Windfarm near Blencathra

[Mark G]

There are currently plans to erect a windfarm on Berrier Hill near Greystoke. If you would like to find out more about it have a look at www.blencathra.net
I realise this is a sensitive subject and that people will have different views on whether or not its a good thing - For the record I personally am against it because it will not only be highly visible from Blencathra it will also spoil some of the classic views of this fell from the east. This is probably my favourite mountain and most frequent training location. If I was convinced by the economic and environmental arguments for windfarms per se I would find it harder to object, but even if there is a case to support them (and some people seem to feel this exists) I would have a very hard time accepting this was a suitable location. I'm certainly not opposed to 'green' sources of energy as such and I'd happily have a small turbine in my garden if it made economic sense. That doesn't mean I want lots of big ones in environmentally sensitive areas.
Please have a look at the website and if you feel strongly enough about it there is still time to object to the planning application.
And before anyone asks, no it wouldn't spoil the view from my house because sadly I cant see Blencathra from there, and yes, I think I would rather have a few power cuts (or more expensive power) than see this particular landscape spoiled!

[daz h]

There are currently plans to erect a windfarm on Berrier Hill near Greystoke. If you would like to find out more about it have a look at www.blencathra.net
I realise this is a sensitive subject and that people will have different views on whether or not its a good thing - For the record I personally am against it because it will not only be highly visible from Blencathra it will also spoil some of the classic views of this fell from the east. This is probably my favourite mountain and most frequent training location. If I was convinced by the economic and environmental arguments for windfarms per se I would find it harder to object, but even if there is a case to support them (and some people seem to feel this exists) I would have a very hard time accepting this was a suitable location. I'm certainly not opposed to 'green' sources of energy as such and I'd happily have a small turbine in my garden if it made economic sense. That doesn't mean I want lots of big ones in environmentally sensitive areas.
Please have a look at the website and if you feel strongly enough about it there is still time to object to the planning application.
And before anyone asks, no it wouldn't spoil the view from my house because sadly I cant see Blencathra from there, and yes, I think I would rather have a few power cuts (or more expensive power) than see this particular landscape spoiled!

i agree , put the bloody things offshore

[bestathlete]

Only today | was at Flusco (near Penrith), from where i enjoyed a particulary magnificent view of this great mountain. Anything so large as a wind turbine would be highly objectionable in my opinion.

[IanDarkpeak]

I will forward this on to a friend who lives in Greystoke and ask her what the locals think. Not 5 miles from here is the main radio transmitter for the world service.

[Wheeze]

These monstrosities are mere sticking plasters for a problem so huge that everyone is sticking their heads in the sand about it.
You'd have thought we had learnt our lesson about despoilation of our environment, but no. These stupid things are as environmentally crass as chucking raw sewage into rivers and their contribution is buggar all to the rapacious demand for energy.
It's plain daft. The money should be going into effective means of reducing consumption and re-engagement with advanced science. Craig Ventner has a few very interesting things to say on this topic. We gotta wean ourselves off burning stuff!

[Mark G]

If I understand it right its not a large turbine its seven very large ones and they would be right in the line of sight from above Flusco to Blencathra. Theres a postcard going round with a mocked up picture which I think there is a copy of on the Blencathra website.

[daz h]

amazing how something like this doesnt get much debate but we are up in arms about mobile phones in a race
typical

[Deejay]

I used to be in favour of them and naively thought it was just a question of building enough and we'd have free energy for ever. Then I learned how little electricity they produce and how many it would take. You'd have to cover the country to cover the country so to speak. Then I was told that you couldn't store the power so you'd have to have a conventional power stations continually on line to back up each turbine for when the wind wasn't strong enough or even when it was too strong.

Now I would take considerable convincing to be in favour of any wind turbine scheme and I certainly wouldn't believe a single word a wind farm company said on the subject. They get big subsidies to build them so they'll say owt they can to get their hands on our money.

I don't believe they'll meaningfully reduce our fossil fuel burning needs, let alone help reduce warming and save the planet's climate from going crazy.

I'd much rather we went down the road of Nuclear in teh short term and for the future wave/tidal, solar energy or this "green coal?" thing that Cameron was going on about the other day. Wheeze's reference to Craig Venter , I assume you mean his Synthetic Genomics company? also bears looking into.

Phew!, that's my two pennyworth on the subject

[JohnK]

Stuff Wind Turbines.

[Wheeze]

Venter has developed a bacterium that digests rubbish, incorporating CO2 and producing energy. Hey presto, we get rid of the increasing piles of rubbish, reduce CO2 and release energy without burning coal/oil/gas. Works just as well in developing as well as developed countries. Get behind things like this and we might just find a way out of several conundra.

I agree with Daz, I can't believe the lack of contribution here. Still, it is a fell running forum.

Lets up the ante. The only way out immediately is build new nuclear plants and lots of 'em.