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By viv, 26 April, 2012 8:00 am

In the guest post below, Gwenda Owen of Ramblers Cymru explains how the mass trespass 80 years ago on Kinder Scout has made the new Wales Coast Path possible and how the GeoVation Challenge may help people to engage with it.

This week here at the Ramblers we’re celebrating the mass trespass that took place 80 years ago on Kinder Scout. As someone relatively new to Ramblers  I’m only just beginning to truly appreciate the ‘battles’ that have been fought to secure the right to walk on paths that I’ve enjoyed and on the whole taken for granted.

Had the working people of Greater Manchester and Yorkshire not risked imprisonment in challenging the restrictions imposed by many landowners it is unlikely we would be celebrating the opening of the Wales Coast Path on May 5^th.  The account taken from Ramblers.org.uk highlights the steps which lead us to where we are today.

‘It is widely agreed that the Mass Trespass was a pivotal event in the fight for walkers’ access rights. A few weeks later, 10,000 ramblers – many more than the few hundred at Kinder Scout – took part in an access rally at Winnats Pass, near Castleton. A further mass trespass also took place on the Bradfield Moors in South Yorkshire in September 1932.

Less than three years after the Mass Trespass, the Ramblers Association was created from the National Council of Ramblers’ Federations. Although the Federation had not endorsed the Mass Trespass, the newly formed Ramblers Association set about lobbying for access to hills, for the creation of long distance paths and national parks and for better protection of public rights of way.

In 1949, following the disruptions of World War II and a period of hard-fought campaigning by the Ramblers, the National Parks and Countryside Act was passed. Foundations were laid for access rights to open country, for the creation of national parks and long distance paths and for rights of way to be surveyed and recorded on maps.

The events at Kinder Scout on 24 April 1932 were also instrumental in the Peak District becoming the first designated national park in 1951. The Pennine Way, which runs north for 268 miles from the Peak District all the way to the Scottish Borders, was the first long-distance footpath to be opened in 1965.

The Mass Trespass also had far-reaching implications for access, culminating in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which granted the right to roam in open countryside in England and Wales. This was followed by the Land Reform Act 2003 which granted statutory access rights to almost all land in Scotland, making it one of the most walker-friendly countries in Europe.’

 Wales Coast Path

The Ramblers and others continued to campaign, negotiate and undertake practical work and we are now able to ‘beat the bounds’ of our nation by walking the Wales Coast Path .   This is what we’ll be doing on May 5^th on our Big Welsh Coastal Walk when we’ll be joined by 1000’s of people. The full potential of the Wales Coast Path to have an enormously positive impact on both local communities and visitors has yet to be realised and we hope that the GeoVation Challenge will prove to be one of the key motivators in engaging people in all that it has to offer.

Gwenda Owen
Community Engagement Officer
Ramblers Cymru

If you would like to enter the GeoVation Challenge and be in with a chance to win a slice of £125,000 in funding then hurry, the closing date is 12 noon on 2 May2012

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By viv, 25 April, 2012 8:00 am

With only 1 week left to enter the  GeoVation Challenge’ How can we connect communities and visitors along the Wales Coast Path?’ I thought it would be good to take find out where the ideas have come from. There seem to be quite a lot from North Wales and even some from England, but there are still plenty of gaps!

We would really like to see ideas posted from all over Wales and there’s still time to enter. So if you have an idea of how people who live and work along, or visit the Wales Coast Path can use digital technology to benefit from this ‘world first’ for Wales, then enter the GeoVation Challenge – you could win a share of £125,000 in funding to make your idea happen!

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By viv, 24 April, 2012 8:00 am

What better way to discover the Wales Coast Path and think of ideas to connect communities and visitors along it than to get out for a walk along part of it?  The guest post below from Gwyn Hughes-Jones first appeared on the Ordnance Survey blog in February and takes in a 10-mile section along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path around St David’s is available on OS Explorer Map OL35, North Pembrokeshire.

Starting at the car park at Caerfai Bay, follow the Pembrokeshie Coastal Path sign to the right for St Non’s Bay. After a kilometre, you will arrive at St Non’s Bay. St Non, who was the mother of St David, lived in a cottage on the site of the present chapel. It was here that St David was born in about 462 AD.

