Weekend commitments over the next few weeks mean I’ll be getting in more night rides.

I usually go to Lee Quarry, however Philips Park is closer and a couple of figure of 8s of the new red lines would be suit me fine. However, I’ve been fed a few horror stories that I’m going to be jumped in the car park by a load of local yoofs and relieved of all my possessions and dignity. I’ll ride at about 8pm, do you think I’ve got anything to worry about? Shall I just stick with a drive to Lee Quarry?

It’s probably pertinent to the discussion: I am not very hard.

you could get jumped by pikeys at LQ……..

I’d give Philips park a go, it’s quite good, just take a tazer…… 😆

Brilliant. You’ve effectively doubled my initial concerns…

I was down on the trails near Philips Park near the old viaduct the other day, and there’s signs of alcohol being drunk on top of the viaduct.

Mind you, I wouldn’t go off road in the dark on my own anyway. On the few occasions I have it’s always resulted in a mechanical or puncture so guess its an omen trying to tell me something

Personally wouldn’t fancy Lee Quarry at night – tend to take the technical stuff really easy at night on my own, and having a play on the rocks seems to be the point of LQ.

Cragg quarry would be good I would have thought? Not ridden there at night but it seems like a good place for a few loops under moonlight.

I ride all the time at Philips Park on my own at night. I’ve never had any trouble. I have however had a couple of run-ins with idiots near Bacup.

There might be youths out in the park having a laugh, but do you really think you’re going to get attacked?
get a grip and stop watching scary stories on telly.

Mrs used to go running on her own all the time in Phillips Park.*
But we’ve moved now so you should be fine.

*The smiley lady that helped you out when you splattered yourself last Saturday – she sends hugs & says thanks for making her day a bit more interesting. 😀

Terrahawk – quite right. I need to sort myself out / stop listening to scare stories. I’m not originally from Manc, so just didn’t want to be naive. For instance there’s places in Bristol (where I grew up) I wouldn’t head out to of an evening.

Rustyspanner – Pass on my thanks you to your lovely wife! It will be my first ride after 10 days out of the saddle. There’s only one way to get over a fall, that’s head straight back to where you did it!

MTFU soft lad.

It is the Hurst Woods werewolf and the escaped axe murderers that you should be worried about.

HTH

MTFU soft lad.

It is the Hurst Woods werewolf and the escaped axe murderers that you should be worried about.

HTH

Awww disaster, my shoulder’s playing up…. From the feel of it, probably won’t be much better until March 31st (that’s when the clocks change right?!)

Cragg quarry, from Rammy is a good night ride. What night you riding fella? We’re out Thursday if you fancy joining us. Think we’re heading up Accrington way for a glamorous change of destination

We should be having some Tuesday night pub rides round Philips and surrounding trails when the weather gets a bit warmer.

But not when “the moon is fat”. Obviously.

Binners – thanks. Due to the fact i’ve sold out to the maaaaan, I struggle to get away from the office before 7pm. But if you run a 8-11 slot that would be ideal…?

I’m going to try and get out at least 2/3 times a week until the end of March. I’ve signed up for the Afan enduro, and apparently some people train for it 😕

It’s naked screwdriver man over our way who prevents me heading out on me own….

it’s not the Philips Park yobs you need to be scared of anyway. It’s the Unsworth Jizzlobber
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/10228934.Sticky_substance_thrown__at_teenage_girl___s_clothing/

It is the escaped axe murderers that you should be worried about.

Just in case you thought that was in jest

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/one-patient-a-month-escapes-from-prestwich-902357

Thanks for all the reassuring comments guys. Brilliant…

Ride Lee and Cragg on my own at night without any problems. Only ever see the odd biker/runner. Cragg’s a bit more spooky though being full of nooks and crannies.
Only ever been down to Phillips with mates and wouldn’t fancy it on my own. Had dickheads drive at us a couple of times.

Plenty out and about at philips during the week, never had an issue

Had dickheads drive at us a couple of times.

Really? Driving on the trails? Where abouts?

Only ever been down to Phillips with mates and wouldn’t fancy it on my own. Had dickheads drive at us a couple of times

vs.

Plenty out and about at philips during the week, never had an issue

It’s the consistency that keeps me coming back to STW 😀

[double post]

Dickheads with a car on the trails.

http://www.sportsunday.co.uk/htn-30018

Only problem I’ve had at both places is nobs on trials bikes, near Philips park some riding along a path at speed , and at Lee Quarry riding the wrong way up the berms just as I was about to go down !!!!

To be fair, you get that everywhere though don’t you?

Biggest inconvenience at Phillips park is the dog walkers on the bike trails now and again.
Not a problem, just something to be aware of.
It’s a massively popular place for walkers, dog owners, runners and cyclists, which is why it feels so safe to me.
It’s great to see the place used.
The more people there, the safer I feel.

Have seen a huge incease in local yoot on BMX’s and MTB’s round there over the last couple of years – never had an issue or felt threatened by them though.

Used to ride home regularly from Manchester after the nightclubs had kicked out – riding through Collyhurst & Cheetham Hill at 3 in the morning whilst trying to eat a kebab is much, much scarier than anything you’ll find at Phillips Park or Lee Quarry. 🙂

yeah I didn’t mean that people should be put off, rather that you can have problems anywhere .Or not

riding in Philips Park on my own as usual last night. loads of riders out (now that they know the new trails are there, mainly cos of HTN 😉 )
all the riders were women. a big group of them.

FFS I ride my bike to get away from wimmin.

(only joking)

(or am I?)

Thinking about it Philips is getting a bit tame. I’ve not seen a motorbike in there for months and it has been a couple of year’s since I’ve err… come across a shagging couple testing the springs of a Ford Fiesta. Back in the day we caught one couple at it 3 weeks running with our “LEDs of surprise”. The best one was a mile or so up the trail near the garden centre. She was kneeling in the dirt (not a euphemism) and he was sat in the passenger seat with the door open and his legs propped up through the open window. No idea what they were up to. 😉 This was mid afternoon on a Saturday!

So… to sum it up Philips is boring and rubbish so stay away so it can be mine and Terrahawk’s private playground.

A word of caution though. There was some evidence of car break ins in the car park last Saturday, so don’t leave stuff on display. I guess this is the same with many places though.

which car park andrew; the one next to the new trail head(s)?
as we were leaving HtN we stopped in there so Ali could attempt to use the bogs (they’d locked them up by then), and that car park was getting full with lots of people heading out on the new trails on bikes. which was good to see, but i guess it’s hidden away enough for the scrotes to be able to have a go at cars there reasonably undetected.
anyway, i think we might go for a play around on saturday but i’ll park up down by the church i reckon, instead of in the park itself.

Yep. The trail head one.

Well I went out last night, and what a lovely night it was too!

Saw plenty of people on the trails (though never congested)

Not an axe murderer in sight….

One of the zombie cannibal axe murderists could have got you a poison dart. You may be dead by lunch time.

Can I have your bike?

Brilliant, my last hours are to be spent tapping out e-mails that no one will read and moving numbers between speadsheets that no one understands

Sorry Harry, I’ve made it known that my bike will be buried with me.

have a viking funeral strapped to your bike and launched from the top of lee quarry down the black run.

Mr potatohead – Not a bad idea. My final act from the grave could be to make all you mugs walk up that ba5tard hill.

that would kill me so –two viking funerals in one day

Thinking of heading up to Phillips Park tonight. How’s does it ride after a damp spot like we’ve had the last few days?

Should I bother?

It will be fine. It drains very well.

Thanks Harry