Saw it on the TV news this morning and thought about OC (couldn't find a link to the BBC news clip but the story is covered in this Guardian article): https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...-environmental-thirlmere-reservoir-attraction The company wants to put massive zip wires across the reservoir for people to "fly" over the landscape; local conservation campaigners are, naturally, fighting to keep them away. It's not a place I've visited but the views looked stunning on the news clip and all I could think of was how the natural beauty and uncluttered view would be completely spoiled by such an enterprise. Have any of you been to Thirlmere?
Yup, I've also written a letter of protest to the planning committe (deadline may have passed by now, can't remember). Bloody stupid idea, some of their arguments are that Thirlmere is already a man-made environment (which is true, it's a reservoir and sometimes the bare shorelines when the water level is low are a bit of an eyesore, plus there's a major road running along one shore), but to my mind that is no reason to add further man-made crap to it. The bleating about making extra jobs is only a handful of jobs, which will almost certainly be seasonal. The Lake District has enough attractions without this kind of molly-coddled thrill seeking. If you want real thrills, pay a local company/instructor for some rock climbing lessons. ... and breathe! I don't know what the new cycle tracks are that the newspaper report mentions. The road around the west side of the lake is already a good cycle route - quiet and scenic. Website for the protest: http://zipoff.org/ including a petition if you want to sign. Deadline for protests to the planning authority is today, not sure what time today, though. Links etc on the Zip Off site.
Why do they have to mess with the beautiful landscape everywhere these days? The attraction of the Lake District is the place itself, and there are enough thrills to be got from it.
