As if one opportunity to give a little back to your trails in a weekend was not enough, how about two? We are really lucky to have trash Free trails feature us as part of the their Halloween Trail Clean Tour on Sunday the 24th of October. Here is a bit more detail on the day and how you can get involved.
From the 22nd – 31st October, the Trash Free Trails Team (aka the TrashBusters) are visting 7 locations in the UK that nominated their trails in partnership with Trak Bikes, Bosch eBike Systems, The North Face, Red Bull and Cotswold Outdoor. Trails, and the communities that represent them that needed help, and on the 24th October, the Trash Free Trails #TrashBusters responded to the Greno’s local community call.
Riding a mountain bike can sometimes be a challenging business because a proportion of other users make myriad assumptions about us. They dislike mountain bikers and don’t accept that in fact the biking community is as diverse as any other community.
I was once on a ride, spotted a couple of walkers approaching and pulled into the side to let them pass in spite of the footpath being as wide as a bridleway. Hearing bird song above, peep-peep-peep, I said, “Wow, long-tailed tits!”
Now, I’m absolutely certain that the lady was about to berate me for, um, parking my bike beside a footpath, but she was dumbstruck. A mountain biker, (a mountain biker?!) had recognised a flock of birds purely from their song?!
Her reaction was slightly worrying, like a robot fed dodgy code. Her mouth opened and closed, her eyes revolved at speed. She was unable to compute that a mountain biker would know anything about wildlife, a classic example of a diminishing elitist minority making wild assumptions and unable to accept that things are beginning to change.
And that change makes absolute sense. Mountain bikers now form the second largest group in the outdoor community and therefore deserve to be treated with respect. Bridleways are severely limited in parts of the country, particularly in the Peak District and many lack continuity, often delivering mountain bikers onto busy roads. Hence we sometimes use footpaths.
The economic effect is marked. Studies done in both Wales and the Scottish Borders prove that bikers are a significant benefit to economically challenged rural areas. Scotland has changed its access laws so that walkers and mountain bikers have equal rights. Wales is considering doing the same thing.
Another significant factor is that mountain biking introduces a whole new demographic to the wonders of the great outdoors. That is absolutely crucial in the fight to protect our countryside.
Contrary to the opinions of some user groups, mountain bikes have virtually no effect on wildlife, vegetation and the great outdoors in general. We are linear, we ride the paths, we don’t stray and we pass through rapidly without upsetting the crucial and often endangered wildlife that exists in this country.
By comparison, other groups who also enjoy our wonderful landscapes have a massive effect. Walkers, over the years, have radically changed the Peak District, Lake District and the rest. Once upon a time, paths on Kinder and Bleaklow could be seen from space. Large areas were denuded of heather and bilberry thereby increasing erosion of the peat. As a result, millions of pounds have been spent to flag those paths and, fortunately, mother nature has slowly recovered and vegetation has re-established.
The same is true in the Lake District. Lockdown has seen paths eroded by a massive number of people who have discovered the joys of the hills and dales. Potentially, vast sums of money will have to be spent to repair those paths. I have pointed this out to walkers and their response has been to dismiss it – apparently walkers have rights of access no matter what damage they cause.
During the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in footfall. Road verges have been obliterated by car parking. Many paths have gone from a foot wide to four foot wide thanks to groups walking two or three abreast. Ground-nesting birds are often seriously affected by dog walkers. My local woods had large areas that were resplendent with wood anemones and bluebells in the spring which have now been trampled to oblivion. Many runners, regardless of ground conditions, will race where they want, when they want.
My reason for explaining this is not to vilify other user groups but to highlight that we all have an impact. As far as I’m concerned, the great outdoors is for everyone and it is only by increasing access that we can build the determination to protect these wild spaces. We need to understand that we all have an effect.
Education is everything. Some land managers firmly believe that vilifying people is misguided. By alienating a user group, you push them to the fringes and risk provoking a bunker mentality – if you pull them into the fold, treat them as equals, you have the chance to influence how they conduct themselves.
Ride Sheffield has a brilliant working relationship with a number of land managers and conservationists. I was tempted to slip the word ‘lucky’ in there but it’s important to stress that luck had nothing to do with it. From its inception, we were determined to engage with those who protect the local landscape. We joined stakeholder groups, offered to help out with maintenance of local trails and learnt a great deal about the conservation process from those with whom we co-operated .
