Sheffield Wildlife Trust are one of the possible for winning some funding, which they'd use to improve the Devils' Elbow track at Blacka Moor, Sheffield. This is a popular local trail, used as link in/out of the city and to the Peak. Here's the interesting bit:

"If we win this money we will not be so constrained by the Public Rights of Way department and so will be able to undertake works sensitive and suitable for mountain bikers to make the route a sustainable, and enjoyable, trail all year round."

Please GET OVER HERE AND VOTE FOR THEM!

vote applied 🙂

Voted, but they've got a way to go to beat those bees.

Which one's devils elbow?

The one nearest sheffield, the one with the gate halfway down or the other one?

Personaly, any attempt at surfaceign those traisl would be a lost cause, theyr steep, rooty and rocky preciicely because the surface wont stick!

Watching newbies poop themselves over the chute after the gate is one of lifes great pleasures. Allong with over cooking every single corner on the track nearest sheffield and getting stuck in the drainage channel.

If you want a sanitised trail center, blaka moor isn't for you.

done-

done, but does that mean the trails will be like trail centre stuff? i used to sh't myself down them and it was great – be a shame to lose that.

not a sanitised/surfaced idea from what I've discussed with them – mainly getting drainage in/water off – which'll make a difference in the winter, imho. Agree, go elsewhere for trail centre.

Devil's elbow is the one nearest the turn for dore, no gate.

Voted but there is a long way to go to win it

Tracey

still sceptical, other than the obvious need for drainage at the bottom i wouldn't touch the rest at all, if you want smoother tracks there's plenty of others around.

be sure what you're voting for!

Some kind of woodwork would be nice over the swamp. Other than that, I like it the way it is.

this one? http://www.multimap.com/s/RUBQshbv

I voted for Bees yesterday… There is an ongoing and serious threat to UK bee populations which until very recently was largely ignored by anyone except a few academics… This is now beginning to change through a bit of media attention but mostly because of the work done by BBCT…

Other than the shItefest at the bottom, I'd say leave all those tracks as they are. Rocky, rooty, slimy – absolutely spot on.

Indeed, so get the water off near the top/along the length, then it wont all end up at the bottom! Most trail troubles I've seen are simply a case of diverting water, nothing else.

The bottom is 10-15m though, and in reality probably stops riders flying oput of that last corner and onto the path at the bottom.

If they're the same group responsible for works on some of the other bridleways in Blacka, or indeed if they had anything to do with the recent 'improvements' to Fox Hagg (which is an SWT reserve according to their website) then I'm voting for the bumblebees. I don't like the swamp at the bottom either, which is why I'll ride a more suitable trail instead when it's wet.

nice tarring every one with the same brush

I have to say I'm with Duncan. There is no way someone will work on that trail and leave the succession of large pointy off camber rocks as they are, they will be too worried about being sued. Paths into redmires, along burbage etc have all ben 'improved' over the last year and its getting to the point that the only truly challenging riding in the area is in Wharncliffe.

vote to leave it alone

although the footpath arround redmires was been improved nicely a few years ago, not realy any better than it was before, but at least they put in a few corners to get arround that old tree stump.

as you say. swings and roundabouts. Have you ridden the 'improvements' over cutgate? I was sceptical about that but I've warmed to it over time, seems to flow a bit better.

looking very much like the bees have it despite my vote!

Only ever ridden cut gate from the ladybower end to the top and back, which bit was resurfaced, would I have noticed it, been about a 15months since I last did it. The switchbacks are always good fun, but other than that I could take it or leave it.