Out for my weekend ride a week last Sunday, doing the route around the Goyt value near Buxton, fairly popular, well established, legal route, in all the guide books, must have first done it about 15 years ago.For those that know the route, I had jsut ridden up the steep hill past the church, down the steep zig zag road, up the other side and had just taken a right turn by some farm buildings, through a gate with a clear sign saying "restricted byway" and was wheezing my way up hill when I saw waiting for me in the distance the cheery red jacket of a peak park ranger. When I reached him I was greeted by (you've guessed it)"you shouldn't be riding here". I pointed out that this was a restricted byway which is legal for bikes, which was news to him. He then suggested I go back the way I had come, and turn right along a public footpath. I told him that this would not be legal, which was again news to him. Basically he had no idea of rights of way as applied to bikes, had no idea of the status of the track we were on, and just didn't think I should be riding there. I suggested that before challenging people, he should improve his knowledge of rights of way legislation, and familiarise himself with the area he was patrolling, to which he eventually said "fair point".
What is it with these little Hitlers? What is the point in them? What sort of person volunteers to spend their weekends harassing peope with no good reason? Do they have any training? Why are mountain bikers viewed as fair game to have a go at?
On the long climb up to Derbyshire Bridge, I wondered why we have these rangers at all, and then got to thinking why we have organisations like the Peak Park authority? Times are hard, surely these useless penpushers should be first against the wall? I noticed some Peak residents have similar views, there is a website peak park watch (? or something simlar)which aims to point out the incompetence and lack of transparency/democracy associated with the PP authority.
Anyone else had dealings with PP rangers, or rangers in other national parks?
