Cable cars in Cheddar

[Laurie]

Nicely put, Andy. 

 

[Bottlebank]

Completely agree with Andy, you need a variety of initiatives to solve most problems and this all seems comon sense.

I don't recall climbers asking cavers if it was ok to put fixed bolts on routes, as someone who enjoys via ferrata's it'd be great to see this happen, and I'd certainly be visiting.

 

[graham]

I would envisage a limited number of visitors equipped with headtorches buying an expensive (?40 per head?) elitist experience.  Yet another income stream, yet more publicity and media attention, and all for a very low cost.

Then

If Natural England were doing their job Longleat would have prosecuted by now for their failure to protect the SSSIs under their stewardship.

Didn't get the gig, then, Andy?

 

[David Rose]

Andy, I think you are underestimating the scale of the protests which would emanate from climbers if a via ferrata were ever seriously proposed at Cheddar. I personally think it's never likely to move beyond the hypothetical stage, but if it did, cavers should pause as to whether we would really want to set ourselves against what might turn out to be the whole climbing world.

I mean, I agree that many of those trad routes are pants, and some are also heavily overgrown. All the same... I'm going to post the idea at UKC and see what the reaction is!

 

[darren]

Andy, I think you are underestimating the scale of the protests which would emanate from climbers if a via ferrata were ever seriously proposed at Cheddar. I personally think it's never likely to move beyond the hypothetical stage, but if it did, cavers should pause as to whether we would really want to set ourselves against what might turn out to be the whole climbing world.

I'm a bit confused, what has via ferrata got to do with cavers? Some cavers may do such things on there days off from caving, but I assume it's not unheard of for climbers to have a go at a via ferrata occasionally as a bit of light entertainment.

 

[PaulW]

Andy, I think you are underestimating the scale of the protests which would emanate from climbers if a via ferrata were ever seriously proposed at Cheddar. I personally think it's never likely to move beyond the hypothetical stage, but if it did, cavers should pause as to whether we would really want to set ourselves against what might turn out to be the whole climbing world.

I mean, I agree that many of those trad routes are pants, and some are also heavily overgrown. All the same... I'm going to post the idea at UKC and see what the reaction is!

Apparently he isn't, over 100 views on the climbing forum and not one complaint,
infact no responses of any description either positive or negative

 

[David Rose]

To my surprise, that is indeed the case. I stand corrected!

 

[mrodoc]

It is not just a cable way crossing the gorge as at least one pylon will be on a spur just down from Great Oones I think. As regards the Frozen Deep I think that it is unlikely that the cost of developing it as a show cave could be justified on economic grounds as Graham has pointed out. It could actually be done sympathetically with minimal alteration to the Gorge simply by going in through High Country and constructing a walkway all the way to Frozen Deep. That could then be lit rather like Doolin Cave ie intermittently when visitors arrive to minimise algal growth anywhere in the cave.  However I don't think another cave will attract people to the Gorge - there are too many claustrophobes about.

I think the National Trust, on the whole, have done a good job. I know the coastline I walk on would look pretty ghastly by now if it wasn't for the NT.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

God what a desolate place the bottom of Cheddar Gorge was yesterday. Half a dozen bored looking visitors mooching about never enough to sustain any viable tourist industry there. Another five months of damp grotty boring Mendip weather. I reckon they should put a glass roof over the whole lower end of the gorge and create a ruddy great theme park cum Disney World. Cable cars are just too modest thinking.

 

[crickleymal]

The place is simply unaffordable for a family of four.

You're not wrong. Best part of ?80 for us and none of the attractions seem to take very long apart form the cliff top walk which, looking at the OS map, would appear to be free.

 

[cap n chris]

The place is simply unaffordable for a family of four.

The UK is pretty much unaffordable throughout.