Am I being a complete muppet, or is a red route in Billinge Woods in Blackburn opening on the 15th May? I've heard and read nothing about it but pictures here seem to indicate it's going to be a bit interesting.
This is the Billinge Woods at Witton in Blackburn, right? Why no publicity or buzz at all?

Yeah, I've seen the track but heard nothing about it at all….

Well it's good to know it is where I think it is but I wonder why they're not publicising it at all then. Seems really odd. Not heard mention at work either, nothing in local paper, nothing on here, nothing on a Google search.

Might be a bit like the stuff in Healey nab, in the west pennines near Chorley, all been done a bit quietly but that seems to have been in order to stop people turning up and riding before the routes have been completed.

Hmmm, good point. Whoops. I did wonder where people are going to park, I should perhaps warn someone that Witton Country Park car park is possibly about to get a bit of a hammering, as is the Crow Woods bridleway running through it, though I'm sure there's somewhere else you can park. No idea where it is on a map either.

This had me well confused, I used to ride in the Billinge wood almost daily. But this was woods in Billinge, east lancs, not Billinge Woods, blackburn, e lancs :S

Being done by Phil Saxena (the smiley bloke in the last pic). I've talked to him recently and he's pretty pleased with how it's all shaping up (working on behalf of the local authority IIRC). I believe there might be a Phase 2 as well.

The note on those pics ("photos staged, trail not open yet") is pretty clear. Given most riders just do what the hell they want with little regard for construction, better to keep it QT and give everything chance to bed in, bind up and consolidate before it starts to take much traffic. Probably explains the general silence.

I know Phil is still up there at the moment with crew working on it. Looks good and will be interested to try it when finished / open.

Yes, due to open on 15th May I think to co-incide with the Anniversary of the Blackburn Hundred meeting of 1435 or thereabouts (see plaque at start of trail). I have walked up and down the trail. Looks a bit 'tight' angles and loose surface to me but what do I know? I'm sure they will be giving it large with a whacker before it opens.

Oh eck. Right, consider me told. Sorry guys, I'm new to all this, didn't realise.
The pics look absolutely brilliant, so glad they've put a chicken run in next to the rock fall though, apparently there wasn't going to be.
It is in conjunction with the LA as I've just discovered *cough* Pumping people for info, I'm in the wrong Directorate but people are being nice and finding stuff out about parking and facilities.

coffeeking – Member
This had me well confused, I used to ride in the Billinge wood almost daily. But this was woods in Billinge, east lancs, not Billinge Woods, blackburn, e lancs :S

I had the same though myself to begin with, and wondered how the **** can they put a red trail in Billinge Lump woods!

coffeeking – Member
This had me well confused, I used to ride in the Billinge wood almost daily. But this was woods in Billinge, east lancs, not Billinge Woods, blackburn, e lancs :S

I had the same though myself to begin with, and wondered how the **** can they put a red trail in Billinge Lump woods!

Ditto.

This thread is just full of fail on all fronts, isn't it. Sorry guys.

So we're talking about the Billinge woods in Blackburn? It had a good trail in, will be keen to see what they've done. Night riding there always used to be fun because there'd be cars there with people doing interesting things in them.