More on Lambing Closures

This Posting has been updated so that the map showing on facebook will also show the Dale Head landing Closure explained in my Later posting

Here is the promised updated and currently accurate map of this years lambing closures. Thanks to Ash for editing it and to Steve Spingys for the legwork in checking with the farmers!

Discussions with farmers have highlighted some of the old issues which are worth explaining again for the benefit of all, though mainly for new pilots and a new one.

We have a delicate working relationship with farmers which has evolved through years of conflict to the relatively harmonious operation of our current agreements. We pay them a little cash and give them a Christmas bottle and we get to fly unmolested and without hassle.

The payment is however not the main reason the farmers have entered into agreements, rather they have learned that by working through us they are more likely to minimise the impact we have on their operations and that they can approach the club to sort out any problems that do occur.

This can only work through mutual respect and conforming to agreements, though most farmers are tolerant of our needs and often overlook minor infringements such as landing and taking off in areas not strictly agreed.

At this time of year however they are super sensitive about their sheep and more touchy about our activities so it behoves us to respect this and be extra careful not to upset them.

So please try to stick to the agreed takeoffs and landings and be extra careful about sheep by avoiding flying low over them or landing among them. Nothing upsets farmers more than the sight of us scattering groups of sheep who are now either heavily pregnant or with young and vulnerable lambs.

A couple of particular issues need mention here:

The Mam Nick landing field will probably have restrictions this year that have not happened before. These will not come into play until mid April and may be avoided altogether if the farmers confidence in us can be rebuilt.

He wanted to close the whole field for a month from 15th April when he will have sheep with young lambs in the field and when asked why this should happen this year mentioned an incident that occurred in the summer when he passed a couple of pilots with their kit climbing over the fence on the other side of the road from the landing and doing some damage. Several of us had seen him pass them and we were going to have a word with them but they jumped into a van we did not know and disappeared before either we or the farmer (who came back a few minutes later) could talk to them. He said nothing until now but it is clear that such an infringement could lose us a site!

Steve Spingys has been talking with the farmer and he has been persuaded that total closure of the field will lead to chaos with pilots landing everywhere else and that he needs to offer us somewhere to land. As a consequence he has agreed that we can land on the top plateau of the field as long as there are no sheep there. He says they usually move down the field when there are walkers crossing the top of the field on the path and in the fine weather conditions we fly there will usually be a few about. This is the area in which we normally land anyway but it is easy to hit lift on approach and end up much lower in the field. If that should happen it will be unavoidable but it is not a good time to make your first landings in this field! If you are flying in a northerly or if you fly a hang glider you will still be able to use the Lords landing field which remains open this year. (though it has a new owner with plans for the field…negotiations have already been opened) If you fly a paraglider this is one more reason to avoid Mam NW in this period.

Hopefully Steve and our good behaviour will persuade the farmer in Mam Nick that this restriction  is not necessary but at the present that is the situation.

The field opposite Rushup and next to Windy Knoll.

We have no agreement to land in this field and in the past the farmer has complained to us and to his neighbours with whom we do have agreements about landings and about damage caused by pilots climbing over the fence. Recently however, and since he has put in a gate near the road down from Mam Nick, he has been more tolerant of us landing in the extreme east end when we have clearly been trying to get into Windy Knoll and just failed.

However there will be sheep in this field over the next months and it is more important than ever not to fall short of Windy Knoll and scatter them. Now, as ever, you must not launch from anywhere knowing you will not make Windy knoll and planning to use this field. This has happened on several occasions throughout the year and is likely to cause us problems at any time but especially now! You would be better to fly along the slope and slope land on the north side of the road.

Sorry to write so much but these are issues of which we all need to be aware!