Green lanes were an early form of road weren't they? Are there not thousands of miles of public footpaths/bridleways? Why do ramblers feel the need to walk on green lanes? 4x4 drivers dont feel the need to drive on footpaths.

Really, there are far too many aspects of this burning question for me to answer in a way which I find satisfactory but which does not fill a book. My reaction is a tendency to treat it flippantly, which is not the way I feel.

As far as the hedgehogs are concerned, it would perhaps be interesting to find out for a change what Nature would do about it. After all, they can not proliferate without limit a) on an island and b) as their food supply becomes diminished. Nature has found a way of balancing such situations, having had a few million years experience. Of course, that balance might be the extinction of Uist hedgehogs which would satisfy Mother Nature (who has always been prepared to cut her losses)and bird-fanatics but would have hedgehog afficionados foaming at the mouth.

What really gets my goat is the fact that one can be fined several thousand pounds for killing a bat (a creature which has been described by its human familiars as, for example, "charming", "pretty" etc. whereas due to my recent experience, having been confronted by one with its fangs bared, I can assure you that there is no visage more vicious and revoltingly ugly) whereas there is, as far as I know, no protection whatever for the inoffensive and almost extinct water vole (Water Rat to the uninitiated) with which I closely identified during earlier angling days by the Yorkshire rivers and which happens to be my favourite furry friend. Added to which I do have a tendency to back losers. Of course, it doesn't have the charisma or the photogenic qualities of the otter which thanks to telly is everybody's armchair favourite, to the delight of those who make otter-raising their hobby and try to get everybody else to pay for it. As far as I am concerned, otters are welcome in Scotland where my family have watched them for years with no help from the telly experts, and not welcome here until the water vole has been reinstated.

And the red kites. How clever of the Harewood organisation to release these undeniably impressive birds. How much more clever if they could follow up with pterodactyls.

The only manner of human intervention (to be serious) which I favour is that which is (probably hopelessly) designed to correct a current massive change in the ecological balance due to some recent human activity - such as the extermination of mink. Also, I believe it would help to bring about a more desirable balance if we cultivated a taste for squirrel pie. I understand it is popular in America. Or perhaps we could export them to America? (That is no more unrealistic than importing French apples) Sorry, that was another subject. I must stop, having hardly started, partly because I have lost track of my words in this little text frame. But first, what about the proliferation of crows which are feasting on the constant supply of ready-mashed animals and birds on the roads? We should adjust the balance with an annual crow-cull. It could be made a public holiday.

If you wish to support the Water Vole, please send a cheque for £500 to my address. That is, if you can't afford £1000.

I am one of those 'townies' who have been fortunate enough to have made enough and moved into the country. To say that all townies are anti hunt is ridiculus. I personally love it. The thrill experienced during a hunt can be compared to the days (a long time ago) when I used to partake in a little aggro on the terraces of Chelsea. Why do gooders want it banned is quite simply beyond my comprehension. If it was my decision, I'd legalise dog and cock fighting, what's the difference?

Having lived in the Skipton for the past 20 years, I have definitely noticed the decline of this once pleasant market town. As John Sheard mentioned in his article, the plethora of charity shops and mobile phone outlets is unneccesary. And granting permission for a MacDonalds to be built, although out of the town centre, is very sad indeed. Oh, and I do love being accosted by sellers of 'The Big Issue' on BOTH sides of the High Street. That really makes my day.

According to John Sheard the Byways of the Yorkshire Dales are being turned into a 'battlefield' by recreational 4x4 vehicles. A photograph accompanies the article showing a government minister being shown what look like, to me, perfectly ordinary ruts and potholes. There is nothing wrong with ruts and potholes. Ruts and potholes have been a normal feature of the countryside since the invention of the wheel. Ruts and potholes only become damage in an unsurfaced road when lack of maintenance allows them to develope to such an extent that traffic is impeded or prevented from passing along the road. Since vehicles are the only traffic which can be absolutely prevented from proceeding where such damage has occured only vehicular users are justified in objecting to this damage. For this reason I sympathise with those farmers who need to use these lanes for their livelyhood and wish to minimise the damage by discouraging the public from driving on them.

Invariably lack of maintenance in these cases means that ditches and culverts have become blocked and water from higher ground drains onto the road which then becomes waterlogged and unable to sustain the weight of ordinary vehicles. Once the original drainage has been restored the eroded part of the road can be filled with stones so that it is firm enough to take the weight of vehicles. It seems to me that this kind of remedial work should not overtax the resources of North Yorkshire County Council especially if they utilize assistance from the 4x4 enthusiasts themselves.

