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The Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs
has at present 28 affiliated clubs with a total of about 1700 members
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As the
Governing Body for hill-walking and rambling the Federation was
honoured to receive
An invitation from the Secretary of State and Mrs Camilla Woodward
to attend a reception in Hillsborough Castle to celebrate Sport in
Northern Ireland.
Our representative was introduced to the Queen and the Duke of
Edinburgh.
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Access article -
Belfast Telegraph - 30 April
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If you enjoy looking at things when you
are walking have a look at this excellent local
photography site .
The
inspiring photographs are those of Andy McInroy, a local
photographer who spends considerable time photographing our north
coast . He is equally as annoyed as UFRC with the access
situation at Ballintoy.
Andy
will be interviewed on Arts Ulster BBC Radio Ulster, Wed 30 April
between 6.30 and 7pm.
Visit his site -well worth going to .
www.andymcinroy.com |
Our Secretary ,
Ronnie Carser, has an article in the
current
"Walking World Ireland " expressing
the UFRC
view on the access situation in the Northern Ireland
The editor Martin Joyce made the the
following comment
in the magazine .
''Article reveals how little progress has been made since initial
and now dated legislation was enacted twenty years ago. It never
ceases to surprise me how we complicate matters in Ireland as we
seek convoluted solutions to issues that have long ago been
addressed elsewhere, and resolved with relative ease''.
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UFRC has interviews
pending with Mr David Ford (Alliance Party leader) and Mr Patsy
McGlone (Chair of DoE Environment Committee). We will seek:
(a)
Amendment of Occupiers’
Liability legislation to remove
the term ‘trespasser’ from
recreational walkers.
(b) Amendment to remove most
legal liability for walkers from landowners/occupiers.
(c) Suggest
that ‘the taxpayer’ provides indemnity insurance premium for
landowner.
(d)
Request that Central
Government(EHS) has power to act in access provision where a D.C.seems
reluctant to do so.
(e) Request
review of all access legislation to bring into line
with the modern
approach in rest of GB and Europe. |
Access update.
Ballintoy path still closed. Moyle District Council
appears to be
doing ‘something’, following a deluge of
protest.- it may just
be considering assertion of the path
as a Public Right of Way .
Details as soon as our
Secretary knows.
Meantime, UFRC thank all who wrote to Moyle,
the pressure was well
applied.
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Access Issues
In Northern Ireland, one of the issues
which greatly disturbs landowners and occupiers (mainly farmers) is
the possibility of being sued for personal injury sustained whilst
walking on their land. It is a prime cause of access permission being
refused or withdrawn.
In law, there are two classes of entrant
onto privately owned land-the visitor, there by permission of the
landowner and the trespasser , who walks without first seeking
permission. The landowner has, in law, a very limited duty of
care to both and there are no known cases of successful court action
for damages taken by walkers against landowners . However the
perception persists that a landowner is vulnerable, especially in
cases where no third party liability insurance is in operation.
A proposal to amend Occupiers’ Liability
legislation by the insertion of a third class of entrant-Recreational
User-and a clear indication to landowners that they have no duty of
care beyond that of not actively impeding access-has been refused by
the Civil Law Reform Division, Department of Finance and Personnel.
The Division is ‘not persuaded’ that current law is a barrier to
recreational access (for details of proposal, visit
www.countrysiderecreation.com-parent
site-publications).
The Minister of the Environment in the NI
Executive (Mrs Arlene Foster) has supported this decision.
Thus walkers, when on privately owned land
without specific permission are, legally, trespassers. UFRC member
clubs, in drawing up walking programmes, are in most cases,
effectively promoting trespassing activity. If the many visitors who
come to Northern Ireland to enjoy walking holidays, were to be fully
informed of the legal position, the Federation suspects that a
majority would seek opportunity elsewhere.
The Minister envisages future access
arrangements being based on the 1983 Access to the Countryside Order .
