[Closed] Anyone else not enjoy 'cheeky trails'?

I feel the same but just ride them at sensible times. Early morning or night rides.

Sensible times and speed appropriate are my rules.

And apologising profusely for not spotting the no cycling sign when the Ranger has a chat.....

Hopes, doesn't enter my head at all.

Just act responsibly. If anyone has a go, either explain politely that the access laws are silly and you've decided to ignore them in favour of enjoying your limited time on earth responsibly, or smile sweetly and ignore them.

I love venturing down from Alba and pillaging your cheeky trails... 😆

tomj,

I feel *exactly* the same.

Just can't relax and enjoy the ride on cheeky stuff.

Is is daft as some of the footpaths I venture on are almost entirely devoid of walkers.

I almost feel like I'm the only one keeping them accessible my mowing down the undergrowth. lol

Anyway, no, your definitely not the only one mate. 🙁

Sounds like a religious guilt.

[url= http://www.cheekytrails.co.uk ]Cheeky Trails[/url]

I know there's not much happening but I still enjoy it when I visit

However - as long as you don't transfer your guilt onto others who do ride em then I don't mind

what happens if I ride a footpath? Cessation of chocolate ration?

Too much good cheeky stuff about, it'd be rude not to ride it. do I feel guilty?? Err..... Nope

+1 know what you mean. Strangely, Im happier poaching trails in a group even though I know the likelihood of strife is probably higher.

Last place I lived, what swung it for me in the end was the fact that a ride on legal bridle ways and tow paths was just as likely to result in strife from knob heads...it was open season for me after that....!

Sometimes get a guilty feeling when using a chainsaw in a forest i'm not supposed to be in. It passes when I get to ride the trail.

Cheeky meeshky.

It's the outdoors, go and enjoy it.

Some of the best riding around is "cheeky". Don't limit yourself with bridleways and trail centres.

Just follow the number one- Don't Be A Dick.

Would it be a sensitive trail if you rode it in the day, conflict and argument guaranteed? If so, I can see how that might influence your feelings riding it in the evening, even if it's just on a subconcious level.
I noticed a thread up today about Brown Knoll in the Peak - I rode that once at a weekend and ran into a dickhead convention walking across it - must have had 4 or 5 confrontations in abar 2 miles, including one trekking pole in the chest from an old bloke, and a 5 min frank exchange of views with a pair of Teds who didn't understand that we were on the slopes of Kinder Scout. So on the odd occasion I've ridden it since it doesn't seem that enjoyable a trail [it's just a link-up in any case, not a notable MTB trail].

If it isn't one of those trails, though, then you need to rethink your approach. Anxiety over where you're riding just on general principles, which are bogus anyway, isn't right.

No guilt here.

As others have said, often the best stuff is cheeky. I had a bollocking for riding stuff because of protected species etc, however the clown shouting at me saw nothing wrong with his dogs being off the lead, charging about etc.

Slow down, be polite, smile. Most people are not especially aware what trails are / are not legit anyway so as long as they've nothing to complain about, there's usually no issues. Still I avoid routes with lots of other users, including legit ones, during peak times, to reduce chance of conflict.

Btw I've never found engaging with a grumbler productive, so I just politely go on my way to try and keep the high ground.

Slow down, be polite, smile.

This. No problems so far!

Locally i know hard packed paths and roads i cannot ride and open boggy moorland I can ride legally
I tend to judge my decision on impact rather than whether its FP or a BW

You can (legitimately) say that the higher rights of the path you are on are disputed and until settled at a public inquiry you assert that they exist and you have legitimate access

If they point out that the path in question has had the access rights determined at an inquiry then you try the "reasonable accompaniment" argument that lets people walk their dogs

Or course "don't be a dick" applies all the time, on road, trail centre, boat, restricted byway, bridleway and other trails. Be nice and share the outdoors

Slow down, be polite, smile.

This. & at 60 yrs old, my **** field is barren of ****s, so I really couldn't give any. 😀

It's riding a bike on some path.. It's not like you are out running over baby robins.

Tell me you aren't running over baby robins?

I know what you mean. I go out of my way to avoid confrontation.

