December 2004 - the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Newsletter of Dales Volunteers
Waymarker
Newsletter number 98
Editor: Dave Freer
December 2004
SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS
☺
On the 12th October more than 50 children and adults braved the cold weather and mist to
celebrate the Parks 50th birthday on top of Pen-y-Ghent.
Carl Lis did the honours and declared the 'S' shaped windbreak open to all in danger of
exposure.
Alun Michael and many more people were to have attended but other commitments meant that
those expecting the Minister hunted in vain.
- See within for details of an earlier structure.
The untimely, unexpected death of Mike Hudson cast a cloud over the 50th birthday
celebrations. A volunteer of long standing Mike had that rare distinction of really being liked by
all who met him.
-Alan writes more within.
☺ On a lighter note - congratulations to the NPTIC at Grassington for the award and
welcome back to Karen Griffiths who is now out of oblivion - well almost.
☺
The HSE advice on what to do with your dog if, when out walking, you are approached by
cattle is straightforward and precise - let it from the lead and on running away the beasts will
chase it.
continued on page 2
Training and interviewing dates are listed on page 17.
Dates for safe handling of tools, strimming, hedge management,
built environment surveying and archaeology training or briefing
sessions are under negotiation.
Waymarker welcomes contributions from
Dales Volunteers and the staff of the
National Park Authority. Any opinions
expressed are those of the named authors.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Grassington, SKIPTON. BD23 5LB
Tel: 01756 752748 Fax: 01756 752745
e-mail: [email protected]
HSE advice continued…..
A number of letters have appeared in outdoor magazines counselling caution here and
suggesting you should stand your ground - remaining static and keeping the dog with you.
They argue that the cows, bullocks, whatever will then stop - albeit uncomfortably close, but
then allowing you and your canine companion to walk slowly to safety - keeping a 'weather eye'
on said beasts who will probably follow you.
Given that most people cannot tell a cow, from a cow with a calf, from a bullock, from even a
bull and that the most experienced stockmen can have trouble with beasts behaving in an
unexpected way, the standing still with dog option is one requiring especial consideration if you
really want to see another Christmas.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!
Dave Freer, Editor
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all volunteers and their families the very best for
Christmas and the New Year.
I am sorry I was not able to get to the ‘end of season meeting’ in November although I
understand that it went off very well.
This is also an opportunity for me to thank you for all the time and expertise that you have put in
on behalf of the national park during the past year. Looking forward to next year there are
exciting times ahead for the national park, the Open Access legislation finally hits the Dales in
May and no doubt we will be relying on volunteers to be out there assisting the public to make
sense of it all. In addition, the work Rae has been doing within the different departments of the
Authority, identifying new and different volunteering opportunities, may well give some of you
the chance to draw on existing expertise or learn new skills.
I hope you will all enjoy your volunteering over the coming year and I look forward to seeing you
out and about.
Merry Christmas
Jon Avison, Head of Park Management
2
MICHAEL HUDSON 1937 - 2004
I Hope, I am writing on behalf of all those friends Michael made during his time as a volunteer in the
Yorkshire Dales and perhaps to give an insight to those who did not have the pleasure or only met
Michael briefly. Since Michael’s passing I have spoken to many people and if I had to sum up Michael in
one word and there are many I could choose from, friend, academic, dedicated, honest, trustworthy,
Leeds United Fan (but we won’t hold that against him), but the one word nearly everyone mentioned was
forgetful.
Michael joined the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority as a volunteer in 1984 after a long and
distinguished career at Leeds University as a Professor of Economics, He remained attached after
formally retiring on a part time basis and also translated work from German and Spanish. He was to
have received his 20 year Award at the Autumn Meeting. Because we have only recently begun to
acknowledge 10+ years of service, he received his at the Autumn Meeting last year. Unfortunately by
the end of the meeting he had forgotten where he had put it and spent half an hour wandering round
Settle Middle School till he found it in a classroom he swore (something Michael did rather well) blind he
hadn’t been in.
Right up until his walking trip in Portugal, Michael continued to come out working, sometimes up to three
times a week. This was not just because he enjoyed it so much which we all know he did, but also
because he had usually forgotten something and rather than just come and pick it up, he would stop for
the day.
Michael spent most of his time in the Three Peaks and Malhamdale areas and there will not be many
stiles, gates or bridges that he has not had a hand in building or maintaining (or left part of his hand in).
Clumsy, was also a word that came up quite regular and Michael was your archetypal academic
intellectual who worked very hard at his practical skills.
Over the last twenty years Michael worked on all the major restoration projects on the Three Peaks,
Pennine Way, and also helped in the construction of Malham Cove steps, as well as on other projects
throughout the park. At most of these he left behind many a pair of gloves, a sweatshirt or jacket or his
cap but most often of all, his tobacco pouch, sometimes even forgetting that he had put items on the roof
of vehicles. (you might see a pattern forming).
Most of us will remember him taking a break and to sit back and admire his work and the scenery with
his pipe. Many will also remember his cries of agony after a few minutes of resuming work as his
forgotten, but not fully extinguished pipe would start to burn a hole in his trouser pocket.
Michael, literally walked thousand of miles for the cause, monitoring and recording the condition of
routes, and those that passed him often commented on his measuring wheel. Michael, must have heard
thousands of times the comment ‘that must be difficult to ride’ each time it was like the first time (within
earshot of them anyway). Michael’s interests in conservation projects led him right around the world.
However it was always the Dales he returned to and it is here that his true legacy will remain in the
projects he worked on and the many hundreds of trees he planted.
There is so much more I could say, he was the most photographed volunteer in the park, he was issued
the most clothes (no one ever came back from a job dirtier or more torn and ragged than Michael), the
most entries in the accident book, the most bad jokes and anecdotes and the most days of any volunteer
on an annual basis. For this and for being Michael he became a fixture in the South West and honorary
member of the annual Rangers Christmas party and more often than not the first and the last to the bar
(usually not still on his feet).
