For our May workday we had identified the need for a little bit of path and vegetation clearing on the approach to Carsington Water. The Severn Trent Ranger Group helped us out with this a couple of years ago and really cut back the trees on either side of the cycle track (NCR547). However, as they had grown back a bit since then, a little fine pruning was considered necessary.
As the route maintenance was never going to take up a full day of resource time, we decided to cycle a loop around the central White Peak area and carry out a signage check (despite the fact that some of these sections are to be ultimately reclassified or removed). So, we parked at Tissington station and, in now familiar fashion started the day off with a chat, a catch up and a coffee. Suitably prepared for the day we set off north up NCR68 as far as Biggin. We always comment on the fact that the Tissington trail is deceptively steep going north, and quite hard work, especially on the more "open" sections when the wind is quite strong. I don't know if staff at Parsley Hay warn people about this, as I am sure some bike hirers will be blissfully unaware of what the return leg has in store as they fly down to Ashbourne!
From Biggin we used NCR548 to cut across to NCR54 and the High Peak trail. Another section we checked only 2 years ago, but already some of the signs had become faded and we were soon into full swing and replacing them.
The lane leading away from the main road was riddled with puddles and I can't help but wonder whether the Sustrans Regional Network Development managers will want to reclassify or remove this section, all the way through to the Minninglow car park. It is far from ideal, but yet it creates such a wonderful link between the Tissington to High Peak trails. We'll keep it hidden from them for s long as we can.
After postponing a group summiting of the Minninglow hilltop, we veered off NCR54 onto NCR547 and then down into Carsington. We were certainly testing the adequacy of our stock of red route number stickers! Just as we decided to stop for our lunch the first of the May showers came and having bravely tried to sit it out, we were eventually forced to take cover under one of the bird hides.
Duly refreshed, and a little wetter, we sped around the rest of the reservoir and exited the Severn Trent boundary via the track running alongside the road. We have looked at the poor state of this section before and it is definitely not getting any better. There are deep ruts and one particularly bad, narrow, blind bend. Restorative work is now beyond our capability I fear, and some significant effort and resource will be required to get it back into good condition. I fear this is a section of NCR547 to be removed from the Network and so Sustrans are unlikely to want to commit any funding towards its repair. I will contact DCC again about the condition as it really is in a dangerous condition. I suspect it is quite well used given the number of campsites there now are in that area.
Anyway, onwards we rode further up the hill to tackle the overhanging brambles and undergrowth. What we found was quite surprising in that it seems as though somebody had beaten us to it! The main hazards both Peter and I had each spotted a few weeks back had disappeared, and so we had even less work to do than I thought we would have. Still, we smartened up even more.
The section of NCR547 through Bradbourne to Tissington is definitely a bit that is destined for reclassification, if not removal, but again it is such a lovely ride and a wonderful, essential link between other routes within the White Peak. None of us dare brave the Tissington ford that was running high after all the recent heavy rains, but I think that was as much because of the dark clouds that were gathering and ready to break at any time.
Just as we got back to the cars they did and we all had an extremely wet journey home!
Well done everyone - another productive work day. Next one is Friday 4 June.
