In recent years there has been a large increase in visitors to the Peak (and apparently also to Lakes, Wales etc too). That's great. We all enjoy the outdoors and it's wonderful for others to share that. Increasing access to places of natural beauty should be part of a strategy to improve the calamitous state of our nation's physical and mental health. Compared to the costs (financial and other) of that health crisis, this is cheap.
Rather than responding with increased provision of parking/public transport, laybys have been blocked and there is more ticketing.
That car park in Pembroke where grass grows through sparse cobles, shows how car parks need not be unsightly. It should be possible to have more wild flowers and insects in such car parks than in current typical farm land. The real huge destruction of biodiversity we have suffered has been from the switch from wild-flower meadows to silage grass monoculture. Changes to agricultural practices have vastly more scope for improving/restoring landscape and biodiversity. That blows out of the water any adverse consequences from increased visitors. Visitors, even in their millions can very well be accommodated even in full-on wilderness. Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada or the US National Parks are good examples.
Yes, I know, people in principle could get a train to Edale and walk in from there. But this is about people of all shapes and sizes and ages being encouraged and welcomed. In Canada's Banff National Park it is easy, even for wheelchair users, to get amongst wild bears and wolves. So we should be capable of facilitating afternoon strolls on Mam Tor or Burbage.
Rather than responding with increased provision of parking/public transport, laybys have been blocked and there is more ticketing.
That car park in Pembroke where grass grows through sparse cobles, shows how car parks need not be unsightly. It should be possible to have more wild flowers and insects in such car parks than in current typical farm land. The real huge destruction of biodiversity we have suffered has been from the switch from wild-flower meadows to silage grass monoculture. Changes to agricultural practices have vastly more scope for improving/restoring landscape and biodiversity. That blows out of the water any adverse consequences from increased visitors. Visitors, even in their millions can very well be accommodated even in full-on wilderness. Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada or the US National Parks are good examples.
Yes, I know, people in principle could get a train to Edale and walk in from there. But this is about people of all shapes and sizes and ages being encouraged and welcomed. In Canada's Banff National Park it is easy, even for wheelchair users, to get amongst wild bears and wolves. So we should be capable of facilitating afternoon strolls on Mam Tor or Burbage.