Making a difference.

Just occasionally my job presents some exasperating situations.  I’ve had two separate irresponsible camp and fire sites this last week and have had to go and tidy up the ensuing mess.  If I find out about these as they are happening, I go along to talk to the people who are having their parties about the damage and potential danger of what they are doing.  They are a tiny minority of our visitors but their activities can do and have done in the past some serious, long-term damage especially if a wild fire takes hold.  We also have those who just walk away leaving behind an unsightly mess of litter, empty cans, broken bottles even tents and sleeping bags.

From this ...

This time one of the sites was in Great Wood.  A woodland fire causes the obvious visual scarring and destroys wildlife habitats but worst is that it can be years before regeneration takes place.  That’s a big price to pay for a thoughtless camp-fire in the wrong place.  Coincidentally, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team had a recent lecture from the Cumbria Fire Service about handling wild fires – Rescue Team and Trust Rangers, will all turn out to assist the Fire Service with fighting wild fires.

...via this ...

... to this ...

The second site was at Grange in Borrowdale by the river – a very popular and beautiful place to sit.  It’s difficult to understand why people would make the effort to come to such a beautiful place and would then trash it so that others can’t fully enjoy it, but it happens.  Unfortunately, there are now tents etc. on the market that are so cheap, they are treated as disposable.

... and this.

It is frustrating to have to go out to clear up these sites but the pay-off is restoring them to the beauty that is typical of the Lake District.

On a more positive note, I am currently making progress with a plan to hold a wild swimming event with a difference.  A Trust archaeologist is hoping to be available to be the ‘difference’.  Swimmers will swim across to Lord Island where there will be an archaeological walk and talk.  We will then swim back.  Watch the blog for more details when they are available.