Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park

 is a Quasi-National Park in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on 1 November 1955 and has an area of 45.02 km².
It includes part of the , a 130 square kilometre area of karst topography, as well as over 400 limestone caves, including Japan’s longest cave, the , which has the additional status of a Special Natural Monument. The area is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN. Like all Quasi-National Parks in Japan, the park is managed by the local prefectural government.
The Akiyoshidai Groundwater System is a Ramsar Site and wetland of international importance.
Facilities.
Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park is served by a natural history museum, visitor centre, rest house, youth hostel and park headquarters building, and is traversed by a scenic roadway and several walking trails. Events include a fireworks festival in July, a “Karst Walk” in November, and an annual burning off of dry grasses in February called “Yamayaki”.
Geology.
The plateau consists of uplifted reef limestones of Paleozoic age, which were thickened by overfolding during the Akiyoshidai orogenic movement. Subsequent erosion has created an undulating karst landscape dimpled with many dolines and countless limestone pinnacles up to two meters in height. Beneath the surface lie hundreds of caves, a few of them quite significant geologically. Numerous fossils of Pleistocene age have been found in these caves, including those of the Japanese rhinoceros, Stegodont elephant, Naumann elephant, Young tiger, and many other animals from the last interglacial period.
The area around Akiyoshidai was heavily forested about 500,000 years ago. In the Jōmon period, with the general area serving as a hunting ground and the bottoms of sinkholes as vegetable fields. Numerous Paleolithic artifacts have been recovered. As farming started in Japan the local people eventually entirely replaced the forested landscape with Japanese pampas grass for feeding their animals and thatching houses. Repeated cycles of burning the grass have kept trees from growing back since.
Akiyoshidō.
Towards the southern end of Akiyoshidai is the Akiyoshidō cave, named by Emperor Hirohito on May 30, 1926, when he was still crown prince. This spacious cave is up to 100 meters wide and has 8.79 kilometers of passages, making it the longest in Japan and one of the longest in Asia. At the present time an about one-kilometer-long section of the cave is open to the public as a sightseeing course, with a walkway and bridge system, entering at the cave's lowest point and exiting via an artificial elevator. This portion of the cave is also well decorated with a variety of large and colorful speleothems.


Cedar Mountain Wilderness

The Cedar Mountain Wilderness is located in northwestern Utah, United States, just south of Interstate 80. The vegetation on the upper elevations of the Cedar Mountains is dominated by junipers (referred to as "cedars" by early pioneers). The foothill and valley regions include mixed desert shrubs. Cheatgrass is prevalent over large areas burned by range fires. The remains of an aragonite mining camp can also be found in the foothills.
The Cedar Mountain Wilderness includes more than half of the Cedar Mountain Herd Management Area, where feral horses have grazed since they were introduced in the late 19th century. A survey conducted in December 1991 counted 444 horses, and parts of the herd can often be seen on the wilderness. The Bureau of Land Management fills watering troughs for the horses when springs dry up in the summer. This artificial water supply benefits other wildlife species such as pronghorn antelope.
The U.S. Congress designated the Cedar Mountain Wilderness primarily in response to an effort sponsored by Utah representative Rob Bishop and the Utah governor to block rail access to a proposed high-level nuclear waste storage facility on the nearby Skull Valley Indian Reservation. The project was sponsored by a consortium of nuclear power companies known as Private Fuel Storage. The project was killed in 2012 amid legal obstacles and substantial local opposition.


Shanghai Club Building

The Shanghai Club Building is a six-storey Baroque Revival building in Shanghai located at No.2, The Bund. Once home to one of the premier men's clubs in Shanghai, the building was used for various clubs and hotels after 1949. It is currently part of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund.
Structure.
The current building was opened in January 1910. The total building footprint is 1,811 square metres, while total floor area is 9,280 square metres. The building's main facade uses a tripartite design, the middle section featuring six Ionic columns. The roof section of the facade has two symmetrical Baroque-style cupolas, with intricate carved details. The architect was H. Tarrant and George Christopher Wingrove. Interior design was by Japanese architect Shimoda Kikutaro (). The most famous feature of the interior is the 34-metre black-and-white marble bar, called "the long bar".
History.
The Shanghai Club was the principal men's club for British residents of Shanghai, which was founded in 1861. The club was originally named "The Correspondent's Club". In 1864, a club building was erected on this site, a three-storey red-brick building. United States President Ulysses S. Grant was hosted there when he visited Shanghai in 1879. In 1905, the Club decided to rebuild its club building.
In 1909, the old building was torn down and replaced with a new, six-storey building, with a reinforced concrete structure in a Baroque Revival design. The new building opened in January 1910. In its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s, the Club was the most exclusive club in Shanghai.
The second-floor was famous for the "Long Bar." This was an unpolished mahogany, L-shaped bar that measured 110.7 feet by 39 feet. It was famous for being the world's longest bar at one time. Noël Coward said, laying his cheek on it, that he could see the curvature of the earth. There were also forty guest rooms on the second and third floors.
Membership was restricted to white males of a certain class. Even the famous 34-metre Long Bar on the second floor was subject to a strict hierarchy: the prime Bund-facing end of the L-shaped mahogany bar was the territory of the "tai-pan"s and bank managers, with the social scale falling as one moved down the length of the bar. A massive Italianate Grand Hall was located on the first floor, with ceilings over 12 feet high, supported by enormous Ionic columns. The hall ended in a curving marble staircase, where twin elevators whisked members to the upper floors. Here, there were all the requisites of a proper gentleman’s club: a smoking room and a library – reported to hold more volumes than the Shanghai Public Library – a billiards room, a dining room and guest rooms on the top two floors for resident members.
On the outbreak of war in the Pacific in 1941, the Shanghai Club was closed and occupied by the Japanese occupation force until the end of the war. In 1949, the building was expropriated by the new Communist government of Shanghai, and it was converted into the International Seamen Club, catering to foreign sailors. In 1971, it became the Dongfeng Hotel, and it was notable from 1990 to 1996 for hosting the first KFC restaurant in Shanghai.
From 1996 the building sat derelict, until it was leased by the Hilton group in 2009 and converted to become the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, a luxury hotel. The new hotel opened in 2011.


Great Rutland Cavern

Great Rutland Cavern is one of two caves at the Heights of Abraham, Matlock, Derbyshire, England. The other is Great Masson Cavern.
Great Rutland Cavern is a small cave consisting of a narrow passage and a chamber leading into the Nestus Grotto. Occasionally sunlight can be seen through holes in the rock, creating a pattern called 'the devil's face'. At the close of the tour is an audio visual display explaining the grim reality of mining in the 1800s.
It was first opened to the public in 1812 and was then known as 'Nestor mine'. It was then, and previously, mined for lead and various other minerals.


North Carolina Highway 32

North Carolina Highway 32 (NC 32) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina; it goes through several counties and small communities in the northeastern Inner Banks part of the state. It is in length, and crosses the Albemarle Sound south of Edenton, along with NC 37 and NC 94. The highway continues into Virginia as SR 32.


Dzherginsky Nature Reserve

Dzherginsky Nature Reserve () is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict nature reserve), located about 100 km east of the northern section of Lake Baikal. It covers the source and upper reaches of the Barguzin River, the second largest tributary to Lake Baikal, and is at the junction of three mountain ranges - the Barguzin Range to the west of the reserve, the Ikat Range and the South Muya Ridge. The reserve's mountainous territory is dominated by larch forests. It is situated in the Kurumkansky District of Buryatia. The nearest city, Ulan-Ude, is 560 km to the south. The reserve was formally established in 1992 to protect the biodiversity of the upper Barguzin valley, and to study natural processes of the area. It covers an area of .
Topography.
The Dzherginsky Reserve covers both mountains and river valleys. The upper Barguzin River valley begins in the southwest of the reserve, the Barguzin Range enters the reserve from the west, the Ikat Range to the east. The territory also covers parts of the South Muya Ridge and the Amutskaya Basin. The valleys and river basins are generally oriented towards the northeast. Glacial origin is evidenced by cirques and lateral moraines in the Barguzin valley. The Barguzin Ridge itself has not been subject to glaciation. The Ikat Ridge (350 km long and up to 100 km wide) intersects the South Muya Ridge within the boundaries of Dzherginsky, and reaches a height of .
Climate and Ecoregion.
Dzherginsky is located in the "East Siberian taiga" ecoregion. This ecoregion covers the area between the Yenisei River and Lena River down to the Okhotsk Sea. Its northern border reaches the Arctic Circle, and its southern border reaches 52°N latitude. The dominant vegetation is light coniferous taiga with Dahurian larch Larix gmelinii forming the canopy in areas with low snow cover. This ecoregion is rich in minerals.
The climate of Dzherginsky is "Subarctic climate, dry winter" (Köppen climate classification Subartic climate (Dwc)). This climate is characterized by mild summers (only 1–3 months above ) and cold winters having monthly precipitation less than one-tenth of the wettest summer month. Dzherginsky is far enough from Lake Baikal that the moderating effects of the lake are not felt in the reserve. The important factor within the reserve is altitude. At the valley floor, precipitation is 250–300 mm/year, but up to 1,000 mm/year in the highlands. Temperatures in July can average from to .
Flora and fauna.
The flora of Dzherginsky is heavily affected by altitude. At the high-altitudes there are three belts of vegetation: the mountain-steppe at the lowest, mountain taiga in the middle, and higher with alpine sub-zone and bald mountain. In the river valleys the floral communities are those of meadows, in combination with sedge and willow marshes.
The current inventory of animals in the reserve shows 201 species of vertebrate: 6 fish species, 3 of amphibians, 4 of reptiles, 145 of birds, and 43 species of mammals
Ecoeducation and access.
As a strict nature reserve, the Dzherginsky Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. There are four significant 'ecotourist' routes in the reserve, however, that are open to the public. These require permits to be obtained in advance. The main office is in the city of Ulan-Ude.


