Because as said above if you are going to remove the hedge in spring it’s better the birds nest elsewhere.

The developer should remove the hedge in autumn/winter. If they can’t be bothered to do that they should delay progress on the project until after the nesting season.

great effort!

Buy a billhook and do it the old way.

If the former Little Eaton branchline were converted to a Sustrans route it might make give it more of a chance of attracting family cycle tourists but at the moment it’s not a place I could see attracting a lot of visitors.

I liked the bit where they rode the bike through the snow tunnel.

Sorry to read you got knocked off, glad you’re ok.

Sad that no one stopped to see if you were ok.

Reporting it will help identify possible accident black spots.

Good luck getting the cash for bike repairs.

But the most important issue is what other similar ‘improvements’ have they already programmed? And what is the total budget that they have set aside this year and following years for similar schemes?

The following link details the Environmental Services Department plan for 2014/2015. Individual schemes are listed in the appendix.

DCC Service Plan

In terms of other planned works on bridleways page A-32 of the appendix reveals scheme number 03 01 05

Derwent Bridleway 5 Ladybower Reservoir to Cutthroat Bridge (Whinstone Lee Tor)
Surface improvements and drainage to improve accessibility and to support sustainable tourism and leisure, improve health & well-being and increase
resilience to climate change. Supports moorland restoration project.

One of the most frustrating things about this is the amount of badly needed cycling connections that could be built by DCC if they weren’t wasting the funds on stuff like this.

Anyone with a bit of local knowledge can confirm that most of the cycle routes outlined in the 1998 E.Derbyshire greenway strategy remain unbuilt some 16 years later.

The plan can be seen here

http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside/access/greenways/strategies/

DCC cite lack of access to dedicated cycle funding as the reason for slow progress. This is quite understandable and unlikely to improve any time soon given the recent department for transport “cycling delivery plan” which failed to guarantee predictable or continuous funding for cycling.

I would like to know how much this work has cost, where the money came from and who prioritised this work above competing requirements.

I can understand the circular routes around ladybower / derwent / howden being resurfaced due to “access for all” but Rushup Edge???

Fair play to those people who were saying 10-years ago that mountain bikers in the peak district needed to get organised like the horse riding and rambling user groups.

Unfortunately you were right.

RIP, sad news indeed.

New York is better at dealing with snow

I imagine the climate in New York with its bigger contrast between seasons (i.e. winter is cold summer is hot) makes it better to live than London which is often grey and wet

Just watched on i-player, really enjoyed it. Thanks for the PSA.

incredible

advisor to an (alleged) war criminal?

Tony Blair per chance

Is it still owned by the Canals & Rivers Trust, so subject to the usual access rules, or is it owned by the Friends of Cromford Canal, in which case access could be withdrawn if they had enough complaints?

A good chunk of it is owned by Derbyshire County Council I think. Cyclists have no right of way (it is part of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way footpath I believe) and access for cyclists is permissive.

There are signs up all the way along the canal instructing cyclists to give way to pedestrians. I got sick of asking people to move a few years ago and bought a bell. I have found it far easier since.

Part of the highlands I haven’t stayed yet. Your photos make me want to change that. Thanks for posting.

She’s got a point, wouldn’t you have been better dripping in WD-40?

Having chatted to DCC about this, I was surprised to hear that Peak rail actually sounded quite interested in offering guard’s vans (to carry bikes) and link the ideas together. We’ll see…

Surprised about that as well. The (failed) North Yorkshire bid had the local heritage railway (Pickering to Whitby) putting on extra ‘cyclist welcome’ coaches on their trains. I remember thinking at the time how their positive approach to creating an integrated tourist attraction contrasted with that of Peak Rail.

Commented in favour of this.

I think the funding has already been secured from a bid last year but there is still the (big) problem of getting planning permission through and spending the funding before the deadlines.

The Health and Safety Laboratory have withdrawn their permission to reopen the High Peak Trail over their land, so it looks like the initial focus is now on the Matlock to Rowsley section.

Last time Peak Cycle Links tried to get planning permission there was a lot of local opposition, particularly around Rowsley and the permission was refused.

Can’t see Peak Rail having the funds to get to Bakewell on their own. They have objected to the cycling planning permissions in the past but hopefully they are on board this time.