From St Non’s Bay, continue on the coastal path for 2 km to Porth Clais. Porth Clais is where St David was baptised by Elvis, the Bishop of Munster. After another 2.4 km along the path, you will reach Porthlysgi Bay – keep an eye out for the natural sea arch on your way.

From Porthlysgi the coastal path tracks around the tip of St David’s Penninsula to Porthstinian (about 4.8 km).  There are fantastic views of Ramsey Island: Ynys Dewi in Welsh. Is was here that Dewi Sant (St David) supposedly met St Patrick. There is another natural arch as you approach Porthstinian, and you will also be able to see Ordovician and Pre-Cambrian rock types providing stunning views.

Porthstinian was home to the Breton hermit St Justinian, who was, apparently, the confessor of St David. He met a sticky end on Ramsey when his head was cut off by his followers, apparently for being too strict a discipliarian!  Porthstinian is also home to the Tyddewi (St David’s) lifeboat. I realise it is not everyone’s cup of tea but I, for one, always enjoy the opportunity to look around the boat house, explore the slip way and take a peek at the Tyne-class lifeboat itself.  Those with wider interests might also be interested in the boat trips around Ramsey Island that set off from here.

From Porthstinian the coastal path goes on to Porthselau which is just south of Porth Mawr (a distance of 3.5 kilometres). When you reach the beach at Porthselau take the first footpath on the right after the campsite and follow it inland for 700 metres (ignore the left-hand fork).  When you reach the road, turn left and follow the road for 1.5 kilometres until you reach a T-junction. Turn left at the junction and continue for 200 metres. Take the road on your right which will lead you to St David’s after 300 metres.

It is worth having a look around St David’s, which is the smallest city in Britain. There is plenty to see and, in contrast to the city, the cathedral is the largest in Wales. There are several local hostelries and it is well worth seeking out a pint of Felin Foel Double Dragon.  It was the first beer in the world to come in a can but, more than that, it tastes great too!

From St David’s it is only a brief 1.5 kilometre stroll back down to the car park at Caerfai Bay.

We’ve also got a Welsh version of the walk for you:

Pa ffordd well sydd i ddathlu Gŵyl Dewi na chael taith gerdded 10milltir ar hyd Llwybr Arfordir Penfro o amgylch Tŷ Ddewi? Mae’r daith ar gael ar fap ‘Explorer’ OL35 Gogledd Penfro.

Cychwynnwch o faes parcio Bae Caerfai, dilynwch arwydd Llwybr Arfordir Penfro I’r dde i gyfeiriad Bae Santes Non. Ymhen cilomedr dewch at y bae. Mam Dewi oedd Sant Non drigai mewn bwthyn oedd ar safle’r capel presennol. Dyma le’r ganwyd Dewi tua 462 OC.

O Fae Santes Non ewch ‘mlaen ar y llwybr am 2 gilomedr i Borth Clais. Yma gwelwch Ffynnon Dewi lle y bedyddiwyd Dewi gan Eilw, Archesgob Munster. Ymhen 2½ cilomedr fe ddowch at Fae Porthlysgi – cadwch lygaid am y bwa morwrol naturiol cyn cyrraedd.

O Borthlysgian, ymlwybra’r llwybr heibio I  Benrhyn Dewi Sant at Borthstinian (tua 4.8 cilomedr). Yma mae golygfeydd arbennig o Ynys Dewi. Yma, yn ôl hanes, y cyfarfu Dewi a Sant Padrig. Mae bwa naturiol arall fel y dewch at Borthlysgian, ac fe welwch hefyd greigiau Ordofigaidd a Chyn-gambriaidd.

Roedd Porthlysgian yn gartref  i Sant  Justinian, y meudwy Llydaweg, oedd , mae’n debyg, yn gyffeswr i Dewi. Daeth diwedd ar ei fywyd ar Ynys Dewi pan dorrwyd ei ben i ffwrdd gan ei ddilynwyr, mae’n debyg, am fod yn rhy llym fel disgyblwr! Mae Porthlysgian hefyd yn gartref i fad achub Tŷ Ddewi. Rwy’n sylweddoli nad yw hyn yn plesio pawb ond dwi’n mwynhau’r cyfle i edrych ar yr adeilad, y llithrfa a’r gwch Tyne ei hun. Efallai fod rhai a diddordeb a dal cwch oddi yma i fynd o gwmpas Ynys Dewi.

