Author Topic: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?  (Read 11342 times)

barewirewalker

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #15 on: 14:15:27, 11/11/15 »
The trouble was with my week in Dumfries Galloway was a lack of forward planning owing to it being taken as a last minute booking. This walk has been an object lesson to me but sadly I will not be able to prove my ideas unless I go back.


In hindsight a look at Google Earth could have given me some useful info. I researched the walk as previously described in the time I had but a little extra time might have given me extra confidence to climb a fence and turn it into a circular route. Perhaps this may be useful to others raising the question that the OP has asked.





The cultivated areas were the field which had flourishing oat crops in them and it is unfortunate that the day the GE pictures were taken there was partial cloud cover. I found that there was a ? Permissive Path from the Car Park leading E around the N of the Kidsdale farm buildings to the head of Physgill Glen.


If I had looked at the above picture I might have marked my map with possible gate locations.



Had the weather been more favourable I certainly would have walked as far as Lobbocks and then have followed the field margin N to Smirle Wood.
We turned back, because high winds were giving discomfort to my wife's ears, we did this at the 43 northing.
The presumed marked gates would have given us an alternative route back.


Nowt like hindsight  >:(  Please note as I have marked the gates on the map, I really mean that I have inferred that gates are likely to be at these locations.
BWW
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whitehorse

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #16 on: 15:08:43, 11/11/15 »

Love your suggestion of using google earth- I use it a lot for work but it hadn't crossed my mind to use it for walk planning. looks like it will be really useful for in Scotland.

Interesting too that you mention there was what seemed to be a permissive path. I wonder if this is common in popular areas where residents want to route people away from their properties/farmsteads?

barewirewalker

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #17 on: 15:57:36, 11/11/15 »
The car park has the look of "Community work" and the path leads to the path that runs down to St Ninians Cave via Physgill Glen, which has the appearance our better maintained PRoW's would have, the bit I have marked as permissive looks as if it has been allowed to bypass the Farm and House, that is why I called it '? Permissive'.


There is another walk we did on Ben John It would make a good walk as it overlooks the Solway Firth, but the belt of bracken at that time of year made it almost unapproachable from the direction of the only route I found on line. We did turn this climb into a good walk, though, by finding a route from the north side. Hopefully I will post a TR, which may be helpful if you are planning a holiday for next summer.


Spent a great day beach combing near Fleet and walked out to an island that low tide gave an opportunity to reach and spend a couple of hours there.


As the locals say; Most people forget to turn left at Gretna Green when visiting Scotland and that makes a great place to enjoy a quiet holiday.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

agentmancuso

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #18 on: 20:56:43, 11/11/15 »
I use Google Earth all the time for making waypoints for parking spots and firebreaks.

Strider

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #19 on: 22:12:15, 11/11/15 »
Quote
Please note as I have marked the gates on the map, I really mean that I have inferred that gates are likely to be at these locations.

If you look on Google Maps and zoom right in you can see gaps in the walls and vehicle tracks so there is indeed a way from the cliff top path back to the road.

By the way, if the Google maps satellite view is unclear for whatever reason, try Bing maps: http://binged.it/1Pp4Hz2

Access in Scotland is a bit of a double-edged sword....you can go where you like (mostly) the issue is whether you'll find stiles, gates and footbridges where you need them.   A length of pipe insulation is useful for barbed wire/electric topped fences but if you're confronted by a five foot high dry stone wall you may have to just climb over it!
Not all those who wander are lost

vizzavona

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #20 on: 06:34:15, 12/11/15 »
Hello,
Just an observation with reference to the 1:25,000 map in an earlier reply to this topic....re. the 5 metre contour interval used.
The only few maps of this scale that I have and use for the Scottish highlands have the contour interval of 10 metres.
I understand that all the 1:25,000 maps have CI in England. Does anyone know where the change in the CI, 5 into 10, takes place in the lowlands?

barewirewalker

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Re: access on foot in scotland- how does it work?
« Reply #21 on: 09:38:51, 12/11/15 »
If you look on Google Maps and zoom right in you can see gaps in the walls and vehicle tracks so there is indeed a way from the cliff top path back to the road.

By the way, if the Google maps satellite view is unclear for whatever reason, try Bing maps: http://binged.it/1Pp4Hz2


Good tip about Bing Maps, didn't know they existed  :-[ , also the photography may be more recent and better quality. In this instance their capture of the Kidsdale farm shows more internal farm tracks.


I have used Google maps mostly for plotting routes in Wales and the West Midlands. Useful for finding parking places as Agent Mancuso mentions, but the greatest weakness in the PRoW system in the rest of the UK is it's rigidity ,especially when the occupiers of land take umbrage at stepping off the righteous way.
Planning 'PRoW Two Step' as I call a skip from one to another across "Private Land" is a delicate art, assessing the quality of field boundary and the level of hedge management is a must, as is knowing where the enemy is likely to be lurking.
Land managers don't do much these days, contractors do most of the work on the land and getting an overall picture of the farm and the farm management is useful.


On line mapping, up to date OS maps, historical maps and aerial views with mapping info is great for widening the scope of route finding and using the terrain to better advantage.

I mention historical maps, because in exploring lost ways I have been surprised how little the position of gates have changed over the years and the features imprinted on the landscape by old routes is often very recognisable and valuable.
« Last Edit: 09:43:23, 12/11/15 by barewirewalker »
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

 

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