Minninglow - Gallowlow Lane, Ballidon, Derbyshire

[Hugh]

Greetings Folks,

At the request of the PDNPA we are asking for a Voluntary Restraint in not riding this currently extremely waterlogged route until May 2018. If the winter becomes kinder in the New Year and the route dries out earlier then we may well revise this request.

When I say 'we' I mean; Manchester 17; Manchester TRF; West Yorkshire TRF and East Midlands TRF, who have all agreed to support PDVUG & GLASS. I understand that other Groups may do so too.

Some folks do not agree with the principle of VR in the PDNP, their choice, but as part of the local negotiating team I recommend that we try working with the PDNPA on this issue.

The centre section ruts are currently filled with standing water and the alternative routes along the sides are so very soft, rutted and waterlogged that I would not try to ride them for both safety's sake and so as not to further damage the land itself.

Many of you have supported us over the past two years, thank you, we would be grateful if you would choose to join us and do the same again this winter too.

TTFN.

Hugh.

[Jak*]

Hi Hugh, thanks for alerting us to this. Personally I tend to avoid this lane in the winter as the low suspension CCM I use tends to get stuck in ruts very easily. I tend to use the lane that runs from the farm near Aldwark to Pikehall.
It is a great example of the TRF and other users trying to co-operate with the park authority and land owners to prevent substantial damage to the land. It is a shame that they do not seem to consider this when whacking TROs around the place. Clearer signage would prevent many of the conflicts with other recreational users, something which seems to happen well in other parts of the country but not in the peaks.
Thanks again for your efforts.
Cheers Jak

[garyboy]

20171101_122338 by gary boy, on Flickr







normally, in the past, I have grossly resented this sort of intervention, especially, as said, when our lanes are being reduced, sometimes illegally, and when primary legislation though acts of parliament, definitely bias towards the landowner and country walker.

however .... my recent foray onto a recently un-tro'd trail made me see the logic in a voluntary ban

the lane was green and lush and looked great .. untouched, unspoiled, and seemingly in good condition
however ...... a few minutes of my axle-deep antics in previously -green trail was enough to muddify into a shite-hole.

the trail was far more sensitive, physically, than I realised,
and could imagine that after the passing of a dozen bikes, this would be a vicious-looking quagmire.

keep up the good work, Hugh

[Hugh]

Greetings and thanks folks for your updates.

I too have mixed feelings but in truth when you know the area you simply know that the routes will be very wet which is partially why I have chosen not to ride of recent.

For so far as I can remember PDVUG and others have asked for improved signage in the Peak District, we have offered to part finance and erect them, but to no avail. So many of the routes are termed as UCR or UCH which means that the PDNPA is dubious about signage until the status is clear, however even the routes known to have vehicular Rights such as the BOATs are under constant threat from those who are discriminatory.

Perhaps with the recently installed fresh hands on the tiller at the PDNPA we might, just might, start to see some rational and meaningful management of the lanes. It must be difficult to maintain a reasonable course with so many demands upon this limited resource but simply applying TROs and pampering to two aligned groups is not the answer as we all know. We really do need a joint meeting of all users to source proper solutions to individual routes but that requires a major overhaul of approach and an honest change of mindset.

We will however keep trying and your individual positive input really helps too

TTFN

Hugh.

Edited by adding a pdf alternative route information modified 081217

Minninglow - Gallowlow VR bypass.pdf

(915.42 KiB) Downloaded 135 times

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Well, for the first time in years, I went trail riding today...

Bear in mind this is Cornwall.

There are a couple of UCRs close to my house...one of which is actually an LDT section. So I thought I'd pop out this pm to see what they were like.

They weren't much more slippery or muddy than the roads I used to access them. And mostly ran over solid stone, with just a thin coating of muck and slime.

It really is another world here..you know when the car needs washing because you can't see out of it any more.