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Been up in scotland for a couple of weeks and been to lagan wolftrax, learnie red rock, and golspie. Everyone knows there are people out there that dodge parking charges but at golspie out of ten or so cars that i seen that came and went throughout the day only myself and one other vehicle actually payed for the parking. It wasnt quite as bad at the other locations but still plenty of cars not displaying parking tickets. I just dont understand why people who get alot of enjoyment from these trails are unwilling to contribute to the upkeep of them.
Rant over
Scottish isn't it. They're all cheap.
< dons flame proof garments and dives into cover >
Do the fees go to the trails?
In any event, the legal basis for the Forestry Commission charging for parking is questionable...and the land is effectively publicly owned.
I just dont understand why people who get alot of enjoyment from these trails are unwilling to contribute to the upkeep of them.
Locals? I have a philosophy of not paying for local trails otherwise they'd get expensive! Swinley I don't mind the £20/year, but I'd not pay £3.50 a time to park on top of that.
How about just forget about it and enjoy your riding?
I know in golspie the fees go to the upkeep of the trails and also in learnie. I do understand there is actually no legal requirment to pay for it but ( apologies for stereotyping) it seems to be those that drive really flash cars/vans and ride stupidly expensive bikes that don't think they have to pay for parking. Its surprising the amount of mercs and beemers with bike racks that you see parked about 200m away from trail centre car parks
@glasgowdan
I thoroughly enjoy my riding i wasnt exactly sat in the car park all day it was just an observation between laps
Cynic-al - yeh, what have the forestry commission ever done for us eh!? I mean us mountain bikers?!
You think they'd invented the trail centre and provided pretty much free and safe access to the country's very diverse and fully sustainable woodland estate or summit...
Its surprising the amount of mercs and beemers with bike racks that you see parked about 200m away from trail centre car parks
They've got to afford those repayments somehow.
Locals? I have a philosophy of not paying for local trails otherwise they'd get expensive!
No idea what this means.
In any event, the legal basis for the Forestry Commission charging for parking is questionable...and the land is effectively publicly owned.
If we appreciate the FC allowing trail building on their land and enjoy the use of said trails, then should we really begrudge paying a parking charge to make it worth their while?
Unless it's £7 like at Dalby, which is just silly.
The land is not effectively publically owned, infact many forests will be leased. As for does the money go into the trails, cart before horse that comment is. The FC and others have already put a significant chunk of money and time into the trails before you ever parked there.
Burko...on publicly owned land?
£3 to park a car or van all day at Glentress or Innerleithen. I reckon that's pretty cheap for the level of "entertainment" when compared to any other sports facility or things like the cinema (let alone a night out on the booze). For those that use the facilities regularly, there are season passes available - I think it's £50 for all the car parks in the Tweed Valley. Bargain!
£60 for the annual pass, covers GT and Inners
Cynic-al, bit like all the council owned carparks you have to pay to use, or do you not pay for those either, it's not like the money raised goes into the roads.
stumpyjon - as the money for roads comes out of taxation, surely parking on ALL roads should be free?
😉
Dalby @ £7 is a rip off. Glen tress and inners at £3 seems pretty fair for a days parking. I remember speaking with one of the local trail builders up at Golspie and he said the parking fees go towards the trail upkeep.
Parking in Edinburgh / glasgow is way more than £3 and generally no where near the fun :-).
They're not really local if they're driving to the trails.
I can see the old timers' point of view if they've been riding the trails for beards (most centres being built around v old trail networks), and suddenly it's a trail centre full of bellends and jacked up parking charges. This is a real minority of people though.
And then there's Drumlanrig.......
I never understand why people get so hung up on parking at trail centres,
Even at £7 I think that's good value for a day out for a car full of people.
If you don't want to pay ride natural.
Simples
Been riding Glenstress since the 90s 😎
A more coherent multi forest pass would be good, we had Whinlatter because we lived there but started getting expensive to include Grizedale. There were 2 separate ones for the GT/Inners and Mabie etc. and Kielder didn't seem to link up with anyone!!!
Christ, Druidh, don't start them on drumlanrig.
I won't get drawn in any more but yep, it is public land ( some of it that's not leased) and originally most of it was about growing trees. BUT growing trees in a sustainable way goes hand in hand with opportunities for recreation and conservation and the FC does a pretty good job of adding value to that. This might be by providing extra facilities at the upper end such as at trail centres and cafes etc and at the lower impact end just cleaning up after people and making sure we all have a safe visit. The cafes and trail centres werent all about making a profit at first but were about supporting disadvantaged areas and kick starting tourism. All this costs the FC money and the income from growing trees doesn't cover the conservation improvements and (mostly) free or very cheap access costs - picking up litter, fixing fences and gates and checking trails etc. The FC don't get any cash from the increased tourism except from the car parks and some franchise fees from the cafes and bike shops etc.
Cha****ng
Dalby parking join Singletraction and do a handfull of dig days
and get a years pass to Dalby
£3 to park a car or van all day at Glentress or Innerleithen. I reckon that's pretty cheap for the level of "entertainment" when compared to any other sports facility or things like the cinema (let alone a night out on the booze).
