DetectingWales.com

Just returning to the metal detecting fold after a good while off and fancy a bit of beach detecting because the ground is like a rock. Had a look at the Crown Estates website as that was where I used to obtain the licence from, but couldn't find a link. So I looked on NCMD site where they say Crown Estates no longer issue the licences.

Do we no longer need a licence or is some other body now responsible for their issue?

No you don’t need a licence at present. I read somewhere that they had suspended issuing them while others options were being considered ? What that might mean is anyone’s guess !
Enjoy while you can. Happy hunting, and welcome to DW.   ;D

Wow! The government GIVING us something . . . ???

Thanks for the reply - I look forward to reading everybody's exploits!

                                 Val, as usual, is quite right. The Crown Estates have stopped issuing printable Crown Beach detecting permits by return email but one still has to understand and agree to the Crown Estates beach detecting principles as laid down on their website.

                                 The Crown Estates permit only ever covered one for detecting between the mean low tide line and the mean high tide line. Anything lower than the mean low tide line comes under the receiver of wrecks and anything above the mean high tideline will come under the land owners or the local council.

                                 Any valuables recovered from said beach should be handed in and recorded at the nearest police station as lost property, which may be returned to you after a specified time; if not claimed.

                                Last year, whilst introducing one of my wife's young relatives to beach detecting, we were pulled by the ASSI manager and the landowner's representative/safety officer and cross-examined as to if we knew that we required Crown permission to detect the beach and if we knew what areas were out of bounds to detecting and digging. We passed with flying colours and earned a few brownie points as well.  ;) 


                              Stay safe, stay well, and happy hunting

                                                Chris  :)

ps...…...please don't forget to backfill any holes, lest you get the rest of us a bad name!  :'(

                                 

Thanks Chris,

I did/do know the rules regarding detecting on beaches - used to do quite a bit of it but not for a couple of years. No firm plans yet either, especially since Parcelforce have (up to now) taken 5 days to deliver my detector from the repairers. On a 24-hour service, mind you :-(

I wonder if the Crown Estates has been frightened off issuing licences after considering their responsibilities
concerning insurance claims ?

Crown Estates learned their lesson when they claimed they owned all the gold in the UK and tried stopping people goldpanning

I saw on the news, a few days ago, there’s an ongoing argument, again, about gold panning.
They’re (who) following through on an investigation as to wether it’s legal or not because it’s claimed it’s disturbing the environment.
Something I’d have liked to try. Trouble now is that when I get down I can’t get back up  ::) ah well such is life!

                             Hmmmmm! Once made the mistake of getting into the garden trampoline with two boistrous grandschilderen and just couldn's get out again. The kids thought it was graet fun and wouldn't let me escape. Fortunately had my mobile in my pocket and called the daughter to come out of the hose and rescue me.

                            As for governmental restrictions; they will just move the goalposts to suit them selves. Do you remember the WWII wreck off Russia that was a British war grave but once they realised they could recover the large quantity of gold bullion that it held it became an other story.

                                            Chris :)