I normally bin these as I feel way outside their target demographic that needs the advertised hearing aids and stairlifts. Latest one though:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/spww4k]IMG_1820.JPG[/url] by kiteless, on Flickr

Nice piece about riding on the Balmacara Estate, bit about Danny MacAskill, and apparently the NTS have a new project on to provide route information and promote Scottish landscapes that can be explored by bike.

The NT down in England occasionally throw us a token “we do bikes” thing in the magazine too. Before refusing to let you ride on any of their land in certain national parks…

The article doesn’t bear much relation to the cover shot and the obligatory Danny shot doesn’t quite gel with the article on family friendly trails, but a girl on a Five in some Scottish mountains? Ticks my boxes 🙂

Yeah, the mag didn’t quite deliver on the Joe/Hannah Barnes promise but still nice to see.

The NT down in England occasionally throw us a token “we do bikes” thing in the magazine too. Before refusing to let you ride on any of their land in certain national parks…

I think they are loosening up a bit (Lanhydrock?) to give them their due. They are starting to realise their future is in the likes of ‘us’ .. like surfers buying membership for parking at good breaks.
But as they struggle with children I think it’s going to be a while.. the tree climbing free for all lasted about 5 months before they decided to can it and put in ‘natural playparks’ instead.

To be fair, NT are improving in England… Longshaw Estate now has a fairly sensible off-road cycle path alternative to the main road, and they’ve signed it clearly enough that the grumpy biddences can’t do their “you shouldn’t be here” stuff, which can be fun!

To be fair to NT anyone who has cycled on the Long Mynd has been a guest of NT. they are up for pro MTB trail maintenance (seach to Alan and Kate at Plush Hills, they have done some great work on Minton Batch) Permissive riding on footpaths (the route to the Trig point) and really positive with the MTB Marathon series and the Batch Burner (Al and Kate again) about running events.

Many of their of estates have got great scope for Family friend loops. What the NT haven’t got a crack team of trail builders that could be parachuted in.

You could always send them a email about starting up a project:-)

To be fair, NT are improving in England

They do have some catching up to do….

Just be glad you are not a paddler passing through NT grounds (clicky for more). I wonder how we would feel if they strung a rope across a trail?

I was out building a bike trail on NT land with the NT ranger (and destroying loads of bluebells!) last week

Is that not illegal Matt?

Sadly it seems not.

Having said that, I wonder how a court would respond to a liability claim following an accident with that barrier, deliberately put to hinder folk…

Yep, River in flood and that catches your boat…

Presumable its also not illegal to lift over and continue?

No.
You cannot own the water passing through. You can own the bank. It is a grey area if you can own the solum (river bed), but generally it is assumed you can own it.
In the case of NT, it is an interesting approach as they exist to keep such places for the benefit of the people of the nation….
So you can carry on.
Nice welcome.