Re rootes1's recommendation, roomzzz have a city centre apartment on offer at the moment for two night stays (excepting next weekend):

http://www.travelzoo.com/uk/hotels/uk-city/866011/%5B/url%5D

I used to work for an environemtnal consultancy who had a small GIS team. The GIS guys generally came from either a database (SQL, etc) background or from web design. Some of the younger members of the team had qualifications specifically related to GIS but most just had a very thorough background in programming.

I am interested that you say you want to get into soil and air contamination work, and that you would be interested in getting out of the office sometimes. I would note that, in my experience, a pure GIS job involves sitting in front of a PC. If you want to get out and get experience in contaminated land investigation, then you might be better making an informal enquiry with some of the larger consultancies with environmental groups (Atkins, Peter Brett Associates, Black&Veatch, URS, Enviros, etc.) about a junior position in EIA and contaminated land investigation with the possibility of working on GIS.

So you know, I started (with an MSc) on about £17,250 and after five years was at project management level doing technical modelling, earning around £30k. There wasn't much of a London weighting as far as I can remember. I think the most I would have earned without going into people management would have been about £40k. The EA will pay less than a consultancy, but you get significantly better T&Cs including flexi and way mor holidays, which more than makes up for the difference in pay. However, from my recollection, most of the GIS work (at least for the NW) was contracted out, rather than done in-house by the EA.

You could also look at digital mapping providers like Landmark and BlueSky.

As already said, it would be prudent for your friend to sign on if there is a risk of him not finding work in the near future, but I know a few friends and family who did not sign on because they felt they were in a sufficiently privileged position to not need it (i.e. partner working, savings etc.). Your friend does not have to

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liable' to pay NI. Your NI contributions can fall below the expected amount, in which case you get a letter (or several in my case!) giving the deficit and asking whether or not you wish to make up the shortfall. This is the individual's choice and depends on what they feel about 'risk', the future of state pensions, likelihood of needing state benefits in the future and so on, vs keeping the money in their own pocket and making it work for them.

I would note that, if your freind does struggle to find work by next March, make sure he sends off his P60 to his tax office together with the correct form to get a tax rebate for this year's taxes he has paid whilst employed. Otherwise he will get his rebate (usually over several months) once back on a PAYE system.

The OP didn't make it very clear whether or not the land they refer to is a public footpath or open access land or both. But either way, although dogs are not specifically mentioned in the Acts of Parliament, it is generally considered that they are 'usual accompaniments' to walkers and are therefore 'permissible' on footpaths, other Rights of Way and open access land, provided they are 'under control' and in the case of Rights of Way do not deviate from them. However, as far as I am aware the farmer is under no 'obligation' to provide access for dogs, prams etc, only for pedestrians. (There are of course a few exceptions when dogs can be abnned from farm land, for example for up to six weeks when lambing).

As already mentioned, if you only talked to the farmer about this at the weekend, don't expect anything to change in the next week or so. Be reasonable! And as b r said, why not offer to pay for the means of access if you are the one who needs it? I would comment, at least you talked to the farmer first; don't get the Access Officer at your Council involved unless you really feel you have to.

If the route is a footpath or indeed open access land, do you keep to your side of the agreement with regard to keeping your dog on a lease (Right of Way i.e. they should be kept within 1m of the line of a footpath or 2m from a bridleway or byeway) or within your control (open access)? Do you clean up after your dog (legal requirement on some footpaths and considered good practise and polite)?

In the case of your in-laws, I would question the Access Officer's reasoning behind the request for alternative access to the cattle grid… Is it for disability (i.e. guide or hearing dogs), prams, wheelchairs or some other reason? I would say it seems a bit odd, unless there is proof of frequent use by a person with a guide dog or similar. But if they don't like the route of the access, they can ask for the line to moved away from their main drive / away from their house, particularly if they can show it is intrusive, people don't keep to the line of the footpath, don't clear up mess after their dogs etc. Their solicitor should have made them aware of the presence of the FP and their legal obligation to maintain it and its access at their own cost when they bought the property.

As Molgrips said, the line along the north coast is fast (connects to the Holyhead-Dublin ferry), so either have a day out and drop him off at Bangor or Conwy (between 3 and 4 hours to London depending if you get the direct service or not); or drop him off at Machynlleth (about 4:15 to London via Birmingham). However, if he will be travelling on a weekend, I would make sure you check for planned engineering work. That would decide which route he takes.

What DaveyBoyWonder said. If those are full, you could look at the holiday lodges near Trawsfynydd. A campsite that is often recommended on here is Cae Du (nr Tywyn), which is about 30 mins drive away from CyB (about an hour to Nant yr Arian) but is right on the coast and allows fires: photo However, no pub nearby. The trains that run past aren't an issue as they run with buffers to reduce noise so you barely notice them any more.

I would note that the MBR and Tarw routes have (in the last year or so) been regraded from red to black, but I didn't notice any difference in the trail when I rode the Tarw recently from when it was a red route. So I think the owners might be 'covering their backs' a bit. There are also more signs indicating

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red' in the past. It is a shame really, as I am not very confident (and not very fit – i.e. I wouldn't even attempt the Beast) so I kept slowing down around the signs waiting for obstacles and not really finding any that you would get at any red graded trail-centre trail elsewhere. Having said that I suppose the snap, crackle and pop sections of Tarw are quite steep and bouldered, but not unridable. I also agree with the comments that most of the uphill is done on fire roads, but this allows riders like me who aren't that fit to enjoy the downhills when we get to them!