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http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23657010
Great news overall , but what does it mean for Dartmoor overall? Does anyone known who might implement these 'improvements' and what they mean for Mtb in the area?
Probably mean nothing for the MTB crowd - they'll just finish off the slightly boring Granite Way is all.
They are developing the Sustrans route from Bovey to Mortonhampstead, but if they start messing with the bridleways it could be bad news..
Contrary to some other places, Dartmoor's bridleways are some of the best technical riding in the country are they not..? There was a few threads recently about steps you can take to ask for trails [i]not[/i] to be sanitised though..
I have to say that for me however, after the flooding and consequent erosion last year some of the BWs had become a bit [i]too[/i] much 😳 must get up there for a ride soon though as I'm a few months out of touch
I think Simon, who was a good cycling representative with the ROW people on E. Dartmoor has buggered off abroad, so not sure if we have a voice there at all ATM
Do you want the bridleways touched at all though, or brought into the cycling radar? Here in Surrey they get "improved" through the simple addition of 2" of gravel and general lack of cutting back of encroaching vegetation. I've just got back from Dartmoor and really enjoyed the MTB'ing there - a refreshing lack of gravel and what appears sensible self policing attitude towards trail erosion; i.e. it can be hard to impossible to ride in the wet, so don't. My bike now proudly sports little impact craters all over the rims, and a few downtube dents.
Ha, Downtube dents are standard down here I'm afraid!
No mention of bridleway maintenance here:
[url= http://www.devonnewscentre.info/government-cash-for-dartmoor-cycling-plans/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter ]Devon County Council Cycling plans update link[/url]
No - I'm still smiling, and took the unprecedented step of showing my wife one of the trails as I was so impressed with it. Naturally she was unimpressed in equal measure but now finally gets what a dropper post is for. Bikes are meant to get dinged and broken now and then 😛 Find the good trails in Dartmoor and they are the equal of anywhere else in the UK. The little loop I was doing near Chagford was easily equal to Pont Scethin in Wales, both in terms of 'lovely' views and technicality, yet in two weeks cycling I didn't see a single other mountain biker. Leave it alone I say.
Well i'm not planning to do anything to the Bridleways on Dartmoor.... the bit i'm working on uses the old Moretonhampstead railway, please dont jump to the conclusion that this funding means that all your favorite trails are going to be surfaced over. The funding is for "linking communities in national parks" therefore the money will be put towards extending and improving cycling facilities for all... not deleting our favorite trails.
Cheers chaps, some useful links there.
Uglybassplayer , that is good to know. Is there map of proposed routes? Is it the old railway line from Ide to Morton you are working on?
Thats' the point tho' isn't it ?
If I was underwriting this funding, I'd be expecting this money to be spent on opening up safe, traffic free routes to support the Governments wider social agenda; stuff like: improving transport / promoting social inclusion / improving health / promoting independence / encouraging local trade / developing tourism and so on - not spent poking about with odd, out of the way back-country trails that have limited practical use (other than throwing the occasional bike down it for the fun of it).
I'm looking forward to the Wray Valley route being completed - that something will/may then link down to Newton will make for a great traffic free day out.
Whilst dreaming ... and ok, not in the National Park, but certainly relevant to it ... I'd like to see the Totnes to Buckfastleigh route completed, hmm then see that linking with a Ivybridge to Chudleigh route (via Buckfastleigh / Ashburton / Bovey). That'd open up getting you to Plymouth at one end, off into Newton/Torbay/Teignmouth, or up onto Haldon from the Chudleigh end. You;d only need to add South Brent to Kingsbridge/Salcombe and that's it.
😛