We’ve done massive amounts of maintenance work on bridleways but also on footpaths that we know mountain bikers use. Occasionally, we’ve been joined by other users, but it’s a rare thing. We’ve raised money from local firms and crowd-funded in order to be able to purchase materials and hire equipment. We’re currently creating trail-maintenance crews and will train them and equip them thanks in large part to bike firms that are helping us out.
And it’s not just us. Peak District MTB carry out maintenance work in the national park. In Scotland, the Tweed Valley Trails Association do sterling work. All over the country, mountain bikers help to maintain the rights of way network.
Can other user groups make the same claim? Do runners dig in? Do walkers grab a spade? Should mountain bikers be reaching out to other user groups to form alliances? It’s inevitable that simply putting the word out to a bunch of mountain bikers for a trail maintenance day is more productive but we’re aware that involving other user groups would be a massive positive.
And that is true because, contrary to the opinions of some users, we have much more in common than it would appear. Currently, we all have access to approximately 7% of our land mass. Much of the remainder is owned by the rich who are determined to keep it to themselves. Runners, walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers should be working together in order to right this historical wrong, because this land is our land, not the preserve of a privileged few.
I recently rode the same footpath mentioned earlier. I came across numerous walkers, ones, twos, groups and a runner. Not one of them objected to my passing. Not one. I got involved in some lovely chats. It enhanced my ride. I feel that there is a growing majority who enjoy sharing the great outdoors and a sad minority who are determined to be confrontational. The latter should have a long, hard look at themselves.
For a good while now, we’ve been looking to grow our trail repair team, but struggled with not having the resources to do so. Now, with a grant from Santa Cruz Paydirt, we’re ready to step things up and ask for volunteers to join our new Dig Teams.
Our idea is to have between 2 and 4 teams spread across the city, who are tooled up and ready to be tasked with repairs and ongoing maintenance – both on the trails that we’ve built and help to manage, along with the rights of way network. We’ll provide tools, clothing, materials and all of the training required to enable you to work correctly and safely.
Dig Teams will deal mostly with ongoing maintenance, repairs and cleaning/tidying vegetation, but as skills are developed this may move into help with new trail building as required.
We know that everyone has commitments, so we’re not asking for full attendance at each session, but we will be investing in tools and training, so please bear this in mind when applying. Ideally, we’d like to see each team have 10-15 people, with 5-10 attending each session. We’ll be aiming for 1-2 sessions a month for each team.
The specific teams will be decided once we have a better idea of where volunteers are located and what areas they’re keen to work on.
You can join one crew, or more if you’re keen! There’ll be a degree of overlapping, with larger projects including more teams working together as required. Big jobs might need everyone!
We’re hoping that there’ll be a good few of you interested in signing up, so we are asking for applications.
We’d love to see a real mix of people, not necessarily just those with previous experience – there’s a variety of skills that can be a huge help on trail days. Perhaps you have suggestions that you think would be useful?
It’s always disheartening to hear of poor behaviour by riders, particularly if it is on land managed by people with whom Ride Sheffield have developed a positive relationship. Unfortunately, we received an email recently from Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust (SRWT) that a nasty incident has occurred on the Blackamoor nature reserve.
A gentleman was out walking with his eight year old daughter on a narrow footpath when five mountain bikers appeared at speed, he had to push his daughter to safety and leap out of the way. The bikers didn’t stop and make sure no harm had been done or apologise.
We have a great working relationship with SRWT after years of liaising with them and repairing numerous trails on various SRWT managed sites. This incident has to be taken seriously by the wildlife trust. They are fully aware that the vast majority of mountain bikers act responsibly but the actions of the reckless minority has to be addressed.
Now, we know that on an occasion like this, we’re preaching to the converted. Ride Sheffield supporters have heard over and over again the Ride Sheffield mantra – Be Nice, Say Hi, take care of other trail users and ride within your capabilities. An increasing number of mountain bikers get it – if we act irresponsibly, it could have a long term effect on the rights we have or compromise our chances of increasing those rights.
But the important thing is peer pressure. Please share the hell out of this story because it is demonstrably a threat to our sport. Talk to other riders, discuss it with your mates, put it out on social media and mountain bike channels. Make sure that it gets out into the wider riding community because it is only through putting pressure on those who ride like dicks that we will, eventually, be able to decrease the small proportion of mountain bikers who do exactly that.
There’s a subtle shift going on in the mountain biking world at the moment. Key influencers are creating a serious debate about where the sport should be going, not where it’s been. When a group as diverse as Guy Kesteven, Tracey Moseley, Josh Bryceland, Tommy Wilkinson, Aneela McKenna and Dom Ferris are addressing issues as varied as litter, diversity, trail building, conservation and the economic effect of mountain biking, the sport has reached a new level of maturity.
