UKC

Wales will soon start re-opening to outdoor activities, but fear in local communities persists, and it will not be business as usual. What can climbers and walkers do to ensure they're not part of the problem? Snowdonia resident Mark Reeves looks at the issues all visitors will need to consider.   

Very thoughtful and well composed article Mark.

Reading between the lines is really is a no-brainer to avoid the hills at the moment especially for anything longer than day-trips. But unfortunately Joe Public won't be reading this article and unless the weather stays unsettled, I can only foresee more problems as soon as the restrictions are eased. Down here in Torbay we face much the same problem and are somewhat relieved that Super Saturday is likely to be a damp squib with heavy rain forecast over this coming weekend. At least you don't have to contend punch-ups and rowdy anti-social behaviour problems in Snowdonia as happened in Exmouth a couple of weeks back. I for one will be glad when all this is over and we can get back to normal, whenever that is likely to be!

Good, balanced article. The point about vans is well made and I say that as as van owner

I would add re vans, avoid taking a van into the park if possible. Vans typically take up more parking space and any van whether day tripping or otherwise may be viewed as overnighting by pitchfork welding locals.

If you must use your van, at least remove the ubiquitous patagonia sticker from the back window which establishes your status as a cool dude. Takes the heat off climbers a little. 

I think the most important points in this article are, it will be busy at the usual spots and as there are many very pleasant quiet places to go it's best avoiding the whole place for a while, especially in weekends.

This is all fine and well but surely the people who this is most aimed at are likely to be the folks who won’t read this or be accessing (caring?) about this type of advice. 

Other than the advice on overnight van stays (read=unwelcome) the rest is (for the UKC community) mostly common sense I’d have thought. 

Most vans (e.g. Caddys, SWB Transits and Transporters) are no larger than an estate car. I'd agree entirely that the large Sprinter-type Adventure Wagons (tm) are indeed a parking menace. My other parking gripe, especially in the pass, is the excessive gap cars leave between each other - why do people feel the need to leave c.1.5 m between the car infant/behind? There needs to be some bays painted in the lay-bys IMO. Not aimed at you, rather a general parking rant.

In my experience, the people with these tend not be be climbers, rather those who have decided van-life is cool prior to ascending mount peak Snowden highest in England and Wales. Not universally of course! (Please take this tongue-in-cheek comment as intended). 

I'd like to think so but after a few months of "lockdown" I'm not sure climbers / hillwalkers are any different from anyone else. There's plenty who care, there's plenty who don't, sadly.

Careful, taking a leak there could land you in jail.

Climbers and hillwalkers have never been different from anyone else, but thinking they are means we can feel better about ourselves and lay the blame for antisocial behaviour on "other" people. Among all groups there are people who care, and people who don't give a toss.

(if it wasn't clear I was being facetious regarding the spelling... which should of course be Yr Wyddfa)

As mentioned elsewhere the old maxim should be updated,;Try not to leave footprints, if you take photo's show no-one.

We should be far more aware and realise that foot fall is not benign particularly en mass, and photographs (whether intended to be or not)  lead to more pressure.