Afternoon all.

Not sure if any of you are aware, but there are some new trails being built in Grizedale forest in the Lakes. They are volunteer built trails, with some assistance from the FC.

Now, the trails are in the process of being finished with a proposed opening date of the end of March, but..

..they need your help to get them to this completion date.

The trails are s-t-e-e-p. This means that it’s pretty much impossible to get machinery in there, so the only way to move barrows of gravel is by hand.

If you want to volunteer, there is an incentive on offer.

If you show up for 2 dig days, you will get a car parking pass for Grizedale for 2012.

If you show up for 5 dig days, you will get a car parking pass for the whole of the north of England for 2012. This covers, Grizedale, Whinlatter, Hamsterley and Gisburn. Not bad eh !

This info comes directly from the guys who are building the trails who we spent time talking to last Sunday.

If you want to volunteer, go the Grizedale MTB page on Facebook. Non FB users, get in contact with the shop who will be happy to give you all the info you need.

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I will be going up at the weekend with a shovel and a camera, so I’ll post some pics up next week.

There will be a proper big launch later on, which you will no doubt hear about on here.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and maybe see you there with your steel toe cap boots on .

I thought Gisburn was free parking anyhow ? 😯

Good work lads! Sorry I cant be around to help out.

I thought Gisburn was free parking anyhow

Not for much longer.

Will the reverse be true – ie 5 dig days at any of those locations = free parking for the four centres?

Will the reverse be true – ie 5 dig days at any of those locations = free parking for the four centres?

I can only say this is what they are doing at Grizedale. The new trails are being built as a collaboration between the FC and Grizedale MTB shop in the forest, and this is a bit of a sweetener to get some boots on the ground to get this work completed.

As a side note, this is a project that will be continuing after this phase has been completed, and more trails are planned for the future, as well as maintenance to existing trails.

The North Face Trail is in bad need of repair, and I for one, can’t bloody wait to take a shovel to it, to make some much needed improvements.

But, it all depends on you, the more you dig, the better the trails.

( I hope I’m getting all this info right btw, I may yet stand to be corrected by people much more in the know )

Don’t live locally but over that way in April and can’t wait to ride the new stuff. Looks ace judging by the facebook pics!

If you show up for 2 dig days, you will get a car parking pass for Grizedale for 2012.

So, does that mean you are expected to pay for parking when you turn up to volunteer at the first two digs?

So, does that mean you are expected to pay for parking when you turn up to volunteer at the first two digs?

No

Phone the bike shop and they will tell you were to park for the day

People pay for parking @ Grizedale? thought it was just the mug tourists that paid!!

Will post up on here
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/groups/119098321546523/
for you might be able to make the dig but will be biking there so can I have a free cuppa and a proper slice of cake not a slither like served up @ the cafe.

If the parking pass is north of England wouldn’t that cover Kielder as well?

If the parking pass is north of England wouldn’t that cover Kielder as well?

Not sure, quite possibly, get in contact with the shop for details.

Anyway, digging is on Sunday if anyone is still interested.

I have no doubt that parking charges will spread in all FC car parks before long. Just because they are free now, doesn’t mean they will be in the future.

Anyway, this is a great opportunity for folks to help create a great network of trails that will benefit all of us.

Hope to see you there.

If you need any more information contact Grizdale Mountian bikes and ask for Lee.

Well, had a great day out doing some digging yesterday. The previous years worth of hard graft that the volunteer team has put in is really starting to take shape.

BUT… they could really do with some more hands to help move gravel, dig drainage ditches and occasionally move tree stumps.

What it looks like at the moment

Maybe hope to see you there next Sunday ? Doesn’t need to be all day, if you can only spare a few hours it would be appreciated.

Thanks.