All us Ayrshire boys are probably related to each other

to boardinbob , where you fae

did you see my comment about where the boys clost to mauchline go ?

yes please

This would be fantastic, go for it. I live in Kilmarnock and do a ride at Glen Afton around once a year. Would be great to have some proper trails there.

One for the Glasgow folk to note – it’s over 100 miles round trip to Glen Afton.

to boardinbob , where you fae

did you see my comment about where the boys clost to mauchline go ?

Kilmarnock originally but I’m up in Shawlands now. I’ll keep an eye out for you the next time.

BoardinBob – Member
All us Ayrshire boys are probably related to each other

Now that is true, lolsss.

As much as I hate to ‘get involved’ there’s a danger I could be tempted to get involved.

I’m from Prestwick so would definately ride there.

Yea sounds good and I’d travel from West Dunbartonshire. I’m not a big trail centre fan so would be looking for something a bit different. I’ve got a bit bored of the standard forest trail centre so anything a bit different would be great. Any chance of some rugged exposed trails along some of those hills by the coast?

new cumnock isn’t near the coast

The afton gets rough sometimes right enough though

Took a wee run up today as we need to start with the studies , one of the team was at meeting with regards to the wind turbine proposals for the Afton area. Which way this way will effect the proposed trails is not known yet ( indeed we don’t know if they will go ahead , but from what we could see from our recce ride today there looks like theres certainly some survey work being carried out ) The other sites are still worth persueing and may prove easier to get up and going just for just now.

Wind turbines would be just the very thing – they’ll need to stitch all the turbines together using access tracks anyway, so push for additional trails between those tracks to be funded as a planning condition. You might be surprised as to how open to it they might be – as its probably cheaper than asking them to build an extra wind turbine, although you could ask for one of them too 🙂

Post it over here – http://www.trailscotland.co.uk/forums

Hello dudes/dudetts, I scoped the Glen Afton area with a forest manager/mountain biker from Llandelga, North Wales and he said Glen Afton has got real potential. The fire road infrastructure is already there and would require some upgrading, but not a lot. Forestry Commission own about 12 sq/Kms, which would do for starters. There’s scope for riders who prefer big country rides. Also, we are trying to develop walking trails and other outdoor activities.
I would appreciate your help by supporting our fight against a wind farm proposal, which could ruin our chances of having some quality mtb trails in Ayrshire. We currently do not have any trails and have to travel 1.5 hours every time we go biking. This wind farm proposal is for seven turbines, which would open the floodgates for others to develop. We have successfully opposed a proposal 2 years ago in Dalmellington, Ayrshire and need you to support our cause once again. Anyone age 12 years and above can object. Please click on the link below to object online and forward the link on to friends and family.
Thanks.
Yours in Cycling, Campbell, Glen Afton mountain bike club, also on Facebook.

http://eplanning.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/online/pagedComments.do?action=nextPage&caseNo=11%2F0983%2FPP

This is just what we have been waiting to hear about! I live in Auchinleck and currently travelling up to 3 hours – no big hassle but would be amazing to have something like this on our doorstep. There are 3 of us who ride regularly together and we are all very much behind this and will tell everyone we know! Keep us posted with anything we could do to help!

Just doent mention carparking charges

in what way are you expecting a wind farm be detrimental to bike trails?

Trails being closed when the turbines being serviced for one. The scale of the wind farm is S36, which is 400 turbines. Haven’t seen any wind farms on any 7stanes centres either.

Are you objecting purely on the basis that the wind farm will spoil chances of trail development?

+1 here mate from that area and now in Glasgow but would pop dan regularly

No! there are a few factors why we think the wind farms will scupper our plans.

1.The accessibility due to the trails being closed, when the turbines are being serviced.

2. The affect the turbines would have on number of outdoor recreational tourists.

3.It would restrict our scope of where we want to design the best trails.

4.Our landscape has been decimated by opencast mining, of which 45% of coal in the UK comes from.

5.The Cumulative impact of opencast mining and a S36 wind farm, would have detrimental affects on the Glen Afton Centre Project. We don’t need another Whitelee. We want to create a place where ‘Burns’ would be proud of. Not many people know that it was ‘The Bards’ initial idea to develop mountain biking in Glen Afton, where else could the poem ‘Flow Gently Sweet Afton’ originate from.

Sounds great im for helping email in profile

Has there been any movement on this ?

I’m having a meeting tomorrow to finalise the consultants brief, then we will submit for tender. Hoping to get the study started in July. Anyone wishing to join up with the club, will find details in the Cumnock Chronicle and Facebook under Glen Afton mountain bike club.
Thanks.

I never realised there were so many on here from the area. Down in Winchester living but from Mauchline (was up at the the old pit last sat before the holy fair. still great!)

gcubed . Ref the Barony trust.

My family has been in touch with the Barony trust a lot and know Billy Menzies well, due to the fact that my Grandpa is one of the 4 at the bottom of the A frame. He has done fantastic work for the site and was instrumental in getting it to the standard its in just now. I think it would be a fantastic idea to make some trails around the Barony bing and if you want any help at all let me know. Unforunately cause I live all the way down here, I wont be able to get the spade out and help in that way.

As for Glenafton, I was up there with my Uncle and Girlfriend the other week there and all me and her could do was pick out lines on the hill for rattling down. Great train links from New Cumnock and a massive variety of terrain. There doesnt seem to be that much in the way of set up there so initial investment wold be high. Excellent people to talk to about that would be the Minerals Trust. The opencast companies are always happy to boost their green credentials.

cobrakai – next time your coming up get in touch wi me as i’ve dh short runs at the golf coarse

Sheildsmtb, any chance of giving me a wee look? I’m in prestwick. Cheers.

cobrakai – Thanks for your support. Theres an event on this weekend , A Sense of time – A Sense of place held at the A-Frame to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the disaster. local schools are stageing a play / show over the weekend . Hopefully the study can include the A-frame site and could end up being our own Lee Quarry.

Nobeerinthefridge , aye no probs my email is shieldsmtb@aol.com

fantastic stuff – anything in around ayrshire would be superb – good luck and keep us updated please!

Any news on this project?