Bumhpa Bum Wildlife Sanctuary

Bumhpa Bum Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Myanmar, covering an area of . It was established in 2004. It ranges in elevation from and harbours evergreen forest in Kachin State.
Bumhpa Bum Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous with Khakaborazi National Park and Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Together with Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary, they form a large continuous expanse of natural forest stretching over an area of , called the Northern Forest Complex. It was established in 1996 with the objective to conserve the biodiversity of the Ayeyarwady and Chindwin river basins. It is managed by the Forest Department.
Biodiversity.
Bumhpa Bum Wildlife Sanctuary harbours tropical evergreen forest along with pine hill forest.
Wildlife recorded during a camera trap survey in 2001 included binturong ("Arctictis binturong"), yellow-throated marten ("Martes flavigula"), spotted linsang ("Prionodon pardicolor"), Asian palm civet ("Paradoxurus hermaphroditus"), masked palm civet ("Paguma larvata"), crab-eating mongoose ("Herpestes urva"), clouded leopard ("Neofelis nebulosa"), Asiatic golden cat ("Catopuma temminckii"), leopard cat ("Prionailurus bengalensis") and marbled cat ("Pardofelis marmorata"). Asian elephant ("Elephas maximus"), gaur ("Bos gaurus"), mainland serow ("Capricornis milneedwardsii"), red goral ("Naemorhedus baileyi") and golden jackal ("Canis aureus") inhabit the sanctuary as well.


Casa de Fruta

Casa de Fruta (Spanish: literally "House of Fruit") is a large roadside attraction located in an unincorporated area of Santa Clara County, just west of the Merced County line, in the Pacheco Valley of Northern California, along State Route 152.
History.
The locale was known to American Indians and was first written about when Spanish missionaries discovered the artesian well there in the 1790s. The water source was popular during the Gold Rush.
Casa de Fruta was founded as an orchard by the Bisceglia brothers, who were Italian immigrants, in 1908. Three teenaged grand-nephews of the first owner of the orchard opened a roadside cherry stand in 1943, and eventually sold other fruits. In 1967 the remaining two grand-nephews opened a restaurant, Casa de Coffee, gas station, Casa de Diesel, children's playground (including Casa de Choo-Choo, a scale model miniature train with a full size man for the engineer, for children to ride), and gift shop, now known as Casa de Gifts. Other attractions include Casa de Sluice, Casa de Wine and Deli, Casa de Sweets, and roaming peacocks.
California State Route 152 passed in front of Case de Fruta as a two-lane highway for many years, but was widened to four lanes in 1992. The old alignment of the highway still exists as the Casa de Fruta Parkway, which is accessed via an exit from SR 152.
Facilities and activities.
Casa de Fruta today includes a recreational vehicle resort, hotel, candy store, wine shop, cafe, gas station, and a park with a carousel, playground, and miniature train. All are named with the "Casa de" theme: even the bathrooms in the Chevron Gas Station are called Casa de Restrooms.
It is the current home of the Northern California Renaissance Faire, which takes place in September and October each year.


Loch Shiel

Loch Shiel () is a freshwater loch situated west of Fort William in the Highland council area of Scotland. At long it is the 4th longest loch in Scotland, and is the longest to have retained a natural outflow without any regulation of its water level, being 120 m (393 ft) deep. Its nature changes considerably along its length, being deep and enclosed by mountains in the north east and shallow surrounded by bog and rough pasture in the south west, from which end the 4 km River Shiel drains to the sea in Loch Moidart near Castle Tioram.
The surrounding highlands are picturesque but relatively rarely climbed as none quite reaches the required for Munro status. A number of the hills are classified as Corbetts, including Beinn Resipol, Sgùrr Ghiubhsachain and Sgorr Craobh a' Chaorainn on the southern side of the loch; and Beinn Odhar Bheag on the northern side. The area is well wooded compared to the many Highland areas that have suffered from overgrazing. The view of the loch looking south from the Glenfinnan monument, showing wooded hillsides with bare summits rising steeply from a fjord-like loch, has become one of the most famous images of the Scottish Highlands. Several major films have used the loch for location shooting.
Loch Shiel is less than 10 metres above sea level, and was formed at the end of the last ice age when glacial deposits blocked what was formerly a sea loch.
Nature and conservation.
Loch Shiel is a Special Protection Area (SPA) due to its importance for breeding black-throated divers, and the area surrounding the loch is also designated as an SPA due to the presence of breeding golden eagles. Other bird species living around the loch include white-tailed sea eagles, red-throated divers, peregrine falcons, Eurasian sparrowhawks, common kestrels, ospreys and hen harrier. Several species of duck are also present, including little grebes, goosanders, red-breasted mergansers, mallards, goldeneyes and tufted ducks. Fish in the loch include salmon, sea trout and brown trout. Fishing rights are controlled by the Lochaber Fisheries Trust, who issue permits for fishing from Acharacle at the south west end of the loch.
There are areas of remnant Caledonian Forest on the islands of the loch such as Eilean Camas and Eilean Ghleann Fhoinainn, as well as at Meall na h-Airigh at the northern end of the loch. There are also areas of oak and alder woodlands (see Celtic rain forest) on the shoreline of the loch which are designated as a Special Area of Conservation by NatureScot, who noted that overgrazing and invasive species were threats to the area. The shoreline of the loch is also home to a population of otters.
Claish Moss, to the south of the loch, is one of the best examples of a raised bog in Britain. The bog has developed over the past 8,000 years, with pollen grains preserved by the peat forming a record of the bog’s plant life since the bog first began to form. The bog is designated as an SAC, and was also formerly a national nature reserve, but was de-designated in 2011 due to poor access for visitors.
The loch gives its name to Loch Shiel National Scenic Area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection via the planning system by the restriction of certain forms of development. The Loch Shiel NSA covers 13,045 ha, and extends to the summits of the hills on either side of the loch, as well as the hills surrounding Glen Hurich and the monument at Glenfinnan.
History.
A ruined medieval chapel found on the largest island, Eilean Fhianain, is dedicated to St. Finan, and may stand on the site of a cell thought to have been built on the island by the saint in the seventh century. The chapel is thought to have been built by Alan MacRuaridh, a chief of Clan Ranald; the clan used the island as a burial place until the end of the sixteenth century. The island continues to be used for burials, and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Acharacle, at the south of the Loch, is the site of the 1140 battle in which Somerled defeated the Norse to found the ruling dynasty of Lord of the Isles. During these times, the loch had strategic importance as a communications route through the mountains, as the short River Shiel was easily navigable in ancient times, however is no longer navigable as the depth drops to less than a foot. In the medieval period the loch formed the boundary between the provinces or lordships of Moidart to the west, Ardgour to the east, and Sunart in the south.
Castle Tioram on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, is located so as to control access to Loch Shiel, and thus to Lochaber and the Great Glen, from the sea. The castle appears to have originally been a principal stronghold of Clann Ruaidhrí. According to early modern tradition, preserved by the seventeenth-century "Sleat History", the castle was erected by Áine Nic Ruaidhrí (fl. 1318–50), and certainly served as the seat of the latter's Clann Raghnaill descendants for centuries.
Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair, the poet and Scottish Gaelic tutor of Bonnie Prince Charlie, was born and raised in the area. At the start of the Jacobite rising of 1745, the prince disembarked at Loch nan Uamh and was rowed the length of Loch Shiel in order to raise his standard at Glenfinnan. After the defeat of the rising at Culloden a number of prominent Jacobites, including Cameron of Lochiel, hid on the small island of Eilean Mhic Dhomnuill Dhuibh in Loch Shiel.
In 1842, during the Highland Clearances when tenants were cleared off the land to make way for sheep farming, the women of Loch Shiel apparently drove off the eviction party. The women were apparently armed with shearing hooks and aprons filled with stones.
Transport.
Prior to the construction of the A861 road the loch served as a main transport route in the area, linking the communities at the south end of the loch to the West Highland railway line at Glenfinnan. The regular service carrying mail and passengers was operated by David MacBrayne's between 1953 and 1967, ceasing with the construction of the new road between Lochailort and Kinlochmoidart.
The West Highland railway line and the A830 road both pass the northern end of the Loch Shiel at Glenfinnan, whilst the A861 road also runs close to the lochside for about 4 km at the southern end. There are no public roads that run the full length of the loch: a forestry track runs along the southern side between Polloch and Glenfinnan, whilst no tracks or paths exist on the northern side.
Cruises on the loch are available from Glenfinnan, Acharacle and Polloch.
In popular culture.
Loch Shiel was the purported secret location of the Black Lake near Hogwarts school in the "Harry Potter" films. The area was the fictional birthplace of Connor and Duncan MacLeod from the "Highlander" franchise, and served as the actual location of the boat scene with Ramirez in "Highlander" (1986). Loch Shiel was also used in the filming of the movie "The Master of Ballantrae" starring Errol Flynn.


Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis (, ; ) is the highest mountain in Scotland and the British Isles. The summit is above sea level and is the highest land in any direction for 459 miles (739 km). Ben Nevis stands at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Highland region of Lochaber, close to the town of Fort William.
The mountain is a popular destination, attracting an estimated 100,000 ascents a year, around three-quarters of which use the Pony Track from Glen Nevis.
The cliffs of the north face are among the highest in Scotland, providing classic scrambles and rock climbs of all difficulties for climbers and mountaineers. They are also the principal locations in Scotland for ice climbing.
The summit, which is the collapsed dome of an ancient volcano, features the ruins of an observatory which was continuously staffed between 1883 and 1904. The meteorological data collected during this period are still important for understanding Scottish mountain weather. C. T. R. Wilson was inspired to invent the cloud chamber after a period spent working at the observatory.
Etymology.
"Ben Nevis" is the Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic name . Whilst is the common Scottish Gaelic word for "mountain", the meaning of is unclear.
 may preserve an earlier Pictish form, "*Nebestis" or "*Nebesta", involving the Celtic root "*neb", meaning "clouds" (c.f. Welsh )., thus "Cloudy Mountain".
 may also have an origin with the words meaning "heaven" (which is related to the modern Scottish Gaelic word meaning "bright, shining") and meaning "the top of a man's head". Thus, could derive from , "the mountain with its head in the clouds", or "Mountain of Heaven".
Alternatively, the Scottish Gaelic word can be translated as "malice", "poison" or "venom" giving "Venomous Mountain", possibly describing the storms that envelop the summit.
, can also be the genitive form of a male (god's?) name. This could be the god Lugh whose place of worship was often on mountain tops throughout the Celtic world, thus giving "God's Mountain".
As is common for many Scottish mountains, it is known both to locals and visitors as simply "the Ben".
Geography.
Ben Nevis forms a massif with its neighbours to the northeast, , to which it is linked by the Arête; and . All four are Munros and among the eleven mountains in Scotland over (of which nine are currently listed as Munros).
The western and southern flanks of Ben Nevis rise in about above the River Nevis flowing down Glen Nevis – the longest and steepest hill slope in Britain – with the result that the mountain presents an aspect of massive bulk on this side. To the north, by contrast, cliffs drop some to (pronounced Koruh Laysh).
A descent of 200 metres from this corrie leads to the Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut (known as the CIC Hut), a private mountain hut above sea level, owned by the Scottish Mountaineering Club and used as a base for the many climbing routes on the mountain's north face. The hut is just above the confluence of and .
In addition to the main summit, Ben Nevis has two subsidiary "tops" listed in Munro's Tables, both of which are called ("red hill"). The higher of these, at , is to the northwest, and is often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself in views from the Fort William area. The other () juts out into Glen Nevis on the mountain's southwestern side. A lower hill, (), is further west, forming a saddle with Ben Nevis which contains a small loch, . The popular tourist path from Glen Nevis skirts the side of this hill before ascending Ben Nevis's broad western flank.
Geology.
Ben Nevis is all that remains of a Devonian volcano that met a cataclysmic end in the Carboniferous period around 350 million years ago. Evidence near the summit shows light-coloured granite (which had cooled in subterranean chambers several kilometres beneath the surface) lies among dark basaltic lavas (that form only on the surface). The two lying side-by-side is evidence the huge volcano collapsed in on itself creating an explosion comparable to Thera (2nd millennium BC) or Krakatoa (1883).
The mountain is now all that remains of the imploded inner dome of the volcano.
Its form has been extensively shaped by glaciation.
Research has shown igneous rock from the Devonian period (around 400 million years ago) intrudes into the surrounding metamorphic schists; the intrusions take the form of a series of concentric ring dikes. The innermost of these, known as the Inner Granite, constitutes the southern bulk of the mountain above , and also the neighbouring ridge of ; forms part of the Outer Granite, which is redder in colour. The summit dome itself, together with the steep northern cliffs, is composed of andesite and basaltic lavas.
Climate.
Ben Nevis has a highland (alpine) maritime (oceanic) polar climate ("ET" climate in the Köppen classification). Ben Nevis's elevation, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool and cloudy weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory from 1883–1904, fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June. The average winter temperature was around , and the mean monthly temperature for the year was . In an average year the summit sees 261 gales, and receives of rainfall, compared to only in nearby Fort William, in Inverness and in London. Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. Snow can be found on the mountain almost all year round, particularly in the gullies of the north face – with the higher reaches of Observatory Gully holding snow until September most years and sometimes until the new snows of the following season.
The following table gives weather records for Aonach Mòr, 3.71 km (2.30 mi) to the northeast of Ben Nevis and subject to similar weather.
History.
The first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis was made on 17 August 1771 by James Robertson, an Edinburgh botanist, who was in the region to collect botanical specimens. Another early ascent was in 1774 by John Williams, who provided the first account of the mountain's geological structure. John Keats climbed the mountain in 1818, comparing the ascent to "mounting ten St. Pauls without the convenience of a staircase". The following year William MacGillivray, who was later to become a distinguished naturalist, reached the summit only to find "fragments of earthen and glass ware, chicken bones, corks, and bits of paper". It was not until 1847 that Ben Nevis was confirmed by the Ordnance Survey as the highest mountain in Britain and Ireland, ahead of its rival Ben Macdhui.
The summit observatory was built in the summer of 1883, and would remain in operation for 21 years. The first path to the summit was built at the same time as the observatory and was designed to allow ponies to carry up supplies, with a maximum gradient of one in five. The opening of the path and the observatory made the ascent of the Ben increasingly popular, all the more so after the arrival of the West Highland Railway in Fort William in 1894. Around this time the first of several proposals was made for a rack railway to the summit, none of which came to fruition.
In 2000, the Ben Nevis Estate, comprising all of the south side of the mountain including the summit, was bought by the Scottish conservation charity the John Muir Trust.
In 2016, the height of Ben Nevis was officially remeasured to be 1344.527m by Ordnance Survey. The height of Ben Nevis will therefore be shown on new Ordnance Survey maps as instead of the now obsolete value of .
Ascent routes.
The 1883 Pony Track to the summit (also known as the "Ben Path", the "Mountain Path" or the "Tourist Route") remains the simplest and most popular route of ascent. It begins at Achintee on the east side of Glen Nevis about from Fort William town centre, at around 20 metres above sea level. Bridges from the Visitor Centre and the youth hostel now allow access from the west side of Glen Nevis. The path climbs steeply to the saddle by Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe (colloquially known as the 'Halfway Lake') at 570 m, then ascends the remaining 700 metres up the stony west flank of Ben Nevis in a series of zig-zags. The path is regularly maintained but running water, uneven rocks and loose scree make it hazardous and slippery in places. Thanks to the zig-zags, the path is not unusually steep apart from in the initial stages, but inexperienced walkers should be aware that the descent is relatively arduous and wearing on the knees.
A route popular with experienced hillwalkers starts at Torlundy, a few miles north-east of Fort William on the A82 road, and follows the path alongside the . It can also be reached from Glen Nevis by following the Pony Track as far as , then descending slightly to the CIC Hut. The route then ascends and continues along the Arête ("CMD Arête") before climbing steeply to the summit of Ben Nevis. This route involves a total of 1,500 metres of ascent and requires modest scrambling ability and a head for heights. In common with other approaches on this side of the mountain, it has the advantage of giving an extensive view of the cliffs of the north face, which are hidden from the Pony Track.
It is also possible to climb Ben Nevis from the Nevis Gorge car park at Steall at the head of the road up Glen Nevis, either by the south-east ridge or via the summit of (south-west). These routes require mild scrambling, are shorter and steeper than the Pony Track, and tend only to be used by experienced hill walkers.
Summit.
The summit of Ben Nevis comprises a large stony plateau of about . The highest point is marked with a large, solidly built cairn atop which sits an Ordnance Survey trig point. The summit is the highest ground in any direction for before the Scandinavian Mountains in western Norway are reached.
The ruined walls of the observatory are a prominent feature on the summit. An emergency shelter has been built on top of the observatory tower for the benefit of those caught out by bad weather. Although the base of the tower is slightly lower than the true summit of the mountain, the roof of the shelter overtops the trig point by several feet, making it the highest man-made structure in the UK. A war memorial to the dead of World War II is located next to the observatory.
On 17 May 2006, a piano that had been buried under one of the cairns on the peak was uncovered by the John Muir Trust, which owns much of the mountain. The piano is believed to have been carried up for charity by removal men from Dundee over 20 years earlier.
The view from the UK's highest point is extensive. Under ideal conditions, it can extend to over , including such mountains as the Torridon Hills, Morven in Caithness, Lochnagar, Ben Lomond, Barra Head and to Knocklayd in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Observatory.
A meteorological observatory on the summit was first proposed by the Scottish Meteorological Society (SMS) in the late-1870s, at a time when similar observatories were being built around the world to study the weather at high altitude. In the summer of 1881, Clement Lindley Wragge climbed the mountain daily to make observations (earning him the nickname "Inclement Rag"), leading to the opening on 17 October 1883 of a permanent observatory run by the SMS. The building was staffed full-time until 1904, when it was closed due to inadequate funding. The twenty years worth of readings still provide the most comprehensive set of data on mountain weather in Great Britain.
In September 1894, C. T. R. Wilson was employed at the observatory for a couple of weeks as temporary relief for one of the permanent staff. During this period, he witnessed a Brocken spectre and glory, caused by the sun casting a shadow on a cloud below the observer. He subsequently tried to reproduce these phenomena in the laboratory, resulting in his invention of the cloud chamber, used to detect ionising radiation.
Navigation and safety.
Ben Nevis's popularity, climate and complex topography contribute to a high number of mountain rescue incidents. In 1999, for example, there were 41 rescues and four fatalities on the mountain. Some accidents arise over difficulties in navigating to or from the summit, especially in poor visibility. The problem stems from the fact that the summit plateau is roughly kidney-shaped and surrounded by cliffs on three sides; the danger is particularly accentuated when the main path is obscured by snow. Two precise compass bearings taken in succession are necessary to navigate from the summit cairn to the west flank, from where a descent can be made on the Pony Track in relative safety.
In the late 1990s, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team erected two posts on the summit plateau to assist walkers attempting the descent in foggy conditions. These posts were subsequently cut down by climbers, sparking controversy in mountaineering circles on the ethics of such additions. Critics argued that cairns and posts are an unnecessary man-made intrusion into the natural landscape, which create a false sense of security and could lessen mountaineers' sense of responsibility for their own safety. Supporters of navigational aids pointed to the high number of accidents that occurred on the mountain (between 1990 and 1995 alone there were 13 fatalities, although eight of these were due to falls while rock climbing rather than navigational error), the long tradition of placing such aids on the summit, and the potentially life-saving role they could play. In 2016, the John Muir Trust cleared a number of smaller informal cairns which had recently been erected by visitors, many near the top of gullies, which were seen as dangerous as they could confuse walkers using them for navigation. As of 2019, a series of solidly-constructed cairns, each several feet high, marks the upper reaches of the Pony Track and the path across the summit plateau.
Climbing on Ben Nevis.
The north face of Ben Nevis is riven with buttresses, ridges, towers and pinnacles, and contains many classic scrambles and rock climbs. It is of major importance for British winter climbing, with many of its routes holding snow often until late April. It was one of the first places in Scotland to receive the attention of serious mountaineers, with an ascent of Tower Ridge in 1892 the earliest documented climbing expedition on the Ben. (It was not climbed from bottom to top for another two years). The Scottish Mountaineering Club's Charles Inglis Clark hut was built below the north face in Coire Leis in 1929. Because of its remote location, it is said to be the only genuine alpine hut in Britain. It remains popular with climbers, especially in winter.
Tower Ridge is the longest of the north face's four main ridges, with around 600 metres of ascent. It is not technically demanding (its grade is Difficult), and most pitches can be tackled unroped by competent climbers, but it is committing and very exposed. Castle Ridge (Moderate), the northernmost of the main ridges, is an easier scramble, while Observatory Ridge (Very Difficult), the closest ridge to the summit, is "technically the hardest of the Nevis ridges in summer and winter". Between the Tower and Observatory Ridges are the Tower and Gardyloo Gullies; the latter takes its name from the cry of (French for "watch out for the water") formerly used in Scottish cities as a warning when householders threw their slops (and worse) out of a tenement window into the street. The gully's top wall was the refuse pit for the now-disused summit observatory. The North-east Buttress (Very Difficult) is the southernmost and bulkiest of the four ridges; it is as serious as Observatory Ridge but not as technically demanding, mainly because an "infamous" rock problem, the 'Man-trap', can be avoided on either side.
The north face contains dozens of graded rock climbs along its entire length, with particular concentrations on the Buttress (below the Munro top of NW) and around the North-east Buttress and Observatory Ridge. Classic rock routes include "Rubicon Wall" on Observatory Buttress (Severe) – whose second ascent in 1937, when it was considered the hardest route on the mountain, is described by W. H. Murray in "Mountaineering in Scotland" – and, on , "Centurion" and "The Bullroar" (both HVS), "Torro" (E2), and "Titan's Wall" (E3), these four described in the SMC's guide as among "the best climbs of their class in Scotland".
Many seminal lines were recorded before the First World War by pioneering Scottish climbers like J. N. Collie, Willie Naismith, Harold Raeburn, and William and Jane Inglis Clark. Other classic routes were put up by G. Graham Macphee, Dr James H. B. Bell and others between the Wars; these include Bell's 'Long Climb', at reputedly the longest sustained climb on the British mainland. In summer 1943 conscientious objector Brian Kellett made a phenomenal seventy-four repeat climbs and seventeen first ascents including fourteen solos, returning in 1944 to add fifteen more new lines, eleven solo, including his eponymous HVS on Gardyloo buttress. Much more recently, an extreme and as yet ungraded climb on Echo Wall was completed by Dave MacLeod in 2008 after two years of preparation.
The north face is also one of Scotland's foremost venues for winter mountaineering and ice climbing, and holds snow until quite late in the year; in a good year, routes may remain in winter condition until mid-spring. Most of the possible rock routes are also suitable as winter climbs, including the four main ridges; Tower Ridge, for example, is grade IV on the Scottish winter grade, having been upgraded in 2009 by the Scottish Mountaineering Club after requests by the local Mountain Rescue Team, there being numerous benightments and incidents every winter season. Probably the most popular ice climb on Ben Nevis is "The Curtain" (IV,5) on the left side of the Buttress. At the top end of the scale, "Centurion" in winter is a grade VIII,8 face climb.
In February 1960 James R. Marshall and Robin Clark Smith recorded six major new ice routes in only eight days including Orion Direct (V,5 400m); this winter version of Bell's Long Climb was "the climax of a magnificent week's climbing by Smith and Marshall, and the highpoint of the step-cutting era".
Ben Nevis Race.
The history of hill running on Ben Nevis dates back to 1895. William Swan, a barber from Fort William, made the first recorded timed ascent up the mountain on or around 27 September of that year, when he ran from the old post office in Fort William to the summit and back in 2 hours 41 minutes.
The following years saw several improvements on Swan's record, but the first competitive race was held on 3 June 1898 under Scottish Amateur Athletic Association rules. Ten competitors ran the course, which started at the Lochiel Arms Hotel in Banavie and was thus longer than the route from Fort William; the winner was 21-year-old Hugh Kennedy, a gamekeeper at Tor Castle, who finished (coincidentally with Swan's original run) in 2 hours 41 minutes.
Regular races were organised until 1903, when two events were held; these were the last for 24 years, perhaps due to the closure of the summit observatory the following year. The first was from Achintee, at the foot of the Pony Track, and finished at the summit; It was won in just over an hour by Ewen MacKenzie, the observatory roadman. The second race ran from new Fort William post office, and MacKenzie lowered the record to 2 hours 10 minutes, a record he held for 34 years.
The Ben Nevis Race has been run in its current form since 1937. It now takes place on the first Saturday in September every year, with a maximum of 500 competitors taking part. It starts and finishes at the Claggan Park football ground on the outskirts of Fort William, and is long with of ascent. Due to the seriousness of the mountain environment, entry is restricted to those who have completed three hill races, and runners must carry waterproofs, a hat, gloves and a whistle; anyone who has not reached the summit after two hours is turned back. As of 2018, the record for the men's race has stood unbroken since 1984, when Kenny Stuart of Keswick Athletic Club won with a time of 1:25:34. The record for the women's race of 1:43:01 was set in 2018 by Victoria Wilkinson.
Extreme sports on The Ben.
Ben Nevis is becoming popular with ski mountaineers and boarders. The Red Burn () just to the North of the tourist path gives the easiest descent, but most if not all of the easier gullies on the North Face have been skied, as has the slope once adorned by the abseil poles into . No 4 gully is probably the most skied. Although Tower scoop makes it a no-fall zone, Tower Gully is becoming popular, especially in May and June when there is spring snow.
In 2018 Jöttnar pro team member Tim Howell BASE jumped off Ben Nevis which was covered by BBC Scotland.
On 6 May 2019, a team of highliners completed a crossing above the Gardyloo Gully, a new altitude record for the UK.
Also in May 2019, a team of 12, led by Dundee artist Douglas Roulston carried a 5-foot (1.5 metre) tall statue of the DC Thomson character Oor Wullie to the top of the mountain. The statue, which had been painted by Roulston with a 360 degree scene of the view from the summit was later sold at the Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail charity auction to raise money for a number of Scottish children's charities.
Environmental issues and Nevis Landscape Partnership.
Ben Nevis's popularity and high-profile have led to concerns in recent decades over the impact of humans on the fragile mountain environment within the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area. These concerns contributed to the creation of The Nevis Landscape Partnership, a five-year programme which aimed to protect, enhance and future-proof Ben Nevis by delivering nineteen ambitious environmental projects between 2014 and 2019. The Nevis Landscape Partnership is supported by five partner organisations (John Muir Trust, Forestry Commission Scotland, The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Nevis Partnership) and was made possible by Heritage Lottery Funding.
With the 5-year programme now finished, there have been significant positive changes implemented by Nevis Landscape Partnership and their projects, most significantly the upgrades to the Ben Nevis Mountain Track. Work to upgrade the mountain track started in November 2015 after two contracts were awarded to McGowan Ltd. and Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts. Between 2015 and 2019, 3.5 km of path has been repaired through eight separate contracts and 3,323 hours of volunteer time.
Volunteer effort has been a huge help and will continue to be a large contributing factor to the continued maintenance of the mountain track. Nevis Landscape Partnership have worked closely with National Trust for Scotland to run Thistle Camp Working Holidays which have focused on much-needed maintenance on the first section of the Ben Nevis footpath and allow outdoor enthusiasts to actively be a part of maintaining and protecting the United Kingdom's highest mountain for this generation and many more to come.
Ben Nevis Distillery.
The Ben Nevis Distillery is a single malt whisky distillery at the foot of the mountain, near Victoria Bridge to the north of Fort William. Founded in 1825 by John McDonald (known as "Long John"), it is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland, and is a popular visitor attraction in Fort William. The water used to make the whisky comes from the , the stream that flows from Ben Nevis's northern corrie. "Ben Nevis" 80/‒ organic ale is, by contrast, brewed in Bridge of Allan near Stirling.
Other uses.
"Ben Nevis" was the name of a White Star Line packet ship which in 1854 carried the group of immigrants who were to become the Wends of Texas. At least another eight vessels have carried the name since then.
A mountain in Svalbard is also named Ben Nevis, after the Scottish peak. It is 922 metres high, and is south of the head of Raudfjorden, Albert I Land, in the northwestern part of the island of Spitsbergen.
A comic strip character, Wee Ben Nevis, about a Scottish Highlands boarding school student with superhuman strength and his antics were featured in the British comic "The Beano" from 1974 to 1977, named after the mountain.
Hung Fa Chai, a 489-metre hill in Northeast New Territories of Hong Kong was marked as Ben Nevis on historical colonial maps.