Mae’r llwybr yn arwain o Borthstinian i Borthselau sydd ychydig i’r de o Borth Mawr 3.5 cilomedr). Pan gyrhaeddwch y traeth ym Mhorthselau, cymerwch y llwybr cyntaf ar y dde ac fe ddowch at y maes campio. Dilynwch hwn am y tir am 700 medr (anwybyddwch y fforch i’r chwith). Pan gyrhaeddwch y ffordd, trowch i’r chwith a dilyn y ffordd am 1½ cilomedr hyd y dewch i ben y ffordd. Yma trowch i’r chwith ac ymlaen am 200medr. Cymerwch y ffordd ar y dde a wnaiff eich arwain i Dŷ  Ddewi ymhen 300 medr.

Mae’n werth i chi edrych o gwmpas Tŷ Ddewi, y ddinas leiaf ym Mhrydain. Mae digon i’w weld ac, yn wahanol i’r ddinas, mae’r gadeirlan y fwyaf yng Nghymru. Mae yma nifer o dafarnau lleol and mae’n werth chwilio am beint o ‘Double Dragon’ gan fragdy Felin Foel. Dyma’r cwrw cyntaf yn y byd i’w gael mewn can ond, yn well na hyn, mae’n flasus hefyd!

Dim ond 1½ cilomedr sydd o Dŷ Ddewi yn ôl i’r maes parcio ym Mae Caerfai.

Our Wales Coast Path Challenge closes at noon on 2 May – so hurry you have just over a week to enter your ideas to be in with a chance to win a slice of up to £125,000 in funding to get started.

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By viv, 23 April, 2012 8:00 am

People across the country jumped at the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of open data and put tools and techniques into practice at a series of free masterclasses we hosted recently.

The masterclasses, which were run by GeoVation and supported by Horizon Digital Economy Research, were held at six locations across England and Wales and attended by over 130 people. The free all-day sessions attracted small businesses, local authorities and students interested in learning about open data and how to maximise its use.

Following feedback from previous master classes, the sessions focused on giving participants the chance to use open datasets and put the theory into practice. The masterclasses introduce the context of open data, OS OpenData and the GeoVation initiative before hearing a user case study. During the sessions people had the chance to work with data from the Home Office, public authorities and more and see how it could be put to use with OS OpenData datasets, a great framework to display other available public data.

One case study worked on included taking data on school attendance rates and crime statistics on anti-social behaviour and overlaying it on Boundary-Line (see image below).

Map showing anti-social behaviour statistics overlaid with school attendance rates

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on the master classes which we will use to improve further sessions. Congratulations to Gareth Glynn who won a £10 Amazon voucher in the prize draw.  Gareth said ‘I enjoyed the class and certainly came out the wiser – it was a tough but rewarding day’.

Don’t worry if you missed out, we’re aiming to run another series of masterclasses across the country later in the year. These may develop the current sessions by offering support for using open data in web platforms and mobile formats.  Let us know if there are any places you would like us to visit.

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By viv, 20 April, 2012 8:00 am

We were delighted at the quality and scope of the ideas of how you could transform your neighbourhoods, using Ordnance Survey products or services in the solution. A short-list of ideas (below) has now been chosen by the GeoVation judging panel and teams have been invited to develop their ideas at GeoVation Camp, 18 – 20 May, at Ordnance Survey  in Southampton.

