Cyclists beware – tunnel vision ahead

This month (May) essential maintenance work is being carried out on the lighting in all four former railway tunnels on the Monsal Trail. The tunnels will all remain open, but the lighting level will be reduced if a tunnel is being worked on. Cyclists are required to dismount where contractors are working, and all trail users will need to divert slightly onto ballast at the side of the trail to get round the moveable platform. Look out for warning signs at the tunnel entrance and take extra care when passing through.

Cyclists entering Headstone tunnel on the Monsal Trail

The lights in the tunnels are operated by a light sensor during daylight hours, but at night they are totally dark. They’ve proved a huge attraction since the Peak District National Park Authority re-opened them in May 2011 and range from the 91-yard (83m) Chee Tor tunnel near Miller’s Dale to Headstone which runs for 533 yards (487m) in a long curve below Monsal Head.

Cycling through the tunnels, at least the longer ones, is both an eerie and exhilarating experience. It’s great when it’s bright and hot above ground to plunge into the dark, cool depths; but if you’re on your own and go in when the lights are switched off it’s an odd sensation. Two tips you might like to bear in mind: try not to venture in on a busy Sunday when you run the risk of colliding with dogs running around off lead and largely invisible, as well as groups of walkers who don’t always seem to be able to cope with a  bike in the dark – however slow and illuminated you might be; and be careful not to rub against the side of the tunnel, since the soot still lingers from the steam trains that last ran through the tunnels in 1968 and it’s a bugger to wash out of your best cycling jersey.

Chee Tor tunnel on the Monsal Trail

Hopefully the pressure on the Monsal Trail and its tunnels in terms of visitor numbers will ease a little when the cycle route is finally extended to Buxton and Rowsley and users can spread out a bit more. Presumably then cyclists will also be able to enjoy the long-closed Haddon tunnel, which stretches for 1,058 yards (967m) past Haddon Hall east of Bakewell and was originally built (using a cut and cover method) so that the Midland Railway’s new line wouldn’t be visible from the Duke of Rutland’s second home.

The Manifold Trail's tunnel is also shared with the occasional vehicle

I’m sure cycling through tunnels will always be popular, whether or not you choose to hoot like a train as you enter (I’ve even found myself doing it on my own – how sad is that?!). It certainly adds interest to any route, especially if you have to negotiate other users in the dark. Carefully making your way past ramblers is one thing, but the short and extremely narrow tunnel on the Manifold Way is also a public road and – as we found out last weekend – it’s a little disconcerting meeting a vehicle half way through, not least because the sounds are amplified to deafening proportions.

This tunnel at Ashbourne marks the southern terminus of the Tissington Trail

There’s also a short tunnel at the start of the Tissington Trail at Ashbourne, connecting the town centre to the cycle hire and car park off Mapleton Lane, although it’s wide, straight and not especially scary. Hopton Tunnel near Middleton Top on the High Peak Trail also provides an entertaining 30 seconds as you whiz through; but neither can match the Monsal Trail and the thrill of emerging from Headstone directly on to the Monsal Viaduct. From the dark depths of a tunnel out on to a magnificent viaduct in a few turns of a wheel. Awesome!

Andrew

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Cycle trails or cycle lanes – what’s the answer for the Peak?

From the outset our Cycleways website was inspired by off-road, traffic-free cycling in this glorious Peak District landscape, from the semi-surfaced railway trails and gentle green lanes of the White Peak to the rough and plunging mountain bike bridleways of the Dark Peak. But more and more it seems that if cycling in the Peak, like elsewhere in the country, is to reach that critical mass and finally become an accepted, mainstream form of travel (and tourism) then it will have to embrace more fully our established road system.

Road racers and habitual cyclists will no doubt snort at this, already accustomed as they are to vying with motorised traffic, but for local people or visitors less familiar with riding a bike among a traffic (or simply inexperienced cyclists to start with) the busy main roads and narrow lanes can be quite daunting.

In my own village, a typical White Peak settlement with a long main street and only an occasional built-up pavement, the parish council managed to persuade the county council to paint a white line along one side of the street to denote a walking route. On the whole it proved successful, alerting motorists to where they might expect pedestrians and trying to give those on foot some sort of protection. However, a few months in and the council had to be called back to paint a white walking person symbol next to the line as some cyclists mistook it for a cycle lane and there were a couple of near collisions.

