[Marty Bonnar]

In my capacity as Ops Manager with the Coastal Path here in sunny Fife-shire,

http://www.fifecoastalpath.com/

we've been doing a fair bit of work recently in conjunction with a few of our fine old Links courses.

At Leven we're looking to improve the links to the path around the course. They are having a few problems with the young 'Corsa-drivers' who like nothing more than leading the cops a merry dance around the links of a friday evening.

At Anstruther, the path is so near the shoreside fairways that you are genuinely taking your life in your hands by walking there. We're trying to keep walkers and golfers a tad farther apart with some new paths and signage.

But, worst of all, poor old Crail is once again under attack from Mother Nature and her fearsome North Sea waves. The mound behind 15tee/17 green, for those of you who know it, is collapsing badly. The mound - originally meant as coastal defences - is composed mostly of rubble and concrete from the 'Old Picture House' demolitions, but is now rapidly sliding to a watery grave. In conjunction with the Greenstaff, we're looking to gabion the whole slope - something like 35m long by 4 or 5 m high. Will probably cost a fortune! (If you've stood on the 15th tee, you may have seen the gabions already installed on the eastward side).

You may also have seen the chespale and marram reinforcements on the beach at the 4th? Fife golf - last chance to see? Might not be there much longer!

FBD.

[Bob Jenkins]

Martin,

Chespale and marram reinforcements? I am about to join Crail as an overseas member and now you are telling me it is being washed away?

I could probably "Google" that but expect you would have a better answer. Know I know what you do, it has peaked my interest to get an answer.

Have you had involvement in the Castle course in this respect, ie public access? How did your job come about? I could not fathome such a position over here in budget consious Canada (nor the US for that matter)

Hope all is well over there.

Bob J

[Marty Bonnar]

Bob,
luckily the chespale/marram combo seems to be doing the job. Those roots are really taking!

Re the Castle: There were a number of constraints in the Planning Permission with regard to the Coastal Path. The main one is that a 5m wide corridor must ALWAYS be maintained for the path so if the course starts eroding, we're a-comin' in!!

Re job: It is a wee beauty! the Path is operated by Fife Coast and Countryside Trust - a charitable organisation which is part-funded and staffed by Fife Council people - as a pilot scheme. The Council are really keen to shift some activities out of their direct control. We are the guinea-pigs. They are looking at libraries/theatres/swimming pools, etc, etc going the same way.

FBD.

[Bill_McBride]

In my capacity as Ops Manager with the Coastal Path here in sunny Fife-shire,

http://www.fifecoastalpath.com/

we've been doing a fair bit of work recently in conjunction with a few of our fine old Links courses.

At Leven we're looking to improve the links to the path around the course. They are having a few problems with the young 'Corsa-drivers' who like nothing more than leading the cops a merry dance around the links of a friday evening.

At Anstruther, the path is so near the shoreside fairways that you are genuinely taking your life in your hands by walking there. We're trying to keep walkers and golfers a tad farther apart with some new paths and signage.

But, worst of all, poor old Crail is once again under attack from Mother Nature and her fearsome North Sea waves. The mound behind 15tee/17 green, for those of you who know it, is collapsing badly. The mound - originally meant as coastal defences - is composed mostly of rubble and concrete from the 'Old Picture House' demolitions, but is now rapidly sliding to a watery grave. In conjunction with the Greenstaff, we're looking to gabion the whole slope - something like 35m long by 4 or 5 m high. Will probably cost a fortune! (If you've stood on the 15th tee, you may have seen the gabions already installed on the eastward side).

You may also have seen the chespale and marram reinforcements on the beach at the 4th? Fife golf - last chance to see? Might not be there much longer!

FBD.

Martin lad, I don't remember seeing the path running along the water by the 4th and 5th fairways and 2nd green/3rd tee at Crail.  Is it there?

[Marty Bonnar]

Yessir, O great Unc,



After the whindust path behind 15tee/17green ends (almost by Shivas' Cave!), the path gets less 'defined' and keeps to the edge of the golf course. Further along it becomes more defined again. There are regular 'waymarkers' all the way - nice wee timber posts with the path logo either routered or mounted.

The path has quite a few different looks depending on just where it is!

FBD.

[TEPaul]

Martin:

Just sit down and take a number of deep breaths, close your eyes and relax and wash your mind of all those little nubby day to day concerns, including those of course maintenance that have to do with areas collapsing and how to fix them and such, then focus with all your concentration on that age old adage;

"It is not a good idea to F... with Mother Nature."

[Dan Herrmann]

... Because Mother Nature always wins.

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