Michael took an enormous amount of enjoyment from the Dales and not many people have put as much
back for the benefit of others and the landscape. He was a true unsung hero of the Dales overlooked by
many but who will be sadly missed by friends and by all that met him.
Michael will certainly not be forgotten.
Alan Hulme, Ranger Service Manager
3
PEN-Y-GHENT - ANOTHER STRUCTURE, ANOTHER TIME
In the early summer of 1965, I received a phone call from the Hon. Mrs Geoffrey Dawson of
Langcliffe Hall, asking me to tea. I wondered why until I discovered that she was the widow of
the former editor of the Times newspaper and landowner on Pen-y-Ghent. When tea was over,
we were joined by her gamekeeper and I was asked if it would be possible for me to replace the
ladder stile which crossed the summit wall. This was in the time when the West Riding was not
delighted to invest in such crazy ideas, but I was determined to do it if possible. Within a day or
two I had clearance to spend a few shillings on the appropriate timber.
Of course, the big difficulty was to get the stile onto the summit and I planned to have a relay of
Voluntary Wardens to help me. However, another lady was to step into the programme. BBC2
was just about to produce a documentary on the Pennine Way, and a couple of days later Mary
Borg, then environmental research assistant for the Beeb, came up my path in Airton while I
was pre-fabricating the stile. She had been told by the National Park Commission's Information
Officer, Roger Bush, that I would be pleased to help so far as the Way within the West Riding
was concerned.
At the end of a very long interview, Mary said: "This has been very helpful, thank you - now is
there anything I can do for you?"
I modestly paused before saying "Yes", knowing by then that the programme would be based
on a helicopter journey from Edale to Kirk Yetholm. Joe Shevelan was to meet the aircraft on
the summit. he would bring along a roll of West Riding loo paper to lay out a X on the most
level part of the summit as a guide for the pilot.
The upshot was that the ladder stile could be roped to the skis of the aircraft and transported
from Airton to the summit of Pen-y-Ghent and a feature made of its erection there. We stood at
the ready for several days waiting for the weather, before I received a phone call early one
morning……and then the show began! The landing ground at Airton was Clay's farm - nice and
firm, level and spacious. I arranged for the pilot to do a circuit round the village school, to
prevent an invasion of children. Mrs Clay senior arranged a picnic for eating on completion of
the day and the pilot had myself as a one-way passenger, but Mrs Clay (then 84 and a licenced
pilot) stayed aboard while the cargo was disembarked and she was flown back to Airton.
For the record, Joe and I and a Voluntary Warden put that stile up and down eight times and we
were filmed for every angle.
And for another record, the passengers in that helicopter claim the course and distance record
from Airton to Pen-y-Ghent………..10 minutes!
Wilf Proctor
4
GPS TRAINING – TW0 DAY COURSE -
www.gpstraining.co.uk
11, 12 July 2004 – Brockhole Visitor Centre, Ambleside
Although I already had a GPS and knew the basic uses it was good to review some of these and go onto
the advanced ones, particularly digital mapping. This was an excellent course with much of it taking
place out in the field.
Day one – Getting Started with GPS and Digital Maps
There were fifteen of us, about half having a GPS of our own which we were encouraged to use and the
other half using the ones supplied by Outdoor Training and Leisure Ltd. There was a mix of Garmin and
Magellan GPS’s and this was useful for the people there who intended to buy and needed an insight into
what the various models were like to use. The two instructors were very helpful when anyone got stuck
and all the training material, whether on screen in the excellent Power Point presentation or in our
handouts, were split where necessary into different diagrams of both the Magellan and the Garmin. This
was important so that we could relate this to which ever model we were using.
One of the first things we learnt was how to set up our GPS’s and most of us that already had one found
that we hadn’t set them up properly! This was of course remedied immediately.
We learnt how to load waypoints into our GPS manually and delete them and rename them etc. After
some more tuition our GPS’s were loaded from the Digital Mapping Software called Memory Map with a
short Route with pre–marked waypoints and off we went round the gardens of Brockhole using the
Navigator in the Compass on the GPS. We split into two groups – the Garmins and the Magellans - and
this was a good learning exercise, even for those of us with some experience, as our instructors were
with us explaining exactly what the GPS was doing and particularly about the circles of accuracy
surrounding the various waypoints and tree cover problems etc.
After a nice lunch at the cafe (not included in the course fee) sat round tables on the patio of Brockhole
House we were back in the classroom for a demonstration of Memory Map, more tuition particularly on
the GOTO function of the GPS and an introduction to Geocaching. We learnt that this is a sort of
treasure hunt by GPS. A Geocache is something that someone has hidden. A Geotrail is a route where
only your start and finish points are revealed and this begins with a grid reference, which when located
will show you another grid reference, sometimes accompanied by a clue to help you locate the next
cache etc. At your final destination you even get a free drink at the pub or cafe where you end the trail,
on production of a password found in a cache. For those of us who were interested in a Geotrail for the
future, we were supplied with the first grid references for two trails.
We then went off in our two groups across country on a linear Route which had been loaded into our
GPS by our trainers, this time with one of the waypoints being a Geocache and with the clue similar to
‘Something dead will reveal all’. Under a dead tree we found a plastic box containing a grid reference.
So at the end of a good days training I headed for my hotel in Ambleside and entered a few waypoints
into the GPS, although not an actual Route, for a walk up to Alcock Tarn from the NT car park at Rydal.
On a lovely calm clear evening I headed up there paying more attention to the GPS features than usual.
Whilst sitting eating my sandwiches looking beyond Grasmere to Silver Howe, Harrison Stickle, Easdale
and over to Helm Crag, I felt lucky to be alive. This hugely enjoyable walk enabled me to practice what I
had learnt during the day and because on my way down I realised that I had lost one of my stick
protectors I decided to discontinue my circular walk and return to where I had sat for my evening picnic.
From a GPS perspective this raised some questions to ask our ‘Guru’ on the next day, as I had been
trying to reverse the Track that I had made on the GPS, without success, a feature that we had not yet
fully covered on the course! (However it was good to find my stick protector in the long grass under the
bench).
