17/12/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Lancaster City Council Cycling Team are now organising the 5th Lancaster Bike Film Festival for April 2010 and are looking for ideals about themes /people to present talks, slideshows etc. If you any ideals you can contact them at celebratingcycling[at]lancaster.gov.uk

Posted in Cycling in Lancaster | Print | No Comments »

17/12/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Its nice to see that membership of the Rough-Stuff Fellowship stand at 580 members, this as been the highest its been for some time! It would be great to see the membership stand at 600 members at the start of 2010, so if you looking for christmas present for someone interest in off-road cycling or mountain biking why not buy them membership of the Rough-Stuff Fellowship for Christmas, you can find out more about joining here.

Posted in Rough-Stuff Fellowship | Print | 2 Comments »

17/12/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Dear Simeon,

The reason I’ve emailed you on this occasion is to ask for your, or your members’ help…

I’m lucky enough to live in Troutbeck in the Lake District, directly opposite the Garburn Road, the famous and historic track that links Troutbeck and Kentdale valleys across the 1500 foot high Garburn Pass.

This unpaved (and now badly eroded) track is much used by mountain bikers and walkers, and until recently was also heavily used by motorised cycle ‘trail riders’ and 4×4 ‘off-roaders’, who were widely blamed for the destruction of the track itself, and ofits peace and tranquility.

The Lake District National Park Authority was successful a couple of years ago in banning these motorised vehicles from Garburn Road, but in the last few weeks this ban has been overturned by a legal challenge from the Cumbria Trail Riders Fellowship. The trail riders have successfully exploited our country’s byzantine legal framework for regulating country byways, and apparently the Planning Inspector’s final decision on Garburn Road will be based on weather motorised vehicles were its first public vehicle users (as claimed by the trail riders), or whether it can be shown that other non-motorised vehicle users (ie carts, carriages or bicycles) pre-dated this use.

Hence this post! I am looking for documented evidence of use of the Garburn Road by cycles before 1930!

If any of your members can help in any way with this quest — ideally with evidence such as written journals, published maps, guides, photos etc — or can point me in the direction I might look for these, this would be a great help!

We’re up against a deadline — written objections have to be lodged by 7th January 2010!

Best regards

Brian Liddell

Brian e-mail me above on the 16th December 2009, if you can help you get in touch with Brian by e-mail at brian[at]liddell.co.uk and also post comment on this blog. I would ask other webmasters of cycling websites to post above on your site.

Posted in Garburn Road, Cumbria | Print | 1 Comment »

13/12/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Please note that the University cycle path that comes onto campus from Bailrigg Lane round the back of the Croft and out on Bailrigg Drive will be completely closed off to all cyclist and pedestrian traffic from 7.30am Monday 14th December till 5.30pm Friday 18th December at all times.

This is to resurface the path and provide drainage improvement works. This will reduce the risk of cyclist falls on the tight bend, of which there was several occurrences over the Summer due to the poor state of the surface condition. The likelihood of infrequent flooding will also be reduced as a result of the drainage improvement works.

Cyclists and pedestrians will have to use an alternative route, the most applicable being the A6 and then into campus.

We apologise for this inconvenience that this will cause next week but the quality of this section of the cycle path should be greatly improved by end of next week.

Best regards

Phil (Travel & Enviroment Co-ordinator for Lancaster University)

The above was forward to me via Mike Hutchinson of Lancaster & South Lakes CTC Group

Posted in General | Print | No Comments »

09/11/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Hi Simeon,

I’m Sue Boyd, warden of the Gatliffs Garenin hostel. I had a letter from one of your members in Leicestershire and throught it might be helpful for all of your members if I clarified a few things about the Gatliff hostels here on the Isle of Lewis.

