As we ran past Dali’s Hole it was interesting to see that they have pumped it dry, and put in a scaffolding staircase to the depth of the hole. After the run we opted for a lunch in Pete’s Eats given we had essentially ran up a mountain and back again I opted for chips and fried everything. I can feel the weight piling on as I speak.
In Peats we picked up a couple of papers, and after my observation of the UKC headlines i went about finding the funniest tag line in the mirror and the Independent. The Mirrors’ funniest was Snake Kills Girl, 2, which after i laughed I did realise the sadness of the story, but who keeps a 14 ft Boa Constrictor round a two year old! Far funnier although as tragic was the Independents best effort at a headline Two Midgets Wrestlers Die in Hotel Room, (PMSL) that is right out of The Daily Sport really, but it actually happened in Mexico somewhere.
The Headline of the day has to go to Shelley Colye from the Cearnarfon and Denbigh Herald for Backlash of the Titans, where a cock up with Warner Brothers hotel bookings has lead to Hoteliers in Llanberis losing out on £60000, which was only cancelled in the last week or two. Personally it is a great anti-story for the film that was meant to pump over a million pounds into the local economy. Which to be honest was total BullS$%!!. Even more interesting is that there are rumours that Power Station want to try and stop climbing and recreational activities taking place in the quarries after they open.
A particular rumour is that they have £20000 to build a fence to keep people out. Now given that before they were paid £50000 to rent small parts of the quarries they had tolerated access from Walkers, Runners, Hikers, Mountain Bikers, Paragliders and Climbers for as long back as I can remember. In fact climber have used the site for recreational purposes since the first ascent of Opening Gambit in 1971.
Whilst we have to accept that under the Mines and Quarries Act The Owner has to be seen to provide ‘adequate fencing’ to keep people out, the exact nature of a fence that is adequate has been kept suitably grey. So whilst a 4 ft fence with a gate in was ‘adequate’ for the last 30 years, apparent a change in how the people who recreate in the area has meant that this is no longer the case.
A perfect case study could be observed under a mile away in Vivian Quarry, where the County Council owned Country Park has erected 4ft fences to keep people out of the quarry, but have provided a Stile for climber to access routes like Mental Lentils, Monster Kitten and Psychotherapy. The ‘tourists’ are actively encourage to visit the quarry, and the climbers and divers seen as ‘attractions’. This 4ft fence is their interpretation of adequate.
I know the BMC is on the case, and hopefully a solution can be found that is mutually acceptable, the main worry is Dali’s hole, where a high fence is proposed. However, why not put a lower fence, some picnic tables and some bins for the tourist to encourage then to stay where you want them to, but still allow them to come and look into Dali’s hole, albeit with a handrail/ low fence to stop them tumbling in, although in all my years the obvious 40ft drop into the hole has been enough of a deterrent and to my knowledge only fools who have dived in, have actually fallen into the abyss!
After that Llion and I went to the Beacon where we tested out my Imagery Scripts for my Msc Thesis Study, hopefully I will get to test the whole protocol later next week, although i do need to get a cycle ergometer from somewhere. We both left feeling more than a little tired, in fact totally knackered was a better description. That was when I saw the best headline of the day.
Enjoy your weekend, as i am back to work.