Live music, surfing, motorbikes, fires and camping coming to a tranquil landscape in Devon
Woolacombe Down is a quiet, tranquil area of nature-rich downland above the family seaside resort of Woolacombe. The recognisable hill that rises above Woolacombe and Putsborough beach is loved by locals and visitors alike for the solitude it offers and the chance to get away from the crowds below. It is one of few areas in North Devon to remain truly unchanged and unspoilt for hundreds of years and has, so far, escaped the slow creep of urbanisation that other areas around it have succumbed to.
Woolacombe Down is only accessible to the general public via a steep climb - there is no vehicle access, save for a handful of vehicles each week from the local hang gliding club and thus it tends to only be those seeking solitude who venture up onto the Down. There is not a car park or coffee shop in sight, and, for many, this is a huge part of the attraction. As a result of this limited access, it is a wildlife-rich environment, with deer, smaller mammals and an unusual array of birds, including ground nesting skylarks.
The land at Woolacombe Down was bequeathed to the National Trust by Rosalie Chichester of Arlington Court to ensure its preservation for generations to come and, until recently, it has been allowed to flourish naturally and in the care of the local farmers who understand this land best.
However, the National Trust has now decided that Woolacombe Down must earn its keep and, in conjunction with Wavelength Surf Magazine, has planned the 'Spring Classic Festival' a music, 'moto and van culture' festival on the top of Woolacombe Down. There will be, according to the SpringClassic.co.uk website: 3,000 people, camping, glamping, a stage for live music late into the night, a skate park, a motorbike show, motorbike 'ride outs' in the local lanes, a campervan expo (attendees are encouraged to bring their own vehicles to camp) and 'open fire' cooking, not to mention the 700 anticipated cars expecting to park and all that comes with an event of this size (portaloos, fencing, staff, security) - all this in the adjacent field to where the skylarks nest.
The National Trust maintains this is 'not really a festival', but a 'showcase' of the natural environment on Woolacombe Down - this seems an odd way to describe a motorbike and music festival. The National Trust maintains there will be no issues with the event, no environmental impact, no traffic problems, and that the skylarks and other wildlife will be fine. Locals who challenge the National Trust on how and why they believe there will be no impact are fobbed off with vague answers or silence. Many locally cannot fathom how the organisation entrusted to keep this beloved land safe can so callously damage it. What for many was one of the last truly wild places along this stretch of coastline has become nothing more than a means of making money from those who would otherwise have no interest in it.
In a world where everyone is encouraged to 'leave no trace', it seems inconceivable that such an event can occur without a significant, adverse and lasting impact on this special place and its inhabitants. The immediate knock-on impact on locals will be significant, but it is the lasting damage to the Down and its uncertain future that is most upsetting to those who love it for the wonderful natural haven it has always been.
This is antithetical to the purpose of the National Trust. In the past the Trust would have been scrupulous about protecting the spaces in its care, but now nothing is apparently so special that it cannot become a commercial ‘venue’ to rent.