Its peaks once guarded Asturias from the forces of Abd al-Rahman and his descendants, powerful invaders from Damascus whose rule stopped short of this inaccessible and remote area.

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But the local Udege people and the forest rangers say the area is inaccessible to both loggers and poachers.

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The proposals are said to locate the adventure park in an area of Tatton that has been "inaccessible to the public for many years".

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According to a 2009 Congressional Research Service report on unconventional gas shales, directional drilling (sometimes referred to as horizontal drilling) allows for access beyond the area below the drill to both oil and gas reserves in locations inaccessible to conventional drilling, including to difficult to reach offshore reserves.

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