Two voluntary contribution boxes have been installed at the ´Popular End´ (Hooks Carr) of Stanage Edge. All contributions from these boxes go directly to defray the cost of maintaining the North Lees Estate, which has to be met somehow. The National Park has effectively had its budget cut for this year and the next two years. Voluntary contributions are about the only option for asking visitors to contribute towards keeping the place as they like to find it. The BMC supports the installation of these boxes as a much more desirable option than Pay and Display machines, set charges and penalties. Please use them whenever you can. ————————— Whilst on the subject of Stanage Henry Folkard has been in touch this week to point out that there has been a spate of break ins to cars parked for Stanage and Higgar Tor. Your best bet to avoid being broken into is to leave your glove box/es empty and open, leave nothing in the back of your car, and make sure that would-be thieves can see that there is nothing there, and get hold of one of the Police warning fliers stating that your car contains valuables.————————— A proposal for a voluntary access agreement to restore access to the popular Vixen Tor landmark in Devon is to be discussed at a Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) meeting on Friday 3 March. It is understood that the DNPA will offer a management agreement including a payment of £1,500 a year to the landowner. This is in line with access payments under other management agreements. However, it has been reported that the landowner is looking for a one-off payment of £30,000 and an annual sum of £35,000 plus insurance costs.More details on the BMC website ————————— Last weekend an avalanche hit the World Ski Mountaineering Championships in Italy. Nobody was killed, but 7 people, including competitors, were injured. Full story on Czechclimbing ———————————————————————– If you have any news worth reporting please contact Matt – matt@planetfear.com / 0114 2969114 ———————————————————————– In January Swiss climber Ueli Steck soloed The Young Spider, a route he established on the Eiger´s North Face in 2001. Graded 5.11d, A2, WI6, M7 the 1800 metre route tackles the wall left of the Harlin Direttissima. Meanwhile in Fenruary American Whit Magro soloed the 700m WI5 water ice climb Losar in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Source: Climbing
