New Forestry Commission trails!

A couple of weeks ago I had a right good moan about the FC digging up my local trails because they had. However now they have started putting in some new stuff and it really rather good.

Is the chap in the hi-vis vest the troll spotter?

nice to see

That's quite a bridge!

Is that meant for bikes or rollerblades?

Hey don't knock it! They didn't have to do it.

Hmmmm . . . . "The site had previously been home to bleach and dye works, chemical tip, various farming operations, excavation arisings and a smallpox hospital."
Waterdale and Drinkwater Park

better than the bridle-motor-ways near me

Not knocking it, but they look awfy smoooth to me. You could skateboard along that

It was only put in last week. It'll rough up. There is a nice set of jumps in it and a drop off.

I think it is only about 30% complete.

I wish someone would do something similar around southampton. FC only seem to be interested in flattening things in my local woods.

Even if it is smooth some development would be appreciated

Dave_Aber, everything looks smooth when it's brand new and whacked down. When we finish a new bit it's smoother than any of the roads round here, but it soon wears in.

Fair point, it is brand new.

What you need is a fat knacker like Dave_Aber to ride it in his usual style i.e. back brake locked up the whole time. It'll soon cut up into a decent trail! 😀

Oi! I lock up the front wheel sometimes too you know.

Thing with the FC is there is no single person responsible for trailbuilding so the policy varies from area to area. If they could get a unified policy going it would improve things no end.

That looks like every other identi-kit man made trail I've ever seen.

If thats your thing I'm pleased for you.

A unified policy is only a good thing is the policy is good!

OTT

You could probably have got another 3km of trail for the price of that stresslam bridge ;-(

Good to see more trails. It irks me a bit when people complain about the Forestry Commission trails because as someone says above they don't have to do it. They maybe feel obliged to build them and it's good for everyone including local economies. I quite like it when they don't get round to maintaining them and they get all rough.

good stuff.

it's hard to tell, but i get the impression that this is in a sort-of urban area…?

(well, a bit more urban than kielder, and that)

just wait until the local kids get digging, the 'local' trails are going to be mental!

4 miles out of Manchester city centre.

They are only doing a portion of it like that, but it links in with 20+ miles of existing stuff.

"Smooth and generic?" Meh, so what? The world needs more berms, and this delivers!

just wait until the local kids get digging, the 'local' trails are going to be mental!

sod the local kids. I've got my folding shovel ready. 😀

genesis – Member
Thing with the FC is there is no single person responsible for trailbuilding so the policy varies from area to area. If they could get a unified policy going it would improve things no end.

There is a unified policy and it is called OGB37. it is the application of the policy that varies. That trail looks awfully familiar. I think it came out of the same pattern book that they used at Thetford!

well that's fine by me – Thetford's ace.

Step down in 4th / 5th photos looks ok, but your going to need some speed and i cant tell if the run in is downhill…

😉

will it be incorporated into HtN 2?

Is that a CX bike track?

Complaining that all FC trails look the same is a bit like saying that all BMX tracks look the same. Yes some share the same outward appearance, but they're all different too, and it doesn't mean that they're not fun.

I don't know what the brief was for this, but I expect it would be something like "build something that a whole range of people can enjoy, from XC racers to kids in shell suit bottoms on Halfords bikes, do it by machine rather than by hand, 'cos that takes years, and make sure it doesn't need fixing in 6 months' time". No-one's going to travel miles to ride it – the FC have sites like that already, e.g. Dalby.

o_h_h – the 'step down' you refer to is just the top of a 'hump' isn't it?

Looks OK to me.
I thought similar to slowjo that it looks like a similar style to the trails they put into the red route at Thetford which are pretty tame, but seem to be getting better as they bed in and seem pretty sustainable compared to the gloopy mess that they used to be before they put it in.
I used to enjoy the gloopy mess, but I can see how it wasn't particularly popular with the masses.

North West Development Agency?

So….what new business will this investment bring to the area? Maybe a Burger van and a local pub might see some more business?

Dalby works as its a destination. The above just looks like it'll attract those who would have ridden round there anyway/stayed local.

What next? A similar trail in Jacksons Boat?

Its nice to see something but I'd rather the money be spent on other things rather than something that will fall into disrepair in a few years when the NW development agency focuses on something else.

Sceptical from Manchester here.

That looks ace!

Yes, it looks smooth and, in some ways, kind of generic but I imagine that was the idea – I doubt they were trying to recreate the gnarliest of lakeland descents, or build a mini Fort William, just something for the local population to 'nip out' to for a quick blast in the fresh air.

I also think that's the best sign I've seen for a while too. I really like it 😳

Perhaps a bit too wide in places so it looks like a wheelchair access track!

No seriously, it looks like a decent blue run and is all-weather so something non-muddy to ride in winter. Good show; wish we had a bit of hardened trail in my local woods to make winter more bearable.

Hora, the RDA also has the aim of improving quality of life for people in rural areas, which doesn't stop at bringing investment into the area. ALthough I could also see how having something like that nearby would make a family holiday more attractive.

Stumpy –

Kinda tongue in cheek really but i was looking at it like this…

🙂

Rural? Its next to Prestwich isnt it? How many millions is that going to cost? I'd rather they built commercial/industrial offices there TBH. Its greater Manchester. Go out a few miles for rural- its all around.

Crackers. Sorry, I think taxpayers money could be better spent.

Its only my opinion but if it cost alot I'd question VFM to a wider audience.

John you missed off paramedic and hosiptal of your diagram 😆

Speshpaul – my thoughts exactly…

o_h_h

week before last –