This Order empowers District Councils to negotiate Access Agreements
with landowners and has been conspicuously unsuccessful in its intent
,to date.
The Federation, fully aware of new
enlightened and up to date legislation applying elsewhere in the
United Kingdom, has written to the Minister urging her to reconsider
her decisions. It has also written to the Political Parties in
Northern Ireland seeking support for progress and legislative change.
Are we are going
backwards on access?

At a meeting of the Ulster Way Advisory
Committee it appears that a local landowner has closed the Coastal
Path between White Park Bay and Ballintoy Harbour. He has erected
substantial metal barriers and notices indicating it is private land
and you enter at your own risk.
Needless to say this is a premier walking route of many years
standing, not to mention a major tourist attraction. (it is possible
to go over/under/round the barriers.)
this may be as the result of a dispute which does not directly involve
walkers.
Signage indicates that those who wish to proceed onto privately owned
land, do so at their own risk. We further believe that it is possible
to walk around the barrier. Our Secretary has taken advice from
sources within the local Council (Moyle).
UFRC advises its members to note the wording on the signs and
proceed, at own risk. You will appreciate that this advice, while well
sourced, must be ,in some respects, ''unofficial''.
If wording on
signs were to be changed, do please heed and follow.
Also, it would appear that the North Down Coastal Path remains
under threat east of Groomsport as Caravan Site and developers push
closer to the sea. A letter to the Chief Executive of North Down
Borough Council Mr Trevor Polley Town Hall, The Castle, Bangor BT20
4 BT asking what progress they have made in resolving this issue
would be helpful.
Access
problems at Atticall (southern slopes of Mournes), where a number
of UFRC member clubs have had access difficulty.The Federation has
been involved in discussion around this issue with the following
result.
The local community at Atticall has assured the
Federation that members are most welcome to walk in the area and is
doing its utmost to solve current access difficulties at Sandy Brae.
UFRC members may now use the car park at Atticall Community Centre,
well signposted at the lower end of Sandy Brae and always open. An
optional donation of £2 per car parked may be left in the post-box at
the Centre-it is run by local people, without grant aid-and money will
be used to support its work.
Meantime, do not park on the edges of Sandy Brae Road and, on no
account ,drive beyond the end of the tarmac surfaced road.
North Coast
access problem
The Federation has written to Moyle
District Council conveying its concern regarding obstructions
placed on the path from Ballintoy Harbour to Whitepark Bay, with
notices of an unwelcoming nature attached and urging the necessary
action to have this path re-opened as soon as possible This path is
frequently used by walkers, is hugely important to tourism and is one
of the highlights of the Causeway Coast Waymarked Way and the Ulster
Way.
As long term public access should be
assured, the Federation suggests that assertion as a public
right of way be considered and it would be happy to assist in
gathering evidence of use to support the case for action.
Click for article from
Ballycastle Chronicle 16-01-08
UFRC members are
encouraged to pass their individual concerns by letter to :
Chief Executive
Moyle District Council
7 Mary Street
Ballycastle
BT54 6QH
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Latest on North Coast access problem
Click for article from Belfast
Telegraph 20-01-08
Insurers will refuse cover which places further pressure on Moyle DC.
Permissive path agreements, on which Waymarked Ways are founded, are
fragile--landowners can withdraw at will.
Action Cancer has written to Moyle DC expressing great concern that
its charity walks on the Causeway Way cannot take place in
the circumstances. Organisations representing recreational users
are entirely of one mind
Moyle has to act - legislation has to be revisited and amended but
District Councils are not the place where access agreements should be
negotiated - this must be a central government matter.
Recreational walkers must not be tarnished with the legal
description--trespasser.
The Federation has taken a lead in helping to persuade Moyle District
Council to fulfil its legal responsibilities and sort out this
unsatisfactory situation.