Klias Forest Reserve

Klias Forest Reserve is a protected forest reserve on the Klias Peninsula, in Beaufort District of Interior Division, Sabah, Malaysia. It was designated as a Class 1 Protection Forest by the Sabah Forestry Department in 1984. Its area is . The reserve is mostly flat, consisting mainly of peat swamp forest, with a small area of mangroves. The peat forests within this reserve, along with those in the nearby Binsuluk Forest Reserve, are the last peat forests in Sabah.
Being mostly peat forest, the reserve faces high fire risks. Large fires occurred in 1997–98, burning about 10% of the Klias Reserve. In 2016 large fires in peat bogs, which spread to Klias and other forest reserves from nearby open burning, contributed to the 2016 Malaysian haze.
Flora.
Klias and Binsuluk Forest Reserves are within the Klias Peninsula Important Bird Area (IBA). The IBA has a combined species richness of at least 134 identified tree species. Four species of "Nepenthes" pitcher plants have been recorded in the IBA. Resident tree species include "Dryobalanops rappa", "Madhuca motleyana", "Shorea platycarpa", "Dactylocladus stenostachys" and "Gonystylus bancanus".
Fauna.
Klias Forest Reserve is home to threatened mammals including banded palm civet, pig-tailed macaque, proboscis monkey, sambar deer, Bornean bearded pig, mousedeer and the critically endangered Sunda pangolin. Bird life in the reserve includes the hook-billed bulbul, whose Sabah range is confined to the Klias Peninsula, and the rare species grey-breasted babbler and scarlet-breasted flowerpecker. Five amphibians inhabit the IBA: "Hoplobathracus rogulosa", "Rana erythraea", "Rana glandulosa", "Polypedates coletti" and "Polypedates leucomystax". 66 butterfly species have been discovered within the peat forests.


