Spent some time up at Lee Quarry this afternoon, when i got there i saw three blokes – later understood to be a bloke and two younger lads – on trials motorbikes riding on the pump track and the bermed trails. In fact, going down one of the black bermed trails the adult suddenly dropped off the top of the berm in front of me (not too close to be fair) and slid his bike down the face of the berm leaving me a nice scar to ride into at around 90 degrees to my travel.

Phoned the local police who sent a cop up to see, doubt he caught them though.
Thing is, TonyL and others have mentioned on here in the past that should we see this happening we should report it, now upon reflection i wonder if i was over reacting given how many of us ride on footpaths etc?

i’d say you did the right thing, yes. i’d have done the same.

I think you did the right thing. Well done.

Yep. I would have done the same.

cant believe you grassed me up

you barsteward

Did the cop catch you then 🙂 ?

Just seemed a bit hypocritical of me really…

only joking

i agree with you, i’ve ridden a couple of three illegal trails in my life when its our legal right were all high and mighty but if it’s an illegal trail its cheeky and a bit of a laugh

i’d imagine its the same for trail riders

These weren’t trail riders but Trials riders – the bloke was riding a silver Casgas? (never heard of it) and wearing a bright orange open face helmet. Seems they were using the Quarry to practice on.
Thing is, just down the road in Whitworth is a perfectly legal quarry they can ride on, its all set up for motorcycles with decent (so i’ve heard) trials and MX routes, so its a bit off they are wrecking TonyL & Co’s hard work.

EDIT : GasGas are a brand of trials and enduro motorcycles apparently…

You absolutely did the right thing.

Is it signposted that they shouldn’t be there?

Is there any sort of legal protection against this?

riding on purpose built stuff is a bit different to riding a footpath.

more akin to riding a bicycle across a golfcourse & causing damage, imo

At the entrance to the quarry there is a signboard that states quite explicitly motor vehicles are not allowed. It’s a combination of signed and marked cycle/walking/horse trails.
Not sure what sort of legal protection/enforcement is in place, i understand that illegal off-roaders can have their bikes confiscated and crushed?

that what i thought you meant nice bikes

there’s plenty of legal paths all over the country but MTBers still choose to ride the illegal/cheeky trails because there something different/new/better/not know by many/not wrecked by over use i’m sure there’s a 100 reasons.

thomthumb – good point!

riding on purpose built stuff is a bit different to riding a footpath

not sure the ramblers would agree

I do think that to the RA there is no differential ‘tween motorcycles and cycles when it comes to footpaths, whilst we tend to think we do little damage to footpaths i no doubt suppose those trials riders today thought the same.

THing is though, cycling on a footpath is a civil offense of trespass, riding an off-road motorcycle at Lee Quarry may be more akin to the golf course analogy (sp?) and be liable for criminal damage?

Spot on mate. Although IIRC the quarry is used for classic trials events, but these keep well off the MTB trails.

Good for you mate!

THing is though, cycling on a footpath is a civil offense of trespass, riding an off-road motorcycle at Lee Quarry may be more akin to the golf course analogy (sp?) and be liable for criminal damage?

and what about all the cheeky trails built on FC land, cheeky jump areas in local parks that we might not built but all use is that criminal damage as well

and if we are leaving scars on footpaths is that criminal damage

andy – personally i only ever ride on FC land when at Whinlatter or Gisburn so not something i do often, and the trails are enough for me! I don’t jump either but i get your drift.

i’m not saying it’s right but we all do it would you have call the cops if it was a mtber on a footpath

i’d have tried to have a quite word first explaining to them about the built trails, if there not wrecking somebody else’s work live and let live if they carry on then call the cops

Thing is, TonyL and others have mentioned on here in the past that should we see this happening we should report it, now upon reflection i wonder if i was over reacting given how many of us ride on footpaths etc?

you did the right thing, if he had permission to use the quarry he would be OK as there is some limited moto trials riding in there for events

the reality is that the rider actions were damaging trails which are part of a purpose built trail centre which is being used to try and help regenerate the local area, if the trail gets trashed a lot of time and effort goes down the pan

I called the police because TonyL has been on here in the past and specifically asked people to report it if they see it. That to me tells me the police will get involved – round here they are quite keen to catch illegal off-road motorcyclists -whereas i don’t think the police are interested if a cyclist damges a landowners field for instance?

muddydwarf you did the right thing, motorcycles using the site are a bit of a problem up there. Good chance the end result could be the use of the site for legitimate motorcycle trials events gets withdrawn. There is a perfectly good site for motorbikes to use just a mile or two away at Back cowme quarry, if they don’t support that place there will be even fewer places for them to ride.

I’m not anti-motorbike at all having owned quite a few myself over the years but they can cause quite a lot of damage when used in the wrong place. Having spent quite a bit of time trying to get mountain bike trails built and maintained it’s quite frustrating when people wreck them.
So if you see motor bikes up there please let the police know, get what details you can a photo if it’s not going to put you in harm’s way and pass the information on to me. Apart from anything if I know who they are and they turn up at a later date hoping to take part in an event up there I can tell them where to go.

Tony – i didn’t see a van, so reckon they were living locally. Adult was riding a silver coloured Gas Gas trials bike and wearing a bright orange open faced helmet. He and the others were stooging around on the red and black bermed downhill runs and down in the bottom of the quarry around the original pump track. Saw one of the younger ones riding on the pump track as well.

Hope they haven’t done too much damage but there is a nice fresh vertical scar down the face of the big berm on the black run that starts from its own position – as opposed to the start area with the big metal ‘sail’.

Does any of that make any sense? 😳

Not here!

2011-07-26 18.07.48 by lowey.com, on Flickr

Hey Lowey ! You’ve nicked my bike again !!

😉

That’s it Lowey – the black run off to the left of there! 😆