[Closed] Other users at trail centres (esp. Haldon)

small parts of both trails are also walking trails and were walking trails before mountain bikes were invented..
more so with the blue trail where some parts of it are a designated family nature walk type thing and other parts are clearly signed suitable for child trailers.. so I'm slightly quizzical about who is having trouble reading the trail signs...

I'm guessing the blue trail is possibly where you encountered your 'problem' as I've never had any trouble on the red trail..

nothing annoys me more than some pillock dangerously whizzing along a family trail getting stressed when I'm enjoying the forest with my under five family members in tow.. Haldon has always been a family centre and has always suffered from the problem that you describe of too many user groups..

you may have to accept that you could need to alter your exercise regime perhaps..?

Is Haldon on FC land? Technically FC land is open access for pedestrians - you can but advise people that there are bike trails and clearer mark them.

I too ride at Haldon on the blue, red and cheeky trails. I find your answer interesting Yunki as I wasn't aware that sections of the red and blue are walking trails as well (apart from the very start of both).

I think is down to both signage and the leaflet/trail guides that are supplied. I don't think there is a single guide that includes all trails for all users, this then means that when I'm whizzing along on my bike I think I am the only type of user allowed on that trail.

I have encountered family groups on the red run though, the 3rd section of singletrack just after it crosses that dodgy corner where I desparately try to stay on line and not ride over the bloomin' tree root! I was going pretty quick and had to slam on brakes as a 10ish yr old lad suddenly appeared around the corner, followed closely by mum and brother.

I'm a polite sort and nicely pointed out the error of their ways (more about direction than placement as one lad was on a bike)but did warn them that people do ride the route very quickly. They were lovely and turned around, no harm done.

Similar has happened elsewhere and to be honest I do now ride expecting someone to appear randomly around a corner!

However I also agree with simon_semtex in that we, as bikers, get all sorts of abuse from pedestrians on shared cycle tracks even when doing nothing wrong; so it's a bit galling that it still happens when the track you are on is a cycles only track. It's a no-win situation...we are scum (apparently)!!! 🙄

so it's a bit galling that it still happens when [b]the track you are on is a cycles only track[/b]

I doubt it.

Yunki +1

Ah, cheeky trails I call them. If any cyclists tell us we shouldn't be there we just say 'we know, silly isn't it' and carry on.

Just been on the Haldon site and looked at maps which took a bit of deciphering. I knew about most of the shared sections on the blue and ride fairly conservatively on them. I have a kiddie and often take the trailer out on the green and also don't want "some pillock dangerously whizzing along" because it's shared with the blue. But I don't think that's the point simon_semtex is making.

BTW he's not the only one to use as a training route, I know of many who warm up on it before blasting the red.

The non-shared sections...I think that's another matter especially as they are designated intermediate ability routes (although I'd let my little one along them on a scoot bike when she's able).

You doubt what geoffj?

Yunki,

Thanks for the comments. Really impressed that your under fives are all classed as "Intermediate Riders." (As that is who the Blue route is designed for - REF: Haldon Bike Route Leaflet.)

Thought your 23 month-old was so clumsy that you wouldn't let him anywhere near a kerb let alone a set of stairs. 😉

Cheers,

Simon_semtex

That it's a cycle only trail.

Thanks for the comments. Really impressed that your under fives are all classed as "Intermediate Riders." (As that is who the Blue route is designed for - REF: Haldon Bike Route Leaflet.)

Thought your 23 month-old was so clumsy that you wouldn't let him anywhere near a kerb let alone a set of stairs.

aye right..

he's a little tinker as it goes and getting faster on his feet all the time.. not quite big enough for a balance bike yet though.. sometimes we're up at Haldon with him and his cousins having a bit of a wander and a scuff about (his Auntie and Uncle live in Kenn so it's their back garden pretty much) the little ones love all the stuff that the FC has built up there for kids and families to explore..

I've not taken any of the kids up there on their bikes as it goes (although we sometimes go to Haldon for a spin with my boy in his babyseat on the back of the 456.. look out for us and say hello) and if I did I'm sure the blue route wouldn't pose any problems.. and I doubt if the red would either..

I'm not saying that I'm not sympathetic.. As a biker myself I certainly wouldn't go wandering onto the furthur out sections of track with the kids (I can't bring myself to call it trail)..

I find your answer interesting Yunki as I wasn't aware that sections of the red and blue are walking trails as well (apart from the very start of both).

That's really the bit I was referring to although the walking trails do cross a few times on both red and blue and also merge for considerable distances in places on the blue..

Surely it can't be a regular problem once you're away from the carpark and walking trails though.. and a friendly word of advice or two to the people involved on those rare occasions should keep everyone happy no..?

as other posters have already mentioned.. it's FC and open access and none of it is [i]strictly[/i] cycles only as far as I'm aware..

It's annoying - but that's the way it is. And you could just as easily encounter a fellow biker who'd come off.

We don't own the woods.

Indeed, there is room for every one. Chill out.