Barra do Una Sustainable Development Reserve

The Barra do Una Sustainable Development Reserve () is a sustainable development reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
Location.
The Barra do Una Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS) is divided between the municipalities of Peruíbe (91.05%) and Iguape (8.95%) in São Paulo state.
It has an area of .
The RDS is on the coast at the mouth of the Una do Prelado River.
The Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station is to the southwest and the Itinguçu State Park is to the northeast.
The Ilha do Ameixal Area of Relevant Ecological Interest covers an island in the river just upstream from its mouth.
History.
The RDS was create by state law 12.406 of 12 December 2006 from part of the Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station, including the village of Barra do Una, part of the Una do Prelado River and part of the coastal waters.
Law 12.406 was declared unconstitutional on 11 September 2007, and this was confirmed on 25 June 2009.
Law 14982 again created the RDS and other conservation units from part of the Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station.
The new units and the ecological station were included in the Juréia-Itatins Mosaic.
Tourism.
The Associação Amigos de Bairro da Vila Barra do Uma (Association of Friends of the "Bairro" of Vila Barra do Una) was founded in 2002 and consists of 45 families of traditional inhabitants with about 120 people.
It aims to improve the quality of life of the community in a way that is harmonious and integrated with environmental conservation.
It sponsors the Community Sustainable Tourism Project of the RDS, which had the aim of consolidating and organizing tourism in the RDS.
The beach is used for activities related to ecotourism such as walking, hiking, mountain biking and jeep tours.
The RDS holds the ruins of a 16th-century Jesuit church.
The villagers preserve many of the "caiçaras" festivals, traditions and costumes.
The RDS has hostels and camping areas, bars, restaurants, grocery stores and a small marina.


