Inaugural ride with Sheffield ranger group

 NCN 6 is still one of the main arterial routes running through England. It enters into Derbyshire, the Peak District and our region just to the west of Sheffield. We have cycled from the border point several times before to check the signage we are responsible for, but on this occasion we thought it would be appropriate to share the ride with colleagues from the Sheffield Sustrans ranger group.

Phil, David and I caught the Trans Penine train from Hope station into the centre of Sheffield where we met up with Sheffield volunteer ranger leader, Simon Geller and 3 of his volunteer rangers; John, David and Colin. It was soon apparent that their idea of  a work day is somewhat different to ours as they were not at all prepared for replacing the faded signage, which we encountered immediately we left the central station. I replaced a few red route numbers, but soon realised I would have none left for our own needs if I continued replacing them all. Simon led us on the circuitous route along NCN 6 towards the edge of the city and it became very clear it would be a massive exercise for somebody to refresh all the signage. 

The route took us right through the heart of the city, which is now even more pedestrianised than when I worked there a few years ago. It took us through a lovely community garden area, that I was completely unaware of, as well as the Euro's "fan zone". We eventually emerged at the top end of Endcliffe Park and started the lovely journey up the Porter Valley. Sheffield rangers are not familiar either with the idea of an early coffee stop, which we insisted upon having at the very pleasant Forge Dam cafe. From there it is not far before you are very clearly and visibly out of the city and into the lovely countryside around the city.  

Looking back towards the city we tried to spot the Humber Bridge 52 miles away to the east, but it was just a bit too hazy for us. 

From the viewpoint we travelled the mile or so to the Norfolk Arms where one of the Sheffield rangers peeled off and an early return home. The rest of us carried on into Derbyshire with renewed enthusiasm about replacing faded signage now we were back onto home turf. Simon peeled off at Burbage and I was certainly tempted to go with him and try out the (relatively) new gravel track from there down to Fox House. However, I resisted the temptation and the remaining 5 of us continued along the road under Stanage Edge, taking quite  a bit of time to replace missing signage at the critical points where it has been removed, or defaced (again!).

There was more missing signage at the start of the Thornhill trail, which we replaced but all of the signage we put in place a couple of years at the Thornhill car park was still  just as we had left it. We arrived into Hope around 2'ish and went to the lovely cafe for a well earned cup of tea and sandwich. 

Nice to meet up with the Sheffield volunteer rangers and replace missing signage on this wonderful route out of Sheffield into the Peak District. 

We wish you a Merry Christmas.....

To complete our work day activities for 2023 we resorted to the now traditional task of clearing the boardwalk in Rowsley (NCN 680) of the fallen leaves. I could have used photos from any of the past few years as the nature of the task does require it being done every year and the pictures don't change much. 😊😂

A very happy band of Sustrans Volunteers (David, Catherine, David, Clyde, Maldwyn and myself) combined with some of the Darley Dale Community Volunteer group to scrape the leaves off the boardwalk and cut back the brambles, which seem to love  to try and get to the middle of the track. Marion from Groundwork oversaw operations, but her usual offering of chocolate biscuits at coffee time was snubbed by most, in favour of Catherine's wonderful chocolate Tiffin. 

As always we had plenty of users of the trail stop to thank us for our efforts, but perhaps a majority who wanted to make us aware of all the broken planks. Thankfully we were able to tell them with confidence that Derbyshire County Council have that matter in hand and have ordered replacements, which will be fitted early in the New Year. 

With the boards looking very clean (the storms of the following night have meant they are now covered again, this time by fallen broken twigs!!) we adjourned to the Flying Childers in Stanton in Peak for our festive lunch. Gone are the days when work day lunches consisted of a picnic and thermos. The Childers proved a very popular choice and refreshed by beer and pasties we headed back down the hill to look at problems with the drainage channels on the alternative route bridleway at the top of Church Lane, Rowsley. 

I had met with the DCC Engineer afew weeks previously and he had told me precisely what we could do to try and stop the deterioration to the track surface, which is being caused by water damage. More permanent measures will be required in due course, but for the time being the work we have done should help. We have never done any work like this before, but I thought we did a remarkably good job, despite the heavy rain that was by then falling. 

