby is not only an amplifier, its a DAC and digital processor. If I like it it will replace three bits of gear at the same time (DAC, pre and power amps). Not only that, I can add a digital room correction module (“Room Perfect”) which will digitally reshape the sound to eliminate the imperfections of the room/speaker interface. I can hear you gasping! I’m basically getting the amp half price from a Audio & Cinema down in Cornwall. The beauty of buying second hand is that I can try it out and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll be able to sell it for a similar price and not lose much. Arrives tomorrow. Backpacking is pretty cheap compared to this!

Storm warning follow up

Unless you are involved in the financial world, you probably didn’t notice much difference to your life after August last year. Although the demise of Northern Rock was the most visible evidence of something going wrong in the UK (and global) financial system, for most people life carried on as normal. However, this is about to change and I want to warn you.

According to the Times, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s winter labour market outlook is set to show that 38% of the more than 1,500 employers surveyed plan redundancies over the next three months, with a quarter intending to let go at least 10 employees. There have been three sources of growth for the UK economy over the past five years: the housing market, the financial sector (i.e. international finance in the City of London) and increased public expenditure. All three of these engines of growth appear to be failing at the same time.

At the same time, access to credit is about to become much harder for everyone, not just those with poor credit histories. An article in Saturday’s FT suggests that even those who might consider themselves as “good” payers and credit risks may find their credit curtailed if they make minor mistakes in paying bills. Mr. Darling may get his wish of a return to “old fashion” banking, but he may not like the results. Credit oils the wheels of the economy. Risk aversion by bankers as we are seeing now throws sand in the gears. Watch out for the blame game, as it’s about to get nasty.

I have next to no faith in the financial literacy of this government, so prepare yourselves for two to three years tough sledding in the economy. Unfortunately the strong fiscal position of 3-4 years ago has been frittered away. While it won’t be the end of the world (as some commentators are suggesting), it’s not going to be easy. The only advice I can give is try to preserve your job, be careful with your debt and try to build a financial cushion. I hope you won’t need it but you never know!

Heat and light

The two burning issues in backpackerdom at the moment appear to be the petition to legalise wild camping in England & Wales and the Trail article highlighting Paul Lister’s wishes to enclose his 30,000 acre estate in Scotland so he can re-introduce wolves (and some other animals), thereby excluding walkers from access unless they pay at least £50 for the pleasure.

There’s certainly been quite a lot of heat in the Trail and OM forums on these topics, while the TGO forum has been somewhat more genteel in its tone. Fortunately as well as heat, there’s been a bit of light. I don’t intend to comment much more about Mr. Lister’s plan’s as you know my views from a previous post and I’ve contributed to the debate on OM, having instigated it. Suffice to say I’m against the restriction of access, but agnostic about the re-introduction of flora/fauna. Hopefully the legal process will prevent him from riding roughshod over the Scottish access legislation.

For most of us, the wild camping petition is a more important issue. It has been interesting to see how this has developed through both the medium of forums and blogging. Although some of the comments in the forums have not been particularly constructive, some of the opposing voices have raised some areas of legitimate concern that would need to be addressed by any legislation. Many of these revolve around the issue of privacy and the abuse of any rights that may be conferred.

An encouraging aspect of this debate, for me personally, is that I have had to re-think my initial simplistic view of the right to wild camp. I believe that some significant safeguards against abuse would need to built in. In particular, as in the Scottish legislation, abuse should mean the withdrawal of the privilege. The “leave no trace” and minimum impact philosophy needs to be asserted. Respect for privacy and unobtrusiveness are also key components. I suspect that it is going to be difficult to reconcile the many different interests. A good starting point might be to encourage our National Parks to adopt a similar attitude to Dartmoor, which allows wild camping.

 

Lightfoot socks

I bought some of these from Bob and Rose. Although I’ve not given them an extensive workout, I already like them. I’ve worn them around the house and used them with my Montrail Hardrocks for dog walking. I’ve worn a number of different X-socks over the last year with varying degrees of success. The lightest X-sock is the Extreme Light, which is probably the nearest to the Lightfoot.  Although the Extreme Light is supposed to be for hot climates and is very thin, I found it a bit hot and it has a synthetic feel to it. In contrast, the Lightfoot seems quite smooth and cool. It wicks sweat away well and, for me, is more comfortable. I’m looking forward to using them in warmer times with my vast array of summer footwear. My only criticism so far is that there is the odd loose end on the lighter colour pads, but you can snip those off. The Lightfoots are available from Bob and Rose at Backpackinglight at £12.99 for a two pairs (compared to £8.99 for a single pair of X-sock Extreme Light). If you’re looking for some socks to go with your trail shoes/trainers, you ought to try them. One last observation is that they are slightly large. I’m a size 8 and the 5.5-7.5 size is large enough for me and would probably be a bit big if you had size 6 feet.

e-petition news

Darren’s e-petition to legalise wild camping now has 344 signatories. If you’ve not signed up yet and agree, please do as soon as possible. Encourage your friends to do so as well. Sorry to keep harping on about this, but a letter to your MP is very important. Vive la revolution!!

Montane Atomic DT Pants

I’ve just bought these from Hike-Lite. Large size weighs 170g, which is just over 40g lighter than the Berghaus Paclite over-trousers that I already have. I’ve not used them outside yet but first impressions are good. The membrane has a nice “dry” feel to it, unlike Paclite, which feels a bit clammy to the touch. It is a little bit like the membrane in the TNF DIAD. The fit is good for me, with a comparatively broad elasticated waistband. The leg zips are only knee length, rather than 3/4 length that you get on the Berghaus. You also get popper adjustments on the cuff, so you can cinch the material to stop it flapping. At a touch under £60, they appear to be good value. Together with my DIAD jacket, full waterproof protection now only weighs 370g. Ideal for summer days. I think I would only use them for single days and weekends, though. For longer trips I would probably revert to the Berghaus OTs, particularly for Scotland as they have better ventilation options.

 

Turbine madness

Undoubtedly wind farms have become highly controversial amongst outdoor folk. However, you may be unaware of the gathering scandal over the way power companies and turbine owners are exploiting the system and making a fast buck out of you and me. An interesting article from today’s Financial Times.