There was a cracking ride through Glen Garr and up Birnam hill to the King's seat and down the other side on an ace descent.
Three weeks or so ago I rode it and had a hoot. Yesterday I went and a good part of the climb has been "improved" by buldozing it in a strip about 8 feet wide, exposing the clay subsoil so even now when fairly dry it is slick and claggy, and taking away any natural beauty.
Perth and Kinross Council have posted notices announcing that the same treatment is to take place on the descent on the other side of the hill too.
This ugly great path cannot be an 'improvement' over the pretty singletrack that was enjoyed by walkers and bikers alike. It was firm, easily walkable/rideable and did not erode in winter. It's also happened in a few other places, Glen Ample has been given the same treatment, and there doesn't seem to be any planning constraint or public consultation.
Worst of all, if people don't like it, (and personally I can't see how they possibly could) it will take literally decades for the area to return to the way it was.
I'll write or email PKDC and see what they say, and will post responses (if any) here. I'd really appreciate it if other riders who feel strongly about this kind of thing did the same.
Noooo - this cannot happen
Tracks around Stirling have had this treatment - also tracks above Perth (Kinnoull Hill) - I don't know anyone child or adult , biker or walker who thinks it is an improvement. The paths lose all character and interest and are often made too steep for those who may need or prefer a better track for access Glen Ample is a disgrace.
Do you have the access officer details ? If so Please post contact information for PKDC to allow others to voice their opinions.
Website is very unclear about access officers and most relevant pages seem to have been updated in 2009, so rather out of date. Best I can do for now is
Perth & Kinross Council
2 High Street
Perth
PH1 5PH
01738 475000
enquiries@pkc.gov.uk
This was on telly a few months back about Dunkeld- it's for wheelchairs. Good luck fighting against that one.
I don't know about the dynamics of wheelchairs (yet) but the gradients on the new bulldozed tracks are steep in places (granny ring, first gear, try and keep the nosewheel pinned steep) and switchback-y. The crags at the top are a scramble.
Think there's an Elf N Safety issue here, milud - encouraging already incapacitated people to take stupid risks and hurt themselves as a consequence of building unsuitable paths, for which the council and therefore the good people of P&K will be held responsible etc etc.
What did the tele programme say - in favour of the improvements or agin? Do tell.
And as far as fighting this particular one I fear its probably too late. My worry is that there will be many other routes treated the same way. Spokes - you are a charity representing cyclists interests aren't you - what is your position on this?
Nah, I work for a bike shop that shares it's name with the charity, we have nowt to do with it.
The show was on in the shop one time, and I wasn't paying full attention. It was about a group of wheelchair users that enjoyed the outdoors so was from their point of view, and so positive. I remember seeing it and thinking "here comes trouble".
I'd pay good money to watch wheel chair users negotiate the Birnam Hill descent to the station. No one would be that stupid surely?
Bunging in an FOI request about how much this is costing may be interesting.
😈
It doesn't sound like the sort of place to take a wheelchair unless maybe it's a child's one with off road wheels. You'd think there'd be a good reason for them doing this though wouldn't you? Seems like a terrible shame though.
I once spent a winter working with an upland footpath team and one of the golden rules with upland paths is: 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. If you do too much building then you loose the natural feel of the path. The main aim is to help reduce and repair erosion and provide a walkable surface in areas where there isn't already one.
"From Birnham Woods til Dunsenain" (to misquote Macbeth)
Very sad to hear of this...used to rail it round those track's enroute to the Almighty Upper Cave Crag in the mid '90s
HopE A friendly solution is found, eh?
cheers then,
J
Just to add to this and have a bit of a rant. I did Kenny Wilson's route round here the other day and was really looking forward to, and raving to my mate about, the short singletrack section which drops off the fire road onto the paths East of Birnam hill. I was gutted to find that they have turned this into a wide, clay, drainage barred motorway. Why do they have to trash all the good singletrack? There is no way it is an attractive route for a wheelchair and how do they negotiate drainage bars anyway?
Do the majority of walkers prefer to walk on a smooth groomed path? I'm tempted to go on a ramblers forum and see what thay think of all these improvements because as a fairly regular walker myself I hugely prefer natural paths to manufactued nonsense! If no-one likes it then maybe we can stop them doing so much. Rant over until they motorway Glen Garr as well.
Bit of a bump.
Can anyone confirm if the Birnam hill to Dunkeld track has been 'improved' yet? Was considering a route around there for the weekend and wondered if Birnam hill is still worthwhile riding South to North.
Its a real gut-wrencher when you see this happening to trails, its funny how being an MTBer changes your perspective so much on what a lot of people might consider 'just a bit of path'.
In the case of Glen Ample though, I think it was suggested this was done to repair a track that had more or less been wiped out by storm damage. I was moaning about it too until someone sent me a link explaining.
I'm with geoffj on this one. It would be interesting to say the least to see a wheechair get up those tracks then back down. We used to walk fairly regularly there but haven't been back since the 'improvements' began. There has already been a local campaign against the tracks with meeting in the birnam hall, all to no avail it seems.
I was up there a week past saturday. The path on the east/south route has had quite a bit of work (smooth surface and new water bars) and the wooden steps have been replaced. The north path has also had some bits done but not completed yet.
Thanks birky. Sounds like it might be still worth a punt before it gets destroyed.
Maybe the council saw a similar thread to this
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/seeing-damage-being-done-by-riders
and thought these improvements would prevent any "ugly scars" developing 😉