Re: Keeping the Natural landscape at Avebury | Forum

goffik Dec 3, 2007 12:21:11

Replying to Littlestone

Littlestone wrote:

A car-park similar in size to the one at Silbury, and planted with a few trees, with perhaps a couple of benches as well, would be ideal.

Ooh - dunno about that one, LS - might be a bit of a doozie... Isn't it all ancient field systems round there?

I do empathise with people that can't do all the walking, but accessibility probably wasn't top of our ancestor's list of priorities! It's a tricky one nowadays, isn't it? Cos yeah, sure - everyone has as much right as anyone else to visit these places, but at what cost? Flatten everything so less able people can easily visit the sites? Hmm... Be good if there were some way round it, but how far do you go with it? Tarmac paths criss-crossing the countryside? I know that's not what you mean, but a car park is a potentially damaging prospect to archaeologically sensitive areas...

It's a knotty one, alright! :)

G x

Littlestone Dec 3, 2007 13:16:43

Replying to goffik

It's a knotty one, alright! :)

Yup, couldn't agree more, and I understand that many folks won't like the idea. But you know what the WKLB lay-by is like - it can be completely empty and then completely full, and I've seen some pretty hairy manoeuvres there as people try to reverse into a space, or shoot out onto the opposite side of the road. One thing's for sure, it's going to get worse, and I'd rather see some thought given now to a small (even half the size of the Silbury car-park) sensitively laid out little area than something big and 'orrible with spaces for coaches and Mr Whippy vans - yuck!

New things don't all have to be bad. The new bridge over the Kennet at WKLB is a lovely little thing and someone somewhere had the foresight to suggest it and see it through to completion.

Hob Dec 3, 2007 13:39:54

Replying to goffik

goffik wrote:

[quote="Littlestone"] everyone has as much right as anyone else to visit these places, but at what cost?

Palanquins dear fellow, no need to flatten anything. Palanquins are quite literally the way forward. (And I'm actually being fairly serious here, honest)

Availble parking can be prioritised for blue badge holders, the rest of us can park further away and walk. Like they do at Templewood.