Three Peaks Litter

[stevefoster]

thats a bit unfair towards oscar
the words we do what we can come to mind

I too have zero tolerance towards litter on the fells. Anyone found dropping it should be banned from the race in future.

the trouble with this country now is we arse about saying oooh well arrr its not too bad.
it feeds down the line
Last year i had a training run that took me over thorpe cloud and to my astonishment there was a school party heading over it. There must have been at least 20 items of plastic bottles and cans that they had just chucked down and where oblivious towards it. I picked up what i could and had a word with the leader who said to me sorry he had not realised. Realised It stood out a mile. And i ran away thinking my god society must just class that as acceptable.
Its our duty to leave these hills as we find them, we are lucky to have them.

Human laziness, it makes no sense, its just as easy to stick litter in your pocket or bumbag as it is to drop it on the floor. If someone told school kids its hard and cool to take your litter home and put it in the bin, they'd probably do it cos it'd be fashionable. Sadly at the momement, its the other way around

[Oscar]

At the start line of the Three Peaks Race last Saturday the starter (or some such person) emphasised to the runners not to leave litter. Now, if the arrangement was that the sweepers would bring in everyone's litter why didn't they say you can drop your litter and we'll make sure it gets picked up?

The idea of asking a marshal or a reliable supporter to take your rubbish seems fine to me as long as they don't mind.

If you have a bottle pick up point maybe you could have a bottle drop off point.

I don't really know why we can't post our opinion on the rubbish unless and until the comittee give theirs. I think I am entitled to say I thought there was a fair bit of rubbish and my view that maybe 20 bits of rubbish could be accidental and relatively insignificant over 24 miles but I think it was vastly more than that much (and I am not talking about bottles placed by flags to be collected, it was mainly gel wrappers left on the path). I find Wynn's post about her experience organising the Anniversary waltz interesting.

Indeed Chris. This is not criticism of the 3 Peaks Race which we are all in agreement continues to be a great success, however it is one of the most prominent races, thereby bringing into focus the fact that littering the fells during races is a problem. Some of those that seek to play down and minimise the extent of problem appear to have a vested interest (local race etc) and feel they have to defend the races honour.

So just to be clear - this is not an attempt to rain on anyone's parade - by common consent it was a great event last Saturday, but brought into sharp relief this problem of litter. Lets use this great event to try to do something about this, rather than simply trying to shut down debate.

[Yorkshire Thug]

It might be that those who have rushed to publicise their opinions, sometimes in a self-righteous way, would better await this Committee's conclusions.

What a superb mixture of pomposity and arrogance. Is that why we have committees them, Graham, to enable other hillgoers to forgive us poor sinners?

[wheezing donkey]

"If you consider that your race time and position is more important than the environment then, IMHO, you should not be running on the fells."

Well said XR.

As for the quotes that marshals and sweepers reckoned it was no bother picking up the rubbish left by the flags, maybe they were just being polite and non-confrontational; as indeed I was 2/3 the way up Whernside when runners asked if they could leave their rubbish with me. Not what I see as ideal; but better to be a compliant 'bin man' than see the same rubbish end up blowing across the fell side.

As for the notion that "a certain amount of rubbish is inevitable"; I just can't fathom where any true outdoor enthusiast dredged that one up from.

Yes! It was a great day and a great event, but as on any such occasion an unthinking or selfish minority can so easily spoil it for the majority.