How did you get on at Kielder?

Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month but if there is a change, it will be posted up on the Hampshire Trailwatch website.

If there is anything you want brought up, you can e-mail me with the details. Shame you can't make it cos you have a good knowledge of Surrey trails.

I did ok at Kielder but crashed rather too often, and perhaps doing it 6 days after soloing the Gorrick 12 hour was a bit ambitious. Never in danger of missing the cut-offs, but never in danger of a fast time either!

Not had time to think of anything for the meeting, but will put the next one in my diary.

How did the meeting go?

i know of several Hampshire bridleways that are overgrown to the point of impassable – had to hack our way out of a bramble bush with a multi tool last week – how/ where do i pass on the details?

Cheers.

Meeting went well and the Chairperson did a good job of keeping it short and to the point. We are lucky that an extremely knowledgeable person has stepped forward and his input will be welcomed.

Can I politely point out that there is definitely no intention of holding endless meetings with endless pontification and associated endless paperwork for Hampshire Trailwatch members. We all want to ride our bikes and not waste valuable riding time.

Just to reassure those who are thinking of joining, the £2 fee goes 100% directly to pay for signage. So, please join up and enjoy the benefits. 🙂

At the meeting, it was agreed that a plea be made for volunteers to help devise some trails radiating from Alice Holt Forest. This can be done in your own time. It would be easier for people to e-mail me directly for more details (see my profile for address).

A very positive meeting was held yesterday with an official and this will be followed up with proposals.

I'm currently suffering very limited internet access so may not be able to reply to e-mails until beginning of next week.

thomthumb – yes, it can be very frustrating! I used to regularly report very overgrown bridleways but following some trail sanitisation, have stopped doing this. This is one area I am particularly interested in and are therefore hoping that Trailwatch can become involved in this. Naturally this would have to be done in conjunction with HCC.

Hi Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young fan?) I'm a newbie but live in Hampshire . Hope you don't mind me asking but do you often ride around Combe Gibbet & this area ? Part of a club? I live in Whitchurch and looking for some advice & like minded people.

Hello D28boy! Yes, Neil Young fan. 8)

Yes, I know the Combe Gibbet area but don't belong to a club. I sometimes organise Forum Rides in various locations or small group rides. There are a few people on here that live in the vicinity.

There is a Test Valley Tour event in November, starting from Andover I believe, and that will be waymarked. Happy to help with specific route advice.

Me too though mainly his acoustic stuff which I play a little hence my name. Where could I get details of the tour you mention?

There's quite a few guitarists on here!

Check out http://www.testvalleytour.com

thanx that looks like fun. Think I'll give it a go…maybee see some of you there I'll bring the D28 so you'll recognize me

Check out http://www.testvalleytour.com

Does look good. I'll have to see if I can negotiate a pass

Whilst I have your attention:

http://www.hampshiretrailwatch.co.uk

Link for Shipwright's Way now working.

😀

Would really appreciate some opinions on the following so, please, don’t hesitate to post!

There is a very pleasant bridleway at Dockenfield (Eastern side of Alice Holt Forest) that is overgrown. Hampshire Trailwatch have been given a thumbs-up by Surrey County Council to carry out some trail maintenance. 🙂

Now, we can either get stuck into the trail maintenance and have a ride immediately afterwards (have a local to guide). Or go for a ride first and then either do some trail maintenance or pub lunch (I can recommend the pub), or vice versa. This would probably be in November.

We obviously appreciate time is at a premium for people so some feedback on this would be most useful.

Thank you so much. 🙂

Just a little bumpity bump for the afternoon folk on their tea break. 🙂

Sorry if I’m a bit slow but are you asking for volunteers here?

Sorry, I haven’t made it clear have I. 😳

Yes, volunteers needed and am trying to find out whether folk are more likely to help if there is also a ride/pub lunch. So please feel free to post up what you would prefer and why.

i might help but i am always busy. when are you thinking of?

what you do is less important than when for me. Cheers.

thomthumb – thanks! Probably November so watch this space.

Hi CG

just a quicky will there be maps of the routes available at Alice Holt or on the Website or do you need to be a member to obtain these?

Cheers

Harrison

Harrison – as I understand it, local Councils are favouring online for cost-cutting reasons. Certainly we are hoping that any routes can be marked up on an information board at Alice Holt.

As yet, routes haven’t been decided so if anyone has any input, please get in touch! Currently studying the Definitive Map to see where we can and can’t go.

