UKC

In the light of what is currently going on with forests and Forestry Commission (FC) land, the BMC is in the process of putting together a list of crags in England on FC land.

Once that list is complete we can ensure that every MP is aware of the number of crags in his or her constituency on FC land and ensure that the independent panel of environmentalists that have been charged with trying to reach consensus on reforms to improve access and biodiversity in forests are aware of the exact number of crags to be found on the Estate.

We need your help in ensuring that this list is as comprehensive as possible.

So, if you know of crags that are situated on FC land in England, please contact me at the BMC email Cath@thebmc.co.uk
Please include grid references where possible.

In reply to Nick Colton, BMC:

There is a tool on the FC website which allows you to see where FC woodland is: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6dfkmn

It's rather clunky and only seems to work with IE and Windows. Click on "Basic search", then enter an OS grid reference and press "Submit". You should get a pop-up window with a map in it: check the "Forestry Commission Woodland" box and then click the refresh button at the top of the map.

(There are separate tools for Wales and Scotland: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-5YGFEL )

(P.S I have no connection to the FC).

In reply to Mark Bull: You can request a digitised layer for GIS from the forestry commission. I wonder if a clever person could combine this with the UKC crag database - ie import the OS coords and plot them onto the OS boundary layer. Shouldn't be that difficult for a GIS geek

In reply to toad: details here

http://magic.defra.gov.uk/datadoc/objecttypegb.asp?geoid=83

In reply to Nick Colton, BMC: Just had an email from the lobby group against the forest sell off, telling me the petition was successful and they will not be selling them off

In reply to Nick Colton, BMC: Thanks for your comments so far. I have been using the basic search facility on the Forestry commission website already and comparing this with the open access maps to ascertain whether the land is dedicated as open access or not – unfortunately, it still requires us to collect together a list of grid refs for each crag.

Today’s news is great but the BMC still has to ensure that the independent panel of environmentalists / NGO’s that have been charged with trying to reach consensus on reforms to improve access and biodiversity in forests are aware of the exact number of crags to be found on the Estate. I fear the conversations will otherwise be focussed on footpath and bridleway access with little regard for the wider recreational opportunities the FC Estate provides (i.e.; climbing).

In reply to Nick Colton, BMC:

The Belling

In reply to Cath Flitcroft, BMC:
– unfortunately, it still requires us to collect together a list of grid refs for each crag.
>

Is there not one? UKC would appear to have a fairly comprehensive crag database. Is there not scope for you to work together in some way? It would be useful to do a similar exercise for other land with potentially delicate access, such as water companies etc

In reply to Nick Colton, BMC: I will put together a full (lengthy!) list for the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean and send you next week. I note you say England, and that is what the recent legislation proposal was all about, but they are at it on the Welsh side too.

In reply to Bulls Crack:

I wish. My only route to make into a guideboook and under water gggrrrr.

(you can climb there every X years or so, when they lower the level to check out the Bakethin dam. just the top half though)

On a more serious note, I'm sure the FC own land which isn't forest - like at Kielder they maintain the large areas of bogland habitat. Which means that the list of crags may need to have crags in it which aren't woodland.

In reply to John Willson:

John - I've already emailed Cath a list of Wye Valley and FoD cliffs on FC land, which I should have copied to you. I'll send it to you and you can see if I've missed any.

Rick