Relief from (Yorks) Three Peaks charity misery

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 yorkshire_lad2 23 Aug 2018

Posted without comment for information (& comment by others if they wish).  I can see both sides of the story. I live within sight of Penyghent (well, I would if it wasn't misty at the time of writing this morning) and regularly walk the 3Ps area (although tend to avoid Saturdays from May to October....)

 

Craven Herald, Thurs 23 Aug 2018:

Call for relief from Three Peaks charity walkers  'misery'

http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/16586330.residents-plead-for-relief-from...

 

 marsbar 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

It's fine in my opinion for individuals and small groups to do the challenge.  It's totally inappropriate for ridiculously large groups of hundreds of people with no idea of how to behave to be encouraged to do this all at the same time.  

 summo 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

The national park should have the official start for large groups moved or encouraged to use a special field near the viaduct, or off the ingleton road. They can charge the charities a fee to cover the costs and put in composting toilets. No bins litter goes home with the user. Many of these visitors spend little money locally as they are walking when everything us open. The ice cream van at the viaduct probably does better than most. They could also have voluntary start times to reduce out of hour disruption. 

I did safety cover 'once' for a charity, never again, purely because of the attitude of the full time charity staff. 

Post edited at 10:07
 Offwidth 23 Aug 2018
In reply to marsbar:

If you read the article some of the biggest events are not causing the locals any concerns (ie they are fine with the annual races). The British Heart Foundation is highlighted as one of the worst organisers.. if you donate, write to them and ask them to behave better or stop this event or you will cease donations. The Park also need pressure... they love washing their hands of responsibility but it seems their code didn't involve proper local consultation.

 wintertree 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Would a minibus and coach staging area near Ribblehead Station fix a lot of this?  It sounds like the problems are caused by loud behaviour at he start/end of the walk rather than the walkers when on foot.  Pull that problem out of the village and put a ban on playing loud music (FFS).

I’ve had a couple of discussions with my sibling about large scale organised charity outdoor events.  Sibling works for a large charity and we have found no common ground on the issue.  The arrogance and belief that “it’s for chariteeee” trumps people’s right to enjoy their homes astounds me.   I’m pretty sure sibling’s bossss would like it if I started shepherding a large group of keyed up folk around with a megaphone outside one of their sex parties, erm sorry houses, in the middle of the night.

 

 Offwidth 23 Aug 2018
In reply to wintertree:

We used to get a lot of UK 3 Peaks sponsor requests blanket posted at work. When the information sites were available on the web, with most responsibility parties (like local councillors, the police, mountain rescue,  the BMC etc) all confirming  the negative effects on locals, I started blanket replying with those links and suggesting alternatives with less negative inpacts (like local runs and walks). I got a few snotty replies but it seemingly stopped those posts and educated many others on the issues. The locals need to set one of these websites up... I would use it. You don't need to join big groups that drive long distances and piss local people off to raise money for charity.

 summo 23 Aug 2018
In reply to wintertree:

I think a major factor is the fact that many charity workers full time paid jobs are directly tied to pushing as many people around these challenges as possible. The needs of walker, the locals etc.. are secondary to banking their cash. 

On the one I worked so to speak. The charity staff drove between each road head to meet the groups. I asked if they planned to walk one of the hills each with the groups, to chat to them, research how they funded it etc..  "no, we don't need to talk to them we get all the information we need off the forms they fill in". That was the end of my affiliation and I cancelled my donation direct debit. The staff were clearly just out for weekend away and the walkers were an inconvenience. 

1
 Tringa 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Interesting article. Unfortunately this can happen when some areas become popular through a charity event, a designation (as noted in the article - "Challenge" and elsewhere, eg "NC500"), social media or TV or movie (eg The Fairy Pools and Glenfinnan viaduct).

I don't have a solution as it would be almost impossible to stop groups doing the walk.

I'm reminded of a comment I heard years ago when I did ML training at Plas-y-Brenin. One participant from the Snowdonia National Park said that some children should now be allowed into the Park or other outdoor areas because they haven't been taught how to behave and have consideration for the area or people who live in it. I think that could be applied to a number of adults too.

 

Dave

In reply to Tringa:

Was there a typo in there: "should now be allowed" vs "should not be allowed"

 gali 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Overtourism !

 deepsoup 23 Aug 2018
In reply to Offwidth:

> ... a lot of UK 3 Peaks sponsor requests ...     ...  suggesting alternatives with less negative inpacts ...

