The Boxing Day walk was up part of Glen Devon which has had the misfortune to have a large industrial site built on it since the last time I was there. Yes, you guessed it, there's a bloody great wind farm been built at the top of the glen. Thanks greenies for that particular bit of landscape desecration.
Fifteen turbines I counted, and guess how many were actually operational, at this, the peak time of year for electricity demand? Well, when we arrived, none of the windmills were actually operating at all. After about half an hour, one of them ground into action, so it's not like there wasn't enough wind, although it was a still day. A little later a second one started to rotate a little hesitantly. It didn't last though. A few minutes later, first one and then the other ground to a halt again and it was all still. None had moved again by the time we left.
It's been said again and again that wind farms don't produce power when it's needed and that they can never produce enough, and here is real world evidence of just that. Wind farms are a means for politicians to divert funds to their client companies in the renewables business (in the shape of subsidies), from where it is diverted back to the politicians by means of political donations.
Corruption, pure and simple. And it spoiled my walk.