The Voice of Reason Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 minute ago, P.K. said: The terrain dictates the cost. It’s one factor to be sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 minute ago, The Voice of Reason said: It’s one factor to be sure The other major factor is usage. But, of course, you already know that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of Reason Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 (edited) 6 minutes ago, P.K. said: The other major factor is usage. But, of course, you already know that... Yes I do, but there are others. So the terrain does not actually dictate (determine) the cost as you state Edited November 21, 2021 by The Voice of Reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Expat. said: The Fix the Fells group is a collaborative effort by the National Trust, Cumbria County Council, landowners etc. They wouldn't claim to be tackling the entire Lake District footpath network in a year. They do it project by project. Each one costs between £300k and £500k. Maybe I'm gullible but having spent many a day volunteering up there I can easily believe it costs £160 a meter to replace a footpath. The equivalent organisation in Scotland estimates their costs at £200 a meter. Obviously the amount of money being given here is meaningless and like so many of the 'green' (and indeed other) initiatives coming from the Quayle administration, it seems to have have no further aim than the issuing of the press release. Hence the inability of those involved to agree what the money was even for and the unwillingness to report KPIs and so on. But it's worth pointing out that the situation regarding footpaths will be different on the Island than it is generally in the Lake District. While there will be some similarities due to eg weather damage, I get the impression (and I'm sure I don't have to tell you) that the main problem there is erosion due to overuse. This often requires extensive repair and each metre being repaired may be quite wide because once overuse has destroyed the path. people walk to the side of it and destroy that even quicker and so on. On the Island under-use will be more of a problem and will be made worse by lack of maintenance meaning that people don't then use the paths because they are overgrown or dangerous, which means they get more overgrown and so on. As with overuse it's a malign feedback loop, but it's probably cheaper to fix. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banker Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 It would have been useful to know which footpaths have been maintained/repaired using this money as many I have been on in last 2 years have been very poor particularly around majestic area & grenaby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 hour ago, The Voice of Reason said: Yes I do, but there are others. So the terrain does not actually dictate (determine) the cost as you state Yes it does. I used to do the Three Peaks of Whernside, Pen-Y-Ghent and Ingleborough probably from about 35 years ago. Across some of the fragile peat bogs were duckboards to protect them. Then suddenly doing "The Three Peaks" for charity became an industry with coachloads going up every weekend. Unfortunately the duckboards just couldn't take the traffic and the scar in the peat on the north side of Ingleborough, for example, just got wider and wider. So the duckboards were replaced with causeways of flagstones and very expensive it was as well. Fancy you not knowing that? Well, not really.... The terrain dictates what needs protecting. The usage dictates what form that protection will take. FFS.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expat. Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 22 hours ago, Roger Mexico said: Obviously the amount of money being given here is meaningless and like so many of the 'green' (and indeed other) initiatives coming from the Quayle administration, it seems to have have no further aim than the issuing of the press release. Hence the inability of those involved to agree what the money was even for and the unwillingness to report KPIs and so on. But it's worth pointing out that the situation regarding footpaths will be different on the Island than it is generally in the Lake District. While there will be some similarities due to eg weather damage, I get the impression (and I'm sure I don't have to tell you) that the main problem there is erosion due to overuse. This often requires extensive repair and each metre being repaired may be quite wide because once overuse has destroyed the path. people walk to the side of it and destroy that even quicker and so on. On the Island under-use will be more of a problem and will be made worse by lack of maintenance meaning that people don't then use the paths because they are overgrown or dangerous, which means they get more overgrown and so on. As with overuse it's a malign feedback loop, but it's probably cheaper to fix. You're exactly right. Here's an example of weather erosion on the left and too many daft fekkers traipsing off the path in the middle. On the right is a picture of a group from Fix the Fells reinstating a footpath you can see the flagging they've installed. All the materials had to be helicoptered in. I still believe £160 a meter is a