South Pennines

Major incident declared as moorland fires merge causing ‘aggressive’ blaze at Winter Hill and Scout Road

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Whilst most of the people in the area are protected from these fires I have deep seated sympathy for the organisations affected by them. We have worked with landscape partners in the South Pennines consistently over the last decade. This area is getting public attention for scary reasons at the moment. Once the fires have died down I suggest you take the opportunity to visit it if you can, its one of the most breath-takingly beautiful upland areas of England and very little known outside of its hinterland. This article tells us:

Fire crews are returning for a seventh day as a “rapidly developing, aggressive fire” ravages moorland across Lancashire.

Two large-scale moorland fires merged on Saturday due to increasing wind speed and a major incident was declared as crews tackled the blaze.

Greater Manchester Police said fires on Winter Hill and Scout Road near Bolton have merged, with pedestrians and motorists urged to stay away from the scene.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said 10 crews remained on the scene overnight, but the number was increased to 22 from 4.30am on Sunday.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said on Saturday it had 28 fire engines tackling the moorland fires. There were approximately 120 personnel on the moors, split between seven areas of wildfire in Tameside and Winter Hill, Bolton.

For sale: a piece of Robin Hood history

I have chosen this article, not because, like the author, I grew up near Sherwood Forest (although that is true aswell!!) but because it gives me an opportunity to continue my theme on the under valued beauty of the Southern Pennines. A landscape with little in the way of formal designations but soon hopefully to become a Local Nature Partnership Area. Robin Hood had inside knowledge he retreated here to be nursed only to be tragically done to death! The place in question is the Kirklees Estate near Halifax. The article tells us:

“Legend has it that the outlaw was murdered by a waspish prioress 600 years ago, while she nursed him in the priory’s gatehouse, which is included in the sale. Before he died, he is said to have asked his most trusted friend, Little John, to help him shoot his last arrow and to bury him where it landed. His supposed tomb is 60 yards from the gatehouse.

The estate, which was the seat of the Armytage family since 1565, is looking for in excess of £7 million as a whole, or in lots. The last Armytage to live there was the late great-uncle of Telegraph racing correspondent Marcus Armytage. Today, Kirklees is run by trustees.

Marcus’s father, Roddy, the retired racehorse trainer, also lives in Yorkshire – albeit in a mere six acres. He knew Kirklees when it was a massive 8,000 acres, much of it where the M62 now snakes.

Whilst I am on the theme of Local Nature Partnerships, one of the biggest challenges those involved in them face is meaningfully engaging the private sector. There has been much rumbling and toing and froing in terms of the relationship between the LNP idea and LEPS in this context. Do any Hinterland readers have a positive experience of engagement between LEPs and pro to LNPs they can offer to me as a positive example of good practice?

Decision on plan to build wind farm on Haworth moor

Jessica and I have become increasingly interested in the South Pennines – you can share in our enthusiasm for this understated part of urban hemmed rural wilderness in West Yorkshire and Lancashire if you watch “Countryfile” on Sunday. It will entertain you with not just landscapes, but the poetry of Simon Armitage. I have never been personally convinced by the benefits of wind farms and my heart therefore sank on seeing this report on the BBC website

“Plans to plan to build a wind farm on a West Yorkshire moor near the former home of the Brontë sisters have been approved.

Bradford councillors voted on an application to install a 200ft (60m) high test mast on Thornton Moor, near Haworth.

Protesters claim the development could have an impact on tourism in the area.

The company behind the scheme said it would make a “positive, long-term difference to the area”.

The test mast is the first stage of a £12m plan to build four 328ft (100m) wind turbines.”

I had a discussion with my wife last week driving past West Burton powerstation and said this may be an eyesore but it had employed over 500 people in good jobs for the best part of 50 years – a better deal all round for the environment and local employment or am I just a luddite?