Two key pieces of infrastructure that they would need to get to Bakewell could be delivered through this bid, a rail-suitable bridge being reconstructed over the A6 at Rowsley and the tunnel through the Haddon estate being reopened.

If they are serious about their stated aims their best chance is to work with the council and support the cycling bid IMO.

Just a general lack of respect

this

A stroll along Bradford Dale or Lathkill Dale is not too taxing if you’re restricted by the puppy.

The coming autumn camouflage will soon make a direct hit with a dog egg or two inevitable.

Thinking back a few years to a woodland ride where it was front & back wheels, shoes, then a puncture. Makes me nearly spew remembering the smell. At least it was a local ride and I wasn’t in the car.

Nothing worse than chucking the bike in the back of the car and then noticing that smell drifting forward from the back.

I’ve just bought a cheap one for £30 from Decathlon. I used to have one a few years back when I was much fitter but never bothered replacing it after it malfunctioned.

I used it for the first time whilst out running tonight and found it useful. Firstly I probably wouldn’t have made it out for a run if I hadn’t got it as it was the child-like enthusiasm of having a new toy to play with that pushed me out running in the first place.

During the run in the 1st 15min period it told me that I only spent 5 minutes in the training zone. This helped motivate me to step it up a bit and during the next 15-min period I spent 11 minutes in the training zone and in the final 40 minute period I spent 28 minutes in the training zone.

Everyone is different but I reckon it could help a bit but I wouldn’t get too hung up on the numbers. For me it just adds another bit of interest to get me out exercising in the first place.

enjoyed reading that, thanks for posting

North America was better before they “improved” the surface IMO. Preferred the baby heads of about 5 to 10 years ago. Faster now though.

Thanks to RealMan. These threads have been great.

Been watching bits and bobs up to now. Enjoyed the triathlons and swimming so far.

Good to see the locals out supporting the events and I’ve even been doing my bit to support the games by sitting here stuffing my face with Tunnock’s (first packet I’ve bought in about 10 years) 🙂

Critics verdict here

Granted the commonwealth games is a tough gig but a cheesy telethon as an opening ceremony?

Things improved a bit when Nicola Benedetti and Julie Fowlis appeared but it was too late by then.

Credit to Salmond…half expected some political rhetoric

Salmond too shrewd for that

Edit Julie Fowlis nice choice!

Councillor as bad as Boris?

Violin – Here comes the cultured bit

I might donate if it stops Rod Stewart coming back out!

Scottish team look like they’ve got lost on a club 18-30 pub crawl out there

Thought Australia were supposed to be split into their individual states to stop them embarrassing everyone else by winning so many golds.

poor so far

Thanks! took 2 attempts but just ordered a much needed new commuting jacket

Why are DCC wasting the very limited Environmental Services budget on rubbish like this?

If they want to improve multi-user routes why not spend the money on actually building some of the greenways that remaining as coloured lines on a map in their “greenway strategy” documents.

In my own area the East Derbyshire Greenway Strategy was drawn up as long ago as 1998 but very little has been delivered over 15 years later. I am left on the ever busier main roads still dodging careless drivers on my commute as there is apparently no money to link up the off-road routes. Yet they can find funding for stuff like this (many other routes have been similarly “improved”).

I’ll be Cutgating to Lansett for the tour come rain or snow!

+1

Sheep pastures incline was still under the diversion last time I rode there a couple of weeks ago. Roughly 1 in 7 for over a mile is a tough start for a nipper, especially as 1 in 8.75 climb to Middleton Top follows soon after.

Personally I would stay on the High Peak Trail rather than mix it with traffic. There are a couple of short sections on reasonably busy roads on the route across from Carsington Water.

If you want to short cut across to the Tissingtin Trail from theHigh Peak Trail look at Cardelmere Lane (route 54 off-road) and then along the Tissington Trail to Parsley Hay & Hurdlow.

Whilst you’re on the subject of WLT came across the following in DCC’s 2014/5 plans for “Walking and Pedestrian Quality Networks (Investment Protocols IP51 and IP51a)”

Bridleway 5 (Ladybower Reservoir to Cutthroat Bridge)i.e. the bridleway to/back WLT running through Ladybower Wood.

” Surface improvements and drainage to improve accessibility and to support sustainable tourism and leisure, improve health & well-being and increase resilience to climate change. Supports moorland restoration project.”

Sounds ominous, anyone know anything about this?