- This topic has 13 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by stumpyjon.
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Gisburn
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lardhelliwellFree Member
Hi,
is Gisburn worth a 2hr drive from Sheffield?Cheers.
robgarriochFull MemberI'd drive 2 hrs there for a couple of laps, provided conditions were reasonable & had the best part of the day spare. Definitely.
simonfbarnesFree Memberonly if you're bored with the Peaks! The reports I've had indicate it has suffered from use when wet, already one of our members says he's never going back 🙁 Would be excellent if frozen. I enjoyed riding there, but it's only 45 mins from Lancaster
SimonFull MemberLast time I was there at back end of last year, the majority of the contractor built trail was in really bad condition, really muddy and cut up.
I can't imagine it's any better now.The volunteer sections are great fun though, well built and holding up nicely.
grantwayFree MemberSimon Regarding the contracted trails what do you expect just look at the roads!
tony_mFree MemberLast time I was there at back end of last year, the majority of the contractor built trail was in really bad condition, really muddy and cut up.
I can't imagine it's any better now.Hopefully Hully Gully (see sfb's pic) will be better after we've had a go at patching it up on Feb. 14th. Not sure what's going to be happening with the rest of it though (e.g. the climb up to Whelpstone).
The volunteer sections are great fun though, well built and holding up nicely.
Cheers, we aim to please. 8)
stumpyjonFull MemberPretty much what Tony said though I am getting a little tired with people who haven't ridden up there recently passing on other peoples opinions they've read or heard. There is one short section (maybe 100 yards) that is totally trashed, the bit around whelpstone has lost something in it's current state but the rest with the exception of one berm in the middle is quite rideable. The sandy berm section has survived amazingly well and Hully Gully is still rideable. We are going to repair some of it very soon (snow prevented two dig days over Christmas and in January), I don't want to lose what we've got either. If anyone else wants to chip in some labour it would be greatfully recieved (email is in the profile). In the meantime we are still building more volunteer stuff using the same methods as the earlier bits so the amount of all weather trail is slowly growing.
simonfbarnesFree Memberthough I am getting a little tired with people who haven't ridden up there recently passing on other peoples opinions they've read or heard.
might it not be better to give it a bit of a respite ?
stumpyjonFull Membermight it not be better to give it a bit of a respite ?
To be fair, yes, it would help stop the deterioration but given the weather in the area we'd only be able to ride it for about 4 weeks a year, unfortunately it's not going to get better until we carry out some maintenance on parts. Some mistakes were made with surfacing materials but despite it's popularity it's generally holding up fairly well which is I suppose the point I'm trying to make. I to though would like to see it back to the state it was in during July.
vondally – cheers for asking, next dig day is Sunday 14th February starting at 10:00am (working to around 3 ish). As Tony said it's going to be a repair day on the Gully (just hoping we don't get anymore snow). After that the official dig days are on the second Sunday in the month. We also arrange extra days in between and try and get at least one additional day in per month. If you email me I'll send you some more details and add you to my mailing list so you don''t miss any future adhoc days.
simonfbarnesFree MemberTo be fair, yes, it would help stop the deterioration but given the weather in the area we'd only be able to ride it for about 4 weeks a year, unfortunately it's not going to get better until we carry out some maintenance on parts
Hmmm, thanks for that. Please understand my comments were intended to be even handed. When I first rode the new stuff at Gisburn, I thought to myself "This won't stand up" – there just wasn't enough material laid down, and there was a similar situation to the North Face in Grizedale where some parts failed rapidly under the weight of tyres (not the volunteer-built sections). This was exacerbated by some of the heaviest rainfall in years. By all means try Gisburn if you're interested, but please be aware that when it's wet some parts currently become liquid!
B.A.NanaFree MemberStrangly, I thought that the volunteer stuff would fall apart first, how wrong could I be. My reasoning was that the volunteer section was mostly built through very soft and water logged ground. Also, built through dense tree plantation, which tends to have lots of water channels that the trail is built across and thru. with major drainage issues to be dealt with.
As Stumpyjon says, on the contractor sections, they tried to use local materials only, which in parts, don't appear to have done the job as a surfacing material.As far as giving it a respite, if SFB means stopping people riding sections, then that is going to be a problem as so many people are now going there. It's now become a victim of it's own success and I think it would now be difficult to put the brakes on.
teagirlFree MemberIt was fine a couple of weekends ago, boggy at the top but it aint road riding is it. You'll have to wash your bike after you've laughed lots! Lots of other people around too, make it a social, good pub too!
stumpyjonFull MemberSimon, sorry for being a bit prickly last night. It's just I don't Gisburn is in quite as bad a state as some people have made out, I think teagirl's comments are pretty fair. It's definitely more rideable than some of the bridleways at the moment. All I think it needs is a layer of the limestone over some of the damaged sections, the foundadtions are there, it's the surface layer that's failed. You are right though in saying less riding would help keep what is there. If we don't fix it then the foundations will go the same ways as the surface.
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