 Helping Nick Harvey, North Devon Lib Dem MP, launch the blimp |
Launch of the Two Moors CampaignBlimp near Batsworthy CrossSaturday January 27th 2007(click here for more about the campaign)A few photos and notes about the event, by Christine Lovelock, as a follow up to last year`s visit to the area. read about the blimp in the western morning news |
 Looking up at the blimp |
The view from the JCB. Two photos joined together to give a full view. |
 |
Click on the image to see a larger version, and get a better impression of the scale of these monster turbines |
Scroll down for message of support from Sir Ranulph Feinnes
 At the gateway to Anita Cole`s field, close to the actual Batsworthy Cross site. It was an overcast morning but not as cold as it had been earlier in the week. |
 Here are some members of the Two Moors Campaign, and local residents, meeting up to see the launch of the blimp. Refreshments - tea, coffee, cakes and homemade soup - were served up in the trailer, and very welcome! |
|
 Anita and friends had laid out tapes showing the full length of the turbine, and the blades. It took four minutes to walk round round the circle that would be swept by the blades. We were held up aloft by a JCB to take this photo! In the far distance, we could see Dartmoor, and Yes Tor. Behind our backs, when we turned, glimpses of sunlight lit up the tawny hills of Exmoor. |
 The blimp is attached to the tractor on the right. As you can see, the breeze has taken it an angle to the left, so that it is not at its full height of 103m. |
|
 L to R Caroline Harvey, Anita Cole, Ashley Gray, Louis Gray (seated) Nick Harvey , plus Delilah and Crumpet. Ashley Gray, Chairman of the Two Moors Campaign, said a few words to welcome us all. Caroline Harvey read out a message from Sir Ranulph Feinnes. He was unable to come in person but expressed his support for the campaign to stop these turbines so close to Exmoor. |
 Nick Harvey speaking. He had been impressed by the tape layout in the field - it really brought home to everyone the size of these turbines. It also demonstrated the enormous amount of concrete that would be needed for the turbine base. Link to Louis Gray`s painting of turbines |
|
 Above, more campaigners. Incidentally, being "Green", I came on the bus, from Barnstaple (No 346 to Meshaw) with a friend, but we did have to get a lift from there as there wasn`t time to walk the last five miles. The photo on the left shows the blimp through the trees by the gate. The poster speaks for itself! |
 |
|
| Earlier in the week -
Wednesday 24th January, there was a meeting of the Devon County Council
Development Committee, concerning the application for a wind farm at
Batsworthy Cross. North Devon District Council make the decision on
this application but the DCC are consultees. The decision was
deferred until after a site meeting The Two Moors Campaign submitted a petition against the wind farm (since Wednesday the number of signatures has topped 1000). |
You
can
see
this council meeting online at http://www.devoncc.ukcouncil.net/site/index.php#pp7821 and hear what Nick Harvey said in his letter to the DCC about the Batsworthy Cross Wind farm application. Many of us were there, but not often visible on the webcam. I went by bus, a good new service from Barnstaple which is called the X55 - it only takes ten minutes longer than the train. Back |