Heard a guy from Wheelbase talking about this on the radio earlier (BBC Radio Cumbria I assume), but I can’t find any mention of it online. Anyone have any details?

They were talking about turning the Lake District into a ‘world class cycling destination’. It wasn’t really clear what that would entail, but the guy from Wheelbase was talking about off road cycle paths to make cycling in the Lakes more accessible, and they seemed to be mostly going on about how dangerous/awkward it was to use the roads in the Lakes currently.

Hmmmm……

There’s funding available for cycling related improvements, they’ll be after some of that pot.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-announces-record-62-million-investment-in-cycling

So that’ll be £61,999,995 spent on ‘research’ trips to Amsterdam for a load of LA transport bods and their secretaries, and a £5 can of bluey green dulux to repaint the cycle lane down the hope valley*.

*other badly designed cycle paths are available

Thanks Drac.

Maybe I’m paranoid/cynical but like you TINAS I have my doubts. I have visions of them finally achieving their dream of turning every bridleway into a 6ft wide canal towpath.

We rode( I mean carried 😯 ) our bikes from HardKnott Pass into Dunnerdale Forest following the bridleway (which is totally unridable BTW) on Sunday and I can honestly say if there was one patch of Forestry Commission land which is crying out to be the next Winlatter/ Bike park / Place to go Dunnerdale Forest is it.

Seems to be just crying out of development. The only thing is if it took 100K to get the trails in Philips Park in Manchester (which are well worth it IMO 8) ) to put in the trails what it would cost, god only knows BUT on those banks it would be well worth it in the long term 😀

Maybe I’m paranoid/cynical but like you TINAS I have my doubts. I have visions of them finally achieving their dream of turning every bridleway into a 6ft wide canal towpath.

If they do what they did to Walna Scar then I’d stop visiting the Lakes.

I rode a bit of trail / footpath out the back of Ambleside / west side of Windermere whilst on the way to Claiffe Heights. It was c.1m wide and the far side of the dry stone wall from the road. Took me and mate off the skinny roads and was good. More of that sort of stuff would be good IMO. Usable for all (providing everyone shares and plays nicely). Probably more achievable (technically and financially) than bigger stuff int he mountains and more accessible to a larger group of users.

Trail centres are lovely and all but I think I’d like to see more money on more tracks / routes / trails / facilities more easily accessible to as wider cross section of the whole population.

our bikes from HardKnott Pass into Dunnerdale Forest following the bridleway (which is totally unridable BTW) on Sunday

Done this unrideable in both directions iirc our average was circa 2 mph and we took 4 hours + for just over 8 miles AWFUL

If they do what they did to Walna Scar then I’d stop visiting the Lakes.

I know what you mean but I think what will happen is we will just end up on footpaths which is of no help to anyone.

I would have thought the money will go mainly on cinder track style cycle routes to link up key locations to get cycles off the busier sections of road.

When we were over in the South Lakes a week ago there are very few easy riding routes suitable for a family with young kids. Either the hills are too steep, the trails too tricky or the roads too busy. Managed some rides round Cartmel area with my 8 year old but there wasn’t much for his younger brother.

Wonder if I could tap them up for some additional funds for my pump track project?

They were talking about turning the Lake District into a ‘world class cycling destination

erm “turning”…..?

Done this unrideable in both directions iirc our average was circa 2 mph and we took 4 hours + for just over 8 miles AWFUL

TBF the descent along grassguards gill to low wallow barrow was pretty damn good (and shoulder of harter fell to hard knott) but yeah the bits in between were <ahem> character building.

LOL Junkyard and D0NK yup character building I videoed most of it as well both my mate and myself had a few beers and laughs over that the other night.

The last little bit from Dow Crag (on the bridleway )back to the car park at the very bottom of Hardknott (by cattle grid) was fun though 😀

There are a lot of corrupt and nasty people in positions of authority in Cumbria and the Lakes who will misuse that money for their own ends. Little good will come of it and a lot of private individuals will be pissed on.
And if you say anything you will be pissed on.
So everyone mutters under their breath and they do nothing and it happens again and again.

That is the Cumbrian way.