I’m addicted to trail digging as soon as the days start drawing in and the undergrowth begins to die back. I’m itching to carry on with a trail I’m on at the moment. I’m taking the top soil off with a mattock, cutting back branches and doing about 20 metres a week if I’m lucky with time. But it’s taking shape and right now, I’d rather be digging than riding.

Yes but only so I have somewhere to hide my nuts.

Nope, I dig all year round, but it’s not brilliant in the baking sun but we dont get a lot of that.

Yeah man ..
I dig riding my bike..
Far out baby.. 8)

Just had my first little session of the year today as it happens. Went to a trail I never finished and started on opening it up. Got a few ideas for other trails I’ll have to get started on…..

Build on brothers 🙂

I dig with a mate who isnt about at the minute, went to have a look at some new trails we’re working on but ended up raking existing trails. Hopefully they will stay dry through the winter for doing it.

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but never found the time.

No actual digging – although I did one day at Stainburn years ago with Singletraction as fair do’s for riding there.

However last winter when the trails are poor I spent several days ‘walking’ many of my local trails, clearing debris, moving rocks and cutting back – holly especially – vegetation, branches etc. to open up sight lines. Reviewing one of my favourites it seems I wasn’t the only one to benefit on Strava and I got well pegged down to 20th overall !

Have done one day this autumn a couple of weeks ago and likely to do some others and currently have ‘spare’ time.

No time to even ride my bike but in the past I’ve benefitted from the efforts of people like you so thank you!

I love digging. It used to be my crew spent easily as much time making trails as riding them.

Now I’m into pedaling as well as just doing DH type runs so the balance has tipped a bit but yeah I’m looking forward to making some new tracks for next summer.

A local plantation we used to ride in years ago has been mostly felled this year but they haven’t touched it in months and haven’t replanted. I don’t know whether to chance it and start digging at the risk that they’ll be back again. It’s a great bit of land for a 2 – 3 minute DH run especially with all the stumps and root plates laying about atm, I’m itching to get the shovel on it!

I love a day digging, it’s a great investment in your local riding. Spent a few hours digging and hucking today, brilliant.

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love digging. It used to be my crew spent easily as much time making trails as riding them.

Now I’m into pedaling as well as just doing DH type runs so the balance has tipped a bit but yeah I’m looking forward to making some new tracks for next summer.

A local plantation we used to ride in years ago has been mostly felled this year but they haven’t touched it in months and haven’t replanted. I don’t know whether to chance it and start digging at the risk that they’ll be back again. It’s a great bit of land for a 2 – 3 minute DH run especially with all the stumps and root plates laying about atm, I’m itching to get the shovel on it!

I’d leave it awhile to see what they do. Forestry commission usually leave it to settle for awhile before replanting ( don’t know for certain, just what I’ve noticed)

I was a member of Kielder Trail Reavers for a good few years ..but then couldn’t commit to a Sunday trail build / knees couldn’t hack all the barrowing of stone ..but this was on the official sections at Kielder both in building new sections & maintaining .
I now do the occasional build during the week with Ian ( owner of The Bike Place Kielder) & Russell who works for the FC as a ranger who is mainly responsible for trail improvement / maintenance ..all official stuff and not the kind of building that most of you posting on this thread are talking about.
Just enough to keep my free visitors car park pass valid 😉
This pales into insignificance though when it comes to the hard-core handful of volunteers who turn up for every official build ..just wish that everyone who rides there could turn up for at least one build a year..what a difference that would make!

This pales into insignificance though when it comes to the hard-core handful of volunteers who turn up for every official build ..just wish that everyone who rides there could turn up for at least one build a year..what a difference that would make!

Absolutely. There was 4 of us digging today, so much more progress than just me on my tod, loads done in less than 2 hours.

I’d leave it awhile to see what they do. Forestry commission usually leave it to settle for awhile before replanting ( don’t know for certain, just what I’ve noticed)

This is actually private land that the estate caretaker gave us permission to use, I could really do with bumping into him again. The top section was cleared about 5 years back. It’s only last year they started felling again. I agree it’s probably best to leave it a while. We have another, smaller, woods to build in. I’ve actually been down there today raking, it’s probably a piss in the wind but most of the leaves are down so maybe not.

I just don’t get this. What happened to “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints”?

Waiting for a warranty claim on my bike so was going to spend a couple evenings clearing/digging.

Was walking them with the dogs today and there are some major changes I would like to make, big changes are hard to make though!

I just don’t get this. What happened to “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints”?

I get this but surely no one would ever go anywhere?!

tjagain – Member
I just don’t get this. What happened to “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints”?

Stop being so black-and-white. See nobbers photos? A bit of hand made trail in a pretty much forgotten piece of forestry monoculture. Can’t see what’s wrong with that. In a few years time the forwarders will come in and trash the whole hillside. In the meantime folk are outside getting exercise as opposed to adding to the obesity crisis.

Spot on scroteroutes, the estate are cool with us building, as long as we stay out their way when there’s a shoot on. Given that in 14 years of riding there I’ve only ever seen two shoots, I think we’ll be okay. And I’m pretty sure the estate didn’t really give a flying **** of the visual impact of their planting.

Point taken

“Someone” likes building big ladder drops and such out of old pallets down my local place and half the time they leave them unfinished. Now that I’m not cool with. It looks shit, leaves wood full of nails laying about and isn’t even rideable. I have told him if I get a nail in the foot I will not be happy.

Most of the rest of us take some pride in making a tidy trail that’s no wider or bigger than needed. They certainly make less impact on the ground than the tracks at any trail centre I’ve been to.

Natural riding? Yeah it’s great but rarely that natural. A ride on the moors is actually almost invariably on old mining tracks, paths etc. Ok, we didn’t take or leave anything then but someone did, it was just a long, long time ago.

Our local spot, not me.