Lady Cannings Trail Closed

The felling work to put in the forest access track has been a little quicker and more substantial than we had been informed and sadly because of the nature of some of the work we are going to have to temporarily close the trail.

While a temporary entrance had been cut in by the contractors to allow access to the trail, it if far below the standard we would expect and it is this temporary access that is causing us some problems. There have been large quantities of the dark organic mud pulled onto the trail as riders have ridden through the temporary access trail, this may not seem like a big problem, but the dark organic soil holds a lot of moisture on the trail, softening it and making it more susceptible to erosion, it also makes the surface more slippery and unpredictable (it is also why it’s not great if you are pushing up through the edge of the trail)

So what’s the good news and what can you do to help? Firstly, please do not ride the trail, all that will do will bring more mud onto the trail. The next few days of heavy rain should rinse a lot of the mud of the trail and the sooner that happens the sooner we can re-open. Also do not use the temporary route cut in or make your own to access the trail.

The contractors have been asked to tidy up the brash and wood off the trails so once this is done and we are told that it safe to ride again (there will still be heavy machinery in the woods and unstable timber too) we will be opening up the trail.

The trail was made possible by local riders but it is down to you, the local riders, to make sure we can keep it in as good a condition as possible for as long as possible. By staying off the trail for a few days now (and telling others to do the same) we can get it open as soon as is sensible to do so.

Thanks,

RS