tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post6407469277142297668..comments2024-03-27T21:31:59.376+00:00Comments on Chris Townsend Outdoors: Wake for the WildChris Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-3960485787116290722011-06-21T15:15:50.434+01:002011-06-21T15:15:50.434+01:00Thanks Walter. The issue of undergrounding is beco...Thanks Walter. The issue of undergrounding is becoming more prominent now there is a threat of pylons in scenic parts of England. It's just been announced that the cost of Beauly-Denny has doubled - to be paid for by the public of course.Chris Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-30150985839282174382011-06-21T09:26:29.563+01:002011-06-21T09:26:29.563+01:00Chris, did you see this:
http://www.cpre.co.uk/me...Chris, did you see this:<br /><br />http://www.cpre.co.uk/media-centre/latest-news-releases/item/2346-national-grid-attempt-to-bury-real-costs-of-undergrounding-power-cables<br /><br />It's rather interesting with respect to the Beauly-Denny line. Apparently, the real cost of putting cables underground is not as high as the National Grid claims.<br /><br />This also raises the further issue Walternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-85823119907737392602011-06-02T13:03:13.721+01:002011-06-02T13:03:13.721+01:00Hi Chris
A belated "thank-you" for comi...Hi Chris<br /><br />A belated "thank-you" for coming along and supporting the Wake. And huge thanks for lugging the coffin away afterwards as well!<br /><br />In the over-all scheme of things it is a speck in the work needed to be done for the wild land to be free of turbines - the bulk of the daily grind is carried out by all the groups fighting each and every planning application - myAlan Slomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17966543499033330765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-33545487332365527402011-05-29T22:19:14.462+01:002011-05-29T22:19:14.462+01:00Thanks Walter. I hadn't seen that piece. It...Thanks Walter. I hadn't seen that piece. It's quite interesting. I guess one thing it shows is that it's very hard to predict the local results of climate change.Chris Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-20774351205971851292011-05-29T20:22:21.387+01:002011-05-29T20:22:21.387+01:00Not sure what to make of this piece.
They quote s...Not sure what to make of <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8545306/Wind-farms-Britain-is-running-out-of-wind.html" rel="nofollow">this piece</a>.<br /><br />They quote some scientist from Reading University saying that average wind speeds are likely to continue dropping over the next 40 years (apart from May, the past two years have indeed been remarkably calm up in Scotland).<br />Walternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-76364770674133902022011-05-22T16:47:12.062+01:002011-05-22T16:47:12.062+01:00Poloticians may choose to ignore the facts about c...Poloticians may choose to ignore the facts about cost/efficiency but isn't that more reason to ensure that they face facts. <br /><br />I don't have any answers and as I say what the best solution is may well be equally unpalatable but if we're forced to accept wind farms then we need to decide just where they are acceptable. I'd be interested in hearing peoples views on that, Mac Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11212410938991488721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-1987393168750569432011-05-22T16:27:21.336+01:002011-05-22T16:27:21.336+01:00Good points Mac E but I think the landscape argume...Good points Mac E but I think the landscape argument can be effective because hillwalking and general tourism is the most important industry for the Highlands and the quality of the landscape is always cited as the main reason people visit. I think the tide is slowly turning in our favour. Two wind farm proposals in the Southern Uplands have been turned down in recent weeks and all the talk sinceChris Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-55591654449621933322011-05-22T14:24:24.334+01:002011-05-22T14:24:24.334+01:00While I'm not a supporter of wind farms I fear...While I'm not a supporter of wind farms I fear that the most important arguments against are being over shadowed by the least important (in context) reason against, the destruction of wild land. <br /><br />Wind power is in reality inefficient and expensive, reasons enough to oppose it and while as outdoor enthusiasts we don't want to see the landscape destroyed we are in the minority andMac Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11212410938991488721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-53513239708313283772011-05-19T14:55:20.386+01:002011-05-19T14:55:20.386+01:00Your response very much mirrors my own opinions on...Your response very much mirrors my own opinions on the matter, as you'd probably realised by reading between the lines of my post. I wrote the post really to get a better sense of perspective over a wider time frame than most of us bother to look at (and as you say, that time-frame might well be measured in the thousands of years); and as a way of looking for the silver-lining in an otherwiseCeltic Ramblerhttp://www.celticrambler.