Was out on a ride with a friend at the weekend who refused to ride a FP section I had suggested, so I honoured his request and we took the road up to the top of Winter Hill instead. Coming back down was another matter however, let's just say we departed company for a little while then met up again...
As long as your courteous, and the path is suitable then I don't have an issue.

Sensible times and speed appropriate are my rules.

+ another. That and avoid areas you could cause significant damage.

My feeling is that I'm an ambassador for the sport when I'm riding. This adds an element of perspective which, essentially, boils down to 'don't be a dick'.

I felt a bit guilty when we accidentally rode down Tarn Hows on a Saturday morning.

Other than that, I'm fine with it.

Btw I've never found engaging with a grumbler productive, so I just politely go on my way to try and keep the high ground.

I tend to agree these days, though I did recently have to lay some smack down on a woman moaning at us for riding (on the trails) in an area with ground nesting birds - when she had her dogs running free (and that's not a euphemism BTW).

I tend to agree these days, though I did recently have to lay some smack down on a woman moaning at us for riding (on the trails) in an area with ground nesting birds - when she had her dogs running free (and that's not a euphemism BTW).

Effing brilliant.

😆

*facepalm*

I find expectations of conflict can spoil any ride. I have been accosted just as much on bike paths tbh. I hate it when someone has a go and it will spoil the rest of my ride and the one after, but where it happens is not defined by row!

Too many arseholes, and when attacked I go back at them twice as hard unfortunately if they are speaking rubish.

For me it depends on the footpath, there are a few well walked paths right on the edge of the village that I'll avoid. Some others are in the middle of nowhere and are actually access roads to farms or a farm house and I have no issue riding these.

I cant see a walker getting shirty if you keep the speed sensible, keep your eyes open and give way of you do come across anybody.

Depends on where the trail is and how it affects those that live around it. A footpath over the fells or through a wood where it doesn't affect anyone i can't see what the issue is but a path that goes near to someone's house or through someone's farm, or affects someone's livelihood like grouse moors on lambing fields I wouldn't ride. Take a pragmatic view of the laws of trespass and you can't really go wrong.

Local common is a SSSI with one bridleway and plenty of other vehicle width tracks. It's tinder dry and prone to fires, so the do gooders are out on patrol. Got told off the other night for the crime of cycling, so I told them if its OK for dog turds, it's good for bikes. Otherwise fence the whole area off.

... ah yeah, grouse moors... Tricky one that given that a lot of the Northern Peak and South Pennines is turned over to this ecologically disruptive (ref 'management' of competing species, draining of moors and the effect downstream), elitist and morally questionable pastime.

So count me in for moorland footpaths when it's evident there's not an actual shoot on - only risk is the grumpy-chops who challenge you can be 'difficult' and are invariably agents of the land owner with the extra authority that bestows.

I don't subscribe to the whole furtive, almost apologetic "cheeky trails" after dark and only in small numbers thing.
I'd say ride the footpaths whenever you like, just be nice and considerate to everyone you meet along the way and don't assume that you'll be chasing KoMs on a sunny bank holiday.
Sensible and considerate, yes, but if it's considered OK to be walking, then it's probably OK to be riding there too.

To be honest, I've experienced more verbal from walkers on low-level bridleways than I've ever had on the footpaths in the mountains.
It's always the old ones too and the Kinder Trespass significance is invariably lost on them. Just carry on anyway. They'll be dead soon enough and subsequent generations will be accustomed to seeing MTBs riding anywhere where they walk and probably never see fit to even question it.

Nope. As above ridden sensibly and with respect for other legitimate users I see no issue. I wouldn't ride a busy footpath but most I include in loops are deserted when i ride them

I just ride them anyway and whenever, but as above be polite and don't expect KOM speed at a busy time. The only bother I've had is when I've already been bitten by, or knocked off my bike by a dog, and then the owners get all defensive and use the footpath location as part of their argument. As in "if you weren't riding on a footpath, you wouldn't have been knocked over by my dog" . Twunts.

Scuttler I know where your coming from with grouse Moors. My avoidance of cheeky trails on grouse moors is more to do with avoidance of conflict with grumpy gamekeepers that tend to have a habit of popping up in the middle of nowhere despite not seeing a sole for several miles. I think mountain biking on grouse moors does far less damage to the environment than the gamekeepers do to local birds of prey populations.