One thing is certain however. Roads will not repair themselves by banning some vehicles from being used on them.

So milk comes out of cows, not bottles, John? Nah, it comes out of square cardboard containers, I thought everybody knew that!

A number of years ago, a motorcycling friend of mine came up from London, and we went for a nice ride round the moors, taking in a lot of unfenced roads, with which he was unfamiliar. When we got home, he complained that he had been worried that, if he had fallen off, the "woolly dogs" would have eaten him. It took quite a while to discover that he was referring to the sheep!

Don't just sit about waiting for the government to change the rules over battery hen farms. The consumers are the ones with the power. Stop buying battery eggs, and stop buying the little-better 'barn' eggs. Only buy eggs which state they are free range, or better still, buy from a local farmer/supplier. Also, give a thought to the fact that even small gardens can support a couple of chickens, if housed and cared for properly. You don't need a cockeral for a hen to lay, and your children can experience first hand the responsibility we all have to improve conditions for productive livestock.

I don't know whether Mr Sheard's suggestion is naive or not, but I do think that if it has any chance of success, now is the time: and I would be pleased if any group of British producers could demonstrate to me that I am wrong in believing that no-one in this country any longer has the drive to prevent our being over-run by opportunists of both alien and home-grown extraction.

Remember 'Le Crunch'? I find it very significant that I can't forget it. What did we do to counter that impudent move? Nothing. (The apple is, after all, the only fruit which grows to a better quality in England than anywhere else in the world). But I think that nothing will be achieved without massive publicity - like 'Le Crunch' - and that requires money.

It is interesting to read that Ben Gill is so upset at the plight of farmers, as he is one of those most responsible for it.

I cannot remember him opposing the barbarous and now discredited contiguous cull, indeed, his enthusiam for this was a primary reason that the Government was able to continue with it despite almost universal opposition from the World scientific and epidemological community, discounting, of course, the so-called "Government Scientists", who as usual say whatever their masters tell them to say.

Mr Gill's loyalties obviously lie with the Government's agribusiness cronies, in whose interests this rather fine piece of constructive mismanagement was implemented.

Neither the Government nor the NFU have any time for small farmers, none of whom make six-figure donations to Labour party funds.

Your article highlighted something that has increasingly concerned me. Having grown up in Yorkshire, I have noticed, (even in the last 20 years), how people have grown increasingly dislocated from the connection between themselves, the food they eat and the land on which it was raised or grown. Alongside this there has been an equally damaging loss of links between local communities and the local shops and suppliers. (Few people now know or care what shop, farm or even area their beef, bread or jam was made in). Idyosyncratic local foods, tastes and traditions are gradually being eroded as a result. We urgently need to wake up and realise how unique and precious a recource we are squandering for the sake of the convenience and (relative) cheapness of large supermarkets, convenience foods and bland international brands. If current trends continue we're not only going to further threaten the Dales landscape and farming communities but we'll also loose many of the culinary traditions and techniques which make Yorshire so unique.

The process of intensification and homogonisation is a hard one to challange, but it can be done. Awareness is key to this. I am at the moment setting up a 'local food' producer and supplier directory for the North Yorkshrie area. I believe by compiling a regular, free listing of the shops, farmers markets, eco-box schemes, 'traditional' and local food producers, available locally, people will start to see how much is going on, and how they can support these (and enjoy the many benefits 'going local' offers). Our traditions will only be lost if we cease to value them and let them vanish. It is up to us to ensure that this does not happen.

I expect a major financial implosion real soon now as Enronitis takes a firm hold. A large number of companies that have using creative techniques such as putting anticipated profits on this quarter's books in order to boost their share prices are having to recalculate. Some really poor quarterly figures will result, and a serious number of City Slickers will be most discountenanced. Watching from the comparative safety of the Dales, I expect this to be highly entertaining.

Whilst I have some sympathy for those who wish to maintain their personal freedom to seek recreation in their own way, it is an unfortunate fact that there are some 'ways' which society finds it necessary to curtail.

The suggestion that walkers are equally deserving of being banned does not hold water. It is true, of course, that damage is done to the countryside by walkers, but I think the relevant point here is that whilst we would not wish to deny ourselves the right to participate in countryside recreation (and God help me and others like me if we ever did. It is my belief that humankind was never meant to live in towns), we must nevertheless as a society be prepared to govern the extent to which we exercise this right.

