MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
As some of you may be aware Gisburn's got great plans for a new car park and skills area along with better facilities. It’s currently going through the planning process and we're trying to secure significant funding to actually build it. We have a major application in at the moment but we need to provide more supporting documentation which is where you come in. One of things needed is an assessment of the need for the facilities upgrade. Could you spend five minutes (that’s all) and fill in the online survey hosted here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N25QDLL
No personal details are required except your postcode. The more people who fill in the survey the more credibility the funding application will have.
Even if you haven't visited Gisburn but are may do in the future it would be worth filling it in.
Thanks
Done, only took 2 mins! 😀
done
Did this already after seeing it on the facebook page.
Done it and Tweeted the link.
Ta, hopefully if we get this investment in it'll unlock further trails development as well (in the meantime the volunteers are still building, dig day this Sunday if anyone's interrested, and the Freeride line is also set for further extension thanks to Hope). FC seems quite keen on developing things further if additional funding can be sourced.
Done.
Done. And might go at the weekend if the weather is good...
Done.
Done. Application will probably have been successful, building completed and everything fully operational by the time my knee's up to getting back on a bike though 🙁
Done
Done
With pleasure. Gisburn is great!!
Done
Bosh, done.
Done...still havent been yet though 🙄
done
done
Did you tell them to get rid of the slab so you don't feel like such a wimp when you chicken out of it?
Done, not been this year - mainly due to injuries!
All filled in...fingers crossed!!
done
Done. Ta.
Is there anywhere we can get a preview of what these plans are?
Done. Loads more trails please and can you make a (nice long) dh run with that gradient? If so then an uplift service would be great!
Done 🙂
Cougar
I've got a copy of the plans and I'm hoping as soon as we get a final decision on the planning application (which I believe is now overdue) I'm going to publish all the details I have on www.pmba.org.uk
In short there will be a much bigger carpark, toilets, potentially a cafe although that's dependant on some other stuff, an information hub, new singletrack to join the existing trails to the new trailhead and a series of blue, red and black graded skills loops just off the new carpark.
Grum - tell me about it, I still haven't managed the slab and I reckon I've ridden steeper stuff at Lee Quarry without thinking about it.
Cheers to the mods for making this a sticky, much appreciated.
done
Done - hope to try me new bike up there this weekend!
Done.
done,
whats the score for Sunday?- may have a free day
Done. way less than 5 mins here too.
Done
Done
rockhopperbike
we meet in the forest at 10:00 am (I'll open the barriers up). If you email me I'll send you a map of the current meeting point.Bring some butties, we'll provide tools, brews, gloves and if I'm feeling flush chocolate biscuits.
more info on our dig days here www.pmba.org.uk/gisburnvols.htm
If you email me I can also add you to our mailing list if you want.
We're working on a really nice section at the moment, it's been a bit of a beast to dig by hand but should be really good when it's done, should be like a smaller scale version of the section on Hully Gully after the big berms. Despite the work load we've actually made much better progress than expected. Could still do with more help though.
All very exciting.
Done.
I think the work done at Gisburn is fantastic.
However - even with new skill loops, could the existing trails cope with the extra volume of riders that a bigger car park and facilities would attract? If you go on a weekend the red route can already be a bit of a traffic jam.
Going for a weekend up there in august, So I've filled it out.
I've ridden the slab too with only one foot clipped in while hanging over the front of the bike. Sketchy!
I think the trails can probably cope with more riders, they don't get that congested most of the time. That said we're slowly extending them all the time and have ambitious plans for the future. Never know once the hub's in it may in itself attract additional funding to extend the trails.