Thanks to Davids (x3) and Catherine for their show of excavating skills. 

Time and clemency of conditions meant we didn't have chance to complete the tasks for this work day. However, in between showers over the weekend, I cycled along NCN 680 into Matlock and addressed the issue raised by DCC Trails officers about the adequacy of signage into, and out of the station. I think I have gone for over kill with it now, but at least there shoudn't be any legitimate complaints from those coming to the Peak District using rail links about how to get there via NCN 680. 

I have circulated a list of dates for our 2024 workdays, please do let me know what you would like to do on them. 

With best wishes to everyone for Christmas and hoping that 2024 brings you everything you were hoping for. Take care, stay safe. 

Bennerley Viaduct at long last

 

For several years, even since before the pandemic, we have been talking as a group about riding to see the newly refurbed Bennerley Viaduct. It has featured on just about every annual work day plan for the last 5 years. Originally our visit was to be integrated into a ride led by our fellow rangers in the Derby Group, who had access up onto the bridge before it was finally opened up to public access. Now that the bridge refurbishment is complete, and full public access available, we were able to plan and lead our own circular ride on a lovely, warm, sunny september day. 

Our route started in the lovely Shipley Country Park - yet another of the wonderful assets owned and managed by the Derbyshire Council Countryside team. It is a huge area with a multitude of paths and trails running through and across it. One of their well presented maps is essential. We don't mind paying £7 for the day's parking to help maintain these wonderful facilities. Myself and David S arrived in plenty of time for a coffee at the visitor centre and it wasn't long before Phil arrived on his bike, having come by train from Hathersage to Langley Mill. A great effort to endorse his very green credentals. We were also joined at the cafe by Chris Allen who leads the Chesterfield Sustrans ranger team. Peter and Gill completed our team and we joined up with them in the car park before setting off south along the Nutbrook Trail (NCN 67). This trail winds its way through the park, before joining up with the Erewash canal, alongside which it runs until the terminus of both at Trent Lock. We stopped here for our sandwiches and to watch a couple of boats leave the canal so they could head out into the River Trent and their onward journies. 

After lunch we turned eastwards  and, after initially following another short stretch of canal, we then weaved alongside the river, all the way to the Attenborough wet land reserve and gravel pits. We stopped for a much needed cup of tea at the visitor centre (thanks Peter and Gill) before carrying on towards the lovely little village of Attenborough (and a place of very happy memories for me!!).  

From Attenborough we followed Erewash Valley signs through a winding ribbon of Nottingham suburbia, even crossing over the recently installed southern tramway extension. We got a little lost on the edge of Chilwell, but were soon back on track and into the quiet shade of Bramcote Hills park. After a drink stop and a short stretch by the side of a busy dual carriageway we dropped down to the tow path of the old Nottingham canal. There are only small pools of water dotted along its length for quite a way and in the main part there is just the dry, curved out shape of the canal lining, with trees and brush on the sides. The canal line follows the eastern edge of the Erewash Valley all the way up to where we saw our first glimpses of the Bennerley viaduct. It is certainly a magnificent legacy of the Victorian industrial era of these parts, which has been lovingly restored by enthusiasts. Access from the eastern side is by a short flight of steep steps, although there is a helpful tyre channel at one side to help with pushing bikes up. The viaduct is probably best viewed from afar as the ones along the bed of the bridge itself itself are not particularly interesting. From the sides there are open views to the north and south of the Erewash Valley isteslf. 

On the western side of the valley there is a nice ramp for bikes to whiz safely down and after a short ride north along the Erewash canal it was not far to reach the boundary of Shipley Park once again. It had been a great day covering about 52kms of mostly level riding on a good traffic free route. 

Next work day will be Monday 9 October, which will be led by David and Catherine. 

Summer off road adventure

What a beautiful day for our July work day! After probably the best pre-ride coffee ever at David and Catherine's house (lovely date loaf and ginger biscuits) we set out from Warslow along quiet lanes to Longnor. From there we had a lovely down hill whiz to Crowdecote and the start of our off-road adventure. 

