A finished fencing project.

We have finally finished all the new post and rail fencing on Friars Crag and once again I was with my volunteers who have done another sterling job. 

A well-earned rest!

The fence is already beginning to weather and blend into its surroundings.  Friars Crag is one of those places where you often have unexpected encounters.  This time it was Simon Jenkins, the Chair of the National Trust who was visiting while we were working on the fence.  It was good for the volunteers and for me to receive positive feedback from him.

I’ve now started work on a new project with a group of people who use Stoney Croft Gill for scrambling activities. We are working towards a voluntary code of conduct for gill scrambling.  At one of the twice yearly meetings with the Borrowdale User Group and the Mountain Liaison Group, we met on site with a number of instructors and also Jamie Lund the Trust’s archaeologist.  There were fifteen of us in total who all want to move in the same direction.

This is an initiative that is being steered by me and Pete Baron a National Park Ranger.  We will be consulting with appropriate advisers and experts when necessary.  The outcome should be a guide and code of conduct that will allow sustainable use of the Gill by local businesses and will also minimise environmental damage.

The instructors from the activity centres will be able to work within a code of conduct that they have helped to draw up.  They will also be able to disseminate the code amongst other like-minded users.  Above all, we should have a code of use that will sustain both the activities and the environment in the long term.  Sustainable use of the outdoors is always a search for the best balance between human activities and the natural environment so collaborative meetings like these are invaluable