Of course, there are those that feel that cycle lanes are not the answer anyway and give a false sense of security for both the rider and the motorist; but the example from my own village does suggest that some on two wheels feel equally vulnerable from vehicles as do pedestrians. As the local authorities look to develop cycling in Derbyshire and the Peak District it does beg a couple of wider questions:

  • Is this expansion and encouragement of cycling principally aimed at visitors, in which case maybe a network of off-road, traffic-free trails will be sufficient (and safest) in order to effect purely recreational journeys?
  • If the post-Olympics boost in cycling provision and participation is genuine, deep-rooted and truly national (as we all hope) then in the Peak District as elsewhere it must be for everyone, including or perhaps more especially the local community. In which case this means creating safe and accessible cycling routes in and out of our villages, to schools and shops, around Bakewell, Buxton and Matlock – in other words, making possible utilitarian cycle journeys as well as purely leisure.

We know that our Peak District roads are already busy with vehicles; we know that local car use is well above the national average; we know that public buses are under used and the local rural network is shrinking as subsidies are withdrawn; and we know that Derbyshire children no longer receive mandatory cycle training, despite the education authority promoting School Travel Plans, Safe Routes to School, etc, and its own research finding that “…cycling had the most apparent potential to provide additional sustainable trips to School” (DCC Sustainable School Travel Strategy).

But we also know that last November the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that cycling and walking should become the norm for short journeys and should be encouraged throughout local communities, pointing out that cycle use is lower in Britain than it is in other European Union countries. Since then the Government has committed £62 million to investing in cycling, including £12 million ring fenced for national parks.

So how do we go forwards in the Peak District? Do we try and segregate motorised traffic and bicycles by designated lanes, if that is even possible on most of our country roads? Perhaps we should look to construct entirely new cycle tracks alongside the highway, or convert pavements into shared use? Would the planners and Highways engineers even allow it? Maybe more use could be made of green lanes and unclassified routes, or upgrade public footpaths to bridleways where they provide a linking section?

It’s probably true that part of the answer lies in educating motorists and encouraging greater respect and tolerance on the road between all users. But try saying that to some of the motorbikes that scream up and down the A6 on a sunny weekend; or the huge wagons that hurtle through Stoney Middleton Monday to Friday.

It’s not really surprising that the traffic-free cycle routes like the Monsal Trail are so popular with cyclists; it’s just a shame that my daughter’s village primary school isn’t at the end of it, otherwise she would be cycling every day rather than inching on foot along a narrow, pavement-less road following a painted white line.

Andrew

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Making sense of the road ahead

I have to admit that it’s not been the most inviting of conditions for cycling in the Peak District over Easter, with ice and snow still making some of the lanes and off-road tracks difficult. More walks than rides for me, so far. But despite the cold surely Spring is not too far away – and with it the prospect of getting out on two wheels more regularly to enjoy the fine countryside.

In many ways this sense of personal anticipation mirrors the wider hopes that many of us have for the development of recreational cycling in the national park. There’s been plenty happening behind the scenes over the last few months, with the prospect of more momentous events in the next 18 months:

  • Last month a well-attended ‘Cycling Summit’ took place at Thornbridge Outdoors near Bakewell, organised by the Peak District National Park Authority, to bring together all those interested in helping to develop cycling locally. It looked at gaps in the network, riding routes into the Peak from the surrounding cities and how cycling could be made easier and safer for everyone. 
  • The Government has announced £62m of funding for cycling improvements nationally, including £12m ring-fenced for national parks, and the Peak District looks likely to make a significant bid that it is hoped will continue the good work of its Pedal Peak District initiative.
  • The first ever Peak District Cycling Festival is to take place this autumn from 7-15 September and will include a wide variety of led rides and cycle-related activities throughout the week, encouraging people to come, cycle and stay in the area; and it will be followed immediately afterwards by the Tour of Britain visiting the Peak District once more.
  • The 2014 Tour de France will pass through the north eastern corner of the Peak District at the end of its second stage between York and Sheffield – it’s on 6 July 2014, in case you want to make a diary note or try and book a place by the side of the road at Holme Moss, Langsett or Bradfield!

The surge in cycling and cycling promotion in the Peak District is perhaps not surprising. It’s always been a popular recreational activity in this national park, both mountain biking and road racing, only held back by the busy roads and relatively few decent off-road MTB routes (or any purpose built routes). With Olympic success following on from Bradley Wiggins’s victory in the Tour de France, and a general realisation that cycling is a cheap form of transport in this age of soaring fuel prices / really healthy exercise for a couch potato nation / helps reduce CO2 emissions and saves the planet (delete according to your outlook) then cycling’s success in the country’s premier national park should be rosy.

