Sorry in for my ignorance in advance – Chilterns rider here & first time up to the peeks was a couple of weeks ago to check out a route for a group ride this weekend.
Which section of this WLT is the sensitive bit, across the moorland from Highshaw Clough to Whinstone lee Tor I could see as a problem but along the contours from Whinstone Lee Tor to top of Grainfoot Clough although well used doesn’t appear to be in too poor a condition to be ridden at present? Planning on sticking to bridleways as no intention of taking any cheeky trails of my patch so to speak

WLT & CTB have suffered from erosion over the last few years significantly more than a number of alternative routes. This means that they are more likely to get resurfaced / sanitised / vandalised and as we have seen nobody wants that.

The drop down behind the pub is not a designated public right of way but is on open access land. Open access through the Peak only applies to those on foot. Cyclist have no legal right to be there so if riding footpaths is classed as “cheeky” then riding open access land should be classed as being downright bloody rude.

Ride Sheffield, Peak District MTB, Vertebrae graphics, Keeper of the Peak and numerous others are not looking to unrealistically preserve the area in a chocolate box time capsule but are working to prolong the charm that cyclists come to the Peak for.

Basically people who are suggesting that sensitive areas be avoided are trying to keep fun routes fun for longer. It’s unfortunate that they have to justify their actions to some of the people they are trying to assists.

We have seen that area dry a few times in the last 27 years of riding it but its got a lot wider over the full length. Did it one Saturday teatime and there was no one up there but us.

Always try to finish the ride at the Ladybower Inn

What route was that Tracey? I would like to do more routes in the peak as its so local but don’t like to stray too much as I have no idea what you can/can’t ride.

that is the route we have all been talking about WTB to CTB

Basically people who are suggesting that sensitive areas be avoided are trying to keep fun routes fun for longer.

If they are avoided how can anyone have ‘fun’ on them?

Or is this more to do with for whom they are to be kept ‘fun’?

I also distinctly remember someone in a ‘Ride Sheffield’ T-Shirt absolutely caning down from the summit of WLT (footpath) passing us and a group of walkers on the junction at about shoulder height, before rollicking off down the cheeky descent. On a busy and sunny Bank Holiday. I don’t know how widely they distribute their T-Shirts, but it didn’t create a particularly good impression of that group.

Again, some rules seemingly apply only to those in ‘the club’.

Some routes hold water for nigh on ten months of the year (I am particularly thinking of the WLT bridleway as it approaches Cutthroat Bridge in the context of this thread). Does this make this route out of bounds for all that time?

Why couldn’t you have just said “Whinstone Lee Tor is a bit wet at the moment in my opinion and it is your choice whether to ride it or not as you will cause some erosion” rather than “It is a bit sensitive up there at the moment”?

I think you know what you are up to with that phrasing.

Also, categorising people who disagree with you as ‘trolling’ probably reveals more about you than them.

I’m another local(i.e. Sheffield) rider who wouldn’t ride WLT (or cutgate) with conditions as they are at present, and certainly not given the forecast for the weekend.

WLT from Cuthroat Bridge is a beautiful climb, but the ground is very susceptible to damage and I’d hate to see it have to be paved like some other areas of the moor.

It’s also very visible from the road and could be used as a stick to beat us with. Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean we should ride it in all conditions (and just because somethings cheeky it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ride it when conditions are right…)

christhetall

I absolutely agree with your post.

I only have my back up about this thread because when I saw it for the first time I thought to myself “I wonder how long it will be before the usual suspects turn up and try to tell the OP where they can and cannot ride”.

The (deliberate in my opinion) use of the vague term ‘sensitive’ in a post also riled me. I suspect it is being used in a deliberately vague manner to try to create an impression of some kind of landowner vs mountain bike rider friction that probably does not exist.

If thepodge had simply said that it would be wet at WLT and riding it might not be all that much fun and would cause a small amount of damage, then I wouldn’t have posted anything!

The sheer predictability of the way this thread turned was depressing to be honest.

Sorry that I only get half an hour for lunch, next time I’ll take a day off and compose replies of no less than 1500 words.

You really should read less into the nonexistent hidden subtext of my forum posts

Ride Sheffield shirts are available at all good bike shops priced a very reasonable £10

I agree that my posts can be quite long, but I am very keen to make sure my meaning is clear. No ambiguity (deliberate or otherwise).

I might invest in a Ride Sheffield T-Shirt so I can pass as a local and not offend anyone.

No doubt this thread will be rehashed the next time someone dares to ask about riding in the Peaks, so I’ll leave it until then, at least.

🙄

I’m sure they will appreciate your funds if nothing else

Personal choice is fine. Telling others to avoid isnt good. As I said countless walkers etc will still trample, slip and grip there regardless.

I imagine if its lashed it down for days you’d avoid riding there? It’d restrict how often you’d ride off road in the peaks if that was the case.

Well I live out here so you can all bugger off. 😀

The maxim should be ride with care and thought. We all want to ride the nice stuff and we want to open up and ride more stuff. But, to do this, we all need to be responsible – dull I know, but there it is.

Breaking the rules of my own mini-flounce here, but I guess I can’t keep my gob shut sometimes.

Rogerthecat has it spot on.

I personally wouldn’t bother with WLT this weekend either. It probably wouldn’t be all that much fun, after all. I offered it up as a route extension before I saw what the weather was going to be like.

Asking people to be responsible is fine, in fact it is better than fine, it is ‘public service’ of a sort. Acknowledging that it is then up to the individual, of course.