5
Day 2 – Going Further with GPS and Digital Maps
Everyone who had been on the previous day’s course was there and also it was nice to see another of
our trainees, Alice Gull, as she had completed Day1 on another date. It was good that we could get
together and discuss the different ways that a GPS will help us in our work as volunteers.
After going over a few things that we had learnt on Day1 we manually entered more waypoints into our
GPS. These of course have to be entered in as grid references, which is quite a laborious task. If you are
doing this yourself you have to find the grid references from the map and then enter them into the GPS
and when devising a route, this could take a long time. After we had done this (the grid references were
provided to save time) we had a demonstration of how to input them from the digital maps on the
computer – just a few clicks here and there and it was done! We then split into small groups and went
off on the route entered into our GPS, with a map and numbered waypoints that corresponded to the
ones in our GPS. At each waypoint we had to write down an answer to a question on our sheet, or if it
was a Geocache, say what was in it – all good fun.
After lunch it was back to the classroom and this time it was a hands-on session on the computers with
Memory Map. We had to mark out a route on the digital map from Glenridding to Helvellyn via Striding
Edge and back via Swirral Edge. Obviously in the time available we could not learn how to use the
software properly but it gave us an insight into what we could do and we learnt how to look at our route
in 3D and also fly through the route in a 3D aerial terrain view, which was stunning.
Out again, this time to make up our own walk from a few waypoints pre-entered into our GPS. The three
of us decided to do a linear walk and do what we had learnt in the classroom about GOTO and
Trackback functions - GOTO to take us to our destination and Trackback to allow the arrow on the
compass to navigate us back along the track that we had made. If you have climbed up into thick mist
and decide to turn back on paths that are not well marked on the ground, then the latter feature is a real
asset because during navigation you can check on the map page of the GPS to see whether you are
going off course. Back in the classroom, last but not least, everyone who owned a GPS was told to
update them from the Garmin or Magellan websites, something we had not previously thought of doing!
Conclusion
This was an excellent course and a very enjoyable two days. GPS navigation and digital mapping is
obviously the way forward and it was good to begin to get to grips with it. It was interesting to note that
people had travelled from far and wide to attend the course. One course member travelled from Ayrshire
(180 miles) two came from Nottingham, two from Milton Keynes and one from Prestatyn. All seemed to
think that it had been very worthwhile. The course fees were £49 per day and of course, as a YDNP
volunteer I only had to pay £15 per day – what a bargain! There is going to be a follow-up third day,
sometime in October/November when we will be out all day (6 hours) on the fells around Blencathra and
the fee for this will be £29 including a Bar Snack at the end. Can’t wait!
The downside to all this is that besides the cost of a GPS to cover most walker’s needs (usually between
£100 - £250), the digital mapping is expensive. Memory Map’s 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey digital maps
covering the YDNP area cost £100. On the course we were provided with a £10 voucher towards the
cost of one of these (or anything else costing over £50) from two outdoor shops – Field & Trek in
Ambleside and Fisher’s in Keswick.
Considering what many of us spend on our chosen hobby, the price of keeping up with modern
technology may not be too prohibitive if it makes a real contribution to our safety on the fells.
Frances Bland
SE Team
6
EXPERIMENTAL TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDERS
I am sure that readers of Waymarker are aware of the on-going project that has resulted in the
placing of experimental Traffic Regulation Orders on a number of ‘green lanes’ in the Park. This
project is a partnership between the Park Authority and North Yorkshire County Council.
The orders were placed during March 2004 and run through to September 2005 and suspend
recreational motor vehicle use on:
• Mastiles Lane
• Long Lane from Clapham to Selside
• Starbotton Cam and Topmere
• Horsehead Pass
There has been a fantastic effort by volunteers, both Dales Volunteers and others from the
Green Lanes Alliance and vehicle user groups, to carry out an extensive monitoring programme
on these and other routes. This started before the orders were placed to build up some
baseline information, and are now helping to build a picture of the effect of the orders.
Volunteers have helped carry out 36 condition surveys and have conducted nearly 1000 face to
face interviews with people using the different routes; often in our finest Dales weather!
In 2005 all this information will be compiled into a report which will help the Park Authority and
North Yorkshire County Council to evaluate whether the orders provide a sound recreational
and environmental management technique.
A big thank you is owed to all who have been involved.
Mark Allum (Access Officer Projects)
7
STARTERS AND LEAVERS
David Whatley took up a new position as IT officer (projects) on 6th September, while Don
McLellan started on the 19th August as conservation support officer (historic environment).
Relief information advisor, Lorraine Starkey, started on 24th July and Gillian Storey began her
new role as assistant building conservation officer on 13th September. Gill was previously the
community conservation officer on a fixed term contract.
In the communications office, Kath Taylor, took on the new role of senior communications
officer on 7th July, and Nick Oldham took over from Alex Waddington as our freelance media
officer.
In September three members of staff left the National Park Authority: Marion Donnelly, Kate
Geddes and Christine Chisholm who retired after 30 years with the Authority.
Many volunteers will have had contact with Christine - knowingly or unknowingly - when they
were trying to contact the Co-ordinator at Colvend. Christine - for many years the bastion of
reception at Grassington - spent many happy hours trying to locate Rae and answer any
queries.
"Waymarker" wishes her well in retirement.
A sad loss to us all was the departure of Kate Geddes. Vivacious, enthusiastic, bubbly,
ebullient, high spirited and attractive bicycling witch - welcome on one of my walks anytime she has now moved to pastures new. York's gain is Grassington's loss. Thanks for the
revolution Kate.
Here's
to Kate
8
and Christine.
BOOK REVIEWS
Wensleydale Memories
The lives of families living in Wensleydale during he First and Second World Wars are put under
the microscope in a new book launched on 9th October.
'Wensleydale Remembered: the sacrifice made by the families of a northern dale
19141918 and 1939-1945' has painstakingly traced the lives of those killed during those two wars the people whose names are carved on headstones and plaques in churchyards all over the
dale.
Through the words and photographs author Keith Taylor has paid tribute to them and the world
they lived in, looking at their working and social lives and the impact their deaths had on their
families and communities.