Wookey Hole Caves

Wookey Hole Caves () are a series of limestone caverns, a show cave and tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset, England. The River Axe flows through the cave. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for both biological and geological reasons. Wookey Hole cave is a "solutional cave", one that is formed by a process of weathering in which the natural acid in groundwater dissolves the rocks. Some water originates as rain that flows into streams on impervious rocks on the plateau before sinking at the limestone boundary into cave systems such as Swildon's Hole, Eastwater Cavern and St Cuthbert's Swallet; the rest is rain that percolates directly through the limestone. The temperature in the caves is a constant .
The caves have been used by humans for around 45,000 years, demonstrated by the discovery of tools from the Palaeolithic period, along with fossilised animal remains. Evidence of Stone and Iron Age occupation continued into Roman Britain. A corn-grinding mill operated on the resurgent waters of the River Axe as early as the Domesday survey of 1086. The waters of the river are used in a handmade paper mill, the oldest extant in Britain, which began operations circa 1610. The low, constant temperature of the caves means that they can be used for maturing Cheddar cheese.
The caves are the site of the first cave dives in Britain which were undertaken by Jack Sheppard and Graham Balcombe. Since the 1930s divers have explored the extensive network of chambers developing breathing apparatus and novel techniques in the process. The full extent of the cave system is still unknown with approximately , including 25 chambers, having been explored. Part of the cave system opened as a show cave in 1927 following exploratory work by Herbert E. Balch. As a tourist attraction it has been owned by Madame Tussauds and, most recently, the circus owner Gerry Cottle. The cave is notable for the Witch of Wookey Hole, a roughly human shaped stalagmite that legend says is a witch turned to stone by a monk from Glastonbury. It has also been used as a location for film and television productions, including the "Doctor Who" serial "Revenge of the Cybermen".
Description.
The show cave consists of a dry gallery connecting three large chambers, the first of which contains the Witch of Wookey formation. There are various high level passages leading off from these chambers, with two small exits above the tourist entrance. The River Axe is formed by the water entering the cave systems and flows through the third and first chambers, from which it flows to the resurgence, through two sumps and long, where it leaves the cave and enters the open air.
The river is maintained at an artificially high level and falls a couple of metres when the sluice is lowered to allow access to the fourth and fifth chambers, two small air spaces. Normally, however, these are only accessible by cave diving. Beyond the fifth chamber a roomy submerged route may be followed for a further , passing under three large rifts with air spaces, to surface in the ninth chamber – a roomy chamber over long and the same high. High level passages here lead to a former resurgence, now blocked, some above the current resurgence.
An artificial tunnel leading off from the third chamber allows show cave visitors to cross the seventh and eighth chambers on bridges, and skirt around the ninth chamber on a walkway, before exiting near the resurgence. A second excavated tunnel from the ninth chamber allows visitors to visit the 20th chamber.
From the ninth chamber, a dive of about passes almost immediately from the Dolomitic Conglomerate into the limestone, and descends steadily for to a depth of under a couple of high rifts with airbells, which are enclosed air spaces between the water and the roof, before reaching air space in the 19th chamber. The 20th chamber is at the top of a large boulder slope – long, wide, and high. From here a roomy passage some long ascends towards a now-blocked fossil resurgence in the Ebbor Gorge. The total length of passages in this area is about . A passage near the end connects with Chamber 24 near Sting Corner.
The continuation is found in the 19th chamber, where of passage descending to a depth of surfaces in the 22nd chamber – of dry passages at various levels with a static pool. The way on is within this pool at a depth of where of passage ascends to surface in the 23rd chamber – of large passage, followed by four short sumps that arrive in the 24th chamber. This is of what is described in the guide book as "magnificent" river passage, high and wide, which finishes at a cascade falling from a long lake. There are also more than of high level passages above the river. The way on continues underwater for some reaching a depth of before surfacing in the 25th chamber – called the Lake of Gloom because of its thick mud deposits. The sump at the end of this has been dived for to a maximum depth of before gravel chokes prevented further progress. The end is located about northeast of the entrance.
Hydrology and geology.
Wookey Hole is on the southern escarpment of the Mendip Hills, and is the resurgence which drains the southern flanks of North Hill and Pen Hill. It is the second largest resurgence on Mendip, with an estimated catchment area of , and an average discharge of per second. Some of the water is allogenic in origin i.e. drained off non-limestone rocks, collecting as streams on the surface before sinking at or near the Lower Limestone Shale — Black Rock Limestone boundary, often through swallets such as Plantation Swallet near St Cuthbert's lead works between the Hunter's Lodge Inn and Priddy Pools. It then passes through major cave systems such as Swildon's Hole, Eastwater Cavern and St Cuthbert's Swallet, around Priddy, but 95% is autogenic water that has percolated directly into the limestone.
The southern slopes of the Mendip Hills largely follow the flanks of an anticline, a fold in the rock that is convex upwards and has its oldest beds at its core. On the Mendips the crest of the anticline is truncated by erosion, forming a plateau. The rock strata here dip 10–15 degrees to the southwest. The outer slopes are mainly of Carboniferous Limestone, with Devonian age Old Red Sandstone exposed as an inlier at the centre. Wookey Hole is a solutional cave mainly formed in the limestone by chemical weathering whereby naturally acidic groundwater dissolves the carbonate rocks, but it is unique in that the first part of the cave is formed in Triassic Dolomitic Conglomerate, a well-cemented fossil limestone scree representing the infill of a Triassic valley.
The cave was formed under phreatic conditions i.e. below the local water table, but lowering base levels to which the subterranean drainage was flowing resulted in some passages being abandoned by the river, and there is evidence of a number of abandoned resurgences. In particular, the passages in the 20th chamber are interpreted as a former Vauclusian spring, the waters of which once surfaced in the Ebbor Gorge. It is uncertain whether that was the original rising or whether it formed when the main rising at Wookey was blocked.
The current resurgence is located close to the base of the Dolomitic Conglomerate at the head of a short gorge formed by headward erosion with subsequent cavern collapse. The morphology of the passages is determined by the rock strata in which they are formed. The streamway in the outer part of the cave system that is formed within the Dolomitic Conglomerate is characterised by shallow loops linking low bedding chambers, or tall narrow passages, known as 'rifts', developed by phreatic solutional enlargement of fractured rifts. The streamway in the inner part of the system formed within the limestone is characterised by deep phreatic loops reaching depths as much as , with the water flowing down-dip along bedding planes and rising up enlarged joints. In the far reaches of the cave the passages descend to below sea level.
History.
Witcombe suggests that the name "Wookey" is derived from the Celtic (Welsh) for 'cave', "Ogo" or "Ogof" which gave the early names for this cave of "Ochie" "Ochy". "Hole" is Anglo-Saxon for cave, which is itself of Latin/Norman derivation. Therefore, the name "Wookey Hole Cave" basically means "cave cave cave". Eilert Ekwall gives an alternative derivation of "Wookey" from the Old English "wocig" meaning a noose or snare for animals. By the 18th century the caves were commonly known as "Okey Hole". It was known as such when it was first described in print in 1681 by the geologist John Beaumont.
Fossils of a range of animals have been found including the Pleistocene lion ("Felis leo spelæ"), Cave hyena ("Crocuta crocuta spelaea") and Badger ("Meles meles"). Wookey Hole was occupied by humans in the Iron Age, possibly around 250-300 BC, while nearby Hyena Cave was occupied by Stone Age hunters. Badger Hole and Rhinoceros Hole are two dry caves on the slopes above the Wookey ravine near the Wookey Hole resurgence and contain in situ cave sediments laid down during the Ice Age. Just outside the cave the foundations of a 1st-century hut have been identified. These had been built on during the Roman era up to the end of the 4th century.
In 1544 products of Roman lead working in the area were discovered. The lead mines across the Mendips have produced contamination of the water emerging from the caverns at Wookey Hole. The lead in the water is believed to have affected the quality of the paper produced.
The designation of the water catchment area for Wookey Hole, covering a large area of the Mendip Hills as far away as Priddy Pools as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) during the 1970s and 1980s was controversial because of conflicts of interest between land owners, recreational cavers and cave scientists. Initially proposals were put forward by the Council of Southern Caving Clubs which is part of the British Caving Association was that SSSI designation, which would restrict what farmers and other landowners were allowed to do, would cover the entire catchment area. This was opposed as being too restrictive and difficult to enforce. It was argued that agricultural uses of fields which were not directly in contact with cave entrances would have little detrimental effect on the caves themselves. There was also debate about which caves and cave features should be considered "important". The final settlement resulted in a smaller area being designated and many agricultural practices being removed from the list of proscribed "Potentially Damaging Operations".
The entrance weir and sluice gate servicing the paper mill was built about 1852. The tunnel excavated from the third chamber to the ninth chamber and then out to daylight was dug in 1974–1975 by ex-coal miners from the Radstock area. The show cave was further extended in 2015 by excavating a tunnel from the ninth chamber to the 20th chamber.
The constant temperature of in the caves is used by Ford Farm of Dorset to mature Cheddar cheese in the 'Cheese Tunnel' – an excavated side tunnel between the ninth chamber and the exit to the show cave.
Cave archaeology.
Archaeological investigations were undertaken from 1859 to 1874 by William Boyd Dawkins, who moved to Somerset to study classics with the vicar of Wookey. On hearing of the discovery of bones by local workmen he led excavations in the area of the hyena den. His work led to the discovery of the first evidence for the use by Paleolithic humans in the Caves of the Mendip Hills. Middle Paleolithic tools have been found in association with butchered bones with a radiocarbon age of around 41,000 years.
Herbert E. Balch continued the work from 1904 to 1914, when he led excavations of the entrance passage (1904–1915), Witch's Kitchen (the first chamber) and Hell's Ladder (1926–1927) and the Badger Hole (1938–1954), where Roman coins from the 3rd century were discovered along with Aurignacian flint implements. Rhinoceros Hole was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1992. The 1911 work found of stratification, mostly dating from the Iron Age and sealed into place by Romano-British artefacts. Finds included a silver coin of Marcia (124 BC), pottery, weapons and tools, bronze ornaments, and Roman coins from Vespasian to Valentinian II (1st to 4th centuries).
The work was continued, first by E. J. Mason from 1946 to 1949, and then by G. R. Morgan in 1972. Later work led by Edgar Kingsley Tratman explored the human occupation of the Rhinoceros hole, and showed that the fourth chamber of the great cave was a Romano-British cemetery. During excavations in 1954–1957 at Hole Ground, just outside the entrance to the cave, the foundations of a 1st-century hut and Iron Age pottery were seen. These were covered by the foundations of Roman buildings, dating from the 1st to the late 4th century.
Exploration.
The cave as far as the third chamber and side galleries has been known since at least the Iron Age period. Prior to the construction of a dam at the resurgence to feed water to the paper mill downstream, two more chambers (the Fourth and Fifth) were accessible. Further upstream the way lies underwater. Diving was first tried by the Cave Diving Group under the leadership of Graham Balcombe in 1935. With equipment on loan from Siebe Gorman, he and Penelope ("Mossy") Powell penetrated into the cave, reaching the seventh chamber, using standard diving dress. The events marked the first successful cave dives in Britain.
Diving at Wookey resumed in early June 1946 when Balcombe used his homemade respirator and waterproof suit to explore the region between the resurgence and first chamber, as well as the underground course of the river between the third and first chambers. During these dives, the Romano-British remains were found and archaeological work dominated the early dives in the cave. The large ninth chamber was first entered on 24 April 1948 by Balcombe and Don Coase. Using this as an advance dive base, the 10th and then 11th chambers were discovered. The way on, however, was too deep for divers breathing pure oxygen from a closed-circuit rebreather. The cave claimed its first life on 9 April 1949 when Gordon Marriott lost his life returning from the ninth chamber. Another fatality was to occur in 1981 when Keith Potter was drowned on a routine dive further upstream.
Further progress required apparatus which could overcome the depth limitation of breathing pure oxygen. In 1955 using an aqualung and swimming with fins, Bob Davies reached the bottom of the 11th chamber at depth in clear water and discovered the 12th and 13th chambers. He got separated from his guideline and the other two divers in the 11th chamber, ending up spending three hours trapped in the 13th chamber and had much trouble getting back to safety. Opinion hardened against the use of the short-duration aqualung in favour of longer-duration closed-circuit equipment. Likewise, the traditional approach of walking along the bottom was preferred over swimming. Employing semi-closed circuit nitrogen-oxygen rebreathers, between 1957 and 1960 John Buxton and Oliver Wells went on to reach the elbow of the sump upstream from the ninth chamber at a depth of . This was at a point known as "The Slot", the way on being too deep for the gas mixture they were breathing.
A six-year hiatus ensued while open circuit air diving became established, along with free-swimming and the use of neoprene wetsuits. The new generation of cave diver was now more mobile above and under water and able to dive deeper. Using this approach, Dave Savage was able to reach air surface in the 18th chamber (chambers did not have to have air spaces to be so named; they were the limits of each exploration) in May 1966. A brief lull in exploration occurred while the mess of guidelines laid from the ninth chamber was sorted out before John Parker progressed first to the large, dry, inlet passage of the 20th chamber, and thence followed the River Axe upstream on a dive covering at a maximum depth of to the 22nd chamber where the way on appeared to be lost.
Meanwhile, climbing operations in the ninth chamber found an abandoned outlet passage which terminated very close to the surface, as well as a dry overland route downstream through the higher levels of the eighth, seventh and sixth chambers as far as the fifth chamber. These discoveries were used to enable the show cave to be extended into the ninth chamber and the cave divers to start directly from here, bypassing the dive from the third chamber onwards. The way on from the 22nd chamber was at last found by Colin Edmond and Martyn Farr in February 1976 and was explored until the line ran out. A few days later Geoff Yeadon and Oliver Statham somewhat controversially reached the 23rd chamber after laying just a further of line. A further three short dives and they surfaced in the 24th chamber to be confronted by what Statham described as "a magnificent sight—the whole of the River Axe pouring down a passage high by wide" terminating in a blue lake after . This lake was dived by Farr a few days later for at a maximum depth of to emerge in the 25th chamber, a desolate, muddy place named "The Lake of Gloom".
The 25th chamber represents the furthest upstream air surface in Wookey Hole Cave. From here the River Axe rises up from a deep sump where progressive depth records for cave diving in the British Isles have been set: firstly by Farr () in 1977, then Rob Parker () in 1985, and finally by John Volanthen and Rick Stanton () in 2004. The pair returned again in 2005 to explore the sump to a depth of , setting a new British Isles depth record for cave diving. This record was broken in 2008 by Polish explorer Artur Kozłowski, then later again by Michal Marek, on dives in Pollatoomary in Ireland.
Taking advantage of the tunnel driven through to Chamber 20 by the show cave management in 2015, a team began to seriously investigate the leads in that area. One small passage was pushed to a sump which was dived through to Sting Corner in Chamber 24. In 2020 a dry connection was made to the same location.
During 1996–1997 water samples were collected at various points throughout the caves and showed different chemical compositions. Results showed that the location of the "Unknown Junction", from where water flows to the static sump in the 22nd chamber by a different route from the majority of the River Axe, is upstream of the sump in the 25th.
Witch of Wookey Hole.
There are old legends of a "witch of Wookey Hole", which are still preserved in the name of a stalagmite in the first chamber of the caves. The story has several different versions with the same basic features:
A man from Glastonbury is engaged to a young woman from Wookey. A witch living in Wookey Hole Caves curses the romance so that it fails. The man, now a monk, seeks revenge on this witch who—having been jilted herself—frequently spoils budding relationships. The monk stalks the witch into the cave and she hides in a dark corner near one of the underground rivers. The monk blesses the water and splashes some of it at the dark parts of the cave where the witch was hiding. The blessed water immediately petrifies the witch, and she remains in the cave to this day.
A 1000-year-old skeleton was discovered in the caves by Balch in 1912, and has also traditionally been linked to the legendary witch, although analysis indicated that they are the remains of a male aged between 25 and 35. The remains have been part of the collection of the Wells and Mendip Museum, which was founded by Balch, since they were excavated, though in 2004 the owner of the caves said that he wanted them to be returned to Wookey Hole.
It was partly the legend of the witch that prompted TV's "Most Haunted" team to visit Wookey Hole Caves and Mill to explore the location in depth, searching for evidence of paranormal activity. The show, which aired on 10 March 2009, was the last episode transmitted in series 11 of the show's run on the satellite and cable TV channel Living. In 2009, a new actress to play the 'witch' was chosen by Wookey Hole Ltd amid much media interest. Carole Bohanan in the role of Carla Calamity was selected from over 3,000 applicants.
Tourism.
The cave was first opened to the public by the owner Captain G.W. Hodgkinson in 1927 following preparatory work by Balch. Three years later, John Cowper Powys wrote of the caves in the novel "A Glastonbury Romance". Hodgkinson took offence at the portrayal of his fictional equivalent, initiating a costly libel suit.
The current paper mill building, whose water wheel is powered by a small canal from the river, dates from around 1860 and is a Grade II listed building. The commercial production of handmade paper ceased in February 2008 after owner Gerry Cottle concluded there was no longer a market for the product, and therefore sold most of the historic machinery. Visitors to the site are still able to watch a short video of the paper being made from cotton. Other attractions include the dinosaur valley, a small museum about the cave and cave diving, a theatre with circus shows, a house of mirrors and penny arcades.
In 1956, Olive Hodgkinson, a cave guide whose husband's family owned the caves for over 500 years, was a contestant on "What's My Line?"
In the late 1950s, the caves were photographed by Stanley Long of VistaScreen, to be sold as both souvenirs and as mail-order stereoviews.
The cave and mill were joined, after purchase, by Madame Tussauds in 1973 and operated together as a tourist attraction until there was a management team buyout in 1989. A collection of fairground art of Wookey Hole was sold in 1997 at Christie's. The present owner is the former circus proprietor Gerry Cottle, who has introduced a circus school.
The cave was used for the filming of episodes of the BBC TV series "Doctor Who": the serial "Revenge of the Cybermen" (1975) starring Tom Baker. This has since been referenced in the comedy of "The League of Gentlemen". The cave was also used in the filming of the British series "Blake's 7" (1978) and "Robin of Sherwood" (1983). The caves were used again for "Doctor Who" in "The End of Time" (2009), including a scene with the Doctor sharing thoughts and visions with the Ood.
In 2005, the museum reported that a Dalek prop had gone missing from its collection, and that they had received a ransom note and a detached plunger from the "Guardians of the Planet Earth". The prop was later recovered from Glastonbury Tor after thieves had supposedly considered it "too hot". Cottle denied that this was a publicity stunt.
On 1 August 2006, CNN reported that Barney, a Doberman Pinscher employed as a security dog at Wookey Hole, had destroyed parts of a valuable collection of teddy bears, including one which had belonged to Elvis Presley, which was estimated to be worth £40,000 (US$75,000). The insurance company insuring the exhibition of stuffed animals had supposedly insisted on having guard dog protection. Cottle later admitted that he had invented this story as a publicity stunt, and no such bear had ever been owned by the museum.
In February 2009 Cottle turned the Victorian bowling green next to the caves into a crazy golf course without first obtaining planning permission.


