Jaquetta Megarry made an impassioned plea at the recent annual meeting of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild. The issue that seems to have grabbed Megarry's attention was the peculiar rise of 'Trailblaze' on the National Trail network in England. If you've not being paying attention, Trailblaze is an enterprise from some 'endurance runners' to see how far they can run along a National Trail. With the permission of Natural England they have segmented a number of the nation's premier long distance walking trails with strategically positioned checkpoints, requiring participating to runners to clock in with a special plastic dibber as they pass. It is the checkpoints that have ignited the ire of a vocal opposition group. Natural England have been targetted with an e-petition, a counter website has been established and it's all become a little ill-tempered. I have a number of concerns with the saga, which I think tests the very essence of Natural England's commitment to the outdoors and recreation. It is easy to round on the 'endurance runners'. There's a section of the outdoor community that sees the countryside as one huge gym, where you can go and increase your reps, develop your quads and generally do what you would do in the local Ballantynes, except with the added threat of cow poo and barbed wire. And rain of course.
Nice folk, if a bit strange
You’ll meet these folk in ski resorts, mountain bike centres and probably your local park. Mostly they are good natured, single minded and a bit intense. I suspect some climbers fall into the same category. And some long distance walkers too. The outdoors is a big place and can usually accommodate them all in some shape or form. But it’s not the activity or the people that has caused the likes of Megarry and a few others to speak out. It is the little white boxes. Because whereas most folk who take themselves out in the countryside seem to manage independently, Trailblaze provides those who need it with a little recording mechanism, nailed to strategic waymarkers on route. They’re a little bit instrusive, and in an age of gps and smart phones, peculiarly old world. Signing up for your dibber is not cheap – you shell £20 for the privilege of having just one go, of which a whole two quid goes towards the upkeep of the trail. And if I’ve understood the charging system correctly, £70 will buy you a year’s access to the whole network, netting Natural England a whopping £7. A brief look at Trailblaze’s website suggests that the enterprising founders are not going to be sipping champagne for breakfast anytime soon, at least not from the income generated by the little white boxes.
Trojan horse for pay-to-walk
So what was the point? A niche within a niche will find these boxes helpful – many more runners will continue to keep their own times on their own watches and gps gadgets and not pay large fees for what appears to be little more than a place on a league table and a coloured wristband. The trial is scheduled to end in May 2012, after which either the organisers will demonstrate the depths of their pockets, or the boxes will be left to decay slowly until the National Trail officers get round to removing them. But in a time of austerity, any attempt to monetise the outdoor infrastructure will probably receive a positive reception from the powers that be. Would it be cynical to wonder whether this clearly unsustainable venture was being used by Natural England as a stalking horse for more serious interventions to come. After all, extreme running is always going to be a tiny market. We all know where the real money might be. Have we seen the first tentative try outs for a pay to walk scheme?
You can see more about Trailblaze at www.trail-blaze.com. You can join the anti white box campaign at www.trail-blaze.co.uk. You can observe the protagonists at a safe distance here
