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  • RIP – Newish singletrack trail in Holmbury I never learned the name of
  • zinger
    Free Member

    Well gutted – tonight I was looking forward to the nice fast twisty well built trail i’d only found a couple of weeks ago and now its been completely destroyed by the powers that be …

    They have dug pits along the trail with heavy machinery and moved large piles of logs all over the trail.. wholesale destruction

    Just for the record can anyone tell me what was the trail called it was here

    I assume they are having a laugh when they say get in touch for sanctioned trail building…

    poly
    Free Member

    Zinger,

    This might be contravertial – but you live in a country with no right to roam on a bike so why are you surprised at land owners/managers objecting to unauthorised trail building? write to your MP, not specifically about this legal enforcement of the landowners rights but about the general access issue.

    Even in enlightened countries where responsible access is permitted it would not generally be acceptable to go ‘building’ trails on other peoples land (the land manager implies the trail was actually dug in to the hill) – and those who do this do nothing to improve the image or reputation of cyclists or win the access argument.

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    I was told that was hand carved by “mad” Dave. I understand the whole unsanctioned thing but that was a cracking little run and seemed to be doing no harm tucked away and off the main drags.

    Oh well.

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    winterfold
    Free Member

    It was called Reggae Reggae Shake (I’ve only found that out since the bulldozing)

    Even the Ranger liked it (allegedly unofficially etc) but it’s flowing lovliness and hence popularity was it’s own downfall and it became more popular than was possible for it to remain discrete. That and the obvious exit.

    Anyway, it had to go, to ‘send a message’ that unsanctioned trails will go. Personally I hope we get to a mature relationship with the rest of the community where we can trade rubbishy old worn out unsustainable trails for really good ones like that. lots of lessons learned among the pro MTB community hopefully.

    And don’t diss the Ranger (not that anyone has yet) – he did what he could for us.

    Personally it looks far more of s mess now than when it was a trail so this ain’t about MTB bad for environment etc

    (I don’t think I am totally contradicting my pro Hurtwood posts from last month – if we are not on the inside then we are outside – but if anyone finds my comments contradictory or hypocritical then I am genuinely interested in their thoughts/ opinion)

    winterfold
    Free Member

    Poly – if only it were that simple – it isn’t unfortunately.

    I can genuinely understand why the residents of Peaslake are hacked off with MTB . They get totally invaded every weekend. This perceived invasion has increased hugely in the last couple of years and I imagine in non MTB eyes it is linked to Surrey AONB and Hurtwood developing Barry Knows Best with subsequent footpath riding and all the other seemingly trivial stuff which hack locals off.

    Subsequently IMO all new trails , wherever and however, are anathema to the locals – who Hurtwood are keen to keep sweet. Only 5% of locals are Hurtwood members and right now Hurtwood needs money. Even with my moan from last month I would like to think more than 5 % of regular MTBers are members.

    Regular riders – apparently there is a bit of a whipround going on to contribute towards costs of removing the trail – so if you ever rode it and get asked give some thought to coughing up . The version I heard is that the miscreant (legend folk hero IMO ) who built it is organising this, praise to the painted man

    (New trails may be available)

    bullheart
    Free Member

    Regular riders – apparently there is a bit of a whipround going on to contribute towards costs of removing the trail – so if you ever rode it and get asked give some thought to coughing up . The version I heard is that the miscreant (legend folk hero IMO ) who built it is organising this, praise to the painted man

    winterfold – I don’t understand what this means? Are you saying that the local people are having a whip round to have the trail removed? And that the fella that built it is organising the whip round to have the trail removed?

    I’m a bit confused… 😕

    freeridenick
    Free Member

    It was called reggae reggae sauce.

    The whole thing is ridiculous as they can happily trash vast parts of the forest for logging then a poxy little trail that has no impact on anyone gets done over and looks even more of a mess now!

    they should have kept that one as a legacy trail as well built and no dangerous jumps etc and closed Barrys in my book.

    Ho hum – luckily stuff is being built else where in the Surrey Hills far away from the epi-centre of Holmbury Hill.

    Yes, winterfold – your post is confusing?

