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DEFRA and Gaping Gill

Madness

New member
As DEFRA say we can legally go into a cave system as far as daylight extends, what would happen if a large group of Cavers turned up and rigged the main shaft and all descended to the floor of the main chamber? Is there a limit to a group size under CRoW legislation? If it was 100 plus cavers it might cause a traffic jam, so why not rig a winch? I take it that DEFRA haven't put any restrictions on equipment needed to descend to the limit of daylight?

If the cavers let it be publicly known before hand of their intentions, what would the landowner do? Would he try to stop the cavers, and in doing so break the law of the land?

Could things get anymore ludicrous?
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
a) probably nothing? Except for queuing obviously.
b) no?
c) Using a large powered winch is definitely not open-air recreation carried out on foot... Using a small hauling system powered by hand might be I guess.
d) DEFRA are irrelevant to what the CROW Act allows.
e) Probably nothing? There are already hundreds of people walking around at the top of the shaft, which is complete with signs and paths; why would he care? (It wouldn't be a massive increase in visitors on some weekends...)
f) Why would he bother, given happy acceptance of the CROW Act for the last decade?
g) Yes :)

Or maybe the world would end.
 
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