• Show and Grow To use OS Street View and OpenStreetMap data in an online web mapping application which allows people in the local community (elderly, busy families, young couples) to volunteer garden space (by tagging the location of the space to the online map) for growing fruit and vegetables for the community.
• Charting the Coldspot An idea to reinvigorate empty and underutilised shop and built environment assets within Peterborough City Centre Conservation area’s high street.
• The Place Station Introducing owners of land and buildings across the UK to social and community entrepreneurs with ideas for transforming their local area.
• BikeSafe App: ending local bike theft with community engagement  An app to reduce and clear up bike theft using an our existing database, based on police data, police contacts and smartphone capabilities.
• My Neighbourhood – Live A web page that displays local geo-tagged content, aggregated from around the web that is tailored to the users location.
• Sustaination – food enterprise mapping & communication Network food enterprises to more effectively work together, and promote themselves to their communities. Open-data platform helps citizens map food-webs, highlighting opportunities for innovation, engagement, and re-localisation.
• Hate Crime Reporting App A smartphone app to help individuals gather evidence and submit reports of alleged hate crime to local police and local community support organisations.
• Schools in Transition: Mapping Local Communities Addressing the challenges of diminishing cheap energy and climate change by creating local solutions and more resilient, connected communities.
• SkillxShare – creating a generation of job makers Enabling people to find others locally who share their interests and can work together on specific projects to gain income is the future
• Community Transport Share Develop community transport in rural area using lift sharing and other available vehicles, particularly where there is a lack of established community transport.
• Wandelwelt: co-creating a vision for future neighbourhoods Identifying and mapping specific challenges within communities and co-creating solutions with communities we will help ensure successful neighbourhoods now and for future generations
• Where next Pilot the use of community maps to facilitate person-centred planning with vulnerable, older and isolated people as a way to enable them to engage and integrate into their local community.
• Community Animation Mapping Strengths and Assets Idea is to meet 600 people from identified neighbourhoods and unearth the latent strengths, skills and talents of local people and  map these digitally using detailed Ordnance Survey maps.
• Community Payback Visibility Members of the public will nominate locations for Community Payback work and track their progress using a smartphone App
• Safe Areas The Safe Areas web portal will provide a community focused website which will allow users to view, explore and contribute data relating to road safety.
• Block Wars – Improving Neighbourhoods Through Youth This concept develops a GIS based game where children compete and co-operate locally in order to play, whilst exploring their area.
• Residents’ Green Space Mapper Test innovative approaches/tools to support local people to survey and assess their green spaces.
• Re-cycling reminders An App reminder using GPS to remind you what bins are being recycled that week.
• Community Map Power  Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation working  with Countryscape to develop a tool kit and training package that will enable groups to use maps to innovate, communicate and strengthen their work.
• Come To Your Senses: Mapping & Sharing a Sense of Place To run an online prototype website to test how we can display the data we collect during public mapping pop-up events that we organise.

Congratulations to those who have been short-listed and thanks to all who have registered, posted ideas, voted and commented.

Whether you were short-listed or not, if you’ve got experience or knowledge that could help the ideas develop then come along and be part of it, by registering for a place at GeoVation Camp from 18 -20 May. The most exciting ideas will be chosen to go forward to pitch for a slice of £115,000 in innovation funding at the GeoVation Showcase at Ordnance Survey on 20 June.

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By viv, 12 April, 2012 8:00 am

I recently visited Pembrokeshire, staying Fishguard, to run along part of the Wales Coast Path with DragonRun 1027.  Since September last year the number of trains arriving in Fishguard (or Abergwaun to give it its Welsh name) has increased which means it is an ideal destination for those who want to travel by train, as I did. It is also a gateway to Ireland with a regular ferry to Rosslare.

The coastal path runs through Goodwick and Fishguard and the town’s history includes being the scene of the last French invasion of Britain in 1797. But our hosts at the hotel we stayed at explained how the economic downturn was affecting local businesses and as we walked around Fishguard we could see this for ourselves with many pubs and restaurants now closed.  While travelling around the North Pembrokeshire coast we could see that other areas seemed to be doing pretty well – for instance, we were unable to get a table at a restaurant in popular Porthgain without a prior booking. But I wondered how businesses and communities could connect better with the Wales Coast Path and make the most of this world first for Wales, the only complete ‘formal’ walking trail to follow a country’s entire coastline in the world. In turn how could this  stimulate sustainable economic growth, health and well- being and social inclusion in coastal communities?

During the stay there we also suffered a day of appalling weather conditions which also helped us to question how the path could be an attraction that could encourage visitors all year and not just in good weather?

On the final day, while out walking on the coastal path around Fishguard we saw children out making the most of activities in the water and I wondered whether anymore could be done to  encourage children to make more use the path and the coast?

I don’t have  the answers, only questions?  So maybe some of you have some ideas on how to make more of this amazing attraction.  If so, enter them on our Wales Coast Path GeoVation Challenge and you could win a share of up to £125,000 funding to get your idea started.

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By viv, 5 April, 2012 8:00 am

We are getting some great ideas posted on our GeoVation Challenge ‘How can we connect communities and visitors along the Wales Coast Path?’

For instance, an idea for ‘Caban’ portable, off-grid accommodation system- to provide comfortable accommodation at appropriate locations along the Coastal Path without permanent development.  The ‘caban’ could operate on uneven ground with difficult access such as woodland or rocky terrain and be completely removed when needed. It could offer shelter and facility ‘hubs’ along the route on existing campsites or more remote sites and is underpinned by an environmentally ethical design  and can provide business opportunities for the community.

Or what about an Augmented Reality Guide to the Wales Coastal Path?  An idea to create a number of augmented reality films of sites throughout Wales  from different historic periods.

But these are just a couple of the ideas already submitted.  You can vote or comment on these or, if you have your own ideas that help stimulate economical business growth, encourage visitors or support communities using geographical data along the Wales Coast Path,  – then enter the GeoVation Challenge. The  best of these will be shortlisted to attend a weekend camp to develop their ideas further and finalists will be invited to a Showcase where they can pitch for a share of £125 000 funding to make their ideas happen.  You have until 2 May to enter.

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By viv, 4 April, 2012 8:00 am

Below is a guest post from David Roberts, one of our colleagues at Ordnance Survey, who has been working hard alongside the GeoVation team to launch and run the Wales Coast Path GeoVation Challenge.

Working for Ordnance Survey has given me a double view and insight into the importance of the completion and opening the Wales  Coast Path on May 5th. The sheer size of the logistics to successfully launch an ‘e challenge’ to tackle the problems associated with the world’s first coastal path around a Country; and to bring together a nation to walk on it is immense. And yet the GeoVation Challenge has successfully brought together an extremely diverse range of people from Government through Local Authorities to professional and charity groups, businesses and individuals on and around the coastline. With their unique talents, all have expressed their thoughts, views, doubts and fears from those early meetings, but share a real desire and enthusiasm to see this work; not only for May 5^th but for 365 days per year, every year.

To get as many people aware of the opening and on to the path as possible for May 5^th, I have been working alongside the Welsh Ramblers who have led many of the meetings and workshops to ensure success. Through their informative website and electronic map of Wales they show a growing number of walking groups, their routes, leader contact details and even where the media helicopters will be flying for TV coverage. Ordnance Survey has created a giant “walk on map of Wales” using the Explorer 1:25,000 scale and will measure approx 15m x 12m. This map will be available on the opening day in Cardiff and will made available “Free to use” to any organisations who would like to use it in for, demonstrations, functions, education etc.

My own role has been working with the youth groups of Wales, including Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Scouts & Guides to ensure that as many groups from the youngest upwards are walking, camping or just having fun on the day and are aware that they will form part of a historical event for Wales. With around 20,000 Scouts & Guides in Wales, plus those on the Marches,  there has been enthusiasm from the Heads of both organisations to organise by County or Area and get the boys and girls involved in activities son the day. All of these events will be fed back to the Welsh Ramblers to be included on their electronic map acting as an information page and historical document. A special badge for Scouts & Guides has also been created for this event and will sit above the Queens Diamond Jubilee Badge.

With three major celebrity openings around Wales in Flintshire, Aberystwyth & Cardiff on the day itself this as an important staging post for the Country and with the right coverage and media it will put us on the map a little bit more firmly and encourage others to visit.

We have the coastline; all we need now is the people to share it with.

David Roberts

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By dee, 3 April, 2012 8:30 am

I thought it would be interesting to see where ideas for the ‘How can we transform neighbourhoods in Britain together?’ GeoVation Challenge came from, even though some of these may be trying solve problems throughout Britain?

