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Here we have information for and pertaining to Wales
If you have any info that could be included here please email details to regions@outdoor-learning.org
Access issue - petition help needed - go to Noticeboard below
Canoeist arrested after fees row
As reported on the BBC Website (26th June 2008) A canoeist has been arrested following a dispute over rights of access along a stretch of the River Dee. To see the full BBC news website report: click here.
Signposts on the Snowdon Horseshoe: report by Mick Ryan and taken from www.UKClimbing.com
Signs in the mountains are a contentious issue with most serious hill walkers, climbers and mountaineers against them. But with the increasing numbers of people venturing into the UK's mountains and hills some have suggested that warning signs about being well-equipped and experienced, as well as signs alerting people to steep drop offs or rocky ridges could save lives. Full report click here.
Strategic Planning of Water Related Sports and Recreation in Wales
To see the document click here. IOL Wales members are invited to comment on this document. Please email Dave Thorley.
IOL Wales AGM
The IOL Wales AGM was held at the University of Glamorgan Conference Centre
on Saturday 5th January 2008. The NAFSO annual conference was held that weekend and, as it was organised by the IOL Wales Secretary, it also seemed a good time and place to hold the IOL Wales AGM.
IOL Wales Executive report from Dave Thorley - March 2007
Click here to read a report from Dave.
New Wales Exec.
11th Jan. 07 - Following elections for a Welsh executive we can announce that Dave Thorley has been duly elected as Chair, Kim Polistina as Secretary, Chris Charters as Treasurer and Jethro Moore as Committee Member. We’d like to welcome them to IOL and look forward to hearing about active and exciting times for IOL Wales.
If Welsh members would like to discuss any issues, or if he can be of any other service, contact Dave on: dave_thorley@hotmail.com
Courses
Events
There is no events info at present.
Please check back regularly for the latest info.
Noticeboard
Coastal Access in Wales
Members may wish to join a BMC NorthWales campaign for better coastal access in Wales. All you have to do is take the text below and send it to jane.davidson@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Don’t forget to add her name at the top and yours at the bottom!
Welsh members should also send it to your Welsh Assembly members, go to www.assemblywales.org - type in your post code to find out who your members are. You can then go to contact members and cut and paste the text below into the appropriate box. Again don’t forget to add their name at the top and yours at the bottom. You can of course add or even write your own text. Campaigning has never been easier so please, take few seonds of your life and make your feelings about coastal access known to the people who make the decisions of your behalf.
- “Dear.......
As a member of the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL), I am writing to express my support for a legal right of access to the Welsh coastline. British Mountaineering Council (BMC), as the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers with over 65,000 members across Wales and England, believes that access to the coastal zone, including the foreshore, is essential both for recreational climbing as well as for walking. There is evidence to suggest that the vast majority of the public who visit the coast are in search of a full coastal experience. - Walkers and climbers require access to the foreshore and to sea cliffs and this can be managed without detriment to the interests of landowners or conservation organisations. I would like to see access to the coastal ‘zone’ including the foreshore, an area adjacent to the foreshore and a distance back from the cliff face or adjacent land. Access to the coast is essential for recreational climbing and the coastal crags provide a unique and essential landscape for the development of climbing and exploring.
- The Welsh coast is particularly favoured for climbing sites all around the coast, some of these are of interest to locals only whilst others attract visitors from around the world. The sea cliffs of south Pembroke and the Gogarth cliffs on Anglesey are sites of international importance.
- The onward journey via a linear route is too limited as an access option as it does not provide for a right of access to the shoreline and cliffs. Reliance on local authorities for implementation will also result in a patchy network of paths and will be difficult to manage with the public naturally wanting to explore further afield. This will result in further ill feeling between the public and the landowners. I would like to see Wales adopt a similar approach to that being proposed for England by Natural England, that is a right of access along a coastal path and access to the seaward side of this path giving a legal right of access to sea cliffs and the foreshore.
- I feel this approach alone would meet with the approval of the majority of those who visit coastal areas at present and may even bring in more visitors to Wales, thereby helping to support the tourism industry. Not so long ago Wales was deemed one of the best Mountain Biking destinations in the world; with a better right of access to our coast, Wales could become one of the world's best destinations for rock climbing on sea cliffs. I very much hope you will consider this during the consultation period.”
signed ...........................
Help needed by the WCA (Welsh Canoe Association) in their campaign for Land Reform in Wales.
The access difficulties faced by canoeists and other watersports enthusiasts are similar to those which existed prior to the mass trespass on Kinder and subsequent reform. Sadly, neither that, nor the more recent 'CRoW' Act have addressed access to and along watercourses. WCA, along with other organisations and governing bodies, is campaigning for 'Land Reform' i.e. a bill such as was recently passed in Scotland enshrining access rights, along with responsibilities.
We have support from MP's and AM's, and have prepared a manifesto. To make this a reality we now need to demonstrate public support by delivering a petition along with the manifesto.
The petition can be signed on-line by following the link from copying and pasting inot your address bar the address:
http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=2856
There is also a link from www.canoewales.com
Please sign the petition, and SEND IT TO AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE AS YOU CAN.
Ask the people you send it to to send it to their friends and
colleagues. You don't need to live in Wales to sign, or to be directly involved in outdoor activities. You just need to support the aim of fair access for all to the natural heritage of Wales.
If you would like to discuss the campaign further, please contact my colleague Ashley Charlwood on 01341 422692 or Cwmbychan@aol.com
If you have regional information please email it to regions@outdoor-learning.org stating which region it is for. We are keen to make these sections busy and useful for all members. Information can be placed on a noticeboard, events, courses, as well as kit for sale or wanted.