But exactly what will this success look like? If you want to cycle in the Peak District in a couple of years time, whether for work or leisure, what will be different or improved? We don’t know what the bid from the National Park Authority and Derbyshire County Council for the new Government funding will comprise, but judging by the chatter at the recent Cycling Summit it must include infrastructure improvements to complete more of the ‘White Peak loop’ providing a traffic-free cycling connection between Buxton, Bakewell and Matlock via the Monsal and High Peak Trails. Well promoted cycling connections from all our surrounding towns and cities must also be high on the agenda.

But what else could it include? How about some of these:

  • Cycle information/hire points at rail heads at Buxton, Matlock and at one of the Hope Valley stations, with added political pressure on the rail operators to be more bike-friendly
  • A purpose built mountain bike course, perhaps in the sustainable coniferous woodland of the Upper Derwent valley
  • A network of safe cycle links between the trails and neighbouring villages, possibly including the upgrade of footpaths and the use of green lanes and bridleways
  • A concerted marketing campaign to make local accommodation and other local services bike-friendly
  • More bike stands in public places
  • More and better cycling training for local children
  • A scheme involving all the tourist providers to give discounts to people turning up by bike

The shopping list could go on and on, but who exactly is writing the shopping list and is there a master plan informing it? The recent Cycling Summit certainly buzzed with ideas from every quarter, but there was little evidence of an over-arching cycling strategy for the Peak District to embrace all those different stakeholders and ensure that all the actions were complementary. With so much due to happen over the next 18 months it’s perhaps time that someone took charge of the road map.

Andrew

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What is the real economic impact of leisure cycling in the Peak District?

British Cycling recently released their latest annual report and, not surprisingly, it described an incredible year for the sport. Buoyed by domestic success in the Tour de France, then the London Olympics and Paralympics, the national governing body for cycling reported that two million people are now cycling at least once a week. Among the stand-out statistics is that 53,000 more women are now cycling than just six months ago, while British Cycling’s membership has seen a year on year growth of 43%. The legacy of the Olympics can also be seen in other ways. In our region alone, a new velodrome is to be built in Derby for completion in 2014 and new mountain bike facilities are planned in Manchester.

Cycling tourism in evidence at Parsley Hay.

We know that cycling’s upward trajectory nationally is reflected here in the Peak District, including events and competitions like the prestigious Tour de Britain, which visited the Peak District twice in this year’s eight stage route across the country. There are regular sportives (mass participation organised cycling races) and charity rides, while Breeze cycle rides for women is also popular. But cycling’s growing profile is also evident in the wider and less coordinated leisure market, not least via our traffic-free trails.

The Pedal Peak District project, launched by the National Park Authority in 2009, extended the Monsal Trail through the tunnels and in just 12 months had generated 50,000 cycling journeys. It had also inspired new cycle hire businesses at Hassop, Blackwell Mill and now Bakewell. Others are beginning to follow on other trails, like Carsington Water.

Pubs like the Royal Oak at Hurdlow are doing a good trade from cyclists.

And it’s not just bike hire. Accommodation providers, pubs and cafes across the Peak District are now realising that cycling is becoming big business – their customers might now be turning up on two wheels not four, and others are asking where they can go for a ride when they book to stay. It’s noticeable how many websites of Peak District B&Bs, self-catering cottages and even hotels now have a section on local cycling opportunities.

In 2011, the London School of Economics published the British Cycling Economy report, which for the first time tried to chart the full extent of cycling’s contribution to the British economy. Bearing in mind that this was compiled before this present extraordinary year, some of the headline findings included:

  • In 2010 the gross cycling product (GCP) reached £230 per cyclist p.a.
  • 3.7m bikes sold across the UK in 2010
  • 208m cycle journeys made in 2010
  • 200% expansion of the National Cycle Network to over 12,000 miles
  • £2.9b total contribution to UK economy
  • 28% increase in volume of cycle sales in 2010, generating £1.62bn
  • £853m further contribution to the UK economy through the purchase of cycling accessories and bicycle maintenance, resulting in total retail sector sales of £2.47bn

Then there’s all the potential benefits to the economy through improvements in environment and health, including savings on absenteeism and the scary statistic that in the last 20 years there has been an almost doubling of the proportion of children being driven to school, despite 80% of them owning bikes!

On the High Peak Trail near Longcliffe.