This is the first time I have had the chance to use the OS OpenSpace plugin created by one of our developers and for a beginner it was very easy. (I just need to find out how to link the marker information to the actual GeoVation ideas – my intermediate stage).

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By viv, 2 April, 2012 8:00 am

Thank you all for your great ideas on the GeoVation Challenge ‘How can we transform our neighbourhoods in Britain together?’.  There were 75 ideas posted between 9 February and 28 March 2012 and over 730 of you registered on the GeoVation Community during that time – which is fantastic!

The next stage is for the judges to start reading all of your ideas and select a shortlist of the best of these which will be announced on 20 April. The shortlisted ideas teams will be invited  to a GeoVation Camp at Ordnance Survey in Southampton over the weekend of 18-20 May.

You can find out who the judging panel are below:

The Judging Panel Chair is:

Roland Harwood who is co-founder of 100%Open, the open innovation agency that works with the likes of LEGO, Orange and Oxfam to co-innovate with their partners. Roland was formerly Director of Open Innovation at NESTA, the UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. Graduating with a PhD in Physics from Edinburgh University, he has held senior innovation roles in the Utilities and Media industries and in addition has worked with 100’s of start-ups to raise venture capital and commercialise technology. In addition he has worked as a TV and film music producer for SonyBMG

He will be joined by:

Richard Bridge who is Head of Consultancy, Training and Quality at Community Matters.  He managed the Community Alliance Regional Programme, working to lead and support their network of Regional Coordinators and their work with members, and as their regional voice for the sector. He oversees the Visible Communities ™ programme, the national accredited standard for community organisations, endorsed by the Charities Commission.  He recently helped design and oversaw the development on the new online tools: The ^PreVISIBLE Review (legal compliance) and Your Value! (demonstrating social value). He represents Community Matters on Steering Groups reviewing the National Occupational Standards for Community Development Workers, and drafting the first ever national Qualification Framework for Community Development Practice and Learning. He is also very involved in the community empowerment agenda as a local resident where he lives. He sat on the board of the local community led SRB6 programme and now chairs the newly created Waterloo Community Coalition, which brings together all local community sector groups to work in partnership. He was also one of Commissioners on the London Borough of Lambeth’s Citizen’s Commission on the Cooperative Council.

Mark O’Neill who is  Proposition Director for Innovation and Delivery (formerly called Skunkworks) at the Government Digital Service, established to develop low-cost, fast and agile development and delivery capability, particularly within government’s future cloud environment. By adopting an agile and lean methodology and using open standards and open source technology, the team engages with SMEs and entrepreneurs to promote a wider eco-system of solution and service providers. Mark is currently working on a range of projects around open data, new delivery models for IT services, and entrepreneurship. Prior to this Mark was Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and also the CIO at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and worked on London 2012. Mark has worked in ICT for over 20 years and has spoken on a wide range of IT related topics at seminars, conferences and universities. Mark also writes on a range of topics from successful delivery, technology, business/IS alignment and art.

Daniel Raven-Ellison - lead member of The Geography Collective, creative director of  Mission:Explore and two time winner of GeoVation. In addition to teaching in and leading school geography departments for over 7 years, Daniel has been a writer and consultant for a range of organisations including the BBC, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Geographical Association and many more. He was an education manager at both Action Aid UK and Relief International before leaving to work full-time on projects for The Geography Collective. This has included launching a national campaign to increase the number of children playing outdoors, an international project to (re)present cities through alternative explorations and organising a range of creative geography-based workshops at major festivals. He considers himself to be a guerrilla geographer and now spends most of his time on Mission:Explore, a GeoVation supported project to increase the number of children playing outdoors, exploring new places, travelling in new ways and thinking in new ways about their world.

Peter ter Haar is Ordnance Survey’s Director of Products. Peter is responsible for all aspects of product management including product marketing, engineering, cartography and supply. He joined Ordnance Survey in November 2006, with more than 18 years’ experience in product management and business development in both the public and private sectors in GIS, location-based services and mobile technology. His previous roles include the head of GIS at the City of Amsterdam, and senior product and technical management roles in Geodan, Autodesk Europe and Intergraph Europe.”