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Post by Admin on Apr 8, 2010 20:41:46 GMT
Some may remember we walked here about 3 years ago and there was a bit of a problem and our one and only ever complaint! Today I emailed to ask if we could walk again ... below the message I sent  I'm sure you remember our Greyhound dog walking group from a few years back?
We are still going strong and now walk nearly every weekend of the month all over Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire and we have been asked if we could arrange a walk in Hatfield Forest.
We can do a risk assessment, provide PL insurance proof and references from other country parks in Essex and Suffolk that we walk and act in a responsible way.
If it's convenient we would like to walk in Hatfield Forest on either Sunday 18th July or Sunday 1 August with a start time of 10am (avoiding the heat of summer days). We would expect there to be bewteeen 20 and 30 participants we would prefer to start from the road side entrance and we would of course ensure that participants did not congregate in the car park and that a donation for parking was made. We would cut across the meadow to the lake and would expect to be in the forest for 1.5 - 2 hours.
If you could let me know if this is possible and what we would need to do to confirm arrangements.
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Post by Admin on Apr 8, 2010 20:49:43 GMT
I did apologise at the time for whatever it was that we were supposed to have done, although this was never substantiated ... here is the reply I got to todays request  Dear Janet
Thanks for the email. Yes I do remember the walk as I was on duty and had to respond to complaints that some of the dogs had fouled the pathway around the Lake and the owners had not cleaned up after them. There was also a situation at the Entrance Car Park where some owners had refused to pay for parking and had parked on the verge immediately outside the entrance, creating a bottleneck into the car park.
I will be happy to let you run the event this year providing that these two points are borne in mind and all dog owners in the group are briefed on how to behave in a responsible manner. The event is organised and therefore I would like you to personally ensure that this is the case.
Sundays at 10am are not ideal since the Entrance Gate opens at that time and if the weather is good then there will be a large number of visitors wanting to access the Forest at the same time. As with all such events, we ask that they are either run on a Saturday which is generally quieter or later on the Sunday. 11am onwards would be a good time in order for the 10am rush to ease. To avoid congestion at the Entrance Car Park, which could well be full in any case, an event with this many walkers would be better off starting from Elgins Car Park, which is inside the Forest.
We do not ask for a donation in return for allowing such events on National Trust land, but it is only reasonable that each entrant pays the parking charge of £4.60 per car or alternatively parking is free for NT members on showing their card at the kiosk.
Please could you send a confirmation email along with your method statement, proof of insurance, risk assessment and route map once you have decided how you are going to run the event.
Kind Regards
I know my views on this but forum rules forbid me from airing them |
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Post by Kelly on Apr 8, 2010 20:53:17 GMT
I was on the walk at Hatfield Forest the first time around. I don't recall anyone leaving dogs mess or not paying for parking?!  I think I'd tell the park where to stick it, personally. Go where we're welcome. |
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Post by Gizmo (Dave) on Apr 8, 2010 22:41:17 GMT
I'm stunned that you wasted so much time on that ranger from Hatfield Forest.
And as for the £4.60 they charge to park there ... dream on. There are plenty of decent parks, forests and walking venues around Essex / Suffolk / Herts. And we haven't had any problems with any of the rangers / employees.
Must be a National Trust thing.
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Post by Jane on Apr 9, 2010 9:47:40 GMT
I can't write what I feel as the obscenity filter would go into meltdown - I vote we go somewhere else and they can shove it.
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Post by Storm&ApollosMum on Apr 9, 2010 11:09:11 GMT
@*@*&%$£%^*(()(^$£"!"$^&*()&$£"£%& i think that just about covers it! |
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Post by Gizmo (Dave) on Apr 9, 2010 14:15:06 GMT
I can't write what I feel as the obscenity filter would go into meltdown - I vote we go somewhere else and they can shove it. S'ok .. I removed most of the hitwords from the filter long ago ;D |
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Post by Dixie's Mum on Apr 9, 2010 15:31:06 GMT
@*@*&%$£%^*(()(^$£"!"$^&*()&$£"£%& i think that just about covers it! My thoughts exactly! Never been too fond of National Trust - stopped off at a place on my way back from Yorkshire last weekend, as it seemed more dog friendly than a service station or Little Chef, but parking was £5.20! Lovely surroundings, but bloomin' expensive. I'm sure there are better places where we're welcome rather than wasting time with jobsworths like these. |
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Post by graham (aka Brandon Bunch) on Apr 9, 2010 16:03:03 GMT
Pity that Ms E. Rantzen doesn't still have her show on television - she used to have a "jobsworth" award which was given to firms or organisations (or govt departments) and the NT's attitude would guarantee them to win the award!! What part of "a start time of 10am avoiding the heat of summer days" did the silly cow not understand? !!!! Don't get me started - I could rant for England!! |
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Post by jacqui on Apr 9, 2010 16:05:31 GMT
Would they like us to cut the grass for them as well while we're there ******* !! |
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Post by wendysgreys on Apr 10, 2010 8:08:45 GMT
@*@*&%$£%^*(()(^$£"!"$^&*()&$£"£%& i think that just about covers it! Well said!  |
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Post by Gizmo (Dave) on Apr 10, 2010 10:10:13 GMT
Would they like us to cut the grass for them as well while we're there ******* !! Nah ... they have herds of deer there ... who cr@p everywhere. I wonder if he goes round clearing that up  |
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Post by thebrindles on Apr 10, 2010 13:08:10 GMT
OK now for what really happened!! I seem to recall there were two car Parks, one a small car park was available all the time the second a larger car park was down near the caff, the car park attendant didn't arrive to collect the money until 10.00, people using the car park before 10.00 were asked to donate via a collection box mounted on a large sign the forest side of the fence around the car park where we all gathered for a 10.00 start, locals were dodging through holes in the fence definitely not donating anything. As the walk starts at about 10.10 we have all been able to use the car park I don't think anyone from greyhound walks parked outside on the road. As the walk started we walked mostly on the grass beside the roadway dodging large cow pats and still picking up after our dogs, this is where most of the dogs would have emptied out as they normally do at the start of a walk. I feel the 11 am. start that was suggested is simply to force us to pay their exorbitant parking fees, I've also object to greyhoundwalks name being smeared through no fault of our own, greyhound walks as a group spend a great deal of time and effort promoting responsible dog ownership and arranging our walks so that they do not impact on other people using the facilities at the same time. If there is ever a meeting between greyhound walks and the ranger concerned I would very much like to attend as I feel that with this job's worth it is definitely time to Kick Ass!!!!!!!  |
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Post by debbie on Apr 10, 2010 20:47:27 GMT
He is right it is always busy there but not at 10a.m. it is busy before 10, as a few people have said, just because people arrive to avoid the parking fee. I was told about how to avoid paying when I first moved to the area. Also don't know why he should mention the parking on verges outside because there are always lots of cars all along there at weekends and during the week. The car parks within the forest are a pain too as you have to drive quite a way in avoiding kids on bikes and irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs off lead around the road. The cafe gets so busy at weekends and school holidays and kids kicking balls around near the tables is definitely too much for Sparky and not at all relaxing for the owner . Shame as it's a nice place but I agree with everyone else that there are much friendlier places around. |
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