Robert's voice of reason, and calm is refreshing. The responses from new members who've signed up, are probably clear, though I'll put a better sign up form later:
The Wrekin needs to keep it's wildness, no prissiness,
development is out,
toilets should be available,
a cup of tea would be nice,
disabled should be enabled.
Parking needs to be sorted on high days and holidays,
cars whizz too fast.

It's a hot potato, nobody trusts anybody. Mad, bad ideas are floating about, gossip is being stoked, people are falling out.

Let's put our collective heads together. Let's come up with ideas, that everybody can be happy with, or a least most. Compromise, creativity and  thought.

Here's my first stab at a plan, or two.

There are disabled Friends who go up in electric wheelchairs. These wheelchairs could be hired at the foot. I'm sure those disabled Friends that go up now, would not want a smooth path, just for them. I wish we could ask them. One new member suggested a ski lift--a mad idea, but one that works for me. Finishing at the top, but starting from where? Could it be economically sustainable?

At present you can get a cup of tea from Tom's at the Halfway House on weekends. Weekdays, there isn't enough footfall on The Hill. Same on really bad weather weekend days. You can also get a cup of tea, and a pint and a good meal at the Buckatree Hotel. Why a third such place that would compete, for a tiny market too?

Why can't we make more of these? They'd be happy. Wouldn't they? So would everybody? I think most members would (I'm going to formally ask, later). What about the councils and quangos? The long suffering landowners, just want a quiet life, it seems to me.

The councils and quangos IMHO, want the pride. Of their own ideas. They're own corporate logos, on the signage, the car parks, the entrances. It's these two types of organisation who are the main drivers of change. The quangos need IMHO to get these grants, to keep themselves in business. Why don't we, the Friends, help these businesses go for the grants? The councils know about grants too, and popularity.

We could get the councils to think outside their current plans, and think of helping these businesses fulfil the needs of tourism, tea, toilets and interpretation centre(s). And open those bottom toilets on high days and hot summers. They look the part.

We could get the SWT to think about no changes. And to support the place, without their corporate branding, prissy, unnatural plinths, plaques, bridges, steps and archways. Sure, small necessary bits here, and there, but kept in character, as if they've always been there, near invisible mending.  A few more planks over this notorious bridge, a few strategic rocks as steps.

The landowners can do what they've always done. Some do nothing, some work the land. SWT's current plan is to help them.

How about shutting down the car parks, the areas of on road parking too--retuning them to their natural states. Turning that area in a 5mph area, perhaps with cameras! An extension car park on the Buckatree Hotel, would, to me, be just the ticket, to them too, I'd bet. It's 2000 feet to walk to the main gate. Hire of the electric wheel chairs would be here, maybe bike hire, too. Perhaps they'd even open a designer rambler clothes shop, though if I were them I'd go for a discount store for the outdoor market.

The Ercall would have increased importance. As a forest school it's perfect. So SWT would like that.

If only there was a more direct route to the Buckatree, from the motorway. It seems it's missing 1000 feet to cut the corner. (I've no idea who owns this land.)  That corner, at the current car parks could be so quiet!

Cameras and such a slow section would deter the shortcut traffic, but allow the access traffic. Wouldn't the village of Little Wenlock like that? Don't suppose the vandals would be happy at infra-red CCTV signs.

With the car parks returned to their natural state, it would be ideal for rock climbing instruction. Dennis Allen, the councillor and climber would like that.

A geology and history interpretation centre could be in the Buckatree--seen it once or twice and you've got the jist--but great for newbies. A nature one at the Halfway house, learning all those trees, birds and butterflies, will stand up to more inspection by the 80% who are regulars. Maybe this would be duplicated at the Ercall's forest school?

It adds up IMHO to a naked tourist attraction. No Disney World. But it's a superb, perfect, hidden tourist attraction. One that the councils would like, the anti-open cast miner campaign would point to it, and say such a hairbrained scheme is now impossible.

Great for regulars, those that don't want the Buckatree to the base, a 2000 feet walk, can be dropped off. And what about that ski lift? Imagine that going from the Buckatree, over the pool, over the forest, up to the top. Yeah, mad! Beautiful 2 miles though, huh! :-)

Just my tuppence worth. What's yours? Out of the box thinking, very welcome!

# Posted by Steve Hooker at 10/1/08; 11:12:31 PM
To the Gossip & Rumour dept.
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My ideas, what are yours?