In the past, one of those alternatives most often suggested on here to the UK 3 peaks has been the Yorkshire 3 peaks.  Time to knock that on the head it seems.  :-|

 Toccata 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

I live in the Peak District and this is all too common. People for whom 'holiday' seems to mean 'do what I wouldn't do at my own house' and we cope with broken noise curfews, through the night car and motorbike rallies, an inability to remove navigation signs from charity walks and an assumption that one's ablutions may be passed wherever you like in the country.

However I chose (and choose) to live in one of the country's most beautiful but popular areas. I'd much rather see people out walking than not. I prefer people to spend money keeping my local pub and shop open then in their local. This article, while it certainly covers some antisocial behaviour which should be dealt with, smacks a little of 'we'd like a few tourists but not too many'. I wonder how many of their jobs, or those of their friends and family depend on the hoards? I'm afraid lots of people at the weekends is something the good residents of Horton will need to accept.

 profitofdoom 23 Aug 2018
In reply to Toccata:

> However I chose (and choose) to live in one of the country's most beautiful but popular areas... I wonder how many of their jobs, or those of their friends and family depend on the hoards? I'm afraid lots of people at the weekends is something the good residents of Horton will need to accept.

All good points but to me it seems not fair that you suffer for where you chose to live. I am sorry for people who live in e.g. Oxford, Florence, Venice, the centres of which are now overrun with hordes of people in summer

 summo 23 Aug 2018
In reply to Toccata:

From my knowledge the walkers doing the 3 peaks spend very little. The walkers doing a hill or another ramble, have much more time spare to visits shops, cafes, a pub, the caverns or another tourist attractions. Some tourist are more beneficial than others. The beneficial kind might also stay in the area several days.

The same can be said of the UK 3 peaks. How much financial benefit do local lakes businesses receive when you are the middle hill. They get the noise, the litter and human waste, but little else. 

 Offwidth 23 Aug 2018
In reply to deepsoup:

I think it depends. If you are localish, well behaved and doing it on your own, and trying to add a bit to the local economy I really can see no issue at all. Beyond that there is a contiuum of things to consider, but remember even the big races are accepted by the locals. One  of the big differences with the 24 hour idiocy of the national event was it meant disturbing communities in the early hours. I'd still strongly support those doing the national event for charity over two days staying in local accomodation to one of the mountains, and linking the website(s) showing concerns and pledging not to be part of such behaviour.

Post edited at 14:38
In reply to summo:

> From my knowledge the walkers doing the 3 peaks spend very little. The walkers doing a hill or another ramble, have much more time spare to visits shops, cafes, a pub, the caverns or another tourist attractions. Some tourist are more beneficial than others. The beneficial kind might also stay in the area several days.

> The same can be said of the UK 3 peaks. How much financial benefit do local lakes businesses receive when you are the middle hill. They get the noise, the litter and human waste, but little else. 

Agreed.  My wife and I did the Y3P in late September and spent two nights at a local campsite, ate two dinners a local pub and I drank my own volume in beer at the pub after we had finished the walk.  Those pork scratchings were the tastiest thing I have ever eaten.

 Tringa 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

> Was there a typo in there: "should now be allowed" vs "should not be allowed"


Oops, yes, it should be not allowed,

Dave

 phizz4 23 Aug 2018
In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

I feel for these residents, I really do. We were at the camp site in Horton last Friday night (not walking, caving). It was horrendous. The tents were rammed in with no thought to safety if there was a fire. The amenities are totally inadequate for the numbers there, I don't know how the owners get away with it. The noise levels mean't almost no sleep, with people arriving up to about 1 am and then setting out from about 5 am, shouting, swearing, slamming doors etc with no thought for others. And yes, there was a charity event on (they were the loudest). Part of the problem is that this is almost the only camp site on the route, so everyone starts there.

 hbeevers 23 Aug 2018
In reply to summo:

My girlfriend is a full time charity worker and they run a "Y3P challenge". She drives between each hill as she is obligated to ensure all walkers are clocking in at each point. They hire a team of MLs to support the event.

"The staff were clearly just out for weekend away" I don't know the specifics of your event but my girlfriend left before 5am and wasn't done until 10pm having set up and "broken down" the event and all the gear. We live <2 hours away and have ourselves done the Yorkshire 3 peaks twice now, just for fun. Believe me, our idea of a weekend away is not supporting a Y3P walk.

In terms of "local" charities and workers I've met I would say your experience is not representative. Perhaps it is of national scope charities though?


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