Parking is possible
for up to eight cars but, because the car park is basically a
lay-by, carelessly parked cars can result in it quickly becoming
full, making the site inaccessible during periods of peak
demand.
Access within the
site
The main part of the
site is too dangerous and too fragile to be accessed by visitors
without the provision of significant infrastructure. Access is
mainly limited to the railway track running along the edge of the
reserve and to viewing points at either end of the reserve. There
is a boardwalk that gives some opportunity for visitors to get out
onto the bog, but this is narrow and quite difficult to walk on,
and does not take people to the areas that they would most like to
see. Access to the boardwalk is for permit holders only, and this
is likely to deter most visitors who believe (incorrectly) that it
is necessary to have a specific reason in order to obtain a
permit.
Site
safety
The bog is a
naturally forbidding place, and the difficulty of the terrain is
immediately apparent. People are unlikely to be tempted to walk on
it and it would certainly be unsafe to do so.
Carrying capacity
of the features
The bog itself is
extremely fragile and has no carrying capacity without the
provision of a hoardwalk. The largest raised mire, which is
relatively intact, is a rare example of this type of habitat, and
it should remain undisturbed in order to protect it and to retain
its wilderness qualities. There is a risk that people will disturb
ground-nesting binls in the immediate vicinit) ol where they are
walking, and dogs are particularly likely to causi
problem Wintering flocks of wildfowl are also
vulnerable to disturbance, and (his will limit any potential to
open up large areas of the bog. Public access to the bog should be
restricted to a boardwalk.
Carrying capacity
of the site
The site is
extremely large, and a boardwalk would encroach only on a very
small area, leaving the rest of the bog largely undisturbed. Given
the remoteness of the area, away from large centres of population
or tourist routes, any improvements to access would be unlikely to
attract enough people to damage the wilderness qualities of the
site. Any development of car parking facilities should be such that
it did not allow for excessive numbers of people
Summary of the
evaluation
Currently, the site
does not fulfil its potential to allow visitors to enjoy such a
rare and fascinating habitat, but there would be little point in
trying to attract more people because parking and access are not
adequate. The existing boardwalk is not easily accessible, and
people do not feel encouraged to use it. Parking and access for
walking, birdwatching and wheelchair use could be improved
enormously without detriment to the site. The remote location and
relatively large size of the site mean that excessive numbers of
visitors are unlikely to be a problem.