1. We are affiliated to, not run by SYHA. Their discount cards don’t apply with us.
2. We do not have a booking system for any of our hostels. For details of wardens and beds at hostels, please see www.gatliff.co.uk  In the interests of reassuring those who worry about getting somewhere to stay in the high season, please be assured that we,ve never yet turned anyone away and have camp beds and a two man tent available for use should they be required.
3. There are cooking facilities available, as well as a shower room with WC and a separate WC. There are also drying facilities, a sold fuel burner, a microwave, kettle etc. There’s no telephone and the nearest point for a mobile signal is on a hill to the rear of the hostel building or in the car park. There are handwashing facilities, but no machine.
4. The terrain here varies immensely from season to season. Tracks that may be easily passable during the drier months of the year can be treacherous bogs through other seasons. Maps are generally, not a great deal of use in deciding weather a path may be passable or not. It’s always best to ask someone local for up to date information.

Anyone who has questions to ask or would like further information is welcome to call me on 01851-643464 or email me at smeesue at hotmail.com. We have a fair few cyclists through the hotels over the course of the summer and it’s a very good way to see the islands. One last piece of information that cycliste in particular are usually interested in; the bus drivers here are a fantastic bunch and are usually happy to have cyclists aboard and their bikes in the luggage compartment.

Regards

Sue Boyd

I recieved the above e-mail from Sue today, I hope you all found it useful and do e-mail or phone Sue if you want any more information.

with regards

Simeon

Posted in Gatliffs Trust Hostels | Print | No Comments »

06/11/2009 by Simeon Orme.

If you member of the CTC and live in Lancaster or the South Lakes Area, you may like to know that the CTC’s Lancaster and South Lakes Group will holding its Annual General Meeting  on Tuesday 10th November at the Hala Centre, Scotforth, Lancaster starting at 7.30 pm. After the AGM there will a quiz and something to eat.

Posted in Lancaster CTC Section | Print | No Comments »

06/11/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Two Notices of Definitive map orders have be made by the Lake District National Park Authority under section 53 of Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 13th October 2009 to upgrade footpaths 573015 and 573014 to a bridleway573044 which will start from Grid Ref: SD 3806 8244 about 80 metres east of High Cark Hall and finish at public road U5193 east of Seatle at Grid Ref: SD3797 8320.

The other Definitive map order is to upgrade footpaths 573004, 506020 and 506018 to a bridleway starting from bridleway 576017 at point 285 metres north of the Wood Broughton Road at Grid Ref SD 3773 8171 Then heading north eastwards along stone then grassy track for about 440 metres past Sturdy’s Farm to the parish boundary at Muddy Pool at Grid Ref SD 3808 8189. Then east of Muddy Pool for 120 metres to point where footpath 506018 branches off to the south at Grid Ref SD 3821 8194. Then north east wards for 45 metres along Watery Lane to the parish boundary at Grid Ref SD 3824 8199. Then northwards along Watery Lane for 485 metres to finish at public road U5188 east of  High Cark at Grid Ref SD 3830 8247.

If the orders are confirm in the new year, there will two more bridleways for us to enjoy in the Cartmel and Field Broughton area.

Posted in Cumbria | Print | 1 Comment »

03/11/2009 by Simeon Orme.

On Wednesday the 18th of November 2009  the Northern Peak and South Pennine Group will at Edna’s cafe in Delph (Grid Ref SD 985078) at 9.30am to 10.00am ish for a pre-ride coffee. Delph is about 5 miles east of Oldham just north of the A62, the Oldham to Huddersfield road. As last year, we will follow this with a morning ride to finish at The Old Original Inn (Grid Ref SD 972063) for lunch. Typically a main course cost about £7 to £8 inclusive of complimentary soup and can be ordered on the day. After lunch you enjoy a short and rapid downhill ride back to Delph.

You are welcome to join the Group for the day or just for lunch.

However, it would be helpful if you could let John( Secretary of the Group) know by phoning on  01457-852090 by Sunday 15th November weather you intend to join them so that he can give the Inn some idea of numbers to expect.

Posted in Northern Peaks and South Pennine Group | Print | No Comments »

20/10/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Cycle Cumbria is a group brought together by Cumbria County Council to consider matters relating to cycling throughout Cumbria. It is made up of County Council officers and representatives from Sustrains, Lake District National Park Authority, Cumbria Tourism and voluntary and campaigning groups (KDCS and Carlisle Cycling Group).

