Plague of "Village Walk" fakes in the UK
ElwynGreygoose-ING
Posts: 244 ✭✭✭✭
The photos speak for themselves really. They take these home-made markers and temporarily stick them on posts in the area. I see a couple every day. If only they put that much effort into nominating real stops.
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What makes you think it is fake? I found a site where a village walk round Taunton is mentioned: https://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/taunton/things-to-do/activities-(1)/circular-walk-taunton-to-longaller
seems kinda legit?
i checked the address with the roads on the trail from the homepage and it does not really match though
Dillons Road is around 4.5 miles from one of the POIs of that trail..
still not sure if legit oder fake. Hard to tell if you are not from that area
Sorry but these are definitely fake, they're temporarily stuck on top of other signs such as Public Footpath signs. Sure, it's a good job, but it's fake. You can easily get these discs made.
Anyway, there is no named trail matching, let alone on this route. To get a named trail like this takes years and you actually need to negotiate with all the landowners, even if there's already a public footpath there. Once implemented, you would be able to read about it, and see photos of the waymarkers, on a range of local and national websites. The walk you're referring to is just a recommended route, not a waymarked trail.
Unfortunately town dwelling reviewers are probably not too clued up on any of this and hence there are actually fake trail markers on the game. There's already one of the infamous fictional "Amesbury Historical Trail", for example. Reviewers are easily duped, sadly.
I found a map of footpaths and public rights of way in the area.
The highlighted section T10/9 at the right hand side appears to go behind the houses on Dillons Road, though the map is low quality, especially when zoomed in on an individual grid.
The address given with the nomination seems reasonable that the nomination may actually be on that marked path (Google likes to default to street addresses when nominations are not actually on streets). It's more a case of is that path known as the Village Walk and are the markers permanently there if so? The lack of nails in the arrow marker is a bit odd, but it could be attached to the post by other means.
But then again… the address Dillons Road does not match the streets on the above mentioned trail
it’s around 4.5 miles away from one of the POIs of that walk.
still not 100% sure if fake or legit though… hard to tell if you are not from that exact area
The markers are made by the wayfarers and temporarily placed over existing generic public footpath markers for the purposes of the nomination.
One of these even got through unfortunately. Someone on the Wayfarer Reviewers UK Fb page found a site where you could buy these discs.
That's pretty depressing. So around 50+ reviewers were duped. Proves how easy it is.
I guess we're in for a flood of these then. Makes a change from regular street name signs, at least! Reviewing in the UK is such a joy. Can't think why more people don't want to do it.
Wouldn't fully follow a website, there's a thing in the council next tk kine that was made during the pandemic, called healthy habits it's walks along places or paths with signs marking the trails, but when looking at the website half the trails aren't on there yet the signs clearly exist (including changing street signs to include them) or don't follow the trail exactly
But for this picture, yeah, I think they've been stolen from somewhere and put on here as you can see there's no screws in them
We don’t know how many it takes to pass a spot.
Many people talk about how many they can get through quickly judging very quickly so it is not surprising that some may get through that shouldn’t.
only your bottom picture shows clearly the lack of screws the others really need a much closer look - in other words time which some are not prepared to put in.
Something like village walk is something that raises a flag for me as it is so generic.
Reviewing does take time I’ve seen a wider variety of rejects so perhaps not as jaded, but I have to do it if I want some of mine to get resolved as otherwise it’s years. And I often take quite awhile over checking/deciding
So it’s hardly surprising that if the majority of reviewers are in slow areas that they value speed of review be it right or wrong to reach their goal of an upgrade.
Another one of these have passed after looking at Intel map this morning.
https://www.thesignshed.co.uk/products/village-walk-green-waymarker-sign?fbclid=IwAR2ytCHCLjhJ1Y3RZGTCY-d3FHBFWDU8smLQqQOqniNc8-esJej-BtwtNNQ is the link these can be bought from
@NianticGiffard @NianticTintino sorry for the pings. Any thoughts on the above information we have been able to obtain on the fakes?
Thanks for flagging! We'll have the report reviewed and write back once we have information to share.
We have looked into the reported location and based on our research, the Wayspot does not require any adjustments at this time.
Actually, @NianticGiffard, can I please request that the abuse team take another look at this report, with the below additional evidence? There are at least two other live Wayspots that use the exact same sign at pictured in the first post. In all cases, it is not screwed in. Unique damage markings indicate it is the same physical marker which is being moved to different locations and photographed again. Investigation of the submitter's account may reveal further fraudulent submissions.
Portal locations:
Great work @Tntnnbltn-ING hadn't noticed that myself
Yes that's excellent work @Tntnnbltn-ING
If it's real, why isn't it screwed to the pole through the holes?
Do hiking trails still need to have glamorous names? I thought that the criteria was now simply a great place for exercise. Walking around village trails is a very good way to exercise.
So perhaps this is what @NianticGiffard is saying here - the trail at this location meets this based on their [Niantic's] research so no change is needed. Okay there may be something temporary in the image of the wayspot but that is not a reason to make a change until someone submits a better image and then the temporary one can be retired.
That said, this is naughty and trying to influence reviewers so should be rejected for that reason if you see it. The trail should be submitted for what it is not for what reviewers will accept. They should be accepted if they are indeed a great place for exercise not just if they have a nice name.
Generic public footpath signs are not accepted in the UK. They merely indicate a public right of way. They're no different to sidewalks, except those are obviously for public use so don't need a sign. Public footpaths do, because they might be crossing someone's field, for example.
We have further reviewed it and took action on 2 Wayspots and a Wayfinder in accordance with our policies.