There is such a vast array of trails here i don't differentiate. Its all open imo but if somone is unhappy i exercise care and caution. If there has been an issue then post it on calderdaletrails facebook page and let others know.

Everyone is happy then. Or so it seems.

I used to ride just bridleways several years ago but then started riding footpaths as well and don't feel guilty at all. I will avoid certain ones on sunny weekends due to numbers of walkers.
However I slow down for walkers, horses, dogs on both bridleways and footpaths, say hello and only very rarely have any conflict or comments.
The most conflict I have is with a grumpy g*t who lives in a lock keepers cottage on the canal at Brighouse - always complains when he sees me ( or probably any cyclist ) !

I regularly ride a section of footpath through the woods to avoid a mile of dead straight unclassified road. I don't feel guilty about that and walkers have always said hello to me when I've met them.

I'd be wary of riding a fast downhill sections that's a footpath.

I'm more than happy to ride the section of the Pilgrim's Way that the landowner managed to get designated as a footpath despite more than a thousand years of use by vehicles.

Once got stuck behind a group of red socks on a 'cheeky trail' in Woburn. The three of us waited patiently until a convenient time to pass, of which all but one were courteous. This particular grumps made his point clear - "shouldn't be riding here, no bell, I wont move for you" etc etc.

But we just smiled as we went passed and politely thanked everyone else. Because, you see, this 'cheeky trail' was actually a trail I'd part cut myself years before and nowhere near a footpath. It still makes me smile. 🙄 😆

I've had hassle from walkers more often on trails that aren't cheeky.

So no, and when I do get "you aren't allowed to ride here", always reply "Yeah, stupid innit".

I've had hassle from walkers more often on trails that aren't cheeky.

Yeah, I had the classic passive-aggressive "I don't think they should be riding here" as I passed two walkers. I was just about to give it the "if you want me to hear something, say it to my face" line when the other walker pointed out that it was a bridleway. Spoilt my fun, really.

Nearly all my riding - Surrey Hills and around - is on cheeky trails, so just try to be considerate. It's only on Winterfold that I feel uncomfortable in case I ride into Big Jim McA

big n daft has already pointed out that higher rights may exist. The rights of way legislation was meant to create a register of proven rights, not to create a means by which access could be restricted. Sadly, too many landowners think that the rights recorded on the definitive map are the most access they have to give, when it should be treated as the minimum.

Anyway, one legally proven way of establishing higher rights is to ride a path, openly, without permission or objection from the landowner, for 20 years. This is called presumed dedication of a right of way. If that isn't legal sanction for riding footpaths, I don't know what is.

Anyway, one legally proven way of establishing higher rights is to ride a path, openly, without permission or objection from the landowner, for 20 years. This is called presumed dedication of a right of way. If that isn't legal sanction for riding footpaths, I don't know what is.

So does that mean we ride footpaths until objected to, then mutter, zeroise the time and start again for another 20 years of trying ?

🙂

I'd say ride the footpaths whenever you like, just be nice and considerate to everyone you meet along the way and don't assume that you'll be chasing KoMs on a sunny bank holiday.
Sensible and considerate, yes, but if it's considered OK to be walking, then it's probably OK to be riding there too.

This and more. If we skulk around acting as if we have no rights to be there, walkers and others will never accept mountain bikers' presence on the trail as normal and reasonable. The law is out of step with common sense and the reality is that most people, faced with courteous riders, don't give a stuff.

I guess whether you feel guilt is down to your general take on authority and 'rules', but without any serious legal sanction or sensible logic to say that it's a bad thing, I really don't care. In fact I feel I'm doing a righteous thing by being there 🙂

i have an old packhorse road that i fancy riding, off limits in the day as the local farmers get really upset, but i have a new helmet and its been a year since i last got a b0II0ck1ng, so i may test my resolve this evening.

issues by name issues by nature

ps. as others have said you should always give horses priority.

Anyway, one legally proven way of establishing higher rights is to ride a path, openly, without permission or objection from the landowner, for 20 years. This is called presumed dedication of a right of way. If that isn't legal sanction for riding footpaths, I don't know what is.

does that meant hat is 20 years anything recorded on strava will be open to all?