This is the third book by the retired teacher, who was inspired to write it after seeing war
memorials and plaques in churchyards and churches while walking in Wensleydale last year.
Museum manager Debbie Allen said: "We worked very closely with Keith on this project and we
are very pleased to have been of some assistance and thrilled that he wanted us to host the
book launch at the museum".
For further information, please contact Debbie Allen, museum manager, at the Dales
Countryside Museum, Hawes.
A Unique Heritage
"Archaeology and Historic Landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales" - edited by R F White and P R
Wilson.
The second in a series of papers published by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, this is a
worthy volume of 21 detailed essays on a wide spectrum of aspects regarding the history and
archaeology of the Yorkshire Dales.
From hogg houses and field barns to institutes and reading rooms via historic landscapes and
prehistoric settlements, each article is superbly presented by an expert in the particular field.
Make sure of your copy by obtaining it from one of the Information Centres.
Memories and Thoughts of a Countryman
"Perk's Book" - George Perfect Perk's Publications. Printed in Settle by Lamberts Print and
Design.
Tales of the Dales from 'Perk's' - Ribblesdale farmer, keeper, sage and wag.
"One of the funniest men I've ever met" - Mike Harding
If you want to get a "feel" of how the Dales were until quite recently, this book is for you.
Dave Freer
9
BOOTS AND BEER FESTIVAL
As part of our 50th Anniversary, we joined up with Black Sheep brewery (our sponsors) and
Mark Reid (Innway Books) to hold the third Boots and Beer Festival based in Hawes and
Bainbridge.
It was a fantastic, good-natured weekend, if one of the wettest ever. On the Friday night, ranger
services manager Alan Hulme gave two National Park talks for the participants, which were very
interesting and well received.
Black Sheep was only £1.50, with 50p going to YDMT, so the atmosphere became increasingly
lively.
During the festival, we organisers suffered by sitting in the warmth of The Fountain at Hawes,
sipping our beers, sporting funky red marshal T-shirts (and in my case, a slight hangover), as
brave (foolhardy) participants and backmarkers set off into the murk and gloom for walks of up
to 16 miles.
It was an impressive sight, and made all the more so by the fact that everyone came back!
The Dales Volunteers and National Park staff were, once again, marvellous, cheerful and
enthusiastic in the face of the weather as they back-marked all the walks to make sure
everybody got back safely.
Mark (from Innway) had organised for some foot masseurs to greet the walkers in Hawes, and
people were easing off their boots and peeling off their sodden socks and soon sitting in a
fragrant/pungent steam. I noticed the masseurs were wearing gloves, but it must still be a
contender for one of Tony Robinson's worst jobs in the world.
The walkers had come from all over Britain and Ireland, and the majority of them had come to
the festival before. It was a great weekend and the rain didn't spoil a thing!
Black Sheep reckon that the 325 participants spent about £50,000 in the Upper Wensleydale
area over the weekend and once they arrived, it was all walking, no driving. I was a little
concerned about the number of people, but there were twelve walks spread over the two days
and so numbers were quite evenly spread out.
The feedback from participants has been very positive and it proved a useful opportunity to talk
about the work of the National Park to a new audience.
Follow further details of Cathy's drinking habits in future issues of 'Waymarker'.
10
GREEN LANE BAN
A public opinion poll carried out earlier this year by ICM Ltd and concerning a variety of
countryside issues indicated that 87% of the population want recreational vehicles banned from
Green Lanes.
Considering this and the 'recovery' of parts of the Lanes under ETRO control it might seem
obvious and just plain common sense that 4x4s, quads and motorbikes be limited to certain
areas.
However so far as the law is concerned the central and controlling factor is who, using what,
has the right along which way. This can be complicated.
If you want an insight here, start with s193 Law of property Act 1925 go to s14 Road Traffic Act
1930 and via s34(1) Road Traffic Act 1988 and Defra Consultation Document "Use of
Mechanically propelled vehicles on Rights of Way" to the House of Lords judgement in the case
of Bakewell Management Ltd v. Brandwood earlier this year, not forgetting the case of
Hanning v. Top Deck Travel Ltd on the way.
A morass much greater even, than that to be found at the summit of Horse Head Pass.
ARE OUR RANGERS MIND READERS?
Recently, Bryan Cooper and I were doing a Parish Path Survey in Hellifield. At the end of one
path, where it met a lane, we noted that the roadside footpath sign was out of the ground and
leaning against the wall. A job for a ranger in the months ahead, we thought.
A couple of hours later, our route happened to take us back along the lane. As we approached
the junction with the footpath we’d surveyed earlier, what did we see but a National Park Land
Rover and Giovanni busy replacing the footpath sign we’d reported on earlier.
How’s that for prompt action?!
Rhona Thornton
11
NATIONAL PARK CENTRE WINS AWARD
The Grassington National Park Centre - which provides information to thousands of visitors
every year - is one step nearer to winning a national award for its service.
The centre has won the Tourist Information Centre of the Year category in the Yorkshire
Tourists Board's White Rose Award for Tourism. It will now go forward to the national Enjoy
English Excellence Awards held annually by VisitBritain.
Centre manager Chris Lancaster said: "We are very pleased, but it is the staff who have made it
possible. They have put in the work and dedication to achieve this high standard of customer
service. We are going for the national finals and we are quietly confident. In the meantime, we
will bask in our regional success."
'Waymarker' would like to congratulate Barbara, Nicky, Graham et al - in fact, all information
advisors for the work they do.
(Interesting snippet - did you know Nicky gets mistaken for Charlie Dimmock!)
FIRST OF MANY SUCCESSES
An early Christmas bonus landed on definitive map officer Bev Parker's desk with the results of
what we hope will be many Dales Volunteer archive research tasks.
Kate O'Hare saved the team a full day by visiting the Wakefield archives to bring in some
urgently needed information for Gareth Evans and the Pennine Bridleway project. Other tasks
have already been assigned and an introductory session is planned for early in the New Year
for those who have not yet got into archival research.
