gisburn forest

Great that so much interest is being generated about the trails and that so many people are choosing to come and ride there.

The next priority at Gisburn is to repair and maintain the areas that have eroded with the bad weather we've been having and with the numbers of riders coming along. This work as I understand it is currently being planned. The Rollercoaster section – Hully Gully needs repair particularly because the surfacing used, which is the natural substrate of that gully is a kind of shale which has turned to mud. It's a great section and with some work it will be back in a good state again.

It's a work in progress. More trails are being planned. it's good times for us mountain bikers and it's just going to get better. Keep the feedback coming but remember that we are all on the same side here.

ScottChegg – Member
Is the top (green) bit on the second map open yet? Or is this were all the work is in progress?

No, AFAIK this section is to be built as part of Phase 2, though to be perfectly honest I've no idea when this is due to commence. Maybe somebody who's paid a bit more attention than I have to the overall scheme of things might be able to confirm this… 😳

The section we're currently working on isn't actually shown on the October 2008 map – it lies in the area of woods south of Hindley Head, and is intended to be a fun / challenging alternative to just trundling along the fire-road. We're hoping to have it finished by February, maybe sooner if we manage to get enough extra dig-days in.

The green bit at the top is phase 2 and is subject to funding, which at the moment is not there. I think Ed's right, Martin's main objective at the for the time being is stabilisation of what's already in.

As always there's a 'relatively' easy solution.

If your not happy with the design then turn up, dig and have your say.

If your not happy with the erosion then turn up and help fix it.

Or alternatively, sit on your arse, mouse in hand and give everyone who is trying their best the benefit of your knowledge…

This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, but many hands make light work. You can wait years for a small hardy group of people to sort it all or 100 people with the right supervision could sort it in no time!

Maybe we are all becoming a little spoilt, the standards of Trails are so good and our bikes so capable that we need more and more impressive stuff to ride.

(These are my views, not necessarily the Gisburn crew's)

Cheeky Monkey
Hope you don't mind, I put your name forward to Martin Colledge as a point of contact for help and advice on building a pump track at Gisburn.

Opinions are useful. Sometimes the way opinions are expressed can grate, but as long as no offence is caused even irritating opinions might be valid. Taking Greg’s comment that the route was boring in isolation appears harsh, but he does at least recognise it as an OK xc route. Comparison with the rich riding choice of the Peak district might seem a little meaningless, but perhaps throws up some interesting questions. Just what is it that is so very enticing about natural trails? Possibly it’s the length of descents, or choice of lines on wider paths? Perhaps that the surface will be changed at every visit with the passage of weather and traffic? Maybe it the liberty to follow a map, or local knowledge, rather than slavishly chasing from one trail marker to the next? Should trail centres try to ape nature? I’m sure I don’t know, but I’d be surprised if many riders turning up to Gisburn, knowing it to be a man made forest trail, could be too disappointed with what they find. Judging by the overflowing car park on a sodden Sunday morning, word would appear to be getting round that this is a place worth a visit.
Having only ridden the newer trails once, my views are pretty close to those of ChatsworthMusters. Some tremendous bits, some bits which seem to needlessly interrupt the flow, and others to make up the distance or link the better sections. However I saw it as a work in progress, with great potential. It was with that in mind that I turned up on Sunday as a fresh volunteer to do just a little to move the project forward. Having helped once, I’m sure I’ll do so again. I can see now better than before how my concerns are already being addressed and also the enormous effort put into the existing routes. So keep the opinions flowing but, my fellow riders, ask not what the trail pixies can do for you, but what you can do for the trails (with apologies).

The more feedback the better. Most of us who help build the track are riders ourselves and as such have an idea of what will and won't work. With so many centres around it is becoming ever more important to try new ideas instead of just laying a trail down. The idea of flow is important and is taken into consideration when building a new trail, as are other factors, such as fall zones and run off points as well as drains and bridges. All of which takes time to talk through and build. I am a big fan of natural trails yet I do enjoy a blast round a man made route. I find too many "features" can kill the flow of a route more than a badly designed corner for example. The trails at Gisburn are a work in progress and I'm proud to be involved. I know I am constantly coming up with ideas for sections when really I should be paying attention in lectures and so on.

Cheeky Monkey
Hope you don't mind, I put your name forward to Martin Colledge as a point of contact for help and advice on building a pump track at Gisburn.

Feel free, happy to help. We're on our second now (not including the laying out we did for the STW one).

chairman@singletraction.org.uk

Always worth getting the "bible":

http://www.leelikesbikes.com/ebook-welcome-to-pump-track-nation

Tells you a lot of what you need to know. McCormack's book deals more with building them of dirt which is fine if you live somewhere with low rainfall / less mud / less bikers with knobbly tyres 😉 Over here I think you need to go a bit more "hardcore" with your construction otherwise it can wear down too fast.

My main problem with Gisburn is that I like to grind slowly up a big hill, then have a big long descent. 😉

The topography of Gisburn means that's not going to happen, but I think they have done a good job with the land they have.

Grumm, I actually like Gisburn for the exact reason you mentioned.

Nearly all my regular rides (Win Hill, Mam Tor, Innerleithen, Whinlatter etc.) are full of big hills that I plod up followed by great descents.

I rode Gisburn for the first time last weekend and absolutely loved it. As there were no big climbs to knacker me out I was able to really push myself all the way round and felt like I was really going for it.

I think they've done an abolutely wicked job with it. Really looking forward to going back soon.