I think it's a bit unfair to blame retired "offcumdens" (I'm one myself!) for pushing up house prices in the Dales. It's the vendor that sets the asking price, after all, and houses in the Dales are sold in the same free market as houses in Berkshire, Wales or central London. Local house prices are high because this is one of the most attractive places in the country to live in and one of the major attractions is that planning policy in the NP means that you are guaranteed (almost) that no-one is going to come along and build a housing estate or a motorway on your doorstep, both of which my wife and I have had to put up with in the 20 years we lived in Berkshire, not from choice, but in order to find work. I don't believe that newcomers create the drawbridge effect you describe, in fact most that I have spoken to would and do support planning applications for new housing which are based on "local need". The National Park's planning policy allows for this and I believe that residents and Parish councils should support local needs planning applications where possible, and object to those they consider to be not in the interests of a thriving community. But too many people have a "us and them" attitude when it comes to planning issues. Everyone is free to write and comment on planning issues and if we don't, how can the NPA planners know what we, the residents of all ages and backgrounds, want?

You make excellent points and I agree with many of them. However, I support wind power, and to a lesser degree, hydroelectric power. I like the fact they are clean sources of energy. I see your point about a loss of scenery however, and I'd like to offer you this rebuttal.

In Massachusetts there is a "battle" being waged presently because of a proposed 130 turbine windfarm off of the coast of Cape Cod. Many Cape residents object to the project, citing "not in my back yard" reasoning and arguing that windmills they are ugly and mar the landscape, etc.

If we continue to burn carbon based fuels and continue to produce noxious greenhouse gases, the oceans will most certainly rise because of global warming. Some of the first places to be affected will be the Massachusetts coast and the British coasts. The coasts offer beautiful scenery of course, but if we continue to live the way we do, burning what we burn to support our ways of life, that coast line will change,

I feel that many people here fear that the ocean views they have from their million dollar vacation homes would be different with the presense of windmills, but we have the potential to lose all of their homes and the land if the sea rises even 15 feet, and scientists think it could rise even more than that within the next century!

Again, just my opinion.

I have read the information that you have supplied and I cannot agree with you, fox hunting is a terrible sport and it should be banned immediately and it is pathetic to watch grown men chase a dumb animal for hours and then in the end to watch it torn to pieces. I suggest that you all find better things to do with your time.

I see that a large proportion of the views expressed in these pages are offered by wimps who decline to make their names known. I would like every one of them to know that I, for one, have no more respect for their opinions than I have for any person who will not be seen in public without a mask over their head.

Tesco duped Shaftesbury Town Council and North Dorest District Council into believing the only free car park (used by traders, shoppers and tourists) would stay open during construction of their supermarket. Not only did they close the supermarket causing a huge downturn in trade in Shaftesbury before they even got the foundations down, but they conned the District Council into overturning Tree Protection Orders on a historic line of sycamore trees (120yrs old) which they said were "diseased". Within minutes of getting the TPO overturned they chopped down the trees and sold the timber (in prime condition) to a sawmill. The petrol station opens next week (which threatens trade at Esso and Texaco garages within a 1 mile radius) and the store itself in November. It will kill off trade in Shaftesbury including an excellent butcher and three bakers, not to mention several newsagents and seriously affect trade in other stores like Boots and WH Smith. What Tesco have achieved is a huge ground swell of anger and resentment with many people vowing not to go near their store and to support local shops as long as they can remain open. The Town Council is in danger of being overthrown - voters have called for a special Town Council Meeting so they can pass votes of no confidence in them. A Community Forum was created as the Town Council thought they were too important to listen to the views of their public gallery - result - the vacancy on the Town Council was filled by an independent who was nominated by the Forum.

Oh dear, old Mr Sheard still hasn't grasped that he and other blind "honest country folk" like him are alone responsible for perpetuating this us-and-them, townie vs country fallacy. Nobody else in the country seems to have this view - I'd almost think he enjoys putting himself and the minority of his more vocal rural dwellers on a podium, far above all us clearly dishonest townie riff-raff, again perpetuating the class war angle. Will he ever just not be happy? If country life is just so tough, why not give it up? Evidently, life for everybody else must be a ball! Happily I remain aware there's far more people in the countryside who don't make a career out of whining.

