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Swimmers poised for biggest mass trespass so far at Kinder reservoir
Sunday’s event in Peak District will mark anniversary of Kinder Scout protest, seen as crucial in establishing right to roam in UK
“Up to 1,000 swimmers are expected to head to Kinder reservoir in Derbyshire on Sunday in the biggest trespass of the water to date. The turnout will mark the anniversary of a mass trespass that helped establish the principle of the right to roam in the UK.
“The swim trespass of Kinder reservoir, situated below Kinder Scout where the 1932 protest took place, has become an annual event and is growing rapidly with the boom in wild swimming. The event is now in its third year, and swimmers of all backgrounds are invited to the reservoir, owned by the water company United Utilities, to exercise ‘the uncontested right to swim in open water’.
“The mass trespass of Kinder Scout on 24 April 1932 involved an estimated 400 people and led to six arrests. It is widely considered to have laid the foundations for the UK’s first national park, the Peak District, and helped pave the way for the establishment of the Pennine Way and other long-distance footpaths.
“Last year about 400 people took to Kinder reservoir to mark the anniversary, and greater awareness, along with the continued growth in wild swimming, means numbers are expected to be substantially higher this year.”
House on the moors
The place I live has a lot of lakes and wooded areas, but most of it is privately owned. I see a lot of "no trespassing" signs and even more fences (fences are basically no trespassing signs by Ontario laws) Asking for permission to take photos on someone's property rarely works, because they'd rather not worry about being liable if you get hurt. So most of my photos are shot on the side of the road, and this one is no exception.
Parking Enforcement Signs - No Parking Signs
Stop unauthorised parking on private land.
Keep drive ways, Private road, Access Road and Private car parks clear of unauthorised and illegally parked cars
IMPORTANT UPDATE: It appears I have misidentified an enthusiastic and determined leaf-cutter ant as a harvester ant being mind controlled by a parasite. I want to stress that the parasite being discussed below is very real, but my photos above are probably not of an ant with this parasite. Some important discussion (including my take on making mistakes in science) takes place in this reblog thread [link].
GUYS I JUST SAW AN ANT WITH THE FREAKY MIND CONTROL PARASITE. The parasite is a microscopic flatworm (Dicrocoelium dendriticum) with a crazy lifecycle–it starts out in snails, then gets into ants, then goes to cows, and starts all over again. The ants affected by this parasite will climb to the end of a stalk of grass in the evening and wait there until early morning, where they will go back to regular ant activities, every day until they're eaten by a cow.
This ant is a harvester ant (I believe–last two photos are of the nest) which is interesting because the wikipedia article specifies the species this parasite affects in the US, and it’s not a harvester ant. But this spot (a ranch with a pond and lots of cows nearby) would be a great environment for the parasite to thrive. This ant was struggling but COULDN’T let go. I tried to get more/better photos with the microscope but lost the blade of grass (wind blew it away) before I could get set up.
Learn more about this parasite here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicrocoelium_dendriticum
April 8, 2017
Do "Ransom Strips" Need Insurance?
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Do I Need to Insure Vacant Land?
Owning vacant land might seem like a low-maintenance investment compared to properties with buildings or active use. However, many landowners overlook the potential risks associated with vacant land. Even if your land is undeveloped or unused, unexpected incidents can lead to costly liability claims or financial losses. While it technically isn’t a legal requirement for land owners, insuring your…