Topics relevant to the South Lakes area which were discussed and reported were as follows;

1. Review of CycleFest by Jo Cleary of Cycling England. This is complete in draft and will be used to report to funders of CycleFest on the results of their investment. It identified that the overall cost of the festival was c. £25,000, much of which was contributed in the form of volunteer time. It had been an effective method of identifing potential new/ returning cyclists, giving opportunity to target these individuals to encourage take-up and increase  cycling levels. It pointed out that the festival was not supported financially by local authorities, despite the wide range of policies on transport, health and well being and CO2 reduction that it fulfilled.
2. The funding bid by SLACC /TSL for ‘Celebrating Cycling Everday’ and Smarter Travel’ was reported.
3. Jo Cleary is carrying out a review of the cycle network in Kendal as it exists at the moment on behalf of Cumbria County and will be making recommendations to carry forward from the measures contained in the failed Cycle Demonstration Town bid, Concern was expressed that the short fragment of the Riverside has been complete will not show much benfit or use as it doesn’t connect with other routes, even through it is one of the most costly parts of the route.
4. Sustrans has a generous allocation of funds over the next two years for improving safe  routes to schools - suggestions for schemes should  be sent to Mark Brierley. This should be high priority for Kendal as it is a way to implement parts of the proposed cycle neywork that relate to routes to schools.
5. Mention of a possible initiative to educate cyclists and pedestrians on the safe use of shared routes, covering speed, use of bells for warning for cyclists, and erratic movement, dogs on long leads etc for pedestrians. Example of signs on Lancaster shared path near Millennium Bridge.
6. Example of planning a cycle nework in Wigton was discussed - local school children had a major part in designing the proposed network, and presented the propasals to the Local Committee - note that it is difficult for Councillors to turn down beneficial proposals presented by children!! Important parts of this were being implemented currently, and future links will be funded by developer contributions, eg Storey Homes, Tesco.
7. An online journey planner is being developed by Cycling England, giving directions, route options, timing etc based on OS  mapping and giving information on off road and on road routes. The information can be stored on a GPS or printed out use on the road. System is being piloted in previous Cycle Demonstration and Sustainable Travel Towns - Liverpool, Manchester, Lancaster etc. and aim is cover the whole of England.
8. Cumbria County are consulting on what the priorities should be for the Local Transport Plan 3, soon to be commenced by CCC. They would like feedback from cycling interests by end of October.
9. CCC and Sustrans are working together to improve cycling links and to share information both formally and informally.
10. Cumbria Tourism have money from the North West Development Agency for tourist related cycling projects (mountain, offroad and family cycling) - current proposals are the route from Coniston to Foxfield along a disused railway line and Bowness to Ambleside. Conistion to Foxfield is much cheaper and more likely to happen in the near future than Bowness to Ambleside which is problematical and costly.

Comments or contributions on any or all of these points are very welcome, and will taken to future meetings of Cycle Cumbria. Please e-mail them to Liz Ashburn at liz.ashburn at phonecoop.coop

If any member of the Rough-Stuff Fellowship would like attend future meetings of Cycle Cumbria which held quarterly on behalf of the RSF please get in touch with me or Peter Kenner.  I would like thank Liz Ashburn for e-mail this report and please post your comments below.

Posted in Cumbria | Print | No Comments »

20/10/2009 by Simeon Orme.

“Yesterday, South Lakeland District Council’s cabinet voted to transform Kendal’s most controversial and ‘illegal’ car park into an “attractive and distinctive riverside destination”

Work is scheduled to start on the site in 2011 and, at a previous cabinet meeting SLDC, indicated no action to permit parking would be taken until a new scheme is finalised.

The decision is inline with the findings of a three-week public consultation in July, which saw two thirds of people support proposals to landscape the site”

The above is from 15th October Kendal Gazette, this will allow the construction of the ‘missing link’ in the Riverside Route along New Road in Kendal for pedestrians and cyclists.

Posted in Cumbria | Print | No Comments »