Trying to put people off with ambiguous posts and pretty much telling them where they can and can’t ride is not on in my opinion. It is not the first time on STW that various Peaks locals have tried to put people off riding their ‘manor’. That is what pissed me off.

I appreciate what the various groups of Peaks locals are trying to do in terms of trail creation and preservation. But they should not stray into the territory of ‘local trails are for local riders only’.

My point stands its almost always wet. Due to band drainage/water run off from the massive hillside above.

We all live there. Its in England.

Ironically I’ve ridden CTB once in 5yrs. Never liked it.

Sort the drainage out on WLT and the problem would disapear as it solid hardpack gritstone grit anyway.

So back to my original post, long or short route or can someone send me a gpx of something similar that wont upset anyone if we ride it this weekend?

Please stop being angry

If I could edit my post to be stw / Dannyh approved I would

Most people who have met me understand that I’m not particularly chatty, I say what I need to and that’s that. Clearly this doesn’t travel well over the Internet.

Anyone fancy a road ride? 😉

The roads are in really bad nick at the moment, massive pot-holes which could be expanded by the passage of bike wheels. It’s probably best to give it a miss tbh or risk being sanitised… 😉

The roads are in really bad nick at the moment

you’ve only got to see the damage cyclists have done on the Mam Tor road! unbelievable

I don’t understand why people get so upset about a bit of trail erosion in the peaks. We should have a dig up there and put some jumps and berms in. In my opinion walkers shouldn’t even be on bridleways.

antigee – Member
you’ve only got to see the damage cyclists have done on the Mam Tor road! unbelievable

Still smoother than many road in Sheff (Ringinglow)!! 😀

Oh and a shameless plug:

Trail maintenance news – upcoming dig days

http://www.peakdistrictmtb.org/index.php/30-trail-maintenance-news

votchy – Member

So back to my original post, long or short route or can someone send me a gpx of something similar that wont upset anyone if we ride it this weekend? Long route mate, but as benman said Chapel gate is now just a smooth farm track descent. There will be some sad faces if you haul up the broken road, Mam nick, Rushup edge, only to belt down a pish descent, then follow that up with a sharp climb back up to Hollins cross.

Excise that SW hairpin from the route – Get up to Mam Nick (start of #9 in the route guide) then across to Hollins cross via bridleway, missing out #10, 11 and 12.

rogerthecat- I would be the times would mean having to take a day off to get through the M67/Glossop snarl mid-week 🙁

Looking at the forecast (and more importantly the winds/gusts) it’ll be testing out there tomorrow. I’d avoid going over Mam Tor way.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/mam-tor-derbyshire#?tab=fiveDay&map=SignificantWeather&fcTime=1399590000&zoom=6&lon=-4.00&lat=53.35

Is there an alternative route/somewhere else you can ride tomorrow? Thats within dips/trees etc?

hora – Member
rogerthecat- I would be the times would mean having to take a day off to get through the M67/Glossop snarl mid-week

And for our English speaking audience?

@Votchy- it rained very heavily in the night, big downpours so there will be lots surface water in all the usual places. If you can sift through the thread above there are a couple of suggestions of good routes and ones to avoid. Vertebrate published a route that was mostly rock based trails and gritstone is much grippier than limestone when wet. Enjoy. May see you out there.

Hora specialising in being a thick, socially retarded **** as usual. Me me me

And for our English speaking audience?

You dig because we can’t get there mid-week.

hora – Member
You dig because we can’t get there mid-week.

Yeah man, we dig! Bummed out you can’t be there man. [/hippy]

Don’t worry though, someone else will take time off work to fix the trails you insist on riding when they are not really suitable, heaven forbid you should alter your riding or help out!! 🙄

This Peak District sounds like a dangerous and lawless land. What tyres for a trail in the middle of an argument?

Specialized purgatory and butchers seem oddly appropriate right now

Unlikely I’ll be there on Thursday but planning to be there Monday, resisting the urge to print off some “keep off” signs

if I can get away from work early enough and sort some childcare I’ll aim to be there on Monday.

Quite good timing considering votchy and his visiting hordes will have destroyed everything with their rampant selfish abuse of the trails

#kidding#

:o)

Quite good timing considering votchy and his visiting hordes will have destroyed everything with their rampant selfish abuse of the trails

are the trails that fragile that mincing will destroy them 😀

Quite good timing considering votchy and his visiting hordes will have destroyed everything with their rampant selfish abuse of the trails

Agree- we should block all the carparks and layby’s. At least then there wont be hoards of cars waiting for spaces on Sat and Sunday afternoon. Then it’ll be silent…

except for the screaming engines of motorbikes where the idiots hold onto a gear instead of learning how to change gear……..

Votchy.

Just make sure your papers are ‘in order’ if you are stopped at the gate to any bridleways in the area – or, for you, the ride could be over.

Also make sure you have a local dictionary so when someone says anything you can decode the hidden meaning and go batshit mental

In all seriousness, it’s raining sideways right now, I’d pick a route that gives you an easy get out should you wish

Podge, did you get your sniper scope fixed?

Got soaked this morning, put loads of rain down in the last few days and the weather isn’t looking good for the weekend. Might have to re thing our Peak riding plans

If our office car park is anything to go by, forget your bike, bring a canoe!

votchy – Member
are the trails that fragile that mincing will destroy them

As most of the erosion to the trails round here has been caused by Hora, then the answer is definitely yes. 😀

As most of the erosion to the trails round here has been caused by Hora, then the answer is definitely yes.

😀