So far we have 15 volunteers signed up, if any others would like to attend our 'training session'
please contact Bev Parker at the Grassington office - invitations to the training will go out
separately.
[email protected]
MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS GO DOWN TO THE WOODS
As a small “Thank you” to the Museum Volunteers, for their work over the past year, Tony
Dykes, their co-ordinator, took many of them on a short walk through Freeholders’ Wood on
Monday morning. One advantage of all those green things having fallen off the trees was that
we had a clear view of the coppicing, right through the wood, even if you couldn’t have
described it as being ‘in all its glory’, as in, say, early June. The walk was followed by what had
been billed as ‘soup and sandwiches’ at the Coppice Café, so if ever you’re invited to a full
lunch, don’t bother with breakfast. Thank you, Karen!
After lunch, I broached the subject of inviting the Museum Volunteers to Spring or Autumn
meetings, with a local visit appropriate to their interests replacing the team meeting session.
This idea had appeal for at least some of the twenty or so Museum Volunteers who were there,
so we’ll look closely at the best way of developing this. Meanwhile, many thanks to Tony for
12
an interesting morning; the idea and its implementation were greatly appreciated by all who
were there.
Rae Lonsdale
AREN’T BIRDS BRILLIANT
The main aim of the RSPB’s ‘Aren’t Birds Brilliant’ project is to introduce members of the public
to the fascinating wildlife that can be seen in the British countryside. Whilst there is an obvious
focus on birdlife, the scheme offers an excellent opportunity to talk to, and encourage visitors to
take an interest in wildlife and nature conservation issues.
Malham offers the ideal opportunity to run such a project. The tourist infrastructure is already in
place, it is an open secret that there are peregrines present and most importantly there would
be no disturbance to the birds as there are already large numbers of people visiting the site.
The other key factor is there aren’t many other places that can offer such good, close up views
of peregrines in such stunning scenery.
That said, it was a less than auspicious start in 2003 for the first year of the project. Amongst
other things, the peregrines not only decided to change their nest site on the Cove but also
failed to hatch any eggs for only the second time since the site was first occupied in 1993. We
suspect that this may have been a ‘new’ female peregrine making her first breeding attempt and
as such it is not unusual for there to be a change of nest site and being inexperienced, the first
nesting attempt often fails. Although we were disappointed that overall the project did not
achieve it’s full potential, we were determined that it would be a success in 2004.
In Spring 2004 with the project about to start, it was pleasing to find the Peregrines still at the
Cove and a huge relief to find the female peregrine already incubating. When I arrived at
Malham Centre on the first ‘official’ day of this year's project, it was pleasing to see the two fresh
faced young wardens (who looked strangely familiar - although that should probably be
familiarly strange) Dave Freer (yes that Dave Freer) and Graham Threlfall eager to start. With a
very brief induction soon over they were up and the Cove and soon got into the routine of
showing people the birds and talking to the public, as well as answering a multitude of questions
relating to birds, the national park and from what I gather, life in general.
Throughout May the numbers of visitors increased, possibly helped by the BBC programme
‘Britain Goes Wild’ (hosted by Dave’s guru Bill Oddie) which, featured amongst other things a
pair of Peregrines nesting in a Quarry ‘somewhere down South’. Having seen the birds on the
TV, visitors at Malham were very keen to see the ‘real thing’ and were suitable impressed at
being shown Peregrines by a Bill Oddie lookalike warden.
At last, the behaviour of the adult peregrines changed with the birds taking prey into the nest
suggesting that at least one chick had hatched. It was then a rather a long and slightly anxious
wait until the young finally plucked up courage to come to the edge of the nesting ledge and we
could confirm that there were three chicks. As the young birds continued to grow, they began to
move around the various ledges on the Cove and the doting wardens were then able to keep a
fatherly eye on them. Visitors were treated to spectacular views of the adult birds bringing in
food, the youngster’s first tentative attempts at flight and their first extremely unsuccessful
attempts at catching prey.
The project ran Wednesday through to Sunday from the beginning of May until late July, by
which time the three young had left the area and the appearance of the adult birds was very
erratic. The end of season figures show that 23 Dales Volunteers provided 60 volunteer days
throughout the season and helped to show the birds to just over 8,580 visitors. The site was
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even visited by a BBC Film Crew including, as Dave has presumably already told you, Bill
Oddie!!
The feedback that we have received from visitors has been extremely positive. The vast
majority of people went away having had spectacular views of the Peregrines and without fail,
everyone commented on the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff at the watchpoint. From a
YDNPA and RSPB point of view the project was a huge success and we would like to thank
Dave and Graham, Cat and the NPC Staff at Malham and all the Dales Volunteers who helped
make the project so successful.
I am pleased to say that we will be running the project again in 2005 and would welcome the
involvement of Dales Volunteers again throughout the season. We are not specifically looking
for skilled birdwatchers to help out, but volunteers who can talk about the work of both the
National Park, the RSPB and a wide range of countryside issues in general. Aren’t Birds
Brilliant? Well after this year at least an extra 8,500 people think so and hopefully next year that
total will easily be surpassed.
By the way, has Dave mentioned he will be on the telly later this year?
Ian Court, Species Officer
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Funny Men with Beards!
WHAT’S ON AT DALES COUNTRYSIDE MUSEUM
JANUARY 2005
The New Year continues to see the story of the people and landscape of the Yorkshire Dales
brought to life with exciting displays, hands-on activities for children, video and CD-ROM.
Our collection of fascinating artefacts is housed in the Victorian buildings that once served as
Hawes railway station. Our foyer has recently undergone re-development to better
accommodate people wishing to use the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Tourist Information
Centre. There is also a new and bigger gift shop space plus new interactive displays for the
whole family to enjoy.
Two historians from Askrigg, Marie Hartley and Joan Ingilby originally collected the vast array of
objects housed in the museum. Ms Hartley shall celebrate her 100th birthday in 2005 and we
intend to mark the occasion with an exhibition later in the year dedicated to her work.
The museum continues with its changing programme of events and exhibitions for the New
Year. This will include:
Exhibitions showcasing local arts and crafts such as photography, painting, rag rug making,
weaving and woodcraft.
