Trail centres and dogs.

Because trail centres are specifically built for biking

Partially true.

There is no specific exclusion of dogs, children, stag do’s, weekend warriors. They are there for sharing.

“They are ? I thought most of them were specifically built for growing trees and the trails were added later.
Is there a trail centre in the UK that is solely for biking, with all other users excluded ?”

Yes Gisburn has signs saying no walking, bikes only, as did Kiroughtree when I was there. As did CyB back in the day, but I admit I havent been there for a while.

If thats not the case I might start taking my 90 year old granny out for a walk round the Gisburn trails, Im sure would be interested to see what this mountain biking lark is about, and she wouldnt hold people up too much. In fact I might bring along my 18month old son too, he can walk for about 200yds at a time, ok he doesnt always go in the direction you want him to, but its ok he wouldnt get in the way much.

I don’t mind dogs on the trails… my pal and I always take his choc lab, but then he also takes poo bags.

what is worse and totally not connected is knobs on scooters in skateparks!

hi all,

Our border collie has probably clocked up more trail miles riding with us – both on FC trail centre and REAL bridleway riding than the majority of internet warriors on here…

The dog can run – I mean RUN all day and still want to play with her toys – we have to be careful how much she does to prevent overuse injuries – a 15/20 mile ride is NO bother to her at all – she is actually way quicker than me or my riding mates apart from balls out long grass descents.

On routes like the brecon gap or walna scar or long all dayers in the quantocks / exmoor she is faster than us !

She can be seen wearing a fluro yellow coat which allows other trail users to see her and take note. She has been atop nearly every bikeable peak in the lakes / wales / peak in both winter and summer including cadair idris / hellvellyn / skiddaw / ben lomand – I would rather have her around than a lot of humans to be honest…

We are just back from doing a weeks riding up in scotland. No problems with the dog. Everyone we rode with were quite surprised how quick and most importantly how CONTROLLED she is – ie waits to be told to cross a trail / road etc – she is exceptional – my springers arent the same and I wouldnt take them out in the same way.

Her crap is carried out by me or her when she has her panniers on ! I hate poo bags in the trees !

I would like to see less of the dog hate and appreciate that forestry land is for everyone. If my dog ever slows you down it would be a fault of mine for not stopping to let you past – tbh it rarely happens !

paul

wake up, leave them at home when you take the bike out

Please correct yourself?

wake up, leave the bike at home when you go for a walk

FFS, next time it might be a childs face/swan/guardian reader you run into!

Yes Gisburn has signs saying no walking, bikes only

But only on the bike trails. Like all FC centres the mountain bike trails are just part of the access – the whole forest hasn’t been reserved exclusively for bikers.

All year round, Gisburn Forest offers different experiences for different people. Explore on foot, on horseback, by bike. Find popular trails and quiet glades.

Enjoy a walk alongside Stocks Reservoir or up into the forest or try our two funky forest bike trails, the choice is yours.

“I don’t see how it should be any different for natural trails to a trail centre. Its still the outdoors.”

Because trail centres are specifically built for biking not for walking dogs

They aren’t (won’t go into this as other have.)

If you are walking your dog you go on the walks (paths) if you are riding your bike with your dog you go on the trails.

Got to say most of the dogs I see in the forst with riders are amazing and have no problems with them at all. I do have a problem with people walking there dogs around the trails. Especially when your on a nice bit of singletrack go around the corner to see a walker on one side of the trail with a dog on the lead on the other and then give you a look of disgust when you have to slam on your brakes.

You’d think the schools are out with the replies on here…

OK
Dog owner? yes
Hate dog owners who don’t clear up? yes. shoot them.
Go riding with the dog? Yes
Go riding with the dog to a trail centre? No. The idea seems a little silly to me, but there you go. Best go wild in the mountains, so long as you can control the dog where livestock are about.
Clear up after the dog? yes
Does the dog love it? Hell yes
Does the dog need a drink? Hell yes, carry couple of bottles for the pooch specifically, plus streams are very handy. Always clear up after dog no matter where I am, even in the middle of nowhere.

Have to say I’m in the camp that says you shouldn’t take your dog on a trail. If you’re near a trail centre you’re also near natural trails. You may have a well trained dog and clear up after them, but there’s no accounting for the d* heads who have no skill and wobble about frantically if they see a pooch that they’re not expecting.

