In the late 1980's the UK's river access issues came to a boil over the River Seiont in North Wales. Cars were scratched, tyres let down, and stones were thrown at paddlers. This all led to a mass tresspass protest.
Simon Dawson has an excellent photo-log of the trespass, which as he says 'turned into a bit of canoeing folk lore'. As kayakers, we should all be reminded of this - lest we forget.
Nearly 20 years later, things are only just starting to get better. There's a sense amongst kayakers that this time things will really happen, things will really change. The Scottish have changed their laws allowing kayakers to paddle on Scottish rivers unchallenged legally. The Welsh Canoe Association is pushing harder for similar law changes in Wales, and the the BCU's River Access Campaign is challenging in England.
In the words of Bob Dylan, maybe 'the times, they are a changing'..
I've lived in an old water mill on the afon seiont all my life and a few weeks ago found out about the mass trespass. Probably the only thing i knew about it at the time was getting very excited as a 6yr old at SO many paddlers going past!
Seeing canoeists on the river ever since i can remember has been one of the best things about living here. When I was little it was something that seemed quite magical - these people with no legs and fast moving arms appearing and disappearing so quickly and now I'm a bit older than 6 I still run to a window or dash outside and wave madly. it's great to see people using the river who obviously respect it so much, value it's power and take nothing/leave nothing.
where the mill is, it feels very cut off and secluded from the road and the rest of the world. With this in mind, I've grown up feeling very territorial about the land I live on (about 15 acres - including the islands) - and let me be very clear about what sort of territorial i mean - not the stand-on-the-boarder-with-a-gun type but maybe more of a fierce defender of the land that is in my guardianship for my lifetime. therefore the fishing lot i have a very deep running, fundamental problem with. not only do they destroy one of the very special things about the mill - the idea that we are in our own little bubble (we swim au natural a lot of the time in spring/summer and they do have a bit of a habit about not allowing, me especially, my privacy) but they also leave their nasty hooks and flies all over. The worst bit - because of the fishing access they have to a section of our land, cut back 6foot into the bank - preventing otters and others enjoying the river as much as we do. They don't do this sensibly - just hack away at it.
i have never felt in the least encroached upon as far as paddlers go yet i see a fisherman and my blood boils. i think it is down to how you treat the land.
i suppose that i wanted to just say that, as someone who owns a beautiful stretch of the seiont (okay - really we own the river bad right?!), that you and any of your fellow canoeist are more than welcome down our stretch any time (if we're swimming, we'll duck down up to our necks and still wave!).
anyway - hope you don't mind me sharing my thoughts on all this with you.
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2 Comments:
I've lived in an old water mill on the afon seiont all my life and a few weeks ago found out about the mass trespass. Probably the only thing i knew about it at the time was getting very excited as a 6yr old at SO many paddlers going past!
Seeing canoeists on the river ever since i can remember has been one of the best things about living here. When I was little it was something that seemed quite magical - these people with no legs and fast moving arms appearing and disappearing so quickly and now I'm a bit older than 6 I still run to a window or dash outside and wave madly. it's great to see people using the river who obviously respect it so much, value it's power and take nothing/leave nothing.
where the mill is, it feels very cut off and secluded from the road and the rest of the world. With this in mind, I've grown up feeling very territorial about the land I live on (about 15 acres - including the islands) - and let me be very clear about what sort of territorial i mean - not the stand-on-the-boarder-with-a-gun type but maybe more of a fierce defender of the land that is in my guardianship for my lifetime. therefore the fishing lot i have a very deep running, fundamental problem with. not only do they destroy one of the very special things about the mill - the idea that we are in our own little bubble (we swim au natural a lot of the time in spring/summer and they do have a bit of a habit about not allowing, me especially, my privacy) but they also leave their nasty hooks and flies all over. The worst bit - because of the fishing access they have to a section of our land, cut back 6foot into the bank - preventing otters and others enjoying the river as much as we do. They don't do this sensibly - just hack away at it.
i have never felt in the least encroached upon as far as paddlers go yet i see a fisherman and my blood boils. i think it is down to how you treat the land.
i suppose that i wanted to just say that, as someone who owns a beautiful stretch of the seiont (okay - really we own the river bad right?!), that you and any of your fellow canoeist are more than welcome down our stretch any time (if we're swimming, we'll duck down up to our necks and still wave!).
anyway - hope you don't mind me sharing my thoughts on all this with you.
blue skies for your efforts back in 88!
happy paddling, Amy
May 04, 2007 11:28 AM
It's great to know that there are people like yourself out there, that don't mind kayakers using our rivers.
May 09, 2007 8:08 AM
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