BBC news this lunchtime - as so so predictable "calls are being made to ban inexperienced walkers from Snowdon" (after that young lad fell off Crib Goch) or to put up dangers signs all over the bloody place. Ok the place would be less crowded for us runners but would we be next for doing something that may possible be a little tiny bit risky?
Lets face it, if one of us has an accident in a far out place an inexperienced walker who is way off course is likely to find us.
Keep em I see, we need them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkkJC...eature=related - Wild Beasts
Worrying stuff.
From what I can gather, the party with the lad weren't "inexperienced" anyway.
But that is beside the point.
In the same way that I don't believe the mountains can be "owned" by anyone, I also believe that you CANNOT stop people going out on them if they want to.
Each person must weigh up the risks and decide whether they wish to proceed. Educating people as to the risks is a worthy thing to do, dictating to them what they can and can't do in the great outdoors is not.
As you say, if this continues, how long before "the powers that be" decide that, actually, fellrunning is quite a risky business and we really ought to stop it/charge a government levy to pay for a government-backed campaign etc etc.
4000 or so killed in road accidents every year and no one really does anything. 1 person dies on a mountain and we're all banned from ever setting foot on a hillside again.
go figure....
I think it's not a case of banning any one but if you are taking any child( or inexperienced friend) in to a potentially dangerous enviroment and I would class Crib Goch as that, then the 'leader' has a duty of care to make sure all members are safe.
I can't comment on this case as I don't know all the facts.
I've seen the comment that they were an experienced party, did they have a confidence rope?
This episode brought back memories of a boy who fell from CG in the early 80's who went to my school.
As an ML I wouldn't be able to take my school kids (Dof E or Scouts) that high as they set there limit at 600m which means I can't even take them on to Kinder!
Doms comments run true for me 4000 killed on the road, what about the number killed by cigarettes or drugs
Absolutely agree with your comments Ian regarding the duty of care. But if one person fails to exercise that duty correctly (and I'm definitely NOT saying that is the case here), that is not a reason to start banning people from hills etc.Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Adequate provision already exists to ensure that those who lead organised groups into the mountains ought to have the proper qualifications.
Which sort of shows hope how ridiculous these laws are doesn't it?
So you COULD take them up the Roaches and one of them COULD have an accident and fall off the top of the rocks. That'd probably be more of a fall than this lad had by the sound of it.
I really believe that proper provisions and MORE do exist already but you can NEVER take away that fact the mountains can be a hostile environment where accidents WILL happen. It's part of the risk we take and I suspect most of us "enjoy" that element.
The 600m rule is a nonsense. My old boss was a scout leader when his kids were younger. He said the height rule was absolute rubbish. They were based in Edinburgh, and they would have needed a special permit to allow them to take the scouts, in a minibus past the Cairnwell/Lecht skiing complex above Braemar!
Hi Graeme
Don't know how long ago that was, certainly when I was a scout many years ago we went all over including Cuillins, Torridons and Cairngorms, Snowdon Lakes etc, but the Schools that I work with now are not allowed above 600m.
But some of the rules are unrealistic in the fact I can take them for a 'scramble on some rocks' But not walk on Kinder because it just a few metres over.
I have a friend in the Lakes whose Daughter is in Scouts and they limited on where they can walk because of the height restriction.
If they are in a Mini bus they are not walking above 600m (unless they are pushing it)
I believe that skiing is different as they are close to assistance/help etc But don't quote me on that.
The power of Google!
Under 'Route Planning'.
It's a slow day at work today!
Inexperienced or experienced it matters not, we can all have accidents and at any height, on any terrain so why the need to ban anybody.
I believe in and trust fate.
The older I get the Faster I was
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