The uplands of Britain are a large unspoilt habitat. An area for seclusion, for exploration, for finding yourself. Untouched by man for thousands of years they are the epitome of landscapes from a time long gone.
That's not strictly true though, is it? Unspoilt? Secluded? Sure, this is true if you get away from the honeypot sites. Exploration - yes, and increasingly more so as people flock to explore the same areas as everyone else. You can find yourself in a large mass of other people all finding themselves at the same place, at the same time.
The land has been under the stewardship of man for thousands of years and the signs are there if you know where to look. Bronze Age man stripped the woodlands leaving burial cairns and standing stones in their wake. Iron Age man constructed massive hill forts and the romans constructed roads and made camp in the inhospitable landscape. Stalking, shooting, sheep grazing - all have left their mark and continue to do so. And now the tourists, walkers, mountain bikers, mountaineers, outdoor practitioners and, dare I say it, the trail bikers. All are putting a massive strain on this fragile eco systems.
That's not strictly true though, is it? Unspoilt? Secluded? Sure, this is true if you get away from the honeypot sites. Exploration - yes, and increasingly more so as people flock to explore the same areas as everyone else. You can find yourself in a large mass of other people all finding themselves at the same place, at the same time.
The land has been under the stewardship of man for thousands of years and the signs are there if you know where to look. Bronze Age man stripped the woodlands leaving burial cairns and standing stones in their wake. Iron Age man constructed massive hill forts and the romans constructed roads and made camp in the inhospitable landscape. Stalking, shooting, sheep grazing - all have left their mark and continue to do so. And now the tourists, walkers, mountain bikers, mountaineers, outdoor practitioners and, dare I say it, the trail bikers. All are putting a massive strain on this fragile eco systems.