The track was a bit tricky at times, but in such glorious weather we were all happy to be in the big outside 

Doesn't that look fun? .... and not a single Sustrans route sign to replace in sight!

Eventually we reached Pilsbury castle and after surveying our kingdom from the top we had a bit of gate trouble before being able to move on

If you know the gated road from Pilsbury to Hartington then you'll know how lovely a route it is. It is also part of NCN 549 and so technically we were then on official business, and not just out on a work day "jolly"

We arrived a little early for lunch at the YHA but this gave us the chance to sit out and enjoy their lovely gardens in the warm summer sunshine. 

After a lovely lunch stop we carried on along NCN549 towards Berresford Dale and tested out the new gravel path into the Dale itself. A magnificent improvement but, with the contacts I thought we had with Peak Park, I would have hoped they would have contacted us about providing regular maintenance. Heavy rains have already started to create destructive channels into the surface. Such a pity, but I will contact them about doing some remedial work, even at this late stage. 

Thankfully we did manage to find some vegetation to cut back and some signs to replace during the afternoon, which gave complete justification for our pretence of this being a work day. 

Rather than follow NCN549 we took another cross-country lane which eventually took us up to Wetton and then down to Weags Bridge and the Manifold Trail. From down in the valley we had quite a steep climb back up to Warslow, with Maldwyn setting a quick pace for us all to follow; mostly envious by this time of his electrical assistance. 

Many thanks to David and Cathrine for organising the route and for providing such incredible hospitality at the start and end of our ride. Pity we couldn't all stay for an evening of croquet, but perhaps next time? Clare, Naomi, Maldwyn and Philip made up the rest of our group. Thanks to all for making it such an enjoyable and successful day out. 

Next work day scheduled for Monday 7 August when I will be trying to organise a route that takes in Bennerley Visaduct. (Please note: We will have to look to change our October work day from Mon 2 October to 9 October as David and Catherine are away, and they are organising it.

 

5 Pits Trail - re-signing mission of NCN 67

 Another day when we ventured out of our area and into the lands just east of the M1along the Nottinghamshire/ Derbyshire border. 

Today, under Maldwyn's leadership and guidance we were tasked with putting in place almost a complete set of signage along the entire 7 mile length of the 5 Pits Trail,  from Grassmoor Country Park to the end of the trail near to Blackwell. Quite what happened to the original signage is unclear and no one seems able to answer the question either as to why NCN 67 finishes at Grassmoor, before reappearing in Chesterfield as a link to the Trans Penine Trail. 

We started the day with a very welcome coffee at the delightful "Claire's" cafe, just outside the boundary of the park in Grassmoor itself. Here we may have learned that the 5 Pits trail was created by Derbyshire County Council in 1989, following more or less the route of the Great Central Railway. The line closed in 1967 but part of its purpose had been to transport coal from the 5 collieries of Tibshelf, Holmewood, Pilsley, Grassmoor and Williamthorpe, which was the last to close in 1970. 

Much of the area also had opencast mining and so the landscape of today is very different from that of 50 years ago as old pit buildings have disappeared and spoil heaps have been transformed into great wildlife and ecological habitats. As we put our signs onto gateposts at Locko Lane we could only imagine the colossal structure that would once have towered high above us. 

Progress along the trail was extremely slow as every junction had to be signed. The main 5 Pits trail is signed by Derbyshire CC, but it is not always clear as to which way to go. On site committee meetings became commonplace as we debated amongst ourselves as to where the best places for the signs would be, once we had agreed which the correct path actually was. 

We did n't quite make it to the end of the trail by lunchtime but finished up munching our sandwiches overlooking the delightful Tibshelf Ponds. The tranquility of the location spoilt only by the drum of the M1 a very short distance away. We realised whilst we sat there that these are not actually on NCN 67, although they do sit on one of the feeder arms of the 5 Pits trail. First job after lunch was to change the signs to correct the mistake we had made. 

