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Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info (Read 2691 times)

cofe

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Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
September 06, 2018, 10:24:35 am
Lifted from BMC access rep. Henry Folkard's access notes for the Peak Area:

In the Amber Valley the guidebook description for access and ownership at Turning Stone Edge is no longer current as ownership has changed. New arrangements have been negotiated for climbers with the new landowners thanks largely to a lot of effort by Steve Wright – so thanks, Steve.

The essentials are: never ever park now on the roadside or on the verge by the footpath off Holestone Gate Road opposite Old Engine Farm. There is now no access to Turning Stone Edge from here. It is, however, permitted to access the edge from Coffin Lane and via Cocking Tor, and for climbers to ignore the Private Land No Access sign where a direct track leads to the top of Turning Stone through the private woodland. Access is for small numbers only, and group activity, whether a club meet or commercial group, must be by prior agreement with the owners at Old Engine Farm.

The owners have problems with anti-social behaviour, raves and the like, on their land, and it even appears as a good location for such activity nationally through social media outlets. It’s not the first time climbing access has been threatened by other activity, but when something reaches a point where landowners say ‘enough is enough’ and put the shutters up across the piece, there is nothing much the access team can do about it. So, keep a low profile if you go there with your mate and be really, really careful about parking, which is probably OK for a couple of cars, but no more, at the top of Coffin Lane.



Bonjoy

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#1 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
September 06, 2018, 11:02:35 am
I have to say I don't really understand this.
I'm guessing the farmer just doesn't like people legally parked on the verge and legally walking along the public footpath across his land and the BMC has decided on balance it is easier to go along with this if it keeps crag access relatively open.

Traditionally climbers have not followed the exact line of the FP where it swerves right at the small enclosed wood, rather taking the obvious track through the wood direct to the crag. I can imagine this being a bone of contention, but better rectified by some decent signage telling people to follow the FP rather than a significant detour up the road.

Also, does the crag actually belong to the farm? Last time I checked it was owned by the Forestry Commision. Has it really been sold to the neighbouring farm?

cofe

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#2 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
September 06, 2018, 11:27:01 am
Henry said last night it's now private land.

Johnny Brown

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#3 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
September 06, 2018, 12:40:02 pm
This is a complex one, they don't own the land you cross, just the woods - which they bought a couple of years back.

As is increasingly common farmland ownership here is fragmented and not contiguous, and the old perception about the landwoner being 'the farmer' in the farm you can see is often way off the mark.

spidermonkey09

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#4 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
January 29, 2021, 04:41:03 pm
Had a very wet wander round here and Bradley today. I approached from Bradley so didn't park at either the old or new parking location but this seemed a bit odd to say the least. I am a bit unsure why the BMC are effectively allowing the farmer to discourage perfectly legal parking by the footpath; this isn't a great precedent to set surely?

T_B

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#5 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
January 29, 2021, 04:50:48 pm
Presumably their plan is to block off the ROW? Climbers won’t complain if they’re no longer using the footpath. How does climbers not parking there have any relevance to the parties/raves? FWIW I’ve always gone around the copse.

old cheese

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#6 Re: Turning Stone Edge - New Approach Info
January 29, 2021, 05:43:00 pm
 I always understood the path around the copse was the way. However rather than going all the way around the copse there is a path crossing the middle of the field. You can often see signs of a path there. It goes to a corner of the field.

I am quite divided between potentially antagonising the landowners and walking the route where there is a public footpath and therefore a right of way. OS clearly show the route on maps.

I usually park at the new parking now but have, in the last 6 months walked around the copse at least twice and don’t feel bad about it. I would be confident in any chat that could happen

 

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