I couldn't give a damn about it. In the black mountains a lot of tracks aren't even footpaths. I am considerate and polite though. Except to the pr@×k who was walking up a descent with 5 dogs at Hopton, then proceeded to shout that I could have hurt his dogs, he was fully aware of the fact it was a mtb trail.

does that meant hat is 20 years anything recorded on strava will be open to all?

No, needs to have horse traffic and ideally no locked gates or stiles

I feel there's acceptance from the walkers on all the cheek I frequent that it is used by MTBs. Only a tiny percentage of encounters are ill-mannered. The vast majority are very well natured, and typically you hear "rather you than me / how did you get up here on that / you're all mad / have fun!" being the order of the day.

probably worth looking at your local council website and look at options of upgrading footpaths to bridleways,
2 of my favourite cheekies are on the list to upgrade around west yorkshire

Deer Hill (meltham/marsden, W.Yorks) has been on the list to upgrade to a bridleway since 18/04/97, in my eyes that means its been ridden on for 20 years and so higher rights established :0)

he was fully aware of the fact it was a mtb trail.

ironic huh.

Been riding Deer Hill to Wessenden since 1990. Busted by Finnis the evil NT Ranger once but that's all. No one at the shooting club g-a-f.

@robinL......that Brighouse guy was kicking off when i used to ride there 20 years ago.....!

In fairness it is a right shitbath of a towpath section that bike tyres don't help...although it almost feels it has been kept that way deliberately.

Often on a cheeky trail if I've come across someone they've smiled, said hello or even stepped aside apologising for being in the way! I'll stop and let them past with a smile. They don't seem to know or be bothered about the status.

Very occasional moan from a dedicated rambler, though most are either friendly or just give you the dirty look.

Most conflicts I get are on tow paths, and the ones I ride are shared access. The worst are the deliberately deaf groups out for a stroll, who even glance behind and see me, then continue to stroll along blocking the path. I'm always polite, maybe too much, and will wait. Eventually they reluctantly let me pass. Then there's the sarcastic "at least you have a bell" (yes I have a bell, for tow paths as it's fun to see them jump out of their skin when you ring a bell 😀 ).

whatyadoinsucka - Member 
probably worth looking at your local council website and look at options of upgrading footpaths to bridleways,

Problem with that is horses get access and rip the crap out of them. I find footpaths generally more rideable than a bridleway. #mybikeisnotahorse

Though of course bridleways in the Lakes etc are another matter and can be awesome fun 😀

No, needs to have horse traffic and ideally no locked gates or stiles

@scuttler I've heard of this warden my mate got busted on the top footpath from snailsden (back of wood above hadeedge) to the Holme moss carpark

@deadkenny yeah true I ride a lot of woods that see horses on and they aren't very smooth after a heavy rain and onc the hoofprints have dried out.

Got stopped on my ride last night by a hunt with a pack of dogs and 40 riders, on a damn footpath as well, which I pointed out smiling

Most conflicts I get are on tow paths, and the ones I ride are shared access. The worst are the deliberately deaf groups out for a stroll, who even glance behind and see me, then continue to stroll along blocking the path. I'm always polite, maybe too much, and will wait. Eventually they reluctantly let me pass. Then there's the sarcastic "at least you have a bell" (yes I have a bell, for tow paths as it's fun to see them jump out of their skin when you ring a bell ).

Genuinely really useful bit of kit, especially if you are on shared use paths a lot.

"@scuttler I've heard of this warden my mate got busted on the top footpath from snailsden (back of wood above hadeedge) to the Holme moss carpark"

Never been busted on there but have been recently on Issues Road out of Holme village. I suspect it's the same landowner. The gamekeeper started ranting on about it being an SSSI - it is, most of the High Peak is, but of course SSSI status becomes less of an issue when you're driving shooting parties around and chasing and blowing the crap out of the wildlife. I loathe these people and I guess in the run up to and through 'the Inglorious Twelfth' they'll be out in abundance.

I feel the same but just ride them at sensible times. Early morning or night rides.

Some I would ride at any time. Others, which are busier, I would avoid during peak times. Then again I apply the same rule for bridlepaths and restricted roads.
Never had any issues on the footpaths so long as I ride sensibly and give way as required. Main area for hassle is the sustrans former railway tracks which have no end of muppets on them who dont quite grasp the concept of a shared path.

