Dollywagon – state sponsored vandalism or essential trail maintenance ?

mmm, sfb, I'm not sure what that selective quote is intended to illustrate… I assume you're disputing whether or not Dollywaggon is (in places) eroded. Showing an area that is not visibly eroded with one rider on it clearly settles the argument once and for all. No erosion, sfb has a photo of it so it must be true 🙄 . As you said earlier in the thread though, erosion "depends on the surface and amount of traffic". Clearly if the hundreds of cake-hunters (of all varieties) that trudge up and down the fells every day decided to take whatever line they wished then pretty quickly there'd be erosion all over the place. Indeed, you can see erosion around the “restoration” in question in many areas. As higgo pointed out, even sheep cause erosion (often of the very best kind 😉 ). How people can't recognise that trying to avoid unwanted erosion is pretty damn handy unless we want all routes everywhere paved I cannot fathom. It's pretty easy, if you like singletrack, ride on it. If you want paradise paved [terrible pun intended] then please continue.

PS- My granny couldn't ride it, but could probably sledge down given winter conditions (if dug up). I usually mince down too, but then I tend to take the rigid if I'm going that way…

MTFU, its rideable, although a challenge, with enough travel

Oh the ironing…

?

Have you ridden it Jan?

mmm, sfb, I'm not sure what that selective quote is intended to illustrate

it's intended to illustrate what I'm contradicting – that my remarks are disingenuous

Indeed, you can see erosion around the “restoration” in question in many areas.

really ? I didn't, but if so perhaps that reflects the aggressive nature of the surface laid down – not even suitable for walkers. Compared to its previous condition it's very solid and controlled.

Showing an area that is not visibly eroded with one rider on it clearly settles the argument once and for all.

it's the only one I have showing the grass…

How people can't recognise that trying to avoid unwanted erosion is pretty damn handy unless we want all routes everywhere paved

and isn't that the point of contention? I my opinion, based on observation of the fellside, riding on the grass has little or no effect. The ground is free draining and there are no soft places in the tough grass.

Will people please stop using big hard words in my thread.

Also, use my **** name, not OP, jeez, that gets on my tits.

Wish the OP would chill the **** out FFS

Will people please stop using big hard words in my thread.

what's maximum number of letters per word Dave?

Clearly if the hundreds of cake-hunters (of all varieties) that trudge up and down the fells every day decided to take whatever line they wished then pretty quickly there'd be erosion all over the place.

On the contrary – if they all went different ways there would be no erosion. It only happens because they all go the same way. Hence I still don't feel at all guilty about avoiding paths such as this when out running (for which they are quite horrible) by taking a route which shows no sign of having been used before.

That's (one of) the arguments that ramblers put forward when campaigning for the right to roam ie if we're all over the place then there'll be fewer in one place to cause erosion.

And then they demand that bikers, horseriders etc all stick to certain trails, a tiny minority of the entire trail network in the UK.

And to all those saying that it looks a nice descent, doable with enough travel – you remember how the camera flattens the angles..? It's about as full on as a UK descent gets: long, very technical and very very tiring physically and mentally.

26th of September I'm riding down that and then possibly carrying back up. Will report back then if I remember.

Will report back then if I remember.

you mean "If I survive" 🙂