I get the whole shared trail thing but it's the runners and their dogs going the wrong way up tracks that have no-entry signs that get me. Thankfully they've all been wise enough to get out of my way but it could be messy...bit of respect all around is the best way me thinks.

If it's public access land then some people are always going to want to assert their rugged individuality by walking where they please, even if that includes clearly marked cycling tracks. A no walking sign is practically an invitation to some bell ends.
It probably varies according to the history of the trail centre - I've ridden at Glentress for ten years and I've never seen a walker on a bike trail (seen a motorcyclist once). I've been to Carron Valley twice and both times I saw people walking up bike descents. So I guess it depends a bit on local hikers expectations.

You can try and equate walking on a bike trail to disrupting a dedicated use of land, like walking across a football game or a golf tournament. Clearly this would be unacceptable - bit of a tenuous link though IMO.

We often lament the fact that people here aren't as tolerant of cyclists as in France, Scotland wherever and that our rights of way are limited. It's this kind of intolerance from all sides that is to blame. So you have to slow down occasionally.......? I know it can be a wee bit annoying, but there's a need for give and take. Do you stop and pleasantly warn the walkers that they may be in danger?
I live near a trail centre and often have to slow down/have my downhills interrupted by slower riders - novices or whatever. Is that less annoying because they are 'one of us'?

"on the way home from work" sounds like the busiest time for all trail users - try going another time??

You can try and equate walking on a bike trail to disrupting a dedicated use of land, like walking across a football game or a golf tournament. Clearly this would be unacceptable - bit of a tenuous link though IMO.

Do you really see mountain biking as being similar to sports like football and golf?? 😕

I hope those moaning about walkers on a cycle track aren't the same people who ride on "cheeky" footpaths?

Or you could just chill out and not get so worked up over something so unimportant?

The actual usage rights is an important point, was it a waymarked bike route on a track, or clearly signed bike only, no walkers like you'd find at the start/end of many section of trail a somewhere like CYB? Or just an indicated bike route with coloured markers that may well have been a specifically made piece of bike trail, but in fact open to all. I think we may be being spoilt with the somewhat luxurious trail setups at the big trail centres. If you're outdoors, it's an uncontrolled environment, it could just as well have been a deer not a child.

On the flip side, I was just shouted at by some riders for going "the wrong way" though a random, unmarked, piece of trail in my local woods where the local authority tolerate bike usage, that I've been riding, quite happily in both directions and sharing with walkers, dogs & kids, for the last 15 years! Go figure.

Cheers for the comments, one and all.

I had an interesting conversation with two of the rangers at Haldon today. I was dressed in non-biking civies and asked them if it would be OK if I went out for a jog on the blue bike trail. Their answer was that "we can not tell you not to as it is open access but we would advise you to do it in reverse so you can see if bikers are coming towards you."

My problem is that all the signage, marker posts and marketing bill-boards at Haldon describe the bike routes as "Dedicated bike routes."

When Haldon was first developed, bikers in the South West all jumped for joy at the prospect of having Daffyd Davies designed bike trails on our doorstep. Finally, bikers would have a "dedicated" area just for them. We all felt special and happy that our sport was becoming so popular. It was like Christmas morning when you discover that Santa Claus has spent shed loads of money on you and delivered the best present EVER just for YOU.

However, a few months down the line, Santa is now back and is tell you that the present that you thought was just for you has now to be shared with with every dog and his frog that wants a go.

I have no problem sharing with all types of bikers (especially as the trails are marked as bike trails.) But do I really have to share with horses, runners, walkers and other non-bikers who would blame ME if I came around a blind corner and discovered them standing gormlessly unaware that they are on a marked bike trail and blocking the middle of the trail?

bit of respect all around is the best way me thinks.

Thankfully they've all been wise enough to get out of my way but it could be messy

hm'k. 😕

When Haldon was first developed, bikers in the South West all jumped for joy at the prospect of having Daffyd Davies designed bike trails on our doorstep. Finally, bikers would have a "dedicated" area just for them.

think you might be speaking from your POV there, and rather putting words in the mouths of everyone else, not least those guys who have been riding on haldon for a long time.
some of us looked at the prospect and said, 'err, ok?'. went to presentations and everything....

finally, the point brought up above, about it being FC and therefore (mostly) access land, which means pretty much anyone on foot can go wherever they like, says that you're going to have to suck it up.

look at who's using that CP. how many of them are bikers, how many are 'serious' bikers?

also, there's plenty of riding on that hill. if you find the waymarked stuff too busy, use the other stuff, but you have to accept that other people are there too, and have every right to be. i ride there a lot, and choose my/our routes according to time of day, weather, etc. etc. just common sense, live and let live. one day you may encounter me going the 'wrong' way on a marked trail - but i'll always yield. 😀
just my 2p, ymmv, etc. 😀

Del
you may encounter me going the 'wrong' way on a marked trail - but i'll always yield.

You mean you've been lying to me all along, and we've been riding trails the 'wrong' way! **Flounces off** 😉