As a result, Matt Heason, the creator of the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival has asked Ride Sheffield to host a series of online debates that examine this sea change.
First up is Tommy Wilkinson, an extraordinary chap in every sense. His obsession with the great outdoors and conservation knows no bounds and that obsession has evolved into a passion for engaging with landowners and managers to persuade them that mountain biking isn’t a problem, it’s part of the solution.
Next in line is Aneela McKenna, professional MTB guide and coach of multi award winning adventure and guiding company Go-Where Scotland. She brings 20+ years as a Diversity and Inclusion professional into everything she does, striving to widen participation in cycling.
Lastly, Cy Turner, head honcho and creator of Cotic Cycles. Cy was an engineer and a mountain biker and the two inevitably combined when he decided he wanted to create a bike perfect for the Peak District. The resulting Soul is still a classic. He has also been heavily involved in Ride Sheffield from its inception and has solid views on where the sport needs to go.
After a really successful event last year, the Women In Cycling Festival id back for a second tear. While we not be able to meet up and enjoy the same kind of social vibes as last year, there is still lots to enjoy. Here are more details from the organisers…….
CALLING ALL GALS (AND GUYS TO SUPPORT THE GALS)
Fancy a challenge? The University of Sheffield Cycling Club is virtually organising their Women in Cycling Festival as a competition for all riders of all abilities to raise money for the Ride for Charlie Foundation.
One of our favourite local land managers has recently contacted us about trail building in a very sensitive area on a local nature reserve. Ride Sheffield understands that there is a serious urge to increase the number of trails in the Peak District but we ask everyone to think very carefully before they start creating a new run.
Are people aware of the different conservation designations ? Does everyone realise how crucial our nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are? There are places locally that are even more important than SSSI’s, such as Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. Could we do more to alert people to the importance of these conservation areas? Ride Sheffield is all about mountain biking, it’s in our DNA but we also love the places we ride.
Be Nice, say Ey Oop….
Nature is under threat and one of the joys of being in the great outdoors is engaging with the natural world. Lots of places within the Peak District and Sheffield City region are important habitats. Many are being carefully managed in order to encourage threatened species to thrive. Even outside those areas that have a conservation designation, we still need to be careful because habitats are constantly under threat from urbanisation and overuse. If we’re riding on existing trails, our impact on wildlife is minimal, in fact, much less than some other user groups.
Have fun, save the fungi!
However, if we stray into those areas that are being managed in a very specific way, we can have a negative effect. Over the years, Ride Sheffield has built a great relationship with numerous local land managers who take a very positive view of mountain biking. They’ve grown to respect the mountain bike community and dealt with contentious issues like Sheepskulls in an even-handed way. With the help of our supporters, we’ve maintained trails allowing the land managers to concentrate on the important stuff, nature conservation.
We dig digging….
So it’s important, and generally a given, that mountain bikers understand the importance of nature conservation. We know that the vast majority of mountain bikers care about where they ride and we’d urge them to chat whenever possible to fellow riders and spread the word. We’re lucky to live in such a wonderful place and it needs looking after.
If you want to know more, the following two links are a good place to start –
With 2021 off to a less than great start, it was refreshing to get some positive news from Moors for the Future – with a progress report on the Cut Gate and North America bridleway works. Read on for an update!
North America
On the North America bridleway, there were sections where the material on site had been even worse than feared, leaving some sections needing further work. Top dressing material has been dropped at site to be used on these wetter sections. The path work here will continue until mid March.
Cut Gate
On the main Cut Gate bridleway itself, the majority of work so far has been water management – but the main flagged sections over the worst boggy sections are now in and looking great!
Work on the top section of Cut Gate will continue until roughly the middle of February, before top dressing work (similar story to North America) on the National Trust stretch of the track nearer Slippery Stones.
It’s great to see work progressing so well, especially given the recent weather conditions. This has been a long time coming, from way back in 2017 when we teamed up with Keeper of the Peak and Peak District MTB to raise our concerns at the Peak District Local Access forum. It’s been a truly collaborative effort!
Depending on Covid restrictions, we’re hoping for a site visit with Moors for the Future in March – watch this space for more news and photos!
Who doesn’t love a silver lining? Well, 2020 has taught us to appreciate what we have and we think we’ve found one hidden within the Redmires postponement news. Take a closer look and you’ll see why we think Ride Sheffield is now in a good position to make great stuff happen.
