RSPB starting to reopen reserves (1 Viewer)

[Andrea Collins]

The RSPB have started reopening some of their reserves and car parks, though not hides, toilets or visitor centres.

Current list and information here-

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/stories/coronavirus/reserve-reboot/

 

[Farnboro John]

Not Titchwell I see, even though it has a public footpath that won't have nests on it and the hides are a bonus rather than key to birding the place. Just open the car park, lock the hides, forget the money for the moment and let visitors get on with connecting with nature. Doesn't need people on site all the time. What a missed opportunity to earn some kudos.... how unsafe to make people find non-car park parking in order to use that public footpath! Bad show RSPB.

John

 

[Steve Lister]

I can understand the Titchwell closure continuing. The size of the carpark and the narrowness of the few footpaths combine to make social distancing impossible there.

Steve

 

[Steve Lister]

Frampton Marsh now open as from this morning - centre/toilets and hides remain closed but carpark and trails open. To be honest I don't see much difference between here and Titchwell except that without the hides the viewing at Frampton is not as good as at Titchwell.

Steve

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

BTW, the Burton Point path at Burton Mere has been reopened...

 

[Jon Turner]

Looking forward to Ham Wall opening....

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

I can understand the Titchwell closure continuing. The size of the carpark and the narrowness of the few footpaths combine to make social distancing impossible there.

Steve

The public footpath will never have been closed. I would have thought it would make sense to allow parking. Though Hides and centre should remain closed IMHO

Unfortunately whatever opens or doesn’t open social distancing will always come down to individuals, who either get it or don’t (get as in understand, though get as in virus works too)

 

[Julie50]

I love Ham Walls! The WT reserves near me all have small paths and lots of hides - but I am hopeful for Middleton Lakes

 

[Robert Wallace]

I guess the logic of the RSPB and also the National Trust in keeping their car parks and facilities closed is to restrict the number of visitors on their properties. Ironically at Titchwell the birdwatching can be enjoyed from the public footpath, but there will be easier social distancing if the car park, not to mention the toilets are closed. Certainly that will act as a dis-incentive to the more mature members of the public.
I have also learned that Yorkshire Water have closed their public car parks near reservoirs, which is also a bind because some of their published walks using permissive footpaths that are on open moorland on the Pennines. Very frustrating as it only encourages people to park on the roadside.

 

[Farnboro John]

I guess the logic of the RSPB and also the National Trust in keeping their car parks and facilities closed is to restrict the number of visitors on their properties. Ironically at Titchwell the birdwatching can be enjoyed from the public footpath, but there will be easier social distancing if the car park, not to mention the toilets are closed. Certainly that will act as a dis-incentive to the more mature members of the public.
I have also learned that Yorkshire Water have closed their public car parks near reservoirs, which is also a bind because some of their published walks using permissive footpaths that are on open moorland on the Pennines. Very frustrating as it only encourages people to park on the roadside.

Exactly! These organisations are making peoples lives more dangerous not less, as well as failing to facilitate legitimate outdoor leisure activities that involve exercise and improve mental wellbeing in places where social distancing is not an issue. They are off-message.

John