Apart from the byway down into North Lees to Stanage Pole/Redmires, and the descent down to plantation, is there any other legal riding on the edge?

For example, can you ride up the path on the popular end to get on top?

nope, it's all footpaths

footpaths are legal riding aren't they ? not a criminal offence in the peak, surely ?

trespass (without criminal intent) is a civil matter so not criminal but against the [civil]law.

I thought there were specific bye-laws in the peak for MTBs on footpaths if caught and prosecuted of a fine of £500 or something?

Footpaths are no go zones for bikes.

There are 4 legal bridleways in the peak district.

2 of them have a corner – 1 left and 1 right, enough for anyone surely?

That's all there will ever be, and the CIA will cut your nuts off with a spoon if you even think about riding on a footpath.

whenever you see a photo of a bike going round a corner in the Peaks, it'll almost certainly be the 'right' at the southern end of Cut Gate, or the nice rocky 'left' one at the top of the Stanage descent.

anyway, to answer your question: no, no there isn't.

there are a lot more than 4.

you tell lies

"Footpaths are no go zones for bikes"

Why though?

put yourself in the mind of a Ramblers-Association member, or better still, one of the Sheffield wild-life trust-ers.

are you there?

now ask the more important question:

'Why are mountain bikes allowed anywhere?'

was working with the Sheffield Wildlife Trust just last week and funnily enought they were seeking a way to incorporate mountain bike trails into the area they were working on.

and the more mountain bikes are seen on footpaths, the less inclined the authorities will be to downgrade the byways that get ruined by 4x4s to bridleways

it's all give and take innit

it's all give and take innit

indeed – but how can we lobby to increase mountain bike access in the Peak?

by writing to the Peak Park authority rights of way officer (who is a mountain biker)

He's very open to suggestions of ways to make the Park more accessible. You have to bear in mind though that mountain bikers make up a relatively small percentage of visitors to the Park.

Mountain bikers are also pretty useless at representative bodies as well. An organised group representing the interests of mountain bikers would stand out far more in the crowd than the odd single voice. Walkers do it (RA) horse riders do it (bhs) and the 4×4 idiots do it too.

MrMW -would that be Mike Rhodes?

"The Rights of Way network is basically a historical legacy of how people used to travel about the countryside before the days of tarmac and cars, and although has been updated, can seem incongrous within the modern recreational context. However, it is very hard to change such a legally watertight system.

There has been quite a lot of research done into the status of routes in the Peak – chiefly by organisations such as the British Horse Society, Trail Riders Fellowship and 4×4 groups.
They have gathered evidence of historical use and presented it to the relevant Highway Authority (HA) as a claim for altering the legal status of a given route.
These claims are then assessed by the HAs and they may make a Definitive Map Modification Order, which will amend the legal status accordingly.

This however is a very painstaking process, and at current rates, will take quite a number of years for the existing backlog of claims to be resolved. This is chiefly because there are almost always objections from locals, landowners or walkers to the upgrades, and at any stage the claim may fail as a result of these. Often it takes a public inquiry to resolve the disputes, as has recently occurred with the creation of a new bridleway at Foolow.

You can check out the list of current claims / register of applications and the stages of their resolution on the Highway Authority web-sites. Follow the links from http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/vehicles.

😀

Pook: where's this area SWT are looking at mountain bike trails???

pook – their doesn't have to be a change of status, with enough support permissive paths can be developed

Rotherham riverside. They've developed an area as a wildlife conservation area and are looking to link it into the TransPennine. Not quite Lee Quarry but it's something.

I rode a good number of footpaths the other day in the Peak District, just me on my own and I was always polite to the walkers. the only person who had any issue with me was someone who moved out of my way then said loudly to their friend "bikes are banned on here" I was tempted to stop and chat to them explaining my other option was at least a mile detour on a twisty road but that kind of person pisses me off. why say it when I've passed but loud enough for me to hear. everyone else was nice and polite, one old couple slightly too polite and I thought I was going to be stuck listening to them for hours.