After this year’s high profile successes for British cycling some of those stats are bound to have jumped; but it would be useful to have some firm data on how it’s positively affecting the Peak District. Here at Peak District Cycleways the number of enquiries is certainly going up (from people wanting to know where to cycle as well as service providers wanting to reach out to them) and we can see with our own eyes more people on bikes on the local lanes and trails. But what’s the real economic value of cycling? Although you might think the comparison odd, a recent survey of the economic impact of the South West Coast Path in Devon and Cornwall suggested that the walking trail generated over £300m for the regional economy every year, with almost three quarters of accommodation providers on or near the trail saying that the recreational route was an important selling point for their business. I’m not suggesting similar figures for recreational cycling here in the Peak District, but it would be interesting to have some clearer idea of how much cycling tourism brings in to the local economy and its value alongside other sectors, whether it’s overnight stays or otherwise. I’ve often heard the grumble that too many visitors to the National Park are self-contained day walkers who spend very little and contribute next to nothing to the local economy. I suspect that cyclists make a far more positive contribution in terms of visitor spend, but some definitive figures would be interesting.

If nothing else, it will demonstrate to the likes of Derbyshire County Council and the National Park Authority – who have pledged to improve and extend the cycling infrastructure in the Peak District – that recreational cycling doesn’t just benefit the environment, people’s health and fitness, and so on, but it also creates jobs. And in this present uncertain economic climate that’s a big driver.

 Andrew

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Wheels for all – and worth every penny

Yesterday I spent several hours in the sunshine at the Peak Cycle Hire centre on the High Peak Trail, where a range of specially adapted bicycles for people with disabilities was being showcased. At Peak District Cycleways we get regular enquiries about where these sort of bikes can be hired or tried out, and we are always pleased to signpost people to the right places.

The Peak District National Park Authority has teamed up with Cycling Projects, a Warrington-based charity that both organises training and supplies specially adapted bikes to centres across the UK so that people of differing abilities can enjoy the fun and benefits of cycling. Through the Wheels for All programme there are 50 hire centres around the UK, including two in the Peak District – Parsley Hay and Derwent Fairholmes. The bikes can be hired by groups and individuals and, as I found out yesterday, their growing range and sophistication is amazing.

Cycling Projects staff show people the different sorts of bike.

On show yesterday were tricycles of various sizes, all of them very lightweight and eminently manoeuvrable; recumbent and semi-recumbent bikes, ideal for those wanting a relaxed sitting position and an alternative steering experience; tandems enabling people to cycle together; and companion cycles, where riders sit side by side. Different again are hand-cycles, operated by a hand crank and specially suited for people with lower limb impairments.

Not all of the models at the Wheels for All taster day are currently available at Peak Cycle Hire – at least not yet. The wheelchair transporter bike, for instance (where the wheelchair itself is secured on to a platform at the front and the pedaller sits behind) costs £4,300 and the Peak Park is looking for financial help to acquire one. “These bikes are perfect for anyone who is unable to ride a normal bike, but wants to participate in cycling activitie,” said Pedal Peak District co-ordinator Carol Parsons yesterday. “In particular, they make cycling accessible for people who cannot easily move out of their own wheelchairs.”

The wheelchair transporter bike.

There was a steady stream of excited punters trying out the models yesterday, including a local group from Buxton and another from as far afield as Nottinghamshire. Parents and carers were keen to see what was on offer and the recreational opportunities the trails provided, and Bakewell & Eyam Community Transport was also present with its fully accessible minibus and trained drivers that are available for groups and individuals to book.

What was brilliant, for me, was the fun, relaxed and inclusive atmosphere. Children (and adults) tried out different bikes on the safe, traffic-free cycle trail; Peak Park Rangers led short rides up and down the route; passing cyclists stopping off for a bacon butty and a cuppa at Parsley Hay mingled happily and were fascinated by the advanced technology of many of the adapted bikes.

Above all, it showed once more that cycling is a supremely rewarding activity for all ages and abilities, an accessible and enjoyable past-time whose social and physical benefits are plain for all to see. Whether you’re using these sorts of adapted bikes because of disability, taking out young children in buggies and tag-a-longs or benefiting from the assistance provided by the Electric Bike Network, the Peak District is surely one of the top destinations for leisure cycling. It may be an upland national park, but in the safe and accessible cycle trails we have a resource that is second to none.

Seeing some of the happy people trying out the bikes at Parsley Hay I wondered exactly what price do we, as a society, put on providing healthy and sociable exercise for disadvantaged individuals in an inspiring natural landscape? Let’s say £4,300 for starters.