Here's the scoop - we're all living on the same tiny island, and we're all dictated to by the same selfish bunch of idiots. More than fox hunting itself is this insistance that the self-professed country folk are in some way above the law, that they're somehow better than the rest of the population, that they require special protection and exemption from any and all change the rest of us have to face. (Although I don't recall the countryside rallying to the aid of the fisherman and miners when their industries gave way to market forces. Hmm).

The true problem, we all know, is not the sport itself, it's the fact this one group of rather violent, arrogant aristocratic nobodies with a bit of land to their name have, for once, been told what not to do, and they don't seem like it.

And no twaddle about loosing "yet another" tradition either. Stop farming in air-conditioned tractors and combine harvesters, stop herding the sheep on quad bikes, stop buying yourselves shining new 4x4's every couple of years, and then maybe I'll have some respect for the tradition argument.

Besides, which is it the rest of us are to believe? The Hunt is encourages a good fox population? The hunt is an effective means of control? The hunt plays little to no part in control? The hunt masters themselves can never seem to agree. And incidently, enlightened Mr Sheard, the fox isn't the most succesfull canid on Earth for no reason. It won't kill every chicken for no reason. Given the chance, it'll cache as many as it can for later. Perhaps you should observe this cunning foresight and errect a fence that works, maybe then you'll no longer be out-foxed.

But let me guess, I don't live in the country right now, so my passport to common sense and any view whatsoever on the matter must have been left behind somewhere else... How convenient.

I don't trust John Sheard's "spiteful townies" line. Nor do I trust the suggestion that the fox would be better off were hunting to continue. Perhaps what John means is that anyone who lives in a city cannot possibly have a legitimate view about an issue beyond the tarmac.

It is also puzzling that he points out that foxes enjoy ripping hens to bits. So what? Many creatures do terrible things to one another and to suggest that justifies human intervention is specious. I neither like not dislike foxes. They're just foxes. You don't hunt crows with hawks. Let nature and the farmer's gun be the leveller.

I now live in London, but my family are in Craven, north Yorkshire, and I spend a lot of time there. I love it. I also had to watch the fields empty. It didn't affect me economically, but it distressed me nonetheless. Most country people use cities from time to time. So, in a social sense, we are all a mixed race, and the better for it.

But when "townies" - if you insist on calling us that - say they dislike the ritualizing of killing, don't try to sneer away our views by dismissing us as urban nazis. We have an opinion, as you do.

Which party went to the polls under the clear pledge of ending hunting? And won thumpingly. What was undemocratic about that? You might think Labour - and I - have misunderstood the realities and consequences of hunting, but that's what happens in politics.

History is littered with bullies who hide their mass and menacing activities under the guise of upholding freedom. Ask yourself, who's trying to shove who around here? You have less support than you've allowed the TV cameras to persuade you that you have.

For other reasons which don't concern us here, I won't ever vote for Labour again while Tony Blair is in charge. But he's right on this. The shame is he didn't do it seven years ago.

When, as a consultant, I was invited to advise YDNP on its public relations some years ago I was amazed to encounter more than one officer seemingly unaware of man's role in shaping and, more to the point, maintaining the landscape so many people admire.

They were -rightly in one sense - proud of the fact that it was hard to notice their greatest achievement: the fact that the typical Dales landscape hadn't changed at all. But unless farmers make a profit and without a thriving rural economy built on more than tourism and Calendar Girls publicity, I can't see where the money is coming from to sustain this living museum.

And another thing (or two) : no self-respecting waller would cement his copings (your pic) and he certainly wouldn't be eligible for CLA Yorkshire's walling competition, the only one of its kind in the British Isles (ie for real walls in real places -not just at shows- that are built to last). Make a diary note: mid October. We'll be celebrating the winner of this biennial contest.

A one-sided and frankly ignorant article. "there would be no great silence to rip asunder, no wildlife to terrify, no beauty to despoil. It is to me a great shame that people with enough wealth to squander on pointless toys do not also have the insight to understand the offence they cause to genuine country lovers."

What on earth possesses you to generalise in such a blunt, inaccurate way? I am a country lover, I live here, love the wildlife, revel in te beauty. I ride a motorcycle...presently on the roads, but am taking-up green lane riding very shortly.

May I ask if these green lanes and bridleways are a public right of way? If so, aren't al member of te public to be entitled to travel such paths?? It's very easy to put forward a one-sided point of view such as yours, but then again it's easy to be selfish and ignorant.

