Ride Sheffield

Tag: Go Outdoors

  • Lady Cannings is One!

    Photo: Richard Baybutt
    Photo: Richard Baybutt

    Time flies when you are having fun, especially when that fun is beautifully flowing singletrack that is on your doorstep. Growing from a fledgling project that was actually discussed at the very first Ride Sheffield Meeting six years ago, it is now part of the fabric of the city and one of the most used trails in the area!

    With almost 14,000 runs down it recorded on Strava, this really only tells part of the story, firstly because that is only one app and a lot of people do not use any form of tracking app at all, so my statistician friends will be able to give me a much higher estimate. But really its not the numbers that are important, its how people feel about the trail and how it has impacted on their riding. Its great that it has provided an access point for more people into the sport, that it offers a place to progress your riding before heading further out into the Peak or into Greno or Wharncliffe. That it has taught us that a little flow in our lives is a great supplement to our gritstone diet. Some of the best things that we have seen up there have been the number of families and kids up on the trail. We have even heard of a few kids using the trail for their birthday parties (which is an improvement on bowling!) Sure we have had a couple of little teething problems, but in general it has been a great first year. (more…)

  • Lady Cannings Latest

    IMG_5647 3Its been a tough first year for Blue Steel, Lady Canning’s first trail. After a cracking start of warm summer nights and multiple laps in a lush (and midge filled wood) followed by crisp and dry night laps, or as a nice dry option as the winter crept onwards. Or even just a chance to find (and refine) your flow.

    But after being hit by trees felled in the wrong direction, the trail opened for another month before the onslaught of the wettest winter on record, that raised the water table to a level where we ended up with a couple of springs in the trail, meaning that we had to ultimately close it to preserve the trail and for rider safety. (more…)

  • Lady Cannings Update

    12553006_10156382397945058_8900002715802617600_nLast Friday on a beautifully sunny lunch break, we took a trip up to Lady Cannings for a quick catch up with Bike Track and Jon Dallow.

    The first bit of business was to look at the existing track and to see how it was doing. You’ll be please to know that the majority of the track was looking pretty fine in the winter sun. However the handful of spots that had springs in were still a little soft, but an improvement on last week and after a dry few day should be even better now. As well as quick wander of the trail, Bike Track walked us through the new start, which looks great (the newly vented woods might even be a bit easier on the midges in the summer too!) (more…)

  • Lady Cannings: It’s your trail, name it!

    Photo: Richard Baybutt
    Photo: Richard Baybutt

    It’s now 3 months since the trail in Lady Cannings opened and we hope that you remain as blown away by it as we are. From the grand opening, the joy of the first ride (and how it keeps on getting better the more you ride it) and most importantly the feedback from you on how much you love the trail. It’s great to know that it is as good a ride for toddlers on their first ride as it is for Olympian’s and former World Champions!

    But the best thing about Lady Cannings is that it is there because of the generosity and hard work of the riding community. We really can’t thank you enough for making it possible for Bike Track to deliver such an awesome trail in Sheffield City Council’s woodland. Not only does it mean we have a great bit of trail, your crowd funding brought in Go Outdoors who will very generously make the full loop  a reality. Not only that but it provides a template for what can be achieved not only in different parts of the city, but the country too. (more…)

  • Lady Cannings Trail is now open

    Photo: Richard Baybutt

    The wait is finally over! This Tuesday Steve Peat and Annie Last joined Ride Sheffield, Go Outdoors and friends to officially open the Lady Cannings Trails on the edge of Sheffield. From the cutting of the ribbon to well past sunset it was then  christened by the riders who have all dug into their pockets to raise over fifteen thousand pounds; making the UK’s first ever crowd funded trail a reality. And given the buzz up on the trails it has been a resounding success! (more…)

  • Lady Cannings – Opens Tuesday!

    RideSheffieldHeaderLadyCanningsThe wait is finally over! Our crowd funded trail – the first ever
    funded this way – is built and nearly ready for riding. A HUGE
    thankyou to all of you who dug deep and handed over some cash for the
    trail. The crowd funding element raised OVER FIFTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS
    which is a huge achievement. (more…)

  • Lady Canning’s Trails Project: Crowd Funding Success leads to partnership with Go Outdoors

    RideSheffieldHeaderLadyCannings.jpgLaunched last spring, Ride Sheffield’s Crowd Sourced funding for the development of trails in Lady Canning’s Plantation was rapidly taken to the hearts and wallets of local (and countrywide) riders. With donations ranging from grom’s pocket money, through to university and local cycling clubs collecting money together, to larger donations from local industry and topped up with t-shirt sales supported by local bike shops. The funding slowly but surely made its way up to the amount needed to start construction of the first stage of the trails. There has been a phenomenal amount of support for the project and it is a huge thanks to all those who have donated that we are in the position we are in today. (more…)