Following on from Lady Cannings near Sheffield, the UK’s second crowd-funded trail could also be coming to the Peak District.
Plans for the new ‘RADmires’ trail have been proposed by Ride Sheffield and they are now looking for donations to help turn the idea into a reality.
Ride Sheffield successfully opened Lady Cannings – the UK’s first ever crowd-funded trail – last summer, and the group have now set their focus on this new project at the Redmires plantation.
President of Ride Sheffield Henry Norman, in a guest blog for V-Publishing, said: “On the back of the success of Lady Cannings, Ride Sheffield’s newest crowdfunded trail plans are for Redmires Plantation.”
“Affectionately known as RADmires, it will be a descending trail in the woods, which run alongside the byway up to Stanage Pole from Redmires Road. It will enter the woods at the top corner just below the existing gate in the byway, and descend 1.8km down to Redmires Road. This is fifty-per-cent longer than Lady Cannings Phase One, which opened earlier this summer.
“Design will be similar to Lady Cannings: blue-grade flow trail in that signature the-faster-you-go-the-tougher-it-is style, which makes that trail so much fun, yet so accessible to all abilities.”
Sounds like fun to us.
Ride Sheffield has been at the forefront for building a reputable account for the city of Sheffield in the mountain bike scene and has lead an example to follow for more trail building groups in the UK.
“Ride Sheffield was instrumental in the opening up of the bridleway network on the Eastern Moors and has protected bridleways from downgrades, as well as carrying out monthly trail maintenance,” Norman said in the blog.
“Using money raised by Steel City Downhill, it has built an all-weather circuit in Greno Woods and most recently opened up a new trail in Lady Cannings Plantation; this trail was crowdfunded by Sheffield riders and businesses (the first crowdfunded trail in the UK) and has been phenomenally popular with riders of all ages and abilities, the next phase of this trail is being built later in the year and has been generously funded by Go Outdoors.
The success of the Lady Cannings project has brought great confidence to the group but they need the financial support from the public to help get the building process underway.
“Started at the end of 2015, the support from riders has been fantastic so far and we have already crowd-funded over £10,000. We still have a little way to go before we reach the £45,000 total that will enable us to add 2km of sweet singletrack to the city, so all donations are welcome.”
Local bike shop JE James has donated a GT Verb to the cause – you can win it if you donate more than £20, and the good folk at Cotic have already donated more than £2,000, so they’re well on their way. We think the Lady Cannings trail is lots of fun, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for this one too!
All of the information about the project can be found here, including ways in which you could donate, including Paypal and bank transfer.