Andrew

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In praise of short cycling trails: Sett Valley and Thornhill

It’s easy to get carried away by the soaring miles of the High Peak and Trans Pennine Trails, the cut and thrust adventure of the Monsal Trail, or the rugged challenge of the Pennine Bridleway. But there are a number of other dedicated cycling routes that are far more modest in both distance and outlook; and yet they’re not just interesting in their own right but also open up new areas of the countryside and link to other routes.

The Sett Valley Trail connects New Mills with Hayfield via Birch Vale in the north west corner of the Peak District. It’s 2.5 miles (4km) long and follows the trackbed of the long vanished Hayfield branch line, built in 1868 and closed little more than a century later. Its heyday in terms of passenger numbers was the 1920s, when the line carried (quite remarkably) up to 5,000 passengers on a summer Sunday, heading from Manchester for the green hills of Derbyshire. It’s a quiet preserve of walkers, horse riders and cyclists now, but although it may be short the Sett Vallet Trail provides a connection with the Pennine Bridleway, not to mention a traffic-free way to reach New Mills (check out the Millennium Walkway and Torrs Hydro) and the popular outdoor centre of Hayfield.

Over on the eastern side of the Peak District, in the upper Derwent Valley, the Thornhill Trail runs along the former Bamford & Howden railway, built in 1901 to carry stone for the construction of the new dams. It’s barely 1.5 miles (2.4km) long, but it provides an excellent traffic-free link from Bamford and the Hope Valley to the bridleway routes around Ladybower, including the reservoirs circuit via the shared-used pavement beside the A57. Whereas the Sett Valley Trail is owned and maintained by Derbyshire County Council, the Thornhill Trail is in the hands of the Peak District National Park Authority.

The Longdendale Trail, occupying the narrow valley between Bleaklow and Black Hill.

Other short routes to explore on two wheels include the Longdendale Trail , part of the Trans Pennine Trail which runs from Hadfield alongside the reservoirs of the Longdendale valley (6.5 miles/10.4km). Also check out the Middlewood Way between Macclesfield and Marple; cycle routes around Chesterfield like the Five Pits Trail, Blackwell Trail and Stockley Trail; and to the north of Derby the Mickleover Greenway.

The spectacular Millennium Walkway at New Mills, reached via the Sett Valley Trail (although, as its name suggests, you'll have to push your bike across it!).

In many ways short, linking routes like the Sett Valley and Thornhill trails are crucial to the development of a meaningful off-road cycle network in the Peak District. We need them to link both to the longer, main trails and in particular to the towns and villages, so local people and visitors alike can have proper cycling access and a joined-up choice of routes. It’s long been a criticism of mountain bikers (and horse riders, for that matter) that the public bridleway network across the Peak District is rather truncated and piecemeal. There are very few bridleways that you can link together to form a complete and satisfying circuit that’s totally off road and traffic-free. As the White Peak cycle loop begins to take shape, with the Monsal and High Peak Trails reaching Buxton and the Derwent Valley route linking Matlock to Rowsley, the need for short cycle spurs and links will become more urgent than ever.

As they say, it’s not just about size…

Andrew

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The future of the Peak District’s cycle trails

How should some of the Peak District’s finest traffic-free trails be looked after in the future? What should be the priorities for action – maintaining the surface, promoting local facilities, opening up the views, encouraging respect amongst different users?

The Peak District National Park Authority is finalising its first ever management plan for the trails that it owns and is asking for your views, following feedback from user groups and public events. The four trails in the National Park Authority’s control are the Monsal Trail, running 8.5 miles from Bakewell to Wyedale, near Buxton; the Tissington Trail which stretches 13 miles from Ashbourne to Parsley Hay, near Hartington; 10.5 miles of the High Peak Trail, from south of Buxton to Longcliffe, near Wirksworth; and the Thornhill Trail, a short two-mile route near the Upper Derwent Valley.

Two fairly recent surveys have revealed some interesting details about who uses the trails and how. Sustrans User Survey (2010) and the NP’s own Green Travel Survey (Spring 2012) interviewed  1,400 users on the various trails and found that:

  • 49% of users travelled ten miles or less to reach the Trails, 23% less than 20 miles and 27.5% over 20 miles, showing the importance of this resource as both a local and regional/national destination.
  • The vast majority of users arrive at the trails by car or van.
  • Almost 57% of all users are walkers and nearly 42% are cyclists, but since the Sustrans survey pre-dated the opening of the Monsal tunnels and the other was affected by wet weather it’s likely the figure for cyclists is significantly higher (electronic counters on the Monsal Trail have indicated that there has been an increase in cyclists of over 7% since the trail was extended).
  • The 1,400 people interviewed spent in excess of £13,500, with almost a quarter spending over £25 as a result of their visit to the Trails – the highest spending was at the Ashbourne end of the Tissington Trail, which must make a significant economic impact on the local economy.
  • Of those questioned, 79% spent money on refreshments (either on or adjacent to the Trails), just over 30% had paid for parking and 8.5% had spent money on accommodation.
  • For obvious reasons, the very short Thornhill Trail has its own variations in statistics, including a high use by local people and arrival on foot/bike rather than by car.