Redondo Hill Private Wildlife Refuge

Redondo Hill Private Wildlife Refuge (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Pacific Conservation Area, it was created in 1997 by decree 26202-MINAE.


Cabo Blanco Marine Management Area

Cabo Blanco Marine Management Area (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Tempisque Conservation Area, it was created in 2017 by decree 40442-MINAE.


Ridge Hill Mall

Ridge Hill, formerly known as Westchester's Ridge Hill is a mixed-use lifestyle center located between Interstate 87 and the Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers, New York. With its grand opening in 2011, Ridge Hill features a variety of retail stores, restaurants, condominiums, and offices. It was developed by Forest City Ratner Companies, Forest City's New York subsidiary. The center was built on an 84-acre parcel of land purchased from the City of Yonkers. Forest City later sold its mall business to Queensland Investment Corporation. The mall's anchor stores are Showcase Cinemas, Dick's Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx, Whole Foods Market, Lowe's, and Legoland Discovery Centre.
History.
Plans were originally started in 2000 by the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency, which sought to develop a site to stimulate job growth. Prior to any development, the land was occupied by a sanitarium, hospital, church, and rehab center. After later granting a lease to Lockheed Martin, and when the lack of jobs continued, the lease was terminated by purchasing the remainder of the contract. The City of Yonkers began taking bids from developers, and Ridge Hill won the contract. The original tenants announced included Whole Foods Market and L.L.Bean. Saks Fifth Avenue also showed an interest in adding a location in Yonkers.
In early 2007, the land was cleared to make way for Ridge Hill's construction. Construction formally broke ground on November 8, 2007, with an original projected completion date in 2009. However, in late 2009, Forest City stated that due to the economic recession, the anticipated completion would be pushed back until 2011.
On November 18, 2010, it was announced that six additional companies would be joining the list of tenants: Dick's Sporting Goods, Brio Tuscan Grille, and REI. Later, on December 3, it was announced that Lord & Taylor would anchor Westchester's Ridge Hill with an location. It was the first Lord & Taylor to be built since 2001. That same year, Saks Fifth Avenue stated that they would not add a location at Ridge Hill.
On March 26, 2013, a new $12 million, Legoland Discovery Center was opened. It was the first Legoland in the Northeast and fifth in the country.
On November 19, 2014, it was announced that eight stores would be arriving at Ridge Hill including Starbucks and The Container Store.
On August 2, 2020, it was announced that Lord & Taylor would be closing as part of a plan to close 19 stores nationwide. On August 27, 2020, it was announced that Lord & Taylor would be closing all remaining stores. The store closed on December 29, 2020.
On December 11, 2020, it was announced that REI would be closing on February 12, 2021 citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anchors.
Anchors include:


Abercrombie River National Park

The Abercrombie River National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The national park is situated approximately west of Sydney and south of .
Features.
The park includes the catchments of Silent Creek and the Retreat River, as well as a section of the Abercrombie River. The Abercrombie River National Park protects an important area of remnant bushland within the south-western Central Tablelands. It contains a diversity of vegetation communities characteristic of montane and tableland species as well as of the western slopes of New South Wales. The park makes an important contribution to nature conservation in the Central West by providing habitat for a number of animal species with large home range requirements and low domestic densities. The park provides opportunities for vehicle touring, bushwalking, swimming, fishing, picnicking and camping amid spectacular scenery. It also provides a pleasant natural break in the landscape between vast areas of cleared grazing land and large areas of pine plantations.


Shivalik Nagar

Shivalik Nagar is a city in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India, at the edge of Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited, Ranipur township and the SIDCUL industrial estate of state government, and 10 km away from the Hindu pilgrimage city of Haridwar.
History.
Shivalik Nagar was developed in the 1980s by Awas Vikas or State Housing Development Board, as a private residential colony for BHEL employees. Gradually it developed into a large colony in three phases, Phase I and Phase II and Phase III even included an industrial estate at its west end. It grew steadily over the next decade, with growing religious tourism in the Haridwar city, and experienced a major spurt in growth, when District Administrative buildings came up near by, after of Haridwar district was constituted in 1998. Thereafter, with the establishment SIDCUL Integrated Industrial Estate in 2002, Shivalik Nagar experienced a realty boom.
Geography.
It overlooks the Sivalik Hills Range of the lower Himalayas, after which it is named, and is partly encircled from east to west, by Ranipur Rao, a seasonal stream, that starts from Shivalik hills at the edge of Rajaji National Park, and now merges with Ganges Canal, ahead of Bahadrabad. It is situated 10 km from Haridwar city, at the edge of Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited, Ranipur township and the SIDCUL industrial estate of state government.
It lies close to the National Highway 58, between Delhi and Mana Pass. It is neighbouring areas, Pathri, Roshanbad, Rohalki and Jwalapur. The city is divided into a total of 16 clusters, named alphabetically from "A" to "T" (without "E", "F", "I" and "O").
Transport.
It is connected with Haridwar city, through a road known as Madhya Marg, which merges at Ranipur Moore at one end, at with NH 58 at another, thus often used a by-pass road during important religious festival, when the main highway get crowded. Nearest railhead is also Haridwar Railway Station, which Indian Railways links to all parts of India. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, though Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is preferred.
Administration.
Administratively it falls within the Bahadrabad Block, and within the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.
Industry.
Integrated Industrial Estate (IIE) of SIDCUL, the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand, is situated adjacent to Shivalik Nagar. Prior to it, to the west of Shivalik Nagar, industrial area, which consisted of heavy machinery ancillary units to BHEL, developed in 1980s.


Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve

Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve, south-east of Ulaanbaatar, has a great diversity of ecosystems even though it has a comparatively small area. The complex of high mountains, steppes, rivers, lakes and wetlands are kept in their original condition. Visitors to Gun-Galuut see vast steppes seeming to meet the sky, the imposing mountains of Baits and Berkh, the homeland of rare creatures, Ikh-Gun and Ayaga lakes, a paradise of birds, Kherlen, the longest river of Mongolia and the Tsengiin Burd wetland, where water and wetland birds lay their eggs.
Fauna.
Although limited research has been carried out on the reserve's fauna, 63 mammal species, 81 bird species, three amphibian species and 38 fish species have been recorded, including a number of nationally and globally threatened species. Among the more common mammal species are the gray wolf, Tarbagan marmot, souslik (ground squirrel), pika, vole, fox, corsac and jerboa. Globally threatened species include the argali (mountain sheep), Siberian crane, white-naped crane, hooded crane, black vulture and swan goose. Among the nationally threatened species found in the park are the whooper swan, black stork, great white egret, bar-headed goose, bearded vulture and Eurasian penduline tit.


Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), west of the town of High Island, Texas. It borders East Bay, part of the Galveston Bay complex, behind Bolivar Peninsula at the Gulf of Mexico.
Established in 1963, this wildlife refuge is located on the upper Texas Coast in Chambers County. The refuge protects approximately of coastal marsh and prairies. The refuge offers opportunities for fishing, waterfowl hunting, paddling, and wildlife viewing. A large network of volunteers contributes thousands of hours in support of the refuge.
In the winter, the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge hosts large concentrations of waterfowl making it a popular site for public hunting.
Other signature species are American alligator, bobcat, yellow rail, and purple gallinule.
Birdwatchers find the refuge an excellent place to observe neotropical migrants in the spring and fall. Other species sought by birdwatchers include American bittern, seaside sparrow, fulvous whistling-duck, and black rail.
Volunteers have been working to compile a butterfly list for the refuge. Over sixty species have been identified, including the extremely localized bay skipper ("Euphyes bayensis").
Recent projects to enhance and restore the habitat at the refuge include control of invasive species like Chinese Tallow, prairie restoration, creation of moist soil areas, and a colonial waterbird rookery.
Three other national wildlife refuges on the Texas coast - Brazoria, San Bernard and Big Boggy - form a vital complex of coastal wetlands harboring more than 300 bird species.
Anahuac NWR is one of more than 560 refuges that comprise the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of lands and waters set aside for the benefit of wildlife. It has been designated as a site of international importance to shorebirds by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). The refuge is designated as part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, a network of trails and wildlife viewing sites established by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.


Bholanath Vidyapitha

Bholanath Vidyapitha is a government educational institution imparting education in high school level. The school was established in 1960 in the holy city of Puri, located near Abakash lane near Shree Gundicha Temple. Palishree mela is being observed every year during Puri, Rath Yatra time.
The activities present here are NCC, Red Cross, Scouts and Guides.


