New link finally created in the Hope Valley

Our latest work day saw a small number of the group out in the Hope Valley with a very full work load for the day. We last visited NCR 6 in May 2018 and although we did a lot of re-signing on that day there was still much to do on this visit. David & Catherine and myself parked up at Hope Station and immediately started to put up new signage to direct cyclists from the station towards NCR6.

Last year we did not cycle from Hope to Castletong along NCR6 and so quite a lot of sign replacement had to be undertaken where the old signs had become very faded. Part of the day's tasks was also to address issues identified on the Earthlight map as a result of Sustran's recent route audit check. The section from Hope to Castleton had  aparticularly high incidence of issues and it took us quite a long time to identify the point on the ground where improvements had to be made. Eventually we got to the current end point of NCR6, which is in the centre of Castleton itself and we duly put up a red sign advising that no further signing beyond this point was available. One day they will perhaps complete a route over Wynatts and link up with NCR6 on the other side of the Pennines  where it already starts its onward journey up to the Lake District.

With our stocks of basic directional signs, as well as red NCR 6 stickers much depleted we headed back to Hope and the point at which the route turns up towards Aston. More stoppages for audit issues but eventually we arrived at Thornhill and the junction with teh Thornhill Trail. This has been a particularly difficult place to sign as somebody keeps removing or defacing signage we have put there previously. Some of the signs (but thankfully not all) we put at this point last year have been removed and had to be replaced. We also added extra signs showing onward distances from this point, as well as new signs offering cyclists the opportunity to use teh Thornhill Trail to access Bamford station (more of which later).

When we ran out of straight arrows Catherine had to get out her scissors and show some of her creative talents!

We found  a lovely picnic spot overlooking Ladybower reservoir and ate our sandwiches as we rested after a fairly full-on morning of activity. After lunch we found that more work with signage was required that we had expected in terms of getting cyclists up to and off the track across the dam wall. We will need to monitor this signage closely as I am sure we ensured it was all in place last year.

Having sorted out the dam wall we returned to the head of teh Thornhill Trail and were relieved to find that signage placed there before lunch was still there. The signage removers are not as efficient as us!

In May 2018 we started our efforts to get all the necessary permissions to use teh Thornhill Trail and Water LAne, BAmford to create a permitted link to Bamford station. It has taken us over a year to get the permissions (Peak Park, Quakers, Local businesses, DