UKC

I came across a strange phenomenon yesterday morning at about 8.30am. I was warmly huddled on my own (couldn’t find anyone to climb/walk with) under on of the cromlech boulders yesterday when I was rudely woken by someone saying ‘morning’. After a few minutes I realised I wasn’t dreaming so popped my head out to verbally abuse them for waking me up. Upon doing so I was greeted by a woman who explained that it was £1 to bivi under the boulder. I was well hidden so she had clearly gone out of her way to find me. I then suggested that it was a national park and could not be owned by her; so she produced a letter from the national park explaining her right through lease to charge people to be on the land. She then commented that it was once 50p but she had put her prices up.

Although the word ‘scam’ was ringing loud and clear at this point I decided to avoid a confrontation and coughed up the pound. By the look of her she needed the pound more than I did anyway and if it was a scam I applaud her efforts. I was also getting a little fed up of her talking about weather and sunspots too – clearly mad I thought. I then managed to get myself up and drive to Llanberis where I saw her walking just before Nant Peris. I was going to offer a lift but thought she would be too busy trying to find bivi’s. She had clearly walked along the whole pass, although I can positively say that I saw no-one else camping along it that night. Except perhaps another car in front of mine by the boulders who for some reason was up bright and early!

I am a regular visitor of the N.Wales area (I’m south Walean) and truly understand the poverty that is rip in the area; so it’s highly possible that this was a farmer with a true intention. I didn’t actually mind paying the pound, although 50p would be more realistic for my doss. My question is this – What do we know of this women? Is it a regular occurrence that I have only just realised? I normally either sleep in the car or go further away from the road, so perhaps going to a known place was why I got caught. One thing I do know is that I can’t afford to pay a pound a night for biving

In reply to DEL_35:

Yep, she is known and is the farmer, I believe. I've heard tales of her trecking all the way up to Dinas Mot to collect fees of people bivviing up there...

In reply to DEL_35:
If its the same women its more of a HEEELLLLUUUUUUU

In reply to DEL_35: Shes been mentioned before I think shes quite honest that she has permission, check somer old threads.

In reply to DEL_35: i've never paid or heard of anyone doing so. isn't there a bunkhouse at a quid a night or something a few minutes walk down the valley?

In reply to hindu: I was paying 50p ten years ago, but haven't paid a quid in ages. It gives me an incentive to get up early and make the most of the day!!

In reply to DEL_35:

I started a thread on this in the summer. She's been around for years.

She is not the farmer - but is acting as a self-appointed agent. She has a letter of permission from the farmer which she is reluctant to show people because it is several years old now. She doesn't seem keen on getting another one. The farmer is not allowed to have camping on his land without providing facilities, so she says that she is technically fining people who stay there.

I think you are under no compulsion to pay her, although it wouldn't take much for the farmer to ban any kind of camping and bivvying, and paying her is probably the safest option. The question is, how much sway she has over him - I suspect not a great deal - but it would be a shame to jeapordise such a good spot.

Last time I was there I thought she'd gone too far by getting a pound out of some Germans who were sleeping in their Land Rover parked in the lay-by.

Getting up early and leaving solves the problem. She comes round 730-800 kind of time.

In reply to Adam Lincoln:

Yes that certainly her. I'm not sure i'm capable of getting up that early! Even for an alpine route.
I'm very interested in this £1 hut for the winter (if we have one this time) tho.

In reply to innes:

She also -legitimately- collects the camping fees for staying in the field next to the CIC hut at Nant Peris.

In reply to DEL_35:

I stayed in the bunkhouse run by the Vaynol Arms, something like £4 / 5 a night I think we payed.

In reply to hindu:
Please can i hear more about this hut for a £1 a night. You can email me (Steven.Delaney @ dsl.pipex dot com) if you dont want to broadcast it - you may have a climbing partner then

I know of one just passed Llanberis that is now £3 but it does have mod cons. I'm totally alien to the concept of staying in huts but i've noticed that as i get older they get more desirable, especially the abilty to dry stuff.

Anyone?

It's gone all quiet

In reply to DEL_35: yep she caught me and a few friends under the same boulders and charged us. shes incharge of the camp site but also is allowed to charge anyone around the boulders. beware not to have any form of fire! she goes mad.

In reply to DEL_35: This must be Rosie as in Rosie's field next to the hut. £1 pound? How did you afford it?
Sorry.
Cheers
Toby

In reply to DEL_35:
"I then suggested that it was a national park and could not be owned by her;"

I think you`ll find the majority of land in National Parks are privately owned, hence the owners can charge for people camping on it. Having worked for a National Park I`m supprised at the number of people who think the land is owned by the Parks.

In reply to DEL_35: me and my friends were camping across from senetaf corner but were only charged 50p per night as we were under 16

In reply to craig h:

hence the owners can charge for people camping on it.

they can ask you for money. And you can politely refuse.

In reply to GFoz:


Then it all tends to get a bit nasty

In reply to Anonymous:
across from senetaf corner but were only charged 50p per

Surely you mean 'Cenotaph'

Heathen!

Luv Barra! xx

In reply to craig h:

(packs up bivvy bag nonchalantly)
"I was leaving anyway"

If there is no indication (eg: sign) that payment is due I don't see how any sort of cotract can exist.

Personally I wouldn't pay a rusty farthing for a rough bivvy, especially if I had no idea payment would be due.

In reply to DEL_35:
>I then suggested that it was a national park and could not be owned by her

Actually, though rather irrelevant to the current discussion, in the UK the land within a national park is still privately owned (rather than owned by the National Park). Much of the land within the Snowdonia National Park is owned by the National Trust - and they really seem to be clamping down on wild camping on their land...

In reply to GFoz:


I quite agree, I was just pointing out because its a National Park does not mean the lands not private.

In reply to DEL_35: Its only a quid and you could easily get up earlier and leave. If you don't want to be disturbed, you have to sleep on the road. That is free.

In reply to Jon Dittman:

Its only a quid

If you really belive that you should just pay up cos its only a quid you won't mind if I invoice you £1 (plus VAT) each time I reply to your postings

In reply to GFoz: We'd need details of your VAT registration....

In reply to Jimbob: The CIC hut? Has it moved? Fekkin long walk to the bottom of Tower Ridge now then, eh?

In reply to andy: Thank God for that it saves me a 400 mile drive to get to the Ben.