Author Topic: PW walker numbers  (Read 3367 times)

jimbob

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PW walker numbers
« on: 12:05:52, 14/02/20 »
On a new thread a new member was asking about the PW in relation to the Camino France.
This got me  to thinking about the replies, so far.
I had a feeling that accommodation close to the PW is in decline. I based this on looking up bnbs from a 10 year old guide book and discovering that the majority are no longer available. The latest guidebooks do not have the same number of places available close to the route.
Then I looked on the new National trails website and was surprised to see the lists of accommodation they show available. Is this correct or just a rehashing of out of date information on the new site?

I will try to work through the lists and report back.
Out of date info on a new National Trails site is of no benefit to anyone. No proof that it is yet, but they were useless at updating accommodation info on their old site.

Also on the Camino they keep a record of numbers walking at any time of the year, does anyone gave any idea where information about numbers walking the PW are available. These numbers are important as they can be used in economic assessments given when people want to open hostels, bnbs, and campsites.

P. S. I realise that the Camino passports, and final certificates are used to give numbers neither of which are available on the PW. When I finished I hopped into a car and was whisked away by my family away to get my head examined, missing out on signing the book and drinking my pint.
Too little, too late, too bad......

harland

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #1 on: 12:18:10, 14/02/20 »
missing out on ….. drinking my pint.
So why did you walk it! :D :D
Although I don't normally drink I made sure I had my free pint after that walk, I seem to remember I may have had one or two more.

Ridge

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #2 on: 12:19:47, 14/02/20 »
Not all of the accommodation info on the National Trail site is up to date and some of it is a long way off route.

jimbob

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #3 on: 12:29:20, 14/02/20 »
Not all of the accommodation info on the National Trail site is up to date and some of it is a long way off route.
As I suspected. Even though it is a brand new site.

I am going to work my way through it and report back, I'll include them also.


Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #4 on: 16:06:47, 14/02/20 »
I suspect that the changes are partly caused by people moving in and out of areas which reflect the ups and downs of our capitalist way of life? I read today that since Brexit started there has been a 13%shift of people moving from here in the south to the North. I don't know if there is much truth in the statistics but I'm sure it happens, I mean it wasn't so long ago when miners were walking from Wales to get jobs in the coal mines in the North East of England. The Pennine Way route is static and doesn't move but populations are always moving?

jimbob

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #5 on: 16:28:51, 14/02/20 »
The reason I'm interested in walker numbers is the simple economic fact, supply (accommodation, cafes etc in the case of the PW) follows demand( walker numbers).

If the walkers are in decline then that could be the reason for less accommodation.

But there doesn't seem to be any way of working out definitive numbers as far as I am aware.

Seemingly the burger can has even stopped turning up on the Snake Road. It would be there if it was financially worthwhile.
Too little, too late, too bad......

sussamb

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #6 on: 21:42:31, 14/02/20 »
Not sure the burger van ever depended on PW walkers though  O0
Where there's a will ...

jimbob

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #7 on: 22:03:43, 14/02/20 »
Not sure the burger van ever depended on PW walkers though  O0
Aye you're probably right, but talking to two or three people who have done the PW over the last few years the perception is that accommodation close to the PW is fast disappearing. When I did it I easily booked up just a couple of weeks in advance, four of the places I stayed at have closed down, and I'm sure it was nowt to do with me,..... Or maybe it was.


Too little, too late, too bad......

Ridge

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #8 on: 22:07:39, 14/02/20 »
I suspect that the changes are partly caused by people moving in and out of areas which reflect the ups and downs of our capitalist way of life?
I'm not sure about this GWM, I would think most people travel a long way to do the Pennine Way. I'm not sure that where they live or have moved to for work will make much difference.
I do wonder if less walkers is because it used to be THE long distance walk but now it is one of many.

jimbob

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #9 on: 22:31:02, 14/02/20 »
I'm not sure about this GWM, I would think most people travel a long way to do the Pennine Way. I'm not sure that where they live or have moved to for work will make much difference.
I do wonder if less walkers is because it used to be THE long distance walk but now it is one of many.
.
 How can we tell if there are actually less walkers?

Google shows hugely differing numbers, though it only takes a bit of sifting to realise the high end is made up of folks out for a day walk, down to about 2000 doing the whole walk annually.
But the disparity leads me to think they are plucking numbers out of thin air.
Was it ever more than 2000 p. a. ? Is it now less than that number?
Too little, too late, too bad......

harland

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #10 on: 07:04:16, 15/02/20 »
Getting round to the accommodation issue I have always thought that running a B&B is hard work.  Having to be around to take phone calls (although mobiles have alleviated this to some extent), someone in from early afternoon to let people in, making breakfast, changing bedding/towels etc after only 1 night for walkers, cleaning the room, not having the privacy of your own home.  A lot of work for, in my opinion, not a lot of money unless you have say 5/6 rooms whereby the economies of scale help.

Historically my grandmother took a lodger, for company as well as helping with the bills but they were reasonably long term well behaved university students (when only about 5% of the brightest went to uni) and not one night walkers.  I may be wrong but I think that running a B&B with only one or two rooms is not seen as attractive to make ends meet when benefits can fill that gap - that will wind someone up! ;D

jimbob

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #11 on: 08:53:17, 15/02/20 »
You are correct Harland. Apart from the things you mention. The costs for small establishments that obey the rules are also prohibitive, rates, insurance, fire safety, hygiene, being classed as commercial for energy costs, advertising etc. make it very difficult to run a small place as anything other than a labour of love.
Too little, too late, too bad......

rural roamer

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #12 on: 11:57:49, 17/02/20 »
I think you may be right jimbob. I have replied on the other thread you mention. When we walked it in 2016 some of the accommodation we found listed in various places had closed. But we are finding that on all the LDWs we walk. If you are relying on mostly walkers who only spend one night with you it’s a lot of hard work.


With regards to numbers, we walked in June/July and there seemed to be maybe 8-10 other walkers, no more, that we saw walking each day.  Not sure what you can work out from that though!

Stube

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #13 on: 11:06:02, 18/02/20 »
Peak numbers for the PW were in the eighties - over 10,000 a year. These numbers caused huge damage to the moors which can be seen  to this day in some parts and led to the extensive slabbing of the moors..
As a retired lone walker, I find the price of B&Bs prohibitive - hence I always camp. The YHA no longer support enough hotels to be a viable alternative - and they aren't cheap either.

fernman

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Re: PW walker numbers
« Reply #14 on: 11:33:09, 18/02/20 »
Not a fan of b&b's myself. Apart from the cost, which wasn't too bad when I was working but which is prohibitive to me now, I'm not very good with social small talk particularly as my hearing isn't so good, and I always feel a bit of an intruder in someone's home in spite of paying for the privelege and no matter how friendly and hospitable the hosts might be.
I have slightly uneasy memories of the crumbling shabby-chic manor house of an eccentric in Cumbria, my Edinburgh room like an ice box, the rather posh family home in Surrey where it was obvious that I was using the oldest teenage son's room, he presumably having been moved elsewhere for the night for my benefit, and the prissy bungalow in Cornwall with about twenty cushions and pillows on the bed, where I felt I didn't dare touch anything.
« Last Edit: 11:42:27, 18/02/20 by fernman »

 

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