Beautiful Woo Dale

In a complete act of spontaneity we went up Woo Dale on our usual sunday morning ride today. The sun was shining and although it was a raw wind, the skies were lovely and blue. It was a great day to be out in the Derbyshire Dales. Having battled our way into the wind to the end of the Monsal Trail, the usual options of taking the rough track up to King Sterndale, or risking our lives on the busy A6 for a little bit longer and taking the road up to Cowdale, all seemed a bit familiar. So we opted for Woo Dale.

It is ages since I have been up there and had forgotten just what a lovely dale it is. The gradient is modest, and heavy going after a night of high rainfall. With a nicely structured path of Topeak it would make an absolutely fantastic route, with the sides of the valley gently wrapping around the track along the bottom. I still can't really understand quite why there is so much opposition from Natural England to it becoming part of the Sustrans network. There are other dales of a similar type in the Peak District where paths and bridleways run down them without too much apparent harm being done.

There are no active plans at the moment to revive the ambition to make a permanent link between the Wye Dale car park (Topley Pike)  and Buxton. It is not a priority for Derbyshire County Council to backfill the position vacated by Claire O'Reilley and hence there is nobody to actively take forward plans to get a route finalised through Woo Dale and the funding to have it built.

Alternative temporary routes are far from ideal. The route up Woo Dale would be absolutely spectacular if travelled in either direction. We should not lose sight of how the creation of a permanent link would so significantly enhance the benefits of the White Peak Loop, and NCR 680 in particular. However, for now at least  we can only hope that something will change to make it become a reality.

Certificates of Appreciation

At our Christmas social event our regional volunteers' manager, Tom, presented members of the group with two Certificates of Appreciation.

The first was to Clyde for his tireless effort and commitment over many years.

       

The second was to the entire White Peak Ranger group for the energy with which we have brought to track maintenance and signage in the last 12 months

Well done to All!

Back the Track - the McClean Way

Here is a very worthwhile project which is progressing in the West Midlands, the details of which have been sent to me by Bob Cooper who, many of you will remember, has worked with us on some of our workdays. It is a greenway which, when complete, will replace a stretch of National Route 5 which currently goes mostly over minor roads. It uses the track bed of an old railway line between Brownhills and Pelsall Common. A lot of work needs to be done to clear and drain the site, and this is already well advanced. The remarkable thing is that all the work which has been carried out so far has been achieved by volunteers, and materials and equipment have been bought from funding which has been won from successful bids made by the group. On one occasion, a JCB was used to do some clearing and earth moving; even this was paid for at a discounted price and the driver was a friend of one of the volunteers! 

When complete, this path will join with another greenway at Pelsall, a continuation of the same railway track bed, giving a traffic-free trail all the way from Brownhills to Walsall. I have ridden this path as part of the West Midlands Cycle Route from Derby to Birmingham and Oxford (NCR54/5) several times in the past, and can recommend it as a route which includes many types of surface and which passes through a range of landscapes. You will find a link to the Back the Track website in our list to the right of this post and there is a mass of detail about the project. Please could you also give a 'Like' to the project on its Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/SupportBackTheTrack/?fref=ts . Thanks!

Workday on Route 680 with Groundwork

Maldwyn and I met with Marion Farrell of the environmental charity, Groundwork, at Harrison Way, Darley Dale on Monday. After giving us a few safety tips concerning saws, loppers and rakes, which she supplied, Marion showed us an area where recent tree shoots, nettles and brambles have already encroached onto the Matlock to Rowsley multi-user path which, readers will recall, is still less than 3 years old. Together, we cleared a 100-metre swathe of trail alongside Peak Rail's Rowsley South station car park. 

Marion also did some litter-picking. We look forward to returning to this section of path in the not too distant future, to clear some more vegetation, improve visibility and make the cycleway look tidier. In the meantime, it would be great if we can interest users of the trail in forming a local group which can continue this work. Look how the three silver birch trees stand out in the picture (right), after trimming back a number of small branches.

If you know of anyone who would like to take part in this sort of venture along this path (or any other trail in our area), please let me know and I will pass the information on to Marion. To remind you, my mobile is 07855 804451.

Remember remember the 5th of November! Workday on the White Peak Loop

For our next workday, Marion Farrell from the environmental charity Groundwork will be working with us clear encroaching trees and undergrowth on the Matlock - Rowsley greenway, an important part of the White Peak Loop. We will also rake up and brush leaves from the tarmac sections. Meet 10:00 at Harrison Way, Darley Dale (first left off the A6 after the Shalimar restaurant, also on the left, if you are travelling from Matlock; first right off the A6 after the Beeley turn if you are travelling from Bakewell - this is the road to the recycling plant DE4 2LF and Peak Rail's Rowsley South station). We will work from there southwards along the trail, finishing at 13:00 latest. 

Marions adds: 

Come in sturdy footwear and old clothes. Bring a waterproof and a drink. Groundwork will supply all the equipment, tools, gloves and chocolate biscuits etc. (although secateurs and shears might be a useful addition). To take part you need to be an adult - no special experience or skills are necessary as all health & safety training will be covered by Groundwork - just bring your enthusiasm! If you need any further details please do not hesitate to contact Marion Farrell (Groundwork) on 07801122494 or by email mfarrell@groundwork.org.uk 

See you all there!

Workday Mon 1 Oct 2018: signage check on Route 549 from Waterhouses to Doveridge

Before and after Robin delivers a devastating karate chop to a stone wall in Stanton

David R trying to hide behind a lamp post

 How many rangers does it take to ...

A good solution to a problem of signing at Norbury

 Relaxing on the Churnet Valley Trail at the beautiful Italianate style Alford station ...

... and another picture of the station

Tour of Britain

Stage 7 of the TOB  finished in Mansfield and passed within a couple of hundred metres from where I live. I had a perfect vantage point to take a few photo's as the leaders come through.