1. Reputation
We’re pretty sure that the National Park now knows Ride Sheffield is a diligent and responsible group to work with who understand the conservation value of every part of the Peak District, even a coniferous plantation. We may have questioned some of the objections they raised but we completely understand the importance of endangered species like the nightjar and always have done.
Redmires – it could still happen….
2. Building Relations
We’ve continued our excellent relationship with local conservation groups like Sheffield Bird Study Group. It’s crucial that user groups like us engage with conservationists and land managers – there is always much to learn. The increasing pressure on the Redmires honeypot has certainly had an effect on the resident wildlife. Maybe other user groups should be examining their impact?
3. The Outdoor City
Battling through the vagaries of a planning application in concert with Sheffield City Council has cemented an even closer relationship with the Outdoor City. It was a tough three years for both for us, a volunteer group and a city that believes in the value of the great outdoors. Working together pulls you closer and we have every confidence that, in the future, this will deliver results.
The Outdoor City
4. Greno Woods Facelift
Our corporate sponsors have stood by us throughout. Much of the funds raised for Redmires will now go to work on the Greno Woods trails which have been incredibly popular during Covid and are showing considerable signs of wear and tear.
Greno work could start soon….
5. New Energies
Lastly and, frankly, bizarrely, postponing Redmires has unleashed a tsunami of stored energy. Redmires was all-consuming for three years and in many ways prevented Ride Sheffield from pushing on. The last couple of months by comparison have seen a very successful raffle, a superb application for grant funding to the Santa Cruz Paydirt project and numerous suitably anti-socially distanced trail days.
There’s more to come so watch this space! We’re going into 2021 with optimism and believe every cloud has a silver lining….
Vulcan Engineering, our biggest sponsor, has been incredibly generous allowing us to keep £7,500 of the original donation. The remaining £15,000 is to be used to build a sand dam in Africa that will ensure that a huge number of people have a ready supply of water. It really is an amazing scheme that benefits those who regularly have to walk kilometres to find water. If you’d like to help out with the scheme, details areHERE.
LOCKDOWN 3 UPDATE – Ride Sheffield aren’t by any means the police or rule makers, but below is our interpretation of the guidelines around the current England lockdown rules.
British Cycling have also published an FAQ, which can be found here.
While we should stay at home wherever possible, we are allowed to exercise outside with members of our own household, those we’ve formed a support bubble with, or one other person from another household.
Exercise is limited to once a day and you should remain within your local area.
Ride well within your limits, but do get out there – riding is SO good for your mental and physical health!
As before, we’re using the format of some common questions, our interpretation and some additional guidance
Can I ride with friends outside of my household?
2021 Lockdown interpretation: The guidelines state you can ride with members of your household or support bubble, or one other person.
Ride Sheffield guidance: When on Bridleways try to be aware of other trail users who perhaps are not as comfortable mixing outside of their household. Do the right thing if the trail is tight, stand aside and ‘be nice say hi’ to walkers or horse riders.
Where can I ride?
2021 Lockdown interpretation: You should not travel out of your local area to exercise. The Government’s definition of this is stated as ‘your village, town or the part of a city where you live’.
This isn’t particularly clear, but British Cycling are looking to get some clarification on this with Sport England.
Ride Sheffield guidance: Ride from home! “Your local area” is open to a wide variety of interpretations, but now’s not really the time to be pushing the boundaries! Stick to an easily achievable route from home. If you’re within easy riding distance of Greno, Parkwood or Cannings, then by all means include these as part of a ride.
Can I ride over the border into Derbyshire?
2021 lockdown interpretation: We should all be riding within our local area.
Ride Sheffield guidance: For many of us in Sheffield, we live close to the border and a ride may include trails that cross into Derbyshire. Now isn’t the time to be loading up the car and heading to the Hope Valley for a Peak District loop.
Can I go to the cafe after my ride?
2021 Lockdown interpretation: Cafes are only offering take away service
Ride Sheffield guidance: Bear in mind that those cafes that do open may be busy – be prepared to mask up, queue and show understanding around others. Maybe pack some good trail snacks and have a socially distanced stop and chat in the wilderness.
We understand everyone’s interpretations can be slightly different but under our ‘be nice say hi’ mantra, now doesn’t seem the time to push the boundaries. The more we all play the game and stick to the rules, the sooner we can be planning trips out of area, and who knows maybe even abroad – that’s our 2021 goals right there!
