be nice if we could get Chrome hill included in that possible permission
The Roaches Estate that the survey refers to is a fairly limited area, some miles away from Chrome Hill. See the map on the survey for the boundary.
I like it as it is personally. i.e. it’s cheeky and you need to ride it when it’s not muddy and not full of people. It’s also amazing.
What is “it” though? The Roaches Estate is a limited area but it’s still more than “just” the main ridge, covering Gradbach Woods as well. There are a small handful of rights of way for cyclists, either permissive or formal (and hence marked on the OS map). The estate is currently limited in non-cheeky scope but has some potential. Getting a right of way on the main ridge is a big ask, but there’s other footpaths that are also worth opening up, not to mention the existing cycling rights of way that would benefit from some maintenance, such as Goldstitch Moss and the section through Gradbach Woods:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/RaATao]Gradbach – clearing drains[/url]
by stilltortoise, on Flickr
You, me and the land managers know that mountain bikers ride the main (cheeky) ridge, but in my experience they do so in a sensible manner. I go there a lot with my family and I’ve never seen a mountain biker on the main ridge on a busy, sunny weekend and a very rarely at other times. Is common sense and a considerate approach more sustainable than changing the access?
The more we understand the habits and usage of mountain bikers on the Roaches Estate, the better we can prioritise what should be done to improve it.
Thanks for taking part