Tuesday 1 May 2012

The need for webcams to promote the Knockmealdowns,Comeragh/Monavullagh ranges.


Nire Valley,Comeragh Mts.

                                                             
The concept of being able to view your favourite mountain range from your desktop or i-phone to see what local conditions are like before setting out on a trip.
This is already happening on many mountain ranges in the U.K. exmples;Aonach Mhor,Ben Nevis,Buachaille Etive Mor,Cairngorms,Coniston,Galloway,Knoydart,Langdale,Peak District,Scafell Pike,Tryfan,Snowdon to name some and other countries around the world however not as of yet in Ireland that we are aware of.
While a webcam on top of a mountain can destroy a summits charm,sense of isolation and spirituality a webcam looking at a mountain from a distance could be an extremely beneficial and effective tool in encouraging tourists from a far greater national and international audience to at least take our mountains into consideration while planning their next mountain adventure.Some of the larger websites based in the U.K. and Europe would only be too glad to share a link to a webcam on an Irish range thus exposing our mountain ranges to unique opportunity of an audience of mountain lovers from all over the world.
A couple of examples of websites that host mountain webcam images:

Mountain Weather Information Service;
http://www.mwis.org.uk/webcams.php

Snowforecast.com;
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Scafell/webcams/latest


An environmentally friendly solution?
At present Coillte have been delivered a totally green CCTV camera solution by security experts Niscayah a "camera powered by a wind turbine and a solar panel".The development of this type of technology operating in remote rural locations with no fixed power source or telecommunications is amazing and will no doubt be very beneficial in preventing and detecting anti-social behaviour on forestry plantations.Perhaps this is also the solution to theft and rubbish dumping in our mountain carparks? Local Authorities take note.Benefits in stopping vandals and exposing a tourist destination to a major audience all in one!

Coillte cctv; 
http://www.coillte.ie/aboutcoillte/news/article/view/coillte-security-partner-wins-innovation-award/

Much larger target audience.
To have such a tool working for our mountains would place us firmly in the shop window with the ever increasing international outdoor tourism market.As the old saying goes "if you are not in ,you can't win".
The exposure that this could bring our mountains with a massive audience (many times the population of Ireland) in the South of England for instance where there are no major mountain ranges and where our mountain ranges in the South East of Ireland are closer then most of the mountain ranges in Scotland,Northern England and Wales thanks in no small way to connections to Waterford Airport are too great an opportunity to be ignored!

Waterford Airport ;
http://www.flywaterford.com/

Finally in some promotions of our mountains we are compared to  Ireland's answer to the Lake District in England.As for walking and guesthouses,pubs and hotels we are second to none,however we will never be fully comparable until we up our game and offer the variety of facilities and infrastucture that are offered elsewhere.If we get these right maybe areas like the Lake District will then be compared to England's answer to the Comeraghs or Knockmealdowns!

Ireland's answer to the Lake District?
http://www.itsafeeling.com/top-attractions/get-out-there/comeraghs.html

It is heartening to hear of the current County Mayors plans to implement CCTV in some areas of our mountains before the end of his term.
http://twitter.com/#!/DungarvanLeader/status/193248930635587584
If you agree with webcams and cctv for mountains please contact the County Mayor; cllrlbrazil@waterfordcoco.ie

                                         Knockmealdown and Knockmoylan from the East.

For more ideas and discussions regarding improving our mountains;
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waterfords-Mountains/133275260073399#!/pages/Waterfords-Mountains/133275260073399?sk=info

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