Open access website

pete bland <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Anyone tried the website here?

http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk

I tried searching on a few locations in the 'Lower North West' area by
name, but the built-in gazeteer is pretty cr**. I don't think it
includes hill names. Considering we are talking about access to the
*hills* this seems a trifle dumb.

However, things improve a bit if you use OS grid refs (but don't leave
any spaces or they will be flagged as invalid). Try, for instance,
SD725615 - Clapham Common (no, not that one!). You can see (a) access
land under the recently introduced CROW Act provisions and (b) details
of a long-term (5-year) restriction on people with dogs.

You can zoom in and out and pan around.

Verdict: very useful, but needs a decent gazeteer.

Yes, it is a bit messy to use, and I had to refer to a real map to be
sure where I was. AFAICT, the areas set free are mainly inhospitable
heather and peat moors, and some areas which would be more pleasant
underfoot are not available.
I remember the Goyt area as unpleasant to plough through away from the
path in wet weather, and there is a large wild area there which has
become accessible.

It will please quite a lot of younger, fitter walkers, I expect. :-)
--
Gordon

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 13:58:44 GMT, "pete bland"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Anyone tried the website here?
|
| http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
|
| I tried searching on a few locations in the 'Lower North West' area by
| name, but the built-in gazeteer is pretty cr**. I don't think it
| includes hill names. Considering we are talking about access to the
| *hills* this seems a trifle dumb.
|
| However, things improve a bit if you use OS grid refs (but don't leave
| any spaces or they will be flagged as invalid). Try, for instance,
| SD725615 - Clapham Common (no, not that one!). You can see (a) access
| land under the recently introduced CROW Act provisions and (b) details
| of a long-term (5-year) restriction on people with dogs.
|
| You can zoom in and out and pan around.
|
| Verdict: very useful, but needs a decent gazeteer.

As the new Explorer 1:25,000 for that area is now available. IMO it is
hardly worth looking at. Maybe they are a marketing arm of the OS :-(

--
Dave F

Dave Fawthrop said:

As the new Explorer 1:25,000 for that area is now available...

True, but the printed map doesn't tell you which areas are subject to
restrictions or exclusions. These can change from month to month.

--
Pete Bland