I'm confused. Where is the smug Scottish input to this thread?

@deadkenny "The worst are the deliberately deaf groups out for a stroll"

I did come across an actual group of profoundly deaf people out for a walk recently. They were quite strung out along a bit of shared access path. It took quite some time to get past them all because, even as the back-markers spotted I was there, I had to wit for everyone else to do the same.

I'm not complaining, it made me smile at the time, and there was much grinning and thumbs up to show that all was OK. It goes to show that you never know why people are ignoring you.

On a related note, I have not yet found a way to announce my presence without scaring the crap out of people lost in their own world. Any suggestions?

Rob

On a related note, I have not yet found a way to announce my presence without scaring the crap out of people lost in their own world. Any suggestions?

STRAAAAAAAAVA!!!!!!

@jam bo

i ride where i like, i like where i ride.
[when visiting my scottish cousins]

Had to stop give way to a horse the other week while riding Cheeky.

jam bo - Member
I'm confused. Where is the smug Scottish input to this thread?

I rode where I wanted when I was a kid, and still do now unless it looks really busy.

I don't think segregating path users was ever the correct solution (bloody stuck up ramblers wanting the countryside for themselves!), so I use them all and just be nice to everyone I meet. 😀

To the OP. You're suffering caged rat syndrome.

Do you remember voting to restrict access? Do you remember your parents talking about voting to restrict access? Or their parents, ad infinitum...

It's a hangover from when the land was stolen. Best thing you can do is use the trails you want.

Follow a similar procedure as used in Scotland, ie don't be a dick, and exercise good manners to those you pass, and don't damage crops or scare animals.

After all, if or when this country is invaded, those same landowners will expect you to join up and die for "freedom and honour", so you may as well enjoy the freedom now.

Alternatively, move to Scotland. 🙂

It's a hangover from when the land was stolen.

It's a hangover from when the land was stolen.

That x lots

& more lots

I get a slight pang of worry when I lift my bike over a stile that has a little circle nailed to it, with the image of a bike in the middle framed by a red circle with a line through the middle. So no I don't worry and I do it all the time. This land belongs to all it's inhabitants. You'll notice the bike in the circle doesn't have drop handlebars!

I like the sound of this 'higher rights' stuff.

Can anyone tell me what the situation is with an area of land that has bridleways through it (at least on an OS map), but has a specific no cycling byelaw?

My standard response (I'm not upbraided very often - only had to use it twice) is: "are you the landowner or his or her appointed agent?"

This has flummoxed the fun police both times I have trotted it out.

However, does a byelaw trump all this stuff?

If so, can it be challenged?

I'm just curious - all this won't make a rat's arse of difference to where I ride, but I'd like to be able to smart-mouth people with precision if necessary(!)

English law trumps any bylaw. Only the council definitive map is the true record of ROWs. The OS map can sometimes be wrong.
Are there bridleway signs about?

I don't feel guilty but I do dread conflict so generally control my speed, say a cheery hello, apologise profusely and am nice about the dog.

MOD land I ride on, the bylaws there trump the ROW on the land, but then the ROW come under Open Access Land under CROW. There are few footpaths and bridleways crossing the lands, just general open access and they have a right to kick you off as they see fit (and an additional rule says bikes only on hardened paths/roads).

Then there are places like the Hurtwood in Surrey Hills. Has footpaths and bridleways crossing through it, but the Hurtwood also has a open access policy which grants all users including bikes access everywhere, including on footpaths, unless otherwise signposted.

On the other hand there's "Jim's" land next door in Winterfold and he's actively kicking people off his land. Has bridleways and footpaths through it and you can use those, but you can't stray off them. If you come across someone saying you can't ride here and you ask if he's the land owner, it's probably him. Or one of his minions.

There's some cheeky stuff round us that I'll ride, other stuff I won't. One footpath's got a more bike resistant surface than a nearby bridleway that's basically a marsh. I don't ride it at the weekends and it's only irregular use - I think I've met one runner whilst on the cheeky stuff.

As said above - don't be a dick and if you are pleasant to those you meet it's unlikely to be a problem.