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It would seem that the landowners have had enough of bikers (and horse riders) using the north side of Farleton Knott.
Last year, the landowners get pretty pissed off at the amount of trail building that was being carried out. They said they would turn a blind eye to people riding there if the building stopped.
I used to enjoy riding all the small sheep trails/techy singletrack that the place offered. The trail building was getting a bit out of hand, the jumps were getting bigger, more wider lines were put in, berms grew in size. (And that is what I thought before we went into lockdown). I havent been this or last year, but reports were that building had increased, so thats when it was originally asked to be stopped (sometime in the summer last year I think). Anyway, now they seem to have got together with Cumbria Police (damage to the land is on the criminal side, rather than civial trespassing) and had some signs made up, with a much firmer stance on use.
The first I heard of these signs was from a poster, Hannah, on the LDMBA Facebook group (
She posted up a link to a good article she had written on a Horse Rider blog - https://lakelandhorsebackrambler.blogspot.com/2021/05/our-right-to-roam.html
Lake District Mountain Bike Association has also put up a post saying they are now in talks. There is a slither of light in that they are hoping they can revert the built trails and jumps back into nature to allow people to continue riding there.
The situation at Farleton Knott has now escalated. Following repeated ignored requests for digging to stop on the Dallam owned land to the north of the wall, new signs have been installed. While riding on this area of Farleton Knott has been tolerated in the past, at no time has digging in this area been acceptable and as such we were asked to issue a statement to get the diggers to desist. Sadly some mountain bikers did not get the memo. This reflects on us all, making us look wanton and destructive. If you know of anyone still digging at Farleton please tell them to stop.
In the meantime we now have the opportunity to own this as a community and rebuild relationships with the landowners. We’ve been speaking with a representative from the estate, and the idea of a work party has been put forward, to rectify some of the damage.
If you’re interested in helping out, please email us at lakedistrictmba@gmail.com
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/LDMBA/permalink/1740882892750602/
This is why you can't have nice things.
Use of 'Civil offence' and police symbol is disappointing and misleading, though. Fine to pursue criminal damage, but the police allowing themselves to be involved in a discouraging civil trespass isn't great.
As I touched on above, the signs were put together by Cumbria Police, see the LDMBA reply in the Facebook group post:
The signs were put together by the police, so yes, they have a lot to do with them. They have become involved because of the damage to the ground through digging, which becomes a criminal matter not just a civil matter.
This is why you can’t have nice things.
Sort of sums it up really. Break Rule No.1 and it won't go well.
Sadly, if it is like here, the diggers will not give a flying whatever and will move on to someone else's land to p*ss them off next. We have had a situation here were I and others spoke to individuals as fellow bikers - and were roundly told to go away and that they didn't care..... 😪
Isn't most of FK an SSSI anyhow?
Having only just moved here, what counts as 'the north side' then that we need to stay off? Obviously I'll see the signs and respect it but it would be handy to know.
At the moment, I think it is safe to say only ride the bridleways until things have calmed down/been resolved. (But technically anything North of the wall on the OS map).
EDIT: This is the area I think it means, might include more so don't take the map as gospel.
what counts as ‘the north side’ then
Have a look at on an OS map (you can see these using bing maps if you don't have a paper map or an app). As I understand it, you're ok if you stay on the bit marked as National Trust on the 1:50k map (on a 1:25 it's the area marked as 'Holmepark fell', which is bounded by fences on all side.
If someone comes along and says something else though then they're probably right, this is just what I've heard through the grapevine
Yup - @danposs86 has it. The area in red is no go for bikes, but has seen some severe digging the last year or so
Ahhh yeah I thought as much, we didn't go anywhere near there but can see when we road ride past that there are some lines down that side.
I’m astonished at the amount of digging that’s been going on. Chapel house woods was riddled, and the same in grizedale. I’m not sure quite why people assume the can just build trials on other peoples land.
Shame as I ride up there once or twice a year on a group ride. Hopefully it will get sorted.
Trails are being built all over.
My local is Rivington and there's loads of trails been carved in the land.
Can see bikers getting banned there as well.
We tend to stick to the bit South of the red portion, ie over the top, down the cutting, over the wall and the the DH to the road alongside the farm (not shown on the map). we may just touch the red 'sticky down bit'.
So I assume we are OK? (fingers crossed)
@vortexracing - yes, you're ok. This doesn't concern the bridleways or the National Trust land, just the Dallam Estate owned land (the red bit on the map above)
perfecto 🙂 ta
I’m astonished at the amount of digging that’s been going on. Chapel house woods was riddled, and the same in grizedale. I’m not sure quite why people assume the can just build trials on other peoples land.
chapel house and grizedale are working forests though and i view them as fair game for digging, totally differant situation.
been in chapel house tonight riding them, some good stuff built there, mostly out of the way and no big jumps and its only a 5 minute drive away for me.
and the motorbikes where in there again tonight, sounded like they where messing about on the old tracks on the gummers how side.
Same in various places in the borders. There's some digging just off the eildons the estate are willing the work with the diggers, I know someone willing to act for them but as of yet nothing. Estate have let it be known that they'll be flattened soon.
i live in Bury and regularly drive up to ride Chapel House or Satterthwaite/Grizedale, and recently been stopping off for a couple of Farleton laps on the way!! what a villain.
I've not been and now most likely never will but the fact that I have recently heard about it says it all I guess.
It appeared in a Matt Stuttard clip and a mate quickly worked out where it was. This too is part of the problem.
haha, yes it was Matts vid that brought it to our attention also!
Been plenty of videos based at Farleton, Matt isn't the first.