So what are the kinds of things that trail-users are saying is important to them so far? A ‘Trails Saturday’ event on the routes interviewed all types of user on a summer’s weekend and these were what people said they valued most about the trails: Traffic-free routes; beautiful countryside/scenery through which they pass; safe, family friendly trails; the associated facilities provided for trail users; and a well maintained trail surface. Other responses identified the flatness of the Trails (thus suitable for all abilities), the wildflowers and wildlife along the Trails, the geological interest and evidence of former rail use, as well as the links to and from the Trails in terms of the wider public rights of way network.

National Park Authority officers have been assessing all the contributions so far and have identified seven key issues that emerge consistently across all four Trails that they manage:

  1. The importance of encouraging greater respect amongst user groups
  2. The importance of seeking to develop links from the Trails and greater connectivity with the wider public rights of way network
  3. The value of effective, engaging interpretation and information provision
  4. The fundamental importance of a well maintained trail surface both in terms of surface condition and width
  5. The need for additional seating along the Trails
  6. The value of opening up views from the Trails to the surrounding countryside
  7. The importance of managing litter and dog mess

A further consistent response was the request for the Authority to provide a mix of trail surfaces to better cater for those wanting a more technical, challenging cycling experience, but the Authority has indicated that this is perhaps outside the scope of the four trails with their linear and mostly flat nature and accessible purpose.

So what do you feel the Authority should be prioritising over the next five years – especially in terms of bikes? When you cycle the trails what do you think could be improved or developed? For instance, more information on how cyclists can access local services or link with adjoining rights of way? Encouraging some types of user (eg mountain bikers) to seek out less busy and more suitable routes? Better public transport links? Perhaps more of a focus on promoting the trails to local communities and local cyclists?

Go to the Authority’s trails consultation page on its website by Monday 17 September, check out the draft management plan (it’s interesting and well-written) and have your say on what’s important to you as a cyclist. The Peak District’s trails are a fantastic resource – and this is your chance to make them even better.

Andrew

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Derbyshire shows true grit at Olympics

The Olympics have finished but recent events live on, still fresh in the memory. Over the weekend I was lucky enough to get tickets to the women’s mountain biking race at Hadleigh Farm Park in Essex where Derbyshire played a distinctive role! I am not only referring to the gutsy performance of Annie Last – who hails from Bakewell – but also to the 500 tonnes of Derbyshire gritstone used to construct the more tricky elements of the course…

The start and finish line

Olympic MTB Course - start and finish line

Essex may seem an odd choice, compared to say the mountains of Wales for example, for a Mountain Bike race – but the proximity of the site to the main Olympic Venue seems to have swayed votes. That said, the terrain was hilly as you’d expect but also very open and offering some great viewing opportunities for spectators (all 20,000 of them/us!) – all set against the backdrop of the 700-year-old ruins of Hadleigh Castle – and with the equivalent height gain of riding up Ben Nevis there is clearly some significant ascent.  After initial criticism parts of the course were widened to allow more opportunities overtake and new features were added to further increase the course’s difficulty;  the main climb was extended and new obstacles added along with an extended climb to reach them. For the games some of the main challenges were all given names – mainly I guess to help guide spectators to some of the more technical elements –  the Leap of Faith, Dean’s Descent and the Rockgarden to name a few – and the hint is rather unhidden in the title.  However  - as I walked about the course “Heart-in-your-mouth rock garden descents followed by brutal climbs” (bikeradar.com) seemed to sum it up really quite nicely.  And now the Games have finished, in terms of legacy, Castle Point Borough Council voted to allow a planning application to construct two biking tracks, a bike skills area, a visitor centre and other facilities and the Olympic course will be adapted to make it safe for the public to use.