    Sonor
    Free Member

    The whole thing is ridiculous as they can happily trash vast parts of the forest for logging then a poxy little trail that has no impact on anyone gets done over and looks even more of a mess now!

    The point being missed is the landowners do not want any new trails on THEIR land. If they leave it in a mess, which is inevitable due to it also being a commercial forest, it’s their prerogative.

    winterfold
    Free Member

    Reggae Reggae Shake – what moron typed that? It was of course Sauce.

    The whip round is to compensate for the cost of removing it – not to have it removed. Not sure how far it will get but there you go – seems reasonably grown up mea culpa idea to me.

    Note to self: Dont type after beers…

    Barrys sure needs some TLC

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    I’m interested in why the landowners are against new trails, it is their land and their call but that really was a bloody nice run and the exit was safe it seemed to be in a part of the wood that meant it had no special reason for being trashed.

    Are there meetings with the landowners about MTB, is there a discussion taking place or it is literally the 10 or so sanctioned trails are there and that’s your lot – end of?

    Happy to stick a tenner in the whip, don’t know how to?

    freeridenick
    Free Member

    winterfold, the whip round might be to late as its been done over big time!!

    Sonor – i see your point – but going forward with the massive increase in biking over the last few years my view is Hurtwood would be far better off if there was say 10-15 decent well maintained trails – this would stop building in the main areas and might encourage more people to become paying “friends of Hurtwood”.

    I know they are under pressure from the NIMBYS so its difficult.

    glenp
    Free Member

    A bit of remedial work on BKB will be in the pipeline pretty soon, I would guess. There is an officially sanctioned group, doing things in an approved manner. Dull though that might sound, nothing else is going to be officially allowed. It’s actually way too dry at the moment though.

    It is a frustrating business, because it is very difficult to get a concensus. However, being constructive and open is better in my mind – even if the scale of legitimate trail maintenance is relatively modest.

    Just a little word to the wise – Pitch and Winterfold could be good places to go and sniff out trails. Possibly.

    Forestry is inherently messy, but thinning is essential and will be for the better in the much longer term.

    winterfold
    Free Member

    joolsburger – my take on it is in the coherent two paragraphs in my reply to Poly above 🙂

    Someone is trying to get a new trail maintenance collective organised – but has gone a bit quiet recently – dont know if thats due to general life busyness or because I am a gobshite/pain in the arse. EDIT – so its too dry – thanks Glen

    I think it’s important to consider the difference between what Hurtwood would allow in an ideal world vs what they have to be seen to be doing to maintain relations with the community at large.

    With the self-organising libertarian nature of MTB there is noone for people who like to complain to officials to complain to – so Hurtwood cop it in the way a road cc cops it when they run a timetrial or race and ‘take over the public highways harumph!!’

    I think the rough sequence of illologic is: new trails = more MTBers at Peaslake bus shelter and in general = bad = Hurtwood’s fault

    (I am not unsympathetic to the residents of Peaslake being a bit fed up with MTB (and roadies) to be honest – part of the reason I dont go up there at weekends)

    Nicknoxx
    Free Member

    Personally it looks far more of s mess now than when it was a trail so this ain’t about MTB bad for environment etc

    It might look a mess to you but to wildlife it probably looks a whole lot more attractive. Nature isn’t supposed to be tidy.

    winterfold
    Free Member

    freeridenick – the money is to compensate for having to do it over. Im riding with one of the guys who told me about it tonight, I’ll find out what I can.

    But as one trail dies, another springs up somewhere else, if you look around.

    Nickknoxx – yes I am sure when the plants and animals crushed by the bulldozers have risen again this weekend they will be much happier.

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    One possibly postive and easy course of action that may help is to post up some guidelines at the bus stop for MTB riders to read.

    It seems that the main issue the locals dislike is speed around animals and people, a simple lack of care and attention to other users of the hills.

    There are lots of us that ride there, who slow down for people and animals pick up litter, etc etc but there are lots who don’t. There are plenty of signposts perhaps using them to point out some of the stuff we might do differently will change peoples behaviour.

    The irony is that the trails that we would like to see would ensure that bikers and other users of the hills would interact far less but are exactly what is not allowed.

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