I love the predictability of this place.

Thread Title includes “Dogs”
Pro dog and Anti dog protesters line up
Everyone shouts at each other
Nothing changes
Start a new thread about helmets
Pro helmet and Anti helmet protesters line up
Everyone shouts at each other
Nothing changes
Thread Title includes “Dogs”
Pro dog and Anti dog protesters line up
Everyone shouts at each other
Nothing changes

FFS, no one is going to take any notice – if people want to take their dogs with them, they will. If people don’t want to see dogs, they’ll moan (on tinternet, not in real life).

Oh yeah, it’s discussion – and it does get entertaining at times.

(Dog owner but wouldn’t ride anywhere with them as they’ll make me crash)

Well known dog hater here. However its really very clear on this one. A well trained dog that is kept under control is no bother to anyone so whats the problem?

Thats the key – well trained

I don’t believe it. We are onto page three of a dog thread and this is your first post on it TJ, your slipping 😀

If people don’t want to see dogs, they’ll moan (on tinternet, not in real life).

And this, of course, is irrefutable fact, no?
Same as the poo on the trail ergo the rider being crap. Nice argument just no link between the two. Or is it riding-god kryptonite? 😛

Well known dog hater here. However its really very clear on this one. A well trained dog that is kept under control is no bother to anyone so whats the problem?

The problem dear Tandem is that a dog either controlled or not took a nice, large steaming crap on a trail centre black route, I wouldn’t expect you to read the whole thread, in fact I’m surprised that you’ve even read the OP. As the resident medical professional, I have to say that I’m somewhat surprised that you consider the potentional of Toxicariasis as not being a problem though.

[/quote]but most importantly there are more badly skilled mtbers at trail centres who cause alot more issues.

Thats one way of skirting your responsibilities..blaming it on someone else.. 🙄

Seriously the problem is dogs & bikes do not mix well. If I come round the corner & I come across a human on the trail I can be pretty damn sure they will do something sensible like try to get out of the way, make enough space for me to pass etc..however if its dog..I dont know what that dog is going to do? Is he going to get out of the way? Try & bite me? Leap up & lick me to death? Bottom line is dogs add a dangerously unpredictable factor into the equation ergo logic suggests they should be kept out of the picture..

BTW Ive loved & buried 5 dogs so before anyone accuses me of being a “dog-hater” they could not be further from the truth..

I’m strongly against dogs at trail centres, and also, I’m sad to say, dogs off the leash pretty much anywhere there’s likely to be small children.
I used to like dogs til my eldest daughter, who was three at the time, got knocked to the ground and then ‘played with’ by a collie as she lay on the ground screaming, til I could get the thing off her. That happened on an FC path in the woods, and involved a dog which was ‘just playful, wouldn’t harm a fly’ according to its completely unapologetic owner. I have never wanted to kick someone (or some animal) as much in my life. A few years on and my daughter is still scared of dogs, and trail centre rides with her are regularly spoiled by selfish dog owners, whose animals are running around usually nowhere near them.
Most trail centre dog ‘walkers’ don’t seem to give a hoot that their dogs are running in front of other riders all the time. At least that’s what it looks like to me.
If you want to exercise your dog off its leash, be responsible – don’t go where there’s lots of people. And definitely don’t take it to a trail centre – your selfishness spoils it for too many others

My god, is this still going on (of course it is, this is STW!)

It’s starting to take a similar line to the riding on footpaths argument now – ie:

– you shouldn’t go there coz you’re not supposed to and it will ruin other peoples enjoyment
– And signs say you can’t
– but I’m a great rider and won’t harm anyone/my dog is well trained and won’t harm anyone.
FWIW, I don’t recal any signs saying no dogs at any of the trail centres 😈

I have to say that I’m somewhat surprised that you consider the potentional of Toxicariasis as not being a problem though.

Thank god, someone’s thinking of the children 🙄

If you want to exercise your dog off its leash, be responsible – don’t go where there’s lots of people. And definitely don’t take it to a trail centre – your selfishness spoils it for too many others

Or just train it properly.

Or just train it properly.

You haven’t read the OP, have you Tandem? 😆

Elfin, where are you? It’s wunundred time!!

One……..oh you bugger!

What? Who? 😛

It’s a very specific kind of training though, and only a few specific breeds of dogs make good trail centre hounds (Yes! I’ve coined a new phrase. Trail-centre-hounds).