Just after the ponds the 5 Pits trail merges into the Silverhill Trail, and NCN 67 carries on a little way along this before it too reaches its terminus in the middle of nowhere. 

To mix things up a bit on the return leg we took the Holmewood/ Williamthorpe link back to Grassmoor CP. A long day, and still a bit of follow up work to do but overall a very successful, and enjoyable day. Thanks to David, Catherine, Maldwyn, David S, Andrew, Peter and Philip for a great team effort. 

Brian Edward Raine 1940- 2023

 

What a great day on which we went to say our goodbyes to Brian. Although there was a chill nip in the bright Spring afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and there was n't a cloud in the sky as we laid him to rest alongside his wife , Anne. 

It was most humbling that a significant part of the eulogy (delivered by his son, Gavin) not only focussed on his life-long love of cycling, but that after the death of his wife he took up this interest again, specifically through his local Sustrans group. Gavin said he really loved being part of our White Peak Ranger group, being out in the countryside, helping with maintenance & signage as well as being with the friendly other rangers in our group. I feel really pleased that we were able to provide him with such pleasure at a time when life was difficult for him, following the recent death of his wife. 

Farewell Brian. 

The hills were alive with the sounds of happy cyclists

 With beautiful February sunshine to accompany us, we ventured to the northern most limits of our region for this month's work day. The format for these get togethers is changing a little and the emphasis is definitely moving towards a higher level of social interaction, and less focus on work directly linked to the national cycle network.! That is absolutely fine. We have invested a lot of time over recent years to ensure our 200kms of track are well maintained and signed, so now we are totally justified in treating ourselves to months when we go out together for the enjoyment of a ride in areas that few of us know very well. 

We met for morning coffee and then Clare lead us on this ride, which initially took us along the side of the canal out of Whaley Bridge to the Buxworth canal basin. Here we passed canal boats moored up with wood smoke rising gently from their chimneys and then lingering in the frosty cold air hanging over the water. From the basin we cycled along the Tramway towards Chinley, which proved a little challenging in places, but which has the potential to be a great route. Today we had  a most impressive sized group, bolstered by the latest recruits to our own team, Philip and Gill, as well as a guest rider (John) joining us from theSheffield ranger team. David and Catherine, David S, Maldwyn and Peter made up the rest of our group.

Part of the purpose of today's ride was to look at some of the proposed options to link NCN 6 on the western side of the Pennines to Castleton on the other side, where it currently comes to a sudden end. Finding a suitable route out of Castleton will be difficult, but once off Rushup Edge and descending down towards Chinley it would become a very attractive link. We didn't venture all the way up to Rushup Edge, but we did go half way. We decided against the main road option and instead tackled the short steep climb out of Wash to a poing half-way up to the edge. What  a lovely quiet road with fabulous views? There was a bit of bike pushing by the non e-bikers but I don't think it was long enough to spoil the ride for anyone.

We descended down into Chapel en le Frith and then on the old (not too busy) Manchester Road back to the outskirts of Whaley. Here we joined NCN680 and started the climb on the road towards Buxton. we may have just about managed a mile on the NCN before we veered off it and headed towards Ferneligh and Errwood reservoirs. Unfortunately we didn't find the need to replace any route signs at all on the short section of official cycle route, as they were all in good order. 

Clare found a lovely spot for us, next to the water's edge, to eat our sandwiches in the warm(ish) early afternoon sunshine. It was great to see such a large group of volunteers out enjoying such a pleasant day. After lunch we continued our ride up the Goyt valley but with limited options if we had carryied on to the top, we turned round just before reaching the Derbyshire Bridge and headed back into Whaley.

It is a very long time since we have had a group of 10 riders out on a work day event but it was all just about perfect today. Much of the route allowed us to ride side by side so we could chat with one another and, although there were a few more hills than we would normally do, we mostly saw these as a challenge rather than a chore. On such a beautiful day as today has been who was going to complain when the views (and the company) were as stunning as they were. 

Next work day planned for Friday 10 March when we are scheduled to help Marion with the pre-Spring cut back at Rowsley sidings. It may be that we will not be required for this and, if that is so, then I am sure we can fit something else into the schedule.