Much has been said about the damage to Mastiles Lane by recreation motor vehicles. Currently there is an 18 month ban to see what happens if there are no recreational motor vehicles.

If you go onto Mastiles Lane today, you will see three things:

1. Repairs carried out by the National Park Authority in February 2004 (without telling the county council). Presumably so they can argue that no use of the lane means the lane heals itself, (truly a miracle!)
2. Secondly, deep recent tractor marks causing damage to Mastiles Lane coming from the track that leads from Lee Gate Farm north to Mastiles Lane. They must have been caused by farm use as recreational motor vehicles do not have tractor tyres.
3. Thirdly, 300 yards of used stone and gravel dumped on part of the lane in an attempt to hide agricultural tyre damage. Not done by hte council, so must have been done by local farmer.

Perhaps recreation motor vehicles are not the villians after all!

Although the incident with the farmer happened two or three years ago, John does make a good point. I agree that countryside behaviour needs to improve, to make sure the beautiful dales is in impeccable condition but blaming a pack of ‘youths’ every time he has an issue with the countryside being spoilt, is not fair. I read most articles written by John and there have been occasions where I find him biased in favour of farmers and prejudice against teenagers, and because I am myself a 17 year old female who finds farmers irritating and incompetent, I often disagree with his way of thinking.

I appreciate that John has relevant points and needs to make them clear so instead of jumping on the first issue that pops to your head, try addressing the situation from all angles. I am not trying to criticise but it is hard enough growing up in the pretty dales and trying to enjoy the country life without rural rednecks breathing down on us waiting for my generation to make a cock up!

Perhaps it its more effective to be on the inside of an organisation taking full part in the decision making process and shaping its future than being on the sidelines refusing to play.

How can we be taken seriously with the likes of Robert Kilroy-Silk vowing to "lead a guerrilla campaign to wreck the working of the European Parliament.” A wasted vote is voting for a party that doesn't vote in the European parliament! We are still suffering from the setback of not joining Europe at its inception in the 60’s.

It’s probable that the reason that Churchill was unable to convince Britain that its destiny lay in Europe was that we, alone among the European combatants had escaped both conquest and occupation. Perhaps because our experience of the Second World War was so different from the continental experience we still believe that national self-assertion is strength, not a weakness. The continentals tend to view nationalism, as demonstrated by UKIP and the BNP as the causes of war.

Yes Europe has problems with fish stocks, quotas, scandals and subsidies, more the reason for us to work closely with Brussels to repair these faults. If Tony Blair can succeed in persuading us that we too are part of Europe, he will deserve his place in the history books.

I have a British Bulldog named Chester, He is the most beautiful dog you could ever wish for. At 12 months, I found out he had cancer which was successfully removed and at 24 months he had to have pins inserted in his back legs, but since then he has not had too many problems.

I am so glad I chose a Bulldog as they are the most loyal, charming and charismatic dogs on earth. I hope he is around for many more years to come.

You bemoan the fate of our "efficient (and uncorrupt)" farmers: while I acknowledge the fact that many of our Dales farmers are the custodians of the landscape that we all love, I would like to point out that:

1. Many farmers are too 'efficient', leading to the destruction of hedgerows and spraying land with dangerous pesticides and herbicides to produce food in the most efficient way when we're already producing more than we can consume.
2. There are plenty of corrupt UK farmers out there as well - some of our wealthiest and most aristocratic landowners are raking in huge amounts in subsidies that should have gone to people who really needed it.

While I do not doubt that there are far-reaching problems with the Common Agricultural Policy, I hardly think that the best way to approach the problem is by turning our backs on Europe entirely as UKIP proposes: this would merely mean that the farmers to loose the extremely favourable trade agreements that we have with Europe, making it very difficult for anyone - let alone farmers - to export their goods to European countries.

Furthermore, the problems with UK agriculture is arguably much more due to the power weilded so irresponsibly by the supermarkets. In their drive for ever-cheaper food (driven by consumers), they force suppliers into agreements that are crippling for the producers, as it means they have to sell on their produce at little above cost to be able to meet the agreements or be able to compete on a cost basis. One would suggest that a strong European presence is our best chance for making sure that the producer's rights are protected, and the might of the supermarkets is brought under something resembling control.