And the point at which we are wrecking the environment in which we search for our leisure is the point at which we must stop. On the other hand, if this group of people in question have no particular interest in the countryside environment, but only in the environment of their vehicles, then they have no right whatever to ruin the countryside for others and should be kicked out. However, I think legislation would be very difficult and would certainly place a restriction on the liberty of others who have the occasional need for motorised access to the moors.

I totally agree with the views you express, and I still cannot accept that Gisburn, Bowland, Barlick et al are in Lancashire, and Dent although in the YDNP are in Cumbria!!!!

However given the meek leadership of Craven D.C. if push came to shove, we would be shoved all over the place.

Legislation in these matters is not the way forward, like any legislation, it has to be enforced and I do not expect to see with any legislation an increase in budget to provide enforcement. I see as with mountain bikers, walkers, and horseriders an increase in the amount of tresspass and disturbance to the countryside. After all if it is as illegal to travel on green lanes, it will be just as illegal to travel on common land! The only way of preventing destruction of the dales is for the national park to spend money at quarries and the like to provide areas that will attract off road enthusiasts, to keep them away from the green lanes. And as for payment, can you justify making these people pay a fee for enjoying their pursuits - I do not see toll booths springing up around the three peaks to pay for the devestation caused over the years by walkers. We must provide areas for these vehicles wether we like it or not and make them attractive to the users, or nothing will change. Legislation will only create ill feeling and argument. As a walker I do not like 4 x 4's and motorcyclists thundering past any more than I like to be disturbed by mountainbikes on footpaths. But I feel that we should cater for the minority user of the national park in the same way we cater for the majority. Lets be reasonable fair and understanding to all rather than persecute a minority for a pastime they enjoy.

Absolutely agree, however more could be done by local accommodation providers/hoteliers/pubs etc in using local meat. Here at The Red Lion the bulk of all our meat has for over 6 years been sourced directly from the farms either here in Burnsall or in the neighbouring villages.

We sell an enormous amount of Wharfedale Lamb and Beef, cooked in either very traditional dishes such as Steak and Kidney Pie with suetcrust Pastry, Braised Brisket of Beef, Lamb Stew with Dumplings or in the modern English style.

The concept is popular with our customers - they like to know where our meat is produced- we know where it comes from and the money goes straight into the local economy !!

OK. Why not make the disused quarries tips etc.. into walking sites and make walkers pay for the privilage. The added bonus would be that you have plenty of parking for everyone. - no more congested country lanes.

I see you include access for horses in your plan. Have you seen the mess those things make? I am an avid receational Enduro rider and Mountain biker and yes I race competitively in both. Perhaps if you involved the Motorised users of the green lanes in your discussions with government then a more amicable and less aggresive solution could be resolved.

Having, years ago,seen the devastation caused by an American half track to the wonderful [was!] green lane above Dent how much longer are we going to have to wait for action to stop 4 wheel drive [and bigger] vehicles destroying these ancient routes. Prohibit use now and some lanes may [?] recover. Go on like this for another ten years and Yorkshire will be a mud heap! [So, currently, no change there then] And let's stop mountain bikers as well - lets get some sense into our heritage as opposed to the current view that anybody can do anything regardless.

It isn't only the fly life that's missing - I fished often at Addingham when I was in my teens. Returning after 20 years I find I can wade in ordinary wellies where I previously needed waders. In other words, the water is missing.

So is the quantity and quality of the chub of those days. And the quantity (though not the quality) of the grayling.

Here in Michigan we also have a program to introduce the Osprey back into the area. It started in 1998 and this year we have the first pair that are having eggs. This program is organized by The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, The Department of Natural resources and the Detroit Zoo. I was one of the volunteers in 1999 and 2000. One can imagine how elated everybody is with this first succes. A second pair of Ospreys is nesting also in the park but we are not sure if they have eggs yet. They are very busy building a nest and we hope that they, too will succeed with their family building.

The car boot sale: there are many issues. Here are some:

What is a farmer? Someone who is lucky enough to own a field which he can use to run any of a wide variety of businesses which have nothing to do with farming.

A car boot sale is an ideal means for disposing of stolen goods.

A means of blocking roads on Sunday - when there shouldn't be any trading in a Christian society.

A shop where you have to pay to enter - even if you don't find anything to buy. Sadly, a lot of people fall for it.

et al.

Quite so, Bernard. I agree wholeheartedly.
And you are right, it IS as you say, an even bigger rip-off than you realise!