Walking Holidays in the UK

The Hexham Courant is today reporting a proposal for an “Alpine Style Gondala Facility” to link the town of Haltwhistle with Hadrian’s Wall. The Haltwhistle Partnership appears to be behind the scheme.

Haltwhistle Partnership project manger is quoted in the Courant: “One of our key objectives is to encourage the economic wellbeing of Haltwhistle and district, and any project that offers this potential benefit should be given consideration.

“Whether or not the cable car concept proves feasible here, it has definitely stimulated a lot of debate and encouraged people to think more broadly about income generating possibilities for the town and surrounding area.”

Whilst the Northumberland National Park Authority described the proposals as “interesting and innovative.” What’s that code for I wonder?

It all looks like a bit of a publicity stunt to me. Undoubtedly a cable car ride covering several miles would be a great tourist attraction – but I just can’t see how the finances would ever stack up – without shedloads of public subsidy. I’d have to be convinced that such a facility could be built without scarring the most dramatic section of landscape Hadrian's Wall passes through.

Labels: Hadrian's Wall, Pie in the Sky

# posted by Rick Cooper @ 18:08 0 Comments Links to this post