My dog is very well trained and will heel to the back wheel of my bike, but he doesn’t come riding with me at all, purely because he’s too slow. He can keep up, but he doesn’t enjoy it and I don’t want to make him miserable. He doesn’t come with me on rides – I go on a bike with him on his slow perambulations of the local park and wait whenever he wants to sniff stuff.

Conversely, I’ve seen a border collie at GT, on a busy Saturday, heeling in exactly the same way my dog does, but with far greater speed and agility. If I had that dog, I’d take him out riding every day with me, no matter where I was. But I don’t, so I don’t.

Sadly, not all dog owners recognise their dogs’ failings (for want of a better word*) and thus friction ensues…

* Skillset?!

I still think the poo problem is going to be predominantly with just plain dog walkers tho. And maybe most won’t give a toss about cyclists issues with it. There may be signs up to say no walkers, but not much can be done if they choose to ignore, join the bike trail at another point, walk the opposite direction (Gisburn, for example, doesn’t always have ‘no entry’ signs at the opposite ends, to my knowledge). I’d like to think bikers with trail centre hounds are a bit more considerate, but I’m not sure.

I’d like to think bikers with trail centre hounds are a bit more considerate, but I’m not sure.

See? It’s caught on already. 8)

trail centre hounds

What tyre for trial centre hounds??? PMSL! Ok I laugh at my own jokes but this place invents niches like you wouldnt believe… 😆

They now need to become TCHs to satify true niche requirements. 😀

Try riding through dog crap with a fatfront, that’s nearly enough to make me want to give up riding all together. And just for the record my dog used to attend some trail centres but only on quiet weekdays after a good turnout 🙂

Anyone with a fatfront should like the improved aesthetics afforded by adding dog sh1t.

how come dog owners always think their dog is the exception to the rule? It’s an animal, no matter how well trained it will still be to an extent unpredictable. so dont take them to trail centres.

there, now we can all get on with some work

Lol@ scruff.

Dogs are unpredictable and shouldn’t be off the leash where they could cause accident or injury, no matter how well trained they are. You wouldnt take your mutt on a road ride so why take it to a trail centre FFS.

how come dog owners always think their dog is the exception to the rule? It’s an animal, no matter how well trained it will still be to an extent unpredictable. so dont take them to trail centres.

This.

I have seen 3 or 4 dogs at trail centres running the trails – No problem at all. One collie was getting air and railing berms better than most of the bikes and was asbsolutley no issue to anyone.

It’s an animal, no matter how well trained it will still be to an extent unpredictable. so dont take them to trail centres.

I’m not a dog owner.. or a regular trail centre user, but yesterday I was up at the local Forestry Commission owned forest having a mooch about with my baby son and neice and my sister and their dog..

We’ve been using the forest for this purpose for well over 30 years along with 1000s of others.. I’ve a feeling that if I asked my grandparents they would say that they went up there with their grandparents too..

Purpose built MTB trails have appeared up there in the last decade or so.. err.. should we all bugger off somewhere else instead now to keep these newcomers happy..?

(we bagged the dog poo and carried it out with us BTW..)

Purpose built MTB trails have appeared up there in the last decade or so.. err.. should we all bugger off somewhere else instead now to keep these newcomers happy..?

I would expect common sense to prevail and that you’d respect the dedicated cycle routes in the same way many cyclists respect the footpaths.
We all have to share the land, it’s a shame that some think that they have a greater right than others.

(we bagged the dog poo and carried it out with us BTW..)

Thanks. 😀

We all have to share the land, it’s a shame that some think that they have a greater right than others

My point exactly.. 😀

I come round the corner & I come across a human on the trail I can be pretty damn sure they will do something sensible like try to get out of the way, make enough space for me to pass etc..

Really, I find human responses vary about as much as those of dogs – I’ve not noticed much difference between a pair of toddlers or a pair of labs in terms of their ability to wander about erratically. There should really be a requirement for people to keep their kids on reins on a shared use path to avoid them getting in the way of adult users.

There should really be a requirement for people to keep their childish adults in check on a shared use path to avoid them getting in the way of grown-ups out with their kids.

FTFY

There should really be a requirement for people to keep their childish, selfish adults in check on a shared use path to avoid them getting in the way of grown-ups out with their kids.

😉