Items on two programmes (25-01-08) highlighted the North
Coast access situation . On "Good Morning Ulster" UFRC
Secretary Ronnie Carser
was interviewed with Clarke Black, Chief Executive of the Ulster
Farmers Union,
and in the evening on BBC Ulster Regional Television News our
Secretary again spoke for a few minutes .
Moyle DC must restore this important access
route . It is in the interest of every walker that this issue is sorted.
UFRC has receive widespread support for its stance on
Ballintoy access, notably two photographers-Andy McInroy and Stephen
Dickey have both offered support and use of photographs. More on this
later.
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UFRC
events
2008
Saturday 12/04/08
Stranmillis University College, Belfast
has been booked for Spring Meeting
9.30-13.30, Lecture Theatre No 5
Light refreshments available from 10am, Meeting commences 10.30am
Speaker: Dr Mark Tully will present '' No sweat -an exploration of
the benefits of walking ''.
Dr Tully is a Physiologist, based at the University of Ulster,
specialising in exercise science with a particular interest in
walking.
His presentation should appeal to everyone -from the danderer to the energetic hillwalker.
Stranmillis College?
Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September '08
First
Aid Course,
based in the
Pavilion, Mary Peters Track,
Belfast.
Instructor :-Steven Synnott , a paramedic with a mountain rescue
team and an excellent tutor. Saturday morning will be
spent in the
classroom, the remainder of the course is practical and held
outdoors. Course leads to the award of a
Rescue and Emergency
Certificate aimed at hillwalking and outdoor activity.
UFRC will subsidise members by 20%,
so
those taking part pay £48 pp. As places are
limited, early application is advised. Applications to and further
information
from -
Thomas McKenna
thomas_mckenna@btinternet.com. Tel, 30861759 after 7pm.
Saturday 18/10/08
AGM will be hosted by Wee Binnians .
Two walks and History Trail in
historic Slieve Gullion area
2pm AGM meeting in Tí Chulainn Centre, Mullaghbawn
Photographs and information about this area will be featured on the
web-site during next spring .
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Binnian Cottage
Cornmill Quay
There is nothing quite like the
feeling of getting in the door after a long, windy day out on the
hills, knowing
that hot baths and copious cups of tea are imminent.
This was what awaited us upon arrival at Cornmill Quay
in Annalong.
Perfectly formed holiday cottages with roaring open fires and all mod
cons are planted next to Annalong’s harbour and more importantly, its
Harbour Inn.
A two night stay enabled us to benefit from the easy access to the
Mournes and all they had to offer and
provided an excellent base for a
stroll to the Harbour Inn should you not want to take advantage of the
fully fitted and kitted out kitchen in the cottage.
Our cottage, Binnian, comfortably slept four people in its twin and en
suite double room. A family bathroom
completed the layout of the
second storey. Downstairs, the open plan living accommodation and
kitchen
provided an ideal setting for chat and snacking and should the
conversation run out, there is always the
large flat screen TV in the
corner.
All in all our stay at Binnian cottage was warm, comfortable and well
appointed. A perfect base for taking
in the surrounding countryside.
Gillian,
Lynne, Jim and Richard
Northern
Ireland Young Walkers
Visit Cornmill Quay Web-site
UFRC
members can obtain a 10% dicount on booking.
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click for
CHARITY WALKS |

A good idea for your next year's programme.
Clubs can arrange with Richard Lappin to go on one of their
designated walks and explain the principles . Those who would like to
find out more about the programme can visit the USA site where the
principles were developed by clicking on the logo opposite.
UFRC BELIEVES STRONGLY IN TREATING OUR
ENVIRONMENT WITH RESPECT,
ALL WALKERS SHOULD FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES
WITH THE CODE FOR OUTDOOR BEHAVIOUR.
Leave no trace principles can be
read by clicking
'Principles of
Outdoor Ethics'
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walk to top of page.
Photographs on this web
site should not be reproduced without permission of UFRC.
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