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-66029464934924252482011-05-19T13:13:37.212+01:002011-05-19T13:13:37.212+01:00Interesting thoughts, Celtic Rambler. Earlier this...Interesting thoughts, Celtic Rambler. Earlier this year I walked through the mining area at Wanlockhead on the Southern Upland Way. The ruins, spoil heaps and other detritus are interesting and atmospheric. But I wouldn't like to see any more of the area looking like this. I've also walked the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska/British Columbia, which is the route the Yukon gold rush would-be Chris Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-37979886616068625992011-05-19T10:14:13.709+01:002011-05-19T10:14:13.709+01:00I am in complete agreement that wind farms like th...I am in complete agreement that wind farms like these, in wild places, are an abomination; and that they aren't at all to do with renewable energy, but rather the 'windfall' of cash offered to the landowner and made available through government subsidies.<br /><br />However, in the hope it might allay some of the consternation over the long-term impact of wind farms like these, I Celtic Ramblerhttp://www.celticrambler.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-7117191954173015462011-05-19T01:33:35.846+01:002011-05-19T01:33:35.846+01:00Aussie Mike, those of us only out for the day carr...Aussie Mike, those of us only out for the day carried the coffin back down again and then it went off with a local anti-wind farm campaigner who may well use it again.<br /><br />I think it is possible to have renewable energy without destroying the natural environment. But it requires planning and investment in different forms of energy rather than the free-all and the big subsidies for wind we Chris Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04282926597863688874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-55422531026301249512011-05-18T23:44:36.820+01:002011-05-18T23:44:36.820+01:00Thanks for the write up and to Alan for organising...Thanks for the write up and to Alan for organising this. What a disaster this is that is besetting the Scottish Highlands! As it turns out, I walked through the proposed Dunmaglass windfarm location last year on the TGOC and it appears that I won't be able to do that again.<br /><br />Its difficult to accept the angry wound created by on the one hand wanting to do something for the planet by Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-78333795650634643462011-05-18T16:17:48.947+01:002011-05-18T16:17:48.947+01:00Well done to those attende. We are experiencing t...Well done to those attende. We are experiencing the same thing here in Wales and with the announcement of the Lib guy yesterday, walking will become a giant slalom!bob Andrewshttp://randombackpacking.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5455565813694648132011-05-18T11:26:18.388+01:002011-05-18T11:26:18.388+01:00It was a great day out and quite surreal at times ...It was a great day out and quite surreal at times - especially when the two very pleasant policewomen at Dunmaglass Lodge asked for Alan's name and address. We all had visions of MI5 raiding the house under cover of darkness looking for .....what exactly? <br />It was a privilege to walk with like minded people and I for one will be walking the hills as much as I can before they are trashed Janet Donnellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12919184602497536817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-87944885231945030572011-05-18T11:16:46.983+01:002011-05-18T11:16:46.983+01:00Well done to all those who took part, especially A...Well done to all those who took part, especially Alan for organising (and to the poor sod who donated the coffin and had to be buried in a brown paper bag). <br /><br />Wish I coulda been there (wish I didn't have so much work on!). <br /><br />Great cause and well done for highlighting the estate's contemptuous attitude towards the wildlife its supposed to be safeguarding on its own landJohn Manninghttp://www.outdoorsmanning.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-23053912725580053202011-05-18T08:11:04.076+01:002011-05-18T08:11:04.076+01:00This morning I’m feeling pretty fed up that due to...This morning I’m feeling pretty fed up that due to family circumstances, I was unable to make the trip 800 mile round trip to join the protest. However, I’m surprised and very disappointed, that more people didn’t show their support by attending.<br /><br />The notice posted by the estate is beyond belief, obviously the spirit of the autocratic absentee land owner is alive and well in Highlands!!Geoff Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com