Agreed. The price is getting silly at some of them though IMO - can't remember how much at Whinlatter and Grizedale but it seemed a bit extortionate last time I was there. I tend to just pay what I think is reasonable, which is generally around £3 - £4. 🙂
cynic-al - MemberBeen riding Glenstress since the 90s
Then you know better than most how much investment has gone into the place 😉
[i]£3 to park a car or van all day at Glentress or Innerleithen. I reckon that's pretty cheap for the level of "entertainment" when compared to any other sports facility or things like the cinema (let alone a night out on the booze). For those that use the facilities regularly, there are season passes available - I think it's £50 for all the car parks in the Tweed Valley. Bargain! [/i]
Agree, and I always congratulate the FC guy who wanders around checking on tickets - if I had my way I'd clamp em all, tight gits.
No idea what this means
Swinley is £3.50 to park, say I ride on average 3x a week that's £10/week, £520 a year. Not such an issue now that I live within riding distance but sometimes I want to park at the trails and just ride singletrack rather than adding a 10 mile featureless cycle track.
I don't believe that people actually complain about parking charges at trail centres. Even Dalby's excellent value at a mere £7 a pop (we managed to avoid that last time by getting there early & naffing off before the woman came round to check the tickets but thats another tale)
If you want to enjoy the obvious benefits that trail centres give you, then cough up & stop being a tight git. (or ride predominantly natural stuff, like wot I do). 😉
If you want to enjoy the obvious benefits that trail centres give you, then cough up & stop being a tight git.
+
(we managed to avoid that last time by getting there early & naffing off before the woman came round to check the tickets but thats another tale)
Does not compute. 😕
My understanding is that only something like 20% of car park users actually pay to park and that includes walkers and those that use other facilities such as kids play areas. Those using the other facilities are the worst offenders apparently ie those who walk their dogs regularly etc 🙄
I don't believe that people actually complain about parking charges at trail centres. Even Dalby's excellent value at a mere £7 a pop
When visiting once people don't when it's local enough to go regularly people do.
paid
When visiting once people don't when it's local enough to go regularly people do.
Buy a season pass then.
[i]If you want to enjoy the obvious benefits that trail centres give you, then cough up & stop being a tight git.
+
(we managed to avoid that last time by getting there early & naffing off before the woman came round to check the tickets but thats another tale)
Does not compute.[/i]
Obviously. (must stop saying 'obvious' & any derivatives)
I was misleading. What I should have said was, 'If you ride trail centres most of the time then cough up, if you don't, then don't.'
Well thats my philosophy anyway.
[quote=Trekster ]My understanding is that only something like 20% of car park users actually pay to park and that includes walkers and those that use other facilities such as kids play areas. Those using the other facilities are the worst offenders apparently ie those who walk their dogs regularly etc
How many purpose-built trail features do dog-walkers need? 😆
I do pay, but having change is a PITA. FCS don't provide anyway to pay by card or mobile phone. When they catch up with 2002 they might increase their revenues. I also find it slightly odd that the expected fee is usually the same regardless of whether you are popping in for a quick hour's blast or an all day session. Also, AFAIK there is no option for a season ticket that covers all FCS car parks across Scotland; strikes me that wouldn't be a bad idea.
I do pay, but having change is a PITA. FCS don't provide anyway to pay by card or mobile phone. When they catch up with 2002 they might increase their revenues.
Also, AFAIK there is no option for a season ticket that covers all FCS car parks across Scotland; strikes me that wouldn't be a bad idea.
+1
The ones at GT and Inners take cards.
[quote=poly ]I also find it slightly odd that the expected fee is usually the same regardless of whether you are popping in for a quick hour's blast or an all day session.There are two tarrifs at GT. I can't remember what the cheaper/shorter one is.
+1Also, AFAIK there is no option for a season ticket that covers all FCS car parks across Scotland; strikes me that wouldn't be a bad idea.
Some of the Lake District car parks now have revenue protection cameras fitted with number plate recognition cameras and you need to enter your reg to get a parking ticket 😯
I think they're a bargain, when I take the mrs to do the chrimbo in the city, it costs over a tenner to park and then I've got to pay for everything we do there too. £5ish to enjoy your hobby on purpose built trails is amazing compared to other sports.
Car/bike track day from £50-£200
Mx practice track £25-£40
Watch rugby/football £10-£50
Play golf £??
We got it pretty good?
I've got a season pass for Dalby, £42 which is great value, as I probably go 40 times a year.
Compare this to two days parking at York station, which set me back £28.
I have a Sherwood Pines season pass, the young lad at Dalby said he thought it WAS a Dalby one. And when I was still offering him money he refused and waved me through. Good lad. Seriously though, as I'm obviously not at Sherwood that day, why do I need to pay again. A bit of a discount would make sense to me. This would be beneficial to all centres and their local economies as a reciprocal arrangement I would have thought.
Should try Bedgebury, Kent sometime, £8.50!
More than happy to pay parking if the money goes towards trail upkeep but £8.50 for the muddiest ride ive ever done (and im used to welsh slop) was a bit to bloody steep imho.