Letters: Help! The New Forest is becoming a suburban park

[Tangled Metal]

I knew someone who enjoyed running round a lot of Lakeland hills in 24 hours. I believe it was some round our challenge. He was 67 years old at the time. A bit of a curmudgeon who I could easily imagine writing such a letter about the lakes.

Another person ran from windermere to Coniston, ran a 24 mile challenge route to check it out then back home to windermere again. She was late 60s too. Not a curmudgeon though.

Certainties about what is possible for people you don't know is limited by the fact you're making assumptions. Those may be very valid and correct.

[pwa]

I knew someone who enjoyed running round a lot of Lakeland hills in 24 hours. I believe it was some round our challenge. He was 67 years old at the time. A bit of a curmudgeon who I could easily imagine writing such a letter about the lakes.

Another person ran from windermere to Coniston, ran a 24 mile challenge route to check it out then back home to windermere again. She was late 60s too. Not a curmudgeon though.

Certainties about what is possible for people you don't know is limited by the fact you're making assumptions. Those may be very valid and correct.

The Bob Graham Round? For fit lads and lasses.

[661-Pete]

I'm guessing the letter was written after that despicable hate-filled programme against cyclists on Channel 5 the other day. Just goes to show: prejudice spawns prejudice; hate spawns hate. Where will it end?

As it happens we went for a stroll in the New Forest last Sunday - fairly late in the afternoon. Despite it being a Sunday, warm and sunny, once we were clear of the car park (yes we drove there ) there was hardly a soul about. Yes there were plenty of ponies, but no humans. As peaceful a walk as they come!

We have had an encounter with an extremely unpleasant individual on an earlier visit to the Forest. But I'm hoping that was a one-off.

Some people won't be appeased though.

[Tangled Metal]

I knew someone who enjoyed running round a lot of Lakeland hills in 24 hours. I believe it was some round our challenge. He was 67 years old at the time. A bit of a curmudgeon who I could easily imagine writing such a letter about the lakes.

Another person ran from windermere to Coniston, ran a 24 mile challenge route to check it out then back home to windermere again. She was late 60s too. Not a curmudgeon though.

Certainties about what is possible for people you don't know is limited by the fact you're making assumptions. Those may be very valid and correct.

The Bob Graham Round? For fit lads and lasses.

Quite. Makes for a half decent long weekend though with ul kit.

[Bonefishblues]

I'm guessing the letter was written after that despicable hate-filled programme against cyclists on Channel 5 the other day. Just goes to show: prejudice spawns prejudice; hate spawns hate. Where will it end?

As it happens we went for a stroll in the New Forest last Sunday - fairly late in the afternoon. Despite it being a Sunday, warm and sunny, once we were clear of the car park (yes we drove there ) there was hardly a soul about. Yes there were plenty of ponies, but no humans. As peaceful a walk as they come!

We have had an encounter with an extremely unpleasant individual on an earlier visit to the Forest. But I'm hoping that was a one-off.

Some people won't be appeased though.

Was there also a similar anti-BBQ programme, also an anti-rope one, and what else did they rant about?

Not sure it 'goes to show 'anything tbh, nor do I think it's anything about very much, as I may previously have intimated

[pwa]

There are two main problems with BBQs in rural / beach locations. One is fire risk and the other is abandoned rubbish that somebody else is presumably expected to clear away. I have known hard working park rangers, with a long list of other jobs to do, frustrated at having to spend Monday mornings filling a trailer with all the BBQ and pop-up tent rubbish when they would prefer to be getting on with projects to improve facilities.

[661-Pete]

Was there also a similar anti-BBQ programme, also an anti-rope one, and what else did they rant about?

Lighting any sort of fire - including barbecues - in an area with high fire risk - is generally agreed to be anti-social. I don't know about New Forest by-laws but in many similar areas there are prohibitions on fires.

I wouldn't know about rope swings - unsightly, maybe, and a risk to wildlife?

The point I was trying to make, was that the writer saw fit to bundle 'cyclists' with all the other 'undesirables' he mentioned. I have a feeling, cyclists might not have had a mention had it not been for the programme in question.

[Bonefishblues]

Was there also a similar anti-BBQ programme, also an anti-rope one, and what else did they rant about?

Lighting any sort of fire - including barbecues - in an area with high fire risk - is generally agreed to be anti-social. I don't know about New Forest by-laws but in many similar areas there are prohibitions on fires.

I wouldn't know about rope swings - unsightly, maybe, and a risk to wildlife?

The point I was trying to make, was that the writer saw fit to bundle 'cyclists' with all the other 'undesirables' he mentioned. I have a feeling, cyclists might not have had a mention had it not been for the programme in question.

That's looking through a cyclist's lens, perhaps?

Were I a BBQ aficionado, I might be similarly upset at being bundled with the others

[Tangled Metal]

I'm offended! As a keen rope swinger who does no harm to anyone I resent being linked to the polluting BBQers.

[Bonefishblues]

I'm offended! As a keen rope swinger who does no harm to anyone I resent being linked to the polluting BBQers.

We live in a ropist world I'm afraid. A person can't walk through the woods with their favourite rope without being approached by those who are against swinging.

[Tangled Metal]

Rope swinging if you don't mind. Swinging without mention of rope is so passé. It's a seventies thing and definitely not what I do!

[Cyril Haearn]

TM: bungee jumping?

[661-Pete]

I shouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a fair bit of Swinging goes on in the New Forest. But as I said, we didn't meet a soul, so remained blissfully unaware of this possibility. Even the ponies were behaving themselves....

[Bonefishblues]

I shouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a fair bit of Swinging goes on in the New Forest. But as I said, we didn't meet a soul, so remained blissfully unaware of this possibility. Even the ponies were behaving themselves....

I'm sorry, but this just came into my mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMikaIYbFu8

I assume everyone's seen the clip, but if not, worth searching out the full clip, because excellent.

[Cyril Haearn]

The new forest has been a suburban park for hundreds of years