And I hardly think you can blame Europe for the fact that people aren't wanting to do relentless years of back-breaking labour on a farm - perhaps you could blame the current school system, which gives our young farmers of tomorrow a chance to see another perspective and maybe even choose a different career for themselves: it would be far better if we went back to farmer's children leaving school to work the farm at a very early age so they never want - or have the chance - to do something different!

You request not to be called a raving Xenophobe - but this article is clearly ill-informed, reactionary and extremely naive.

You have hit the nail on the head. That is what we voted for "A Common Market" and nothing else. This country is being, as you say,raped.

I can't understand why British lamb is the same price as that sent from the other side. It does not make sense. We are just being screwed and have gone belly up. I and so many people in this area are 100% with you.

Hi im a land rover owner and enjoy going down green lanes and i do see your point, but we drive down many green lanes that do not get used and haven't be used for years, on our way through we clear the path and make it useable for all. we dont go out of our way to dig them up, if we feel they are getting bad we move on to another site. But not all green laners are as sensible as us, so why cant we all work together on this and somehow regulate it so we can all be happy.

Some off us are very sensible with our coutryside but some are not we should have laws we can all agree on, hay if only it was that easy.

I'm not a PC Townie as you put it, but you'll probably think of me as one... The Coup De Grace is practically non existant, the dogs outrun the horses and will rip the animal apart before the men can get near it, the huntsman wouldn't want to hurt his poor innocent dog by firing a shot near it would he? You mentioned the fox attacking chickens to satisfy it's bloodlust.. What about the other 2 creatures involved in hunting? The only partly reasonable excuse not to ban hunting is that there's a lot of dogs that would become useless if it was banned, but then killing them shouldn't be much of a problem to someone who is going around killing foxes anyway...

As a Yorkshire man currently living in Cambridgeshire because of the job I go home to visit my mum in Burley-in-Wharfedale as often as possible. My family and I are regular visitors to Bolton Abbey and the surrounding walks and we have always been grateful to the Duke and his family for allowing us ready access to this beautiful area, and for the fantastic way they look after the park and valley. The 12th Duke had a good, honest and much loved man and teacher in his father, I hope he carries on the good work.

Mr Sheard may be interested to learn of the UK Phenology Network, which is working to gather both present-day and historical records to establish how the seasons are changing over time.

We have nearly 15,000 volunteers across the UK who send in the dates of spring and autumn events, such as the arrival of swallows or ripening of hawthorn berries, and this information is added to what is now the world's biggest database of its kind.

Our website is at www.phenology.co.uk, where you can view up-to-date maps of spring's progress, send us any records you have kept in the past or register to be a phenology recorder - helping to keep an eye on seasonal changes in the Dales.

For the life of me I cannot understand the objections to GM trials. As in medicine or anything else, we shall never be sure of the results of such crops unless we permit some carefully monitored trials. On the face of it, at the moment I'm all in favour of going ahead for two reasons:-

1. We've been eating GM crops imported from the US and elsewhere for years without any apparent adverse effect, and...
2. I know that permission to grow GM sugar beet would result in the reduction of crop spraying by 80%,(1 spray instead of 5) which can't help but be good for everyone, farmers and public alike. After all, people have been grumbling about the pollution caused by spraying crops for years.

For goodness sake, let's stop nannying around the subject, go ahead with some carefullly supervised trialling, and find out the effects once and for all. Talk about a nanny State!!!

Pure, raving polemic. Is there a single aspect in which Sheard's rant furthers the confused and emotive topic of countryside use?

Having recently puchased a pointless toy of my own, in my case in order to access my own land, I was told whilst visiting friends in yorkshire that I could drive it over a fantastic unsurfaced road between the fine crags of kilnsey and malham.

Up I ventured, from Kilnsey, and it truly is a stunning place. Of course I was turned back by the TRO signs, and thus thought to learn more about recreational vehicular access. I must say the level of the debate astonishes me - infantile barely covers it. I apologize to those interest groups that employ level heads (GLASS appear ok) but to the rest of you sullen, defensive offroaders and raving armchair ramblers, if your intention is to keep people away from the english countryside altogether, out of sheer despair at the pigheaded stupidity and bigotry apparently prevalent there, then you're doing a fine job.

By the way, Mr Sheard, do you use your fly rod to make money? Or is it just a toy?