Bottom of the Rock Garden
Bottom of the Rock Garden

Annie was the only female rider qualifying for an Olympic place for Great Britain, the first since 2000, and as 2012 has been her best season to date – with three top-10 World Cup finishes plus a recent victory in the new women’s World Cup event in Belgium – was Annie up for a challenge against the world’s best in the Olympics? The answer to that is a simple – oh yes! She was placed on the front row of the grid given her world ranking; along side Julie Bresset of France, Georgia Gould of the US and defending Olympic champion Sylvia Spitz from Germany. From the gun she seemed determined to make her mark. She lead for the most part of the first two laps with her skills on the technical sections looking like they were giving her an edge. It was only on some of the longer physically demanding ‘power climbs’ where the other leaders chased her down. From a spectators point of view it was great to see such a determined ride and be able to get up close the the riders as they toiled around the course;  the combination making for a really intimate and exciting race. Sadly, in the end, the endurance of the older riders seemed to pay-off – Julie Bresset claimied the gold ahead of Sylvia Spitz and Georgia Gould. However, Annie’s determination to make her presence felt made for a memorable Olympic race and a top 10 finish – a first for a British MTB female rider. Well done Annie and here’s to the future…it’s bound to be golden…

Annie and Derbyshire Grit!

Annie and Derbyshire Grit!

 

Mark

 

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An Olympic cycling legacy for the Peak District?

Victoria Pendleton at speed in the Olympic Velodrome.

On Sunday morning at 11am I was lucky enough to be in the Olympic Velodrome watching, amongst others, Victoria Pendleton breaking the Olympic record in the opening heats of the Women’s Sprint. Despite the relatively early hour and even though this wasn’t even a final, the place was packed and there was a palpable buzz and excitement throughout this awesome arena. Sure, we all cheered like crazy and waved our flags for the home cyclists, but in truth every competitor was generously and genuinely applauded. However, my guess is that, like me, the majority of the crowd had probably never been inside a proper velodrome before and were unlikely to be long time followers of track cycling; but apart from athletics in the main stadium, the hottest tickets in the 2012 Olympics have surely been for this 6,000-seat venue. From Wiggo winning Le Tour to Queen Victoria at the Olympics, cycling has now landed squarely in the centre of our nation’s attention – but where do we go from here, and in particular in the Peak District?

Leaving the Velodrome after the heats had finished I bumped into Chris Boardman (like you do) and during a quick chat he expressed his enthusiasm for the Peak District’s traffic-free cycle trails, since he has the Wirral Way on his own doorstep. He commended our cycleways for encouraging more people to take to two wheels and experience the pleasure and benefits of cycling.

So what will be the Olympic legacy as far as cycling is concerned? Can the gold medals on the track and Bradley Wiggins’ success in the Tour de France be translated into a step change in how we approach cycling so that it becomes mainstream and every day, not just the preserve of the fanatics or weekenders? There’s been plenty of focus already on urban cycling – from the introduction of so-called ‘Boris Bikes’ for hire in the capital to the campaign by the Times newspaper to tackle road safety issues. From cycle lanes to priority routes, commentators have pointed out the obvious, such as this from broadcaster and lifelong cyclist Jon Snow blogging earlier this year: “Cars and bikes do not mix organically… half a tonne of vehicle and 80kgs of bike and human simply cannot co-exist in the same road space safely.”

Busy day on the Tissington Trail near Parsley Hay.

Here in the rural Peak District we might not have the population density nor many people commuting to work by bike, but we do have one of the most popular national parks in the UK where people want (and should) be able to enjoy safe open air recreation. And yet in many ways our roads are just as busy and dangerous as any city. No wonder that our traffic-free cycle trails are so popular and that families with children, in particular, flock to these safe and scenic routes.

So here’s my own suggested action plan for an Olympic cycling legacy for the Peak District, in order to allow and encourage all those Wiggos of the future to discover the pleasure, satisfaction and reward of simply riding a bike.