fair price. I can't find a global annual figure for footpath reinstatement across the whole lake district, but if they do three or four projects a year it must run into millions. As I said it's done project by project once the money is raised and much of that is donated by users. I can't comment on the conditions of Manx footpaths but I do know that you have some fabulous walking if, like me, you enjoy that kind of thing. I'd hazard a guess that for the price quoted you're paying your man's wages, running a four by four and he's organising work parties to pick litter and clear some brush. But then, what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 The NPM reported from a Select Committee on Footpaths today, apparently the Head of Visit IOM claims that the Walking Economy is worth £26m each year to the island. I don’t know where this figure was arrived at - fag packet probably? In a way one section of Government has criticised another section of Government, which probably won’t endear her to her political overlords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 8 minutes ago, 2112 said: The NPM reported from a Select Committee on Footpaths today, apparently the Head of Visit IOM claims that the Walking Economy is worth £26m each year to the island. I don’t know where this figure was arrived at - fag packet probably? In a way one section of Government has criticised another section of Government, which probably won’t endear her to her political overlords. Is it possible for someone to book a walking holiday here to take on the raad ny foillan over a bunch of days and have somewhere to stay as you go round? Like, start in Douglas, stay in the sefton, walk to ramsey, stay there, on to Peel etc with someone moving your bags? As a package? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 16 minutes ago, 2112 said: The NPM reported from a Select Committee on Footpaths today, apparently the Head of Visit IOM claims that the Walking Economy is worth £26m each year to the island. I don’t know where this figure was arrived at - fag packet probably? In a way one section of Government has criticised another section of Government, which probably won’t endear her to her political overlords. Skelly's sister...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 5 minutes ago, TheTeapot said: Is it possible for someone to book a walking holiday here to take on the raad ny foillan over a bunch of days and have somewhere to stay as you go round? Like, start in Douglas, stay in the sefton, walk to ramsey, stay there, on to Peel etc with someone moving your bags? As a package? There are packages (for example here) but they tend to provide accommodation in one place with transport to/from each end/start point as it's probably less hassle than packing/unpacking every day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) Thanks. I think there is definitely scope to improve that offering. Those kind of things are popular, you can do things like Offa's Dyke where your stuff gets moved and you stay in a different place each night, although I appreciate that isn't a loop on a small island. Looking at that itinerary the only struggle is where to stay out Jurby way, could have had a holiday cabin at Glen Truan if that had gone through. Someone working for the tourist board or whatever it is these days should look into it. Or maybe island escapes or a travel agent could look at it, do something along these lines https://www.sherpavan.com/coast-to-coast/ There's a market in walking holidays. Edit - Ah that link is for a travel agent, well good on them. I hope they fill their two whole weeks. Guess they are professionals and know their market, maybe I'm wrong. Edited February 10, 2022 by TheTeapot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 44 minutes ago, TheTeapot said: Is it possible for someone to book a walking holiday here to take on the raad ny foillan over a bunch of days and have somewhere to stay as you go round? Like, start in Douglas, stay in the sefton, walk to ramsey, stay there, on to Peel etc with someone moving your bags? As a package? Most of our coastal path is closed due to erosion. If you like walking on busy roads its a cracker of a walk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passing Time Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 hour ago, TheTeapot said: Is it possible for someone to book a walking holiday here to take on the raad ny foillan over a bunch of days and have somewhere to stay as you go round? Like, start in Douglas, stay in the sefton, walk to ramsey, stay there, on to Peel etc with someone moving your bags? As a package? As that is a perfectly sensible idea, the answer is probably no... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiVibes Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 14 minutes ago, Happier diner said: Most of our coastal path is closed due to erosion. If you like walking on busy roads its a cracker of a walk Its a shame, but hard to promote the Raad Ny Foillan as a 'coastal footpath;. The long road sections, and inland old train line bits are nowhere near the coast (can't even see sea on horizon) and the massive slog round the northern beaches is not a footpath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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