Done and dusted 8)
Done
Done
Done that Jon , when are you getting out for a ride
mart
I've replied to the survey, but tend to agree with Funkydunc. In my opinion the trails are already too busy at weekends and I feel that further development will only add to the problem. As a local rider who has been riding around the forest since the mid nineties I've seen the forest change significantly over the years with the introduction of the original red route towards the late nineties etc. Although I enjoy the new trails and appreciate the hard work that has gone into them (I volunteered myself on the home baked section) I think there is a real danger Gisburn Forest will be over developed and spoilt. In terms of riding, I've changed the times I ride to either very early morning or night time, just because the trails are too busy. Busy trails are fine if everyone is riding at a similar speed, but this isn't the case. I seem to be coming across more and more large groups of riders riding very slowly who just scowl or give me a blank look when I politely ask if I can come past (obviously I get out of the way when someone wants to come past me). Also, litter is becoming a problem with a lot of plastic drinks bottle strewn about especially on the lower part of the red route, although admittedly it looks like someone has had a clean up over the last few weeks. So, although I'm not against trail development as such I do think plans to increase visitor numbers could have quite a detrimental impact on Gisburn Forest.
Jon > thanks for the quick reply. Sounds like it's going to be awesome.
I'd offer to help, but my doctor says I have an underdeveloped public service gland and am naturally deficient in moral fibre and am therefore excused from volunteering for things.
More seriously - is there any way we can donate to help with costs or anything?
amasaback
I can see where you're coming from but the developements are as much to try and cope with the current numbers as much as trying to increase numbers. As trail builders we also see the downside of many people riding the trails, it's amazing how many people will avoid trail features and in doing so destroy a lot of the work we've put in. I think more recently we've come to terms with it and just see it as another environmental factor to be contended with and try and build accordingly.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the more formalised the facilities are at Gisburn the more of a long term future the site has as a trail centre. It may not always feel like it but significant maintenance work has been done already on the trails because the local team are pretty passionate about what's been built. These developments help to justfy having them there. Without ongoing maintenance parts of the trail network will collapse very quickly.
Gisburn has been a victim of it's own success, whilst it does get busy at the weekend when the weather's good (try it during the week and it's a tad quieter) the flip side is it's good to see so many new riders out riding the trails which in turn will help justify additional investment and more trails (and there's plenty of space left for additional mileage).
Hi Mart
Been busy, trails don't build themselves.....actually have been riding a bit recently, even managed to get my TCL award, not entirely sure how! Will try and get out soon, haven't been up to Cragg for a month or so now.
Cougar
one thing you could do is join PMBA. Pennine Moutain Bike Action (sorry aboutt he name we're riders not PR men 😳 ). It's an umbrella group trying to tie together a lot of what's going on in the Lancashire Pennines and beyond. It's quite a diverse group but has some fairly important people local people involved like Tony Lund from Lee & Cragg Quarry, Craig Robertson from Ride On in Rawtenstall, guys from Brownbacks, Blackburn & District Moutain Bikers, Healey Nab diggers plus represnetation from Gisburn. We've also got some very enthusiastic people who work closely with Rossendale Council (including one of the councillors). We want to become the recognised voice of riders in the area but we need to genuinely represent you. One of the ways we want to do that is to build up a membership so we can actually show we've got people supporting what we do.
An example of where we may be able to make a difference in the future is through consultation exercises. There was a big one recently which seemed to avoid consulting with many of the key players, next time that happens we want to be in there pushing the grass roots perspective from the start in a similar way to SingletrAction over the border (who we also have very close links with).
more info at www.pmba.org.uk , we're still working on a paypal link and more automated membership system but you can email us through the site. We should be at the Singletarck Weekender as well so we'll take cash off people then :lol:.
Come over and have a chat if you're around.
Stumpyjon, you've put a different slant on things regarding the visitor numbers point I made. Also, I see your point about establishing GF to better secure future funding for trail maintenance etc.
Check!
Needs more mileage of trail to cope with the numbers??
Its all good!! 🙂
we're still working on a paypal link and more automated membership system
I'd respectfully suggest that you prioritise getting this sorted out. It's all well and good going "please join us!!" on your web page, but without the means to do so it's all rather redundant.
survey completed, good luck
Done, up there this weekend. It's a great place to have on your doorstep...hully gully is great fun 😀
"...hully gully is great fun"
Apart from when you get half way down to find some idiot on a bike trying to pursuade his dog not to sit down in the middle of the track!
Done,
for the most part it`s getting beter all the time.
Go one then, I've resisted so far, which bits aren't getting better 😆