National scenic area (Scotland)

National scenic area (NSA) is a conservation designation used in Scotland, and administered by NatureScot on behalf of the Scottish Government. The designation's purpose is to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to protect them from inappropriate development. There are currently 40 national scenic areas (NSAs) in Scotland, covering 13% of the land area of Scotland. The areas protected by the designation are considered to represent the type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned". As such they tend to be mainly found in remote and mountainous areas, with a review in 1997 noting a potential weakness of national scenic areas was that the original selection placed undue emphasis on mountainous parts of the country. National scenic areas do however also cover seascapes, with approximately 26% of the total area protected by the designation being marine. The designation is primarily concerned with scenic qualities, although designated national scenic areas may well have other special qualities, for example related to culture, history, archaeology, geology or wildlife. Areas with such qualities may be protected by other designations (e.g. national nature reserve) that overlap with the NSA designation.
National scenic areas are designated by the IUCN as "Category V Protected Landscapes", the same international category as Scotland's two national parks. Within the United Kingdom the NSA designation is regarded as equivalent to the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The national scenic area designation does not have a high profile when compared to other conservation designations used in Scotland: in 2018 a survey by the National Trust for Scotland found that only 20 % of Scots were "definitely aware" of national scenic areas, compared to 80 % for National Parks.
History.
After the Second World War, the Labour government passed the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, which led to the creation of ten national parks in England and Wales between 1951 and 1957, although no parks were created in Scotland. A committee, chaired by Sir Douglas Ramsay, was however established to consider preservation of the landscape in Scotland. The report, published in 1945, proposed that five areas (Loch Lomond & the Trossachs, the Cairngorms, Glen Coe-Ben Nevis-Black Mount, Wester Ross and Glen Strathfarrar-Glen Affric-Glen Cannich) should receive a level of protection. Accordingly, the government designated these areas as "national park direction areas", giving powers for planning decisions taken by local authorities to be reviewed by central government. After a further review of landscape protection in 1978, additional areas were identified for protection, and in 1981 the direction areas were replaced by national scenic areas, which were based on the 1978 recommendations.
Following the passage of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, two national parks were established: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and the Cairngorms National Park. Both of these parks included areas that were already designated as national scenic areas, and the NSA designation remains in place alongside national park status for the areas in question.
Scottish Natural Heritage reviewed the national scenic areas between November 2007 and March 2009 to try to identify what makes the scenery of each NSA special; however no formal review into the number and extent has been undertaken since the original report. The current national scenic areas, which therefore remain as originally mapped in 1978, were legally redesignated in 2010. Despite calls from bodies such as the John Muir Trust for the protection to be extended to other areas to protect landscape and support tourism, the Scottish Government has stated that it has no plans to designate further areas. In September 2017 the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee asked the government to explain why it is not reviewing the NSAs.
Operation.
NSAs are currently designated under Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006: all 40 current NSAs were redesignated under this act via a single order in 2010. Designation provides an additional level of protection to specified areas. For developments that would ordinarily require only local authority planning permission the Scottish Government must be informed if advice from NatureScot is ignored. Additionally, there are some classes of development that would not normally require planning permission to proceed when located outwith a national scenic area, but which are subject to controls within them. These developments include the erection of agricultural and forestry buildings over 12 m high, the construction of vehicle tracks for agriculture or forestry purposes (unless forming part of an approved scheme), and local authority roadworks outside present road boundaries costing more than £100,000.
There is no equivalent to a national park authority for national scenic areas, as controls on development are exercised through the planning system. Local authorities can produce a management strategy for each of the NSA within its territory. This strategy defines the area's special qualities and identifies the actions needed to safeguard them. As of 2018, only the three national scenic areas within Dumfries and Galloway have current management strategies .
Public access to all land in Scotland is governed by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which grants the public a right of responsible access to most land (and water) for activities such as walking, camping, cycling, canoeing, swimming and climbing; this right applies to land regardless of ownership or whether or not it is in a designated or protected area such as an NSA, providing it is exercised responsibly (as defined by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code).
List of national scenic areas.
As of 2020 there were 40 national scenic areas:


Gangasagar

Gangasagar is a village and a gram panchayat within the jurisdiction of the Sagar police station in the Sagar CD block in the Kakdwip subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History.
A holy man, Kardam Muni, made a pact with Vishnu that he would undergo the rigours of marital life, on the condition that Vishnu would incarnate as his son. In due time Kapil Muni was born as an incarnation of Vishnu and became a great saint. Kapil Muni's ashram was located in the Gangasagar. One day King Sagar's sacrificial horse disappeared; it had been stolen by Indra.
The king sent his 60,000 sons to find it, and they found it next to Kapil Muni's ashram, where Indra had hidden it. Mistaking Kapil Muni for the thief, the sons accused Kapil Muni, who in his wrath at the false accusation burned the sons to ash and sent their souls to Hell. Later having compassion for the King Sagar's sons, Kapil Muni acceded to the prayers of King Sagar's descendants, agreeing to the restoration of the sons, if Parvati in the form of the river goddess Ganga would descend to Earth to perform the Last Ritual (Hindus also called as"Tarpan") of mixing the ashes with holy water ("niravapanjali").
Through deep meditation, King Bhagiratha induced Shiva to order Ganga down from heaven and the 60,000 sons were freed ("moksha") and ascended to Heaven, but the river Ganges stayed on the Earth. The date of the descent of Ganga was the date, as is at present the 15th Day of January of the Gregorian Calendar which coincides with that of Makar Sankranti (when Surya enters Makar Constellation, i.e. "Uttarayan" of Hindu Panchangam).
Geography.
Area overview.
Kakdwip subdivision has full rural population. The entire district is situated in the Ganges Delta. The southern part of the delta has numerous channels and islands such as the Henry Island, Sagar Island, Frederick Island and Fraserganj Island. The subdivision is a part of the Sundarbans settlements. A comparatively recent country-wide development is the guarding of the coastal areas by special coastal forces. The area attracts large number of tourists – Gangasagar and Fraserganj-Bakkhali are worth mentioning. Gobardhanpur holds a promise for the future.
Location.
Gangasagar is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Demographics.
According to the 2011 Census of India, Gangasagar had a total population of 10,340, of which 5,228 (51%) were males and 5,112 (49%) were females. There were 1,440 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Gangasagar was 7,437 (83.56% of the population over 6 years).
Civic administration.
Police station.
Gangasagar Coastal police station covers an area of 77.72 km2. It has jurisdiction over parts of the Sagar CD block. The coastal police stations were formed with the objective of effective policing of the remote areas of the Sundarbans. The police has regular river patrols.
Culture.
Gangasagar is a place of Hindu pilgrimage. Every year on the day of Makar Sankranti (14 January), hundreds of thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganges and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers ("puja") in the Kapil Muni Temple.
The Gangasagar fair and pilgrimage is held annually on Sagar Island's southern tip, where the Ganges enters the Bay of Bengal. This confluence is also called Gangasagar or Gangasagara. Near the confluence is the Kapil Muni Temple. The Gangasagar pilgrimage and fair is the second largest congregation of mankind after the triennial ritual bathing of Kumbha Mela.
In 2007, about 300,000 pilgrims took the holy dip where the Hooghly meets the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Almost five-hundred thousand pilgrims thronged Gangasagar in 2008. For the rest of the year about 500,000 people come to the island. According to reports on 14 January 2018, 18-2 million people had visited Gangasagar in 2018, against 1.5 million in 2017.
Transport.
From Kolkata, Diamond Harbour Road (NH-12) runs south around 90 km to Harwood Point, near Kakdwip, where a ferry runs to Kachuberia at the north end of the Gangasagar. The Panchyat Samity maintains a parking area near the ferry landing. The ferry travels about 3.5 km across a distributary of the Ganges river (also known as Hooghly River or Muriganga river locally) to reach Kachuberia. Small boats also cross from Harwood Point to Kachuberia. Private cars and buses travel the roughly 32 km to the pilgrimage site at Gangasagar. From the pilgrimage parking area the Kapil Muni Temple is about 200 meters and the Gangasagar confluence is about 700 meters.
Healthcare.
There is a primary health centre at Gangasagar, with 6 beds.


The Barras

The Barras is a major street and indoor weekend market in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The term "barra" is Glaswegian dialect for "barrow", relating to the market's early years, where traders sold their wares from handcarts. Barrowland is sometimes used to describe the district itself where the market is located, which is actually officially known as Calton.
History.
One of Glasgow's most famous institutions, The Barras was founded by James and Margaret McIver in the interwar years. Several of the smaller 1921-era market halls still bear the McIver name, although the main Barrowland Ballroom building was rebuilt after a fire in 1958, reopening in 1960. The ballroom has become a world-famous musical venue. There was a 'barra's queen.'
The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre. The Barrowland building includes large street-level halls used for the weekend markets, with a sizeable weatherproof dance hall above. The front of the building is decorated with a distinctive animated neon sign.
In 2016, with market stalls quieter than in previous decades, the city council looked at proposals to redevelop the area.
Location.
Because of its location on Gallowgate – the main thoroughfare from the city centre to Parkhead and Celtic Park, Barrowlands is also notable for its large concentration of public houses and shops devoted to fans of Celtic Football Club. Baird's Bar was one of the best known Celtic-oriented pubs next door to the Barrowland Ballroom building, the bar has since closed down due to violent incidents that have occurred in the premises. The bar is to be reopened as a furniture store.
Glasgow Antiques and Randalls Antique and vintage Center, the Cartwheel and the Square Yard can all be found next to the Squirrel Bar.
Local Features.
There is a large number of indoor covered markets, and many stalls in the street markets as well. Wares range from, for example fresh fruit and veg, boots and kilts to antiques and collectables. Also nearby is Saint Alphonsus RC Church - also known as the Church at the Barras.


Crystal Springs Fountain

The Crystal Springs Fountain is a historic roadside fountain along old U.S. Route 10 near Crystal Springs, North Dakota. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. It provided spring water and was a rest stop for travelers.
The fountain, fed by an artesian well, consists of an elevated reservoir that leads down to an open drinking fountain. The fountain, made of local fieldstone, was constructed in 1935, by stonemason Art Geisler as a replacement for "the old iron pipe from which travelers used to obtain a cool drink of spring water while motoring on No. 10." Its construction was sponsored by the state highway department under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration. The fountain is located in a clearing adjacent to Crystal Springs Lake.