It’s only £2 to become a member of Hampshire Trailwatch and you get a bacon bap plus innner tube. Win win. 8)

Thanks for the info I will keep an eye on the web site for updates. I hope that it works as I have ridden the Mach trails in Wales which is a similar thing gives you a great ride without the headache of keep stopping and looking maps and is totally different to the graded trail centre stuff.

Just a wee reminder that the monthly meeting will take place this Monday at The Bluebell in Dockenfield, starting at 6.30 pm. This is just a short distance from Alice Holt. Meeting will last no longer than an hour as everyone is obviously very busy. All welcome.

Updated website and has map link to The Bluebell:

http://www.hampshiretrailwatch.co.uk

Edit: links broken, please use the following:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=482151&y=140995&z=120&sv=482151,140995&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=580&ax=482151&ay=140995&lm=0

A little bump. Meeting tonight, all welcome!

Links are now working. 🙂

We now permission from Surrey County Council to carry out trail maintenance on a bridleway near Frensham Great Pond. SCC will provide some strimmers via their Volunteer Co-Ordinator will be coming along on the first one.

Saturday 13th November at 9.00 am here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=484112&y=139945&z=120&sv=484112,139945&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=591&ax=484112&ay=139945&lm=0

It will only take an hour to strim this lovely bridleway that runs from Frensham Manor to Frensham Great Pond. It would obviously be appreciated if a few people could turn up to help. 🙂

Oops! The arrow on the map is a parking area near Frensham Pond Hotel. The bridleway is just a few metres away.

Hopefully will be able to help out with this.

The section of that bridleway closest to Frensham Manor becomes a bogfest in winter, doubt there’s much you can do about that though although a review of the drainage might be in order.

Yes, it was only slightly boggy on Tuesday but we’ve had a reasonably prolonged dry spell.

It will inevitably deteriorate as it gets almost no sunlight, and seems to have missed out on the otherwise ubiquitous free-draining Frensham sand!

Anyway, we can discuss it with the SCC rep on the day and see if there’s anything we can do.

allthepies – yes, I can imagine. However, the relevant person from SCC is aware of it and is on his ‘to do’ list. We will not be able to help with that but we do have some strimming to do. 🙂

I shall probably be over there at the weekend for more exploration!

Just to emphasise that joining up to Hampshire Trailwatch places you under no obligation to get involved in anything.

Naturally it would be great if you do want to become involved but there won’t be bullying from me if you don’t. 😆

The more people that pay £2 and join Hampshire Trailwatch means the more influence we can have. 8)

Is the trail maintenance at Frensham still going ahead on Saturday?

I was promised documentation by e-mail and that wasn’t forthcoming. Will phone them this afternoon.

I thought the section from Frensham Manor to Great Pond was fairing the weather well when I rode it last week. It’s been much worse in previous years, but it has rained a lot in the last week.

Interested in the meetings, but 6:30 is a really difficult time for me due to having kids, if it was an hour or so later it would be much easier to get to.

<hijack>
I regularly ride this and surronding area’s with a group of friends normally Tuesday nights, all welcome.
</hijack>

OK, trail maintenance is a go-go for 9.00am this Saturday 13th November PROVIDED the inspection tomorrow by the Co-Ordinator does not throw up any H & S issues due to current weather conditions.

Unless posted otherwise, please assume this is still going ahead.

It will not take long, we will only concentrate on one bridleway.

For parking, there is a layby and this will be the meet point:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=484047&y=140115&z=120&sv=484047,140115&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=556&ax=484047&ay=140115&lm=0

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday. 🙂

Just a wee bumpity bump in case this hasn’t been seen. 🙂

call me petty, but….
is it just me or does everybody struggle to when see the blue links on the dark green backgrounds?

Assume no problems from the inspection?

Just to advise that the Co-Ordinator has confirmed that it will be safe for us to venture on the bridleway although it is apparently very muddy!!

If there is not sufficient space to park in the layby, head towards the Frensham Pond Hotel and there are spaces on the right hand side. If you park furthest away from the Hotel,ie opposite the pond, it should be OK.

Well, what a pleasant morning spent tidying the trails. 8)

The horse-riding fraternity were most appreciative but failed to volunteer for any future trail clearing.

I must say that it was really quite therapeutic brandishing tools, definitely recommended!

It’s nice to put something back …