Regular demonstrations to illustrate traditional skills like dry stone walling, spinning and
farmhouse cooking.
Workshops so visitors can try their hand at quilting, painting on silk, felt making and more.
Arts and craft activities for children during school holidays.
A summer series of talks to broaden your knowledge and awareness of wildlife in the Dales.
See the What’s On section in Visitor 2005 and museum notices for more details.
Our education service provides a range of taught programmes and an object loans scheme for
schools. There is something for all age groups and level of study. We aim to encourage
children to learn more about the Yorkshire Dales National Park and play a part in its
conservation.
The Museum is an ideal venue for meetings or training sessions with rooms available for hire.
There are study rooms to research local records, archive material and your family history. Our
amphitheatre has been the venue for numerous events including theatre workshops.
Dales Countryside Museum is fully accessible to visitors using
wheelchairs. The site has car and coach parking facilities, a
baby change area and toilets. We are open daily between
10am and 5pm. There is an admission fee for adults,
concession and group rates are available, and children are
admitted free. For more information call 01969 667 450 or go to
www.destinationdales.org.
Dales Countryside Museum
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with its static railway carriages
PARTNERSHIP WORKS TO SAVE WINTER 805 BUS SERVICE
The winter bus service 805 from West Yorkshire to Hawes was dealt a double
blow this winter with reduced funding and the news that Arriva have decided to
withdraw from Dales services for the foreseeable future. The service has,
however, been saved by the work of an interesting partnership.
The National Park Authority agreed to provide the same level of funding to run the
service as last year if The Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users’ Group would
contract the service and underwrite any additional costs.
The Users’ Group took up the challenge and with the help
of additional funding from Leeds Metro have contracted the
service to Reliance of York. The service, which began
running at the beginning of November, runs from York to
Leeds, Otley, Ilkley and Grassington, then over Kidstones
Bank to Aysgarth and Hawes.
To support and promote the service, the Users’ Group has
organised a series of winter walks, with contributions from
the Authority, and has been successful in gaining funding
from The Target Initiative to produce an informative leaflet
(pictured left). The leaflet provides details of the events as
well as giving details of the bus services that can be used
on the outward and homeward journeys. It also includes
details of the other services that will be running into the
Dales over the winter as well as services from West
Yorkshire to the Dickensian Festival in Grassington. The
leaflet has been distributed widely throughout West
Yorkshire and a copy can be found in your local library or
picked up at any National Park Information Centre.
Initial reaction has been very positive with a request for more leaflets from York
T.I.C. On its first day the service carried 46 passengers on its outward and return
journey, 10 of whom came from York! On the second weekend the bus was full
when it reached Grassington where passengers connecting from the 67A from
Keighley replaced those getting off.
Our very own Dave Freer was due to lead the Kettlewell village trail on this day
and admits to being taken a back when 21 people got off the bus to take part. The
day went well, however; members of the group made favourable comments about
the trail and were impressed by Dave’s knowledge of the area.
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Dave Freer, doing what he does best?
DALES VOLUNTEERS - DATES FOR 2005
2005
Feb 27 (Sun) SPRING MEETING venue t.b.a.
Mar 12 (Sat) Emergency Aid, Malham Village Hall (venue tbc)
Mar 13 (Sun) National Park Awareness, Malham Village Hall
Apr 9 (Sat) Emergency Aid, Malham Village Hall (venue tbc)
Apr 10 (Sun) Navigation, Malham Village Hall (and National Park Centre)
May 8 (Sun) Parish Path Survey Training, Malham Village Hall
Sep 4 (Sun) PR / Consolidation Day, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes (t.b.c.)
Oct 9 (Sun) National Park Awareness, Malham Village Hall
Nov 6 (Sun) AUTUMN MEETING venue t.b.a.
Nov 20 (Sun) Navigation, Malham Village Hall (and National Park Centre)
Dec 4 (Sun) Parish Path Survey Training, Malham Village Hall
All training is 09.30 for 10.00, except Emergency Aid, which is 08.45 for 09.00.
All training dates require indoor footwear at the start, with full outdoor gear carried (except
Emergency Aid: indoor gear suitable for rolling around on the floor!) and all require packed
lunch. Tea / coffee provided.
David Beal (Training Co-ordinator)
Also, INTERVIEWS, at Grassington, on Sundays:
Jan 9 (2005)
Feb 6
May 1 (2005)
Apr 3
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(01924) 250889
Jun 5
Jul 3
Aug 7
Oct 2
Sep 4 (2005)
Dec 4
Trevor Brooks (Recruitment Co-ordinator)
(01729) 830717
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50TH ANNIVERSARY, THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS.
It began in January with the launch in Leeds and Bolton Abbey. Although the day as whole
was great fun and attracted lots of publicity, there were little bits of anxiety and woe inbetween. The celebrities disappeared halfway through the day, the fire sculpture looked as
though it would not be up in time (but thanks to staff and volunteers running to help, it was)
and there was the horse throwing-off incident. I don’t think I shall ever forget seeing the
blue flash of the ambulance lights coming towards Bolton Abbey. Yet, like all the events
this year, staff, members and volunteers were there (most important), were fun and
enthusiastic and really were (as I heard one of the reporters say at the launch), a credit to
the Authority. As a result, the BBC ran a short series of films about the Park including the
Robert White show with amazing computer graphics, and Michael Briggs and Matt Neale
showing how to chop wood.
The opening of the photographic exhibition, ‘I love 1954-I love 2004’ at DCM was timed to
be on the same day as the book launch of David Joy’s excellent (especially the foreword);
‘The Yorkshire Dales, A 50th Anniversary celebration of the National Park’. Brian Blessed
returned and was hugely entertaining, although we had a bit of a struggle to get him out of
his Peak District top and into one of ours. Also in May was the legendary Magic, Myths
and Legends festival at Clapham. The controversial luminarium was a great success and
attracted a lot of publicity. We worked with our sponsors Black Sheep on two projects, the
Calendar Girls sponsored walk which raised thousands of pounds for two charities; it was
very, very hot, and the Boots and Beer festival in September which was very, very wet.