  1. Complete a crucial part of the White Peak cycle loop by joining the Monsal and High Peak trails to Buxton. Derbyshire County Council and Peak District National Park Authority take note – you’ve talked the talk, now pull your finger out and get that missing link sorted!
  2. Derbyshire County Council must also press on with the proposed cycleway through the Derwent Valley between Matlock and Rowsley, joining with the Monsal Trail, another crucial section for local people and visitors alike.
  3. A hub and spoke approach should be adopted across the whole of the Peak District, using the existing traffic-free trails as the spine from which to forge new, safe cycling links to surrounding villages and attractions (almost certainly creating brand new mini cycleways in the process).
  4. Speed limits reduced to 20mph in EVERY Peak District village, giving more confidence to local people to make everyday local journeys by bike and visitors to explore on two wheels.
  5. A proper cycling strategy to be developed for the whole of the greater Peak District, bringing together the Peak District National Park Authority, highway authorities and other key partners, to agree a unified and long term approach to developing both the basic cycling infrastructure and cycling opportunities for all.
  6. Make cycling for children a priority, from safety measures around local schools to road crossings on existing trails through to a more comprehensive cycle training initiative for younger riders.
  7. The highway authorities should be more proactive in extending the bridleway network for cyclists, dedicating green lanes for cycle use and even upgrading footpaths if necessary, so that there are more options for cyclists and routes actually begin linking up a bit more. 
  8. Develop dedicated off-road routes, like mountain bike circuits, in sustainable locations such as upland coniferous woodland – see successful examples in mid Wales, North York Moors and closer to home at Wharncliffe in Sheffield.
  9. Pressurise bus and rail operators to either carry more bikes or simply carry them in the first place!
  10. More research to be conducted into the economic benefits of cycling tourism in the Peak District (almost certainly underestimated at the moment) and a wholescale review of how cycling is promoted and marketed – the Peak District has the potential to become a mecca for recreational cycling if the right infrastructure is put in place, leading to a healthier, cleaner, quieter and more enjoyable environment for us all.

Finally, since my Ernest Hemingway quote about cycling in a previous blog evidently went down well, here’s one that caught my eye recently. It’s attributed to Iris Murdoch: “The bicycle is the most civilised conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.”

 Andrew

Posted in Cycling News, Peak District Cycleways Website | 1 Comment

Cycling around the Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs

This ride has a very different feel to the other cycle trails of the Peak District that we feature on Peak District Cycleways. The cycling is much the same – mostly level, traffic-free and eminently accessible – but the steep, narrow valley with its sinewy reservoirs and luxuriant woodland give it a touch of the Scottish Highlands that seems far removed from the open limestone slopes of the High Peak and Monsal trails of the White Peak. It’s nevertheless an easy route to follow, with the huge bonus of being both circular and long enough for a really good day out.

The lane beside Derwent Reservoir

Last Saturday I cycled around the three reservoirs for the first time this year; in the company of most of Sheffield, it seemed. Maybe it was the novelty of seeing the sun shining once more; or perhaps the Bradley Wiggins effect was starting to kick in (is it just me or are there more road racers about at the moment?); or maybe it’s simply a reflection that more and more people are taking to two wheels and discovering the joys of cycling in the Peak District? Whatever, there were lots of people out on bikes having exercise and fun, which is surely great news.

I actually started at Bamford, further down the valley, and used the Thornhill Trail to reach the Ladybower dam, then followed the shared use pavement round to Derwent Lane off the A57 and the approach to Fairholmes. The National Park visitor centre and cycle hire is our chosen Derwent cycling hub, although on a busy weekend I’d suggest getting there early or parking at one of the free car parks back towards the A57.

From Fairholmes I followed the narrow road between the pines and along the winding western shore of Ladybower, Derwent and Howden reservoirs. On weekends till the end of September (and Sundays all year) the road is closed to private cars and you should just meet the Bakewell & Eyam Community Transport minibus plying its friendly hail and ride service to King’s Tree at the head of the valley. One or two car drivers seemed unable to adhere to the rules, but they found to their cost that progress is very slow when faced with a narrow single track road full of meandering pedestrians and cyclists – especially one obstinate cyclist who chose to freewheel very, very slowly in the middle of the highway.

You have been warned...

At King’s Tree the route takes to a wide unsurfaced track to reach Slippery Stones, where the grass banks of the tumbling young River Derwent just cry out for a picnic stop. I duly obliged, then headed rather more slowly back down the direct eastern side of the valley. Now away from the road, this is where the route really comes into its own: straightfoward but exhilarating cycling, with long straights and narrow bends around the foot of the cloughs (side valleys). There are fabulous views across the water and a wide, firm track that at one point drops almost to the edge of the reservoir. Beyond Derwent dam you can cross back over to Fairholmes for the snack bar and toilets; or keep going all the way down to the far end of Ladybower until you reach the A57 viaduct and return via Derwent Lane.

Heading south above Howden Reservoir

The full loop around the reservoirs is about 14 miles (23km). You can hire bikes at Fairholmes and it’s a route that will appeal to all-comers, especially confident family groups. If you want to avoid the crowds choose mid week rather than weekends; and maybe in future I’ll avoid the penultimate day of the Tour de France, just in case Team Sky hopefuls of the future are limbering up.

Andrew

Posted in Cycling News, Peak District Cycleways Website, Rides | Leave a comment