Both events made great fun with the enthusiasm of the volunteers and staff. There was the
party in September, which was very good by all accounts; I was very tired so it was all a bit
of a blur.
October 12th was our actual birthday and we had a great time on Pen y ghent opening the
new shelter. The views weren’t what they might have been, in fact there weren’t any, but it
was an exciting challenge, the invited children enjoyed it and the cold made us appreciate
the need for a shelter. The Anniversary wood was planted on Friday 3rd December, and
that wrapped up the 50th celebrations, except for the Building Design competition
ceremony, which will be held early in the 51st Anniversary.
It has been a wonderful year and a proper team effort. The Anniversary programme was
designed to highlight the work of the outreach programme and the promotion of public
transport as well as being a celebration for residents, visitors and us, and the
implementation group took this into account when organising the events. The
implementation group was made up of Catherine Kemp, Cynthia Colley, Peter Watson,
Kate Geddes, Nick Woodall, Mark Allum and Dave Freer. They made the bulk of the
decisions and were an immense help and stopped me panicking too much. Each event
was very well supported by staff, Dales Volunteers and members. People turned out in all
kinds of weather, at all times and in bizarre places and really worked hard above and
beyond the call of duty.
Some of the many memories of the Dales Volunteers from this year are Clive Bell phoning
from the Bolton Abbey estate to say that Jimmy Saville was being a bit odd, Dave Freer
running to meet the ambulance at the launch (and falling over), Chris Flanders helping
children up Pen y ghent in the fog, Chris Hartley enjoying the music and dancing away at
the anniversary party, Richard Laidler, Rosemary Dooley and the Newbolds being greeted
19
by St Johns ambulance when they returned from backmarking the longest Boots and Beer
walk (I’m not saying you got lost, Richard). Who can forget (hard though we might have
tried) Bernard Lynch’s costume at the Clapham festival? In fact, at Clapham the volunteers
really excelled with duties ranging from organising car parking to stopping children running
around in the luminarium, and frightening children (Bernard again). Also a big thanks to
Dave Freer who was on the implementation group and was extremely helpful and
enthusiastic, not unlike Bill Oddie, really. There have been many more volunteers involved
in the 50th this year and I’d really like to thank you all for your support. It’s been terrific fun
and we couldn’t have done it without the fabulous volunteers. If you could now put your
names down for the 75th Anniversary, we’ll start organising that!
Cathy Bennett
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CHRISTMAS 2004 CAPTION COMPETITION
What advice, direction or stunning revelation is canine
Kevin being given?
Please post entries in to Josie Wilson at Grassington by Wednesday 5th January 2005 –
mystery prize will be sent out for the best 'caption' by Friday 7th January.
CO-ORDINATOR’S CORNER
SE Practical Work Co-ordinator
John Kirk, who still claims, after three years, that he was ‘only filling in’ as SE Practical
Work Co-ordinator, has decided to ‘return to the ranks’ (in his own parlance) of the SE
team. John’s efforts have been to the great benefit of that team and of the park’s work; I
hope he will feel able to give the benefit of his experience to his successor. “Thank you,
John.”
John’s decision leaves a vacancy for which we have a perfectly acceptable candidate, but
before a final decision is made it is only fair to ask whether there is anyone else who is
keen to be considered for this position. If there is, please contact me before Christmas at
[email protected], on (01756) 752748, during the day or on (01729)
822461 during an evening or over a weekend.
21
FEEDBACK FROM THE AUTUMN MEETING
Format and content of the day
2 x excellent
2 x very good / very satisfactory
Comments:
8 x better / much better / more interactive
than previous years
3 x very useful to a new recruit
2 x have team meetings p.m.
2 x better with team meetings a.m.
1 x better as a half day
v. interesting and v. enjoyable
well structured
format and balance good
lack of structure after formal session
12 x good / fine
5 x O.K.
short of time for team meetings
– cut out coffee break
a.m. a bit long, p.m. good
v. good to hear of progress with CROW
request visit from staff of a NP
where CROW in force
in previous years had feedback from all teams;
good idea – re-instate
talk of little interest in p.m.
need more info on duties to be covered
next year
Venue
2 x excellent / fantastic
5 x very good
19 x good / fine
15 x O.K. / satisfactory / no problems /
adequate
Comments:
- too far from NE
- too far west
- classromms = too formal
- rubbish chairs in hall
- not enough chairs
- good rooms for group meetings
- better than middle school
-
much better than middle school
missed opportunity to ‘mix’ over lunch
similar to previous venues
-
more comments about facilities for
coffee and seated eating
Catering (lunch)
22 people (49%) said
9 people (20%) said
8 people (18%) said
4 people (9%) said
2 people (4%) said
Excellent / Impressive / First Class / Lovely / Delicious
Very Good / Tasty good
Good
O.K. So 96% of those who expressed an opinion found
Poor the food to be satisfactory through to excellent.
Comments on coffee have been excluded from the above.
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Critical comments:
1 x puddings great, short on savoury
1 x short on quantity, more salads would be appreciated
1 x Bewerley Park was better
1 x not enough veggie food, not enough plates, so had 3 desserts instead
1 x main course poor, prefer something hot. Sweet O.K.
1 x not enough of some dishes. Best catering was in previous year from lady in Horton in
Ribblesdale (One and the same. RL)
1 x would have been nice to have a warm drink at lunchtime
1 x would have been nice to eat with everyone, not just my team
8 x comments on poor re-supply or being preceded by gannets
It was also quite clear that I had omitted to make satisfactory seating arrangements, but the food
re-supply could probably have been sorted by one or two people offering to help, if they had
realised what was needed.
There were many comments about the crowded coffee bar. If we use this venue again, we’ll ask
for the youth centre lounge to be opened up, too. Coffee was actually available all day.
So, the grass is always greener, huh?
(or “The Adventures of a Yorkshireman, abroad – part 1.” ?)
As many of you will know, our Volunteering Strategy points towards the development of
volunteering opportunities across the full breadth of the Authority’s work. Ever one to
believe that other people or organisations must already be well-advanced with what we
were only just beginning to think about, I began to look around, to see what new wheels
others could save us from re-inventing.
Our colleagues on Exmoor very kindly came up with the ‘Exmoor Conservation
Volunteering Partnership’, so I hope we may be able to re-vitalise the casual volunteering
opportunities of a “Hands On!” programme, next year, by sharing it with English Nature
and the National Trust. Staff of these two agencies are enthusiastic at the prospect. (The
Exmoor CVP aims to provide opportunities with ENPA, National Trust, Crown Estate and
SW Lakes Trust.) Certainly, Nick Oldham, our new Media Officer, is very keen to promote
any such programme, as I have to dissuade him from extolling your virtues in the media
(as he would do every week, if given the chance).
The South Downs AONB (Fingers crossed for AONB NPA status.) has a programme of
practical tasks so massive that it dwarfs our own, and, at the same time, is working with
English Heritage and the Sussex Archaeological Society to develop a Monuments At Risk
Survey programme, to be conducted by their volunteers. Robert White and Neil Redfern
(English Heritage, York) were already considering this possibility and training began, at
Langcliffe, on Sunday (5th December), with twenty Dales Volunteers and ten others.
Superficial investigation revealed no other startlingly original voluntary opportunities in our
sister national parks, although I still live in hope of being told I haven’t asked in the right
places. So, I began to look at mainland Europe. A friend in France (secretary of the
Comité de Jumelage, in Banyuls sur Mer, Settle’s twin town) suggested that the French
‘third sector’ (1+2 = public + private, 3 = voluntary / charitable, for those averse to jargon)
was a bit of a joke, by comparison with the UK, as it was almost exclusively dependent on
funding from central government. This made me realise that there might be significant
‘cultural differences’ in attitude to voluntary activity. This suspicion was re-inforced by the
fact that links from the Europarc web-site (worth a look, at www.Europarc.org ) revealed
only opportunities for students to help re-build sand dunes on the Dutch coast. An e-mail
to the Europarc Federation produced nothing useful at first, but then, a couple of weeks
later, Barbara Mertin, of Europarc, found a reference to a new volunteer promotion and coordination project in Germany. As my second language (if you don’t count RP English) is
only broad-Yorkshire-French with vowel sounds massacred like those of Officer Crabtree
from “’Allo, ‘Allo”, I had serious doubts about getting involved further. However, following a
few e-mails and receipt of a CD with a presentation about the project (kindly translated by
Authority member Wilf Fenten), I had a phone call from Europarc Deutschland. Anne
Schierenberg explained that because funding was becoming more difficult, there was
concern that national park (etc.) staff would be hostile towards volunteers, in case they
were being recruited to replace them. She asked whether I had any advice. Towards the
end of the conversation, I mentioned that I had been thinking of making a ‘fact-finding visit’
(i.e. taking a holiday), but was concerned about language issues. This prompted an
immediate response that if I would go talk to two groups of Volunteer Coordinator/Rangers, Europarc Deutschland would cover relevant parts of my costs and
provide an interpreter.
I seemed to have no excuse, after that, despite comments from an acquaintance who goes
all over the world climbing or caving that I was very ‘brave’, going alone to a country
whose language I don’t speak. Well, my German isn’t as poor as my Welsh and I’ve been
to Wales, on my own. (Actually, even my Slovak isn’t as poor as my Welsh!) I checked up
on EasyJet from Liverpool to Berlin and that was that. I was still concerned that I was
being described as an ‘expert’ (My definition of ‘expert’ doesn’t translate easily into
German; you know the one “’Ex’ as in ‘has been’; ‘spurt’ as in ‘drip under pressure’.”) and
as it was rangers I would be working with, I would surely be found out very quickly, if I
didn’t show suitable modesty. In the event, that wasn’t how it turned out . . . . . . . .
I’ll write about my little excursion / ‘bus-man’s holiday’, in the next Waymarker, as I
returned only on Saturday evening and, curiously, there’s a lot of work to be done. (Oh
Yes, there is!) Highlights included the storm of laughter at our 3% woodland cover (and an
incredulous “How can you have a national park, without forests?”). This was later
compensated for by requests for copies of my slides of the Dales and improved on only by
the biggest group-wide gasp I’ve ever heard at a meeting, when they saw from the OHP
that you and other volunteers had given the Dales 3,500 days, last year (and the even
more incredulous question “That’s not just for one national park, is it?”). In between the
serious stuff (Well, it wasn’t that serious – they were rangers, after all; the world over,
they’ll always make mischief if locked in a meeting room for more than an hour or two.), I
went down a lead-mine, complete with underground, bi-directional waterwheels; saw fox,
wild boar, roe deer and beaver (Yes, they really do sharpen big trees, like pencil-points!),
raven (in ploughed fields!) and hooded crows, right into the middle of Berlin. Didn’t see
any lynx or wild-cats, but then I never did like cats of any sort. And volunteers . . . . . . .?
Tell you next time, but I saw as many beavers as volunteers.
P.S. Anne Schierenberg asked if you’d be interested in an exchange visit. I gave her your
answer, without hesitation, but we’ll have to give serious thought as to how to pay for it.
Now where did I put those lists of people interested in developing sponsorship ideas and
those who speak German?
Rae Lonsdale
Volunteers Co-ordinator
24
REMEMBER DECEMBER
"If sunshines through the apple trees
on Christmas Day,
When Autumn comes they will load
a fruit display"
AND FINALLY
Thank you to all those who contributed to 'Waymarker' in 2004.
Thanks to Cathy Bennett for organising the various 50th birthday celebrations we all
enjoyed.
Especial thanks to Josie Wilson and her efforts for 'Waymarker'. If not for Josie there
would be no 'Waymarker'.
And very finally unless we get more articles from volunteers and staff alike there will be no
'Waymarker' in any event.
So wake up and submit your gems.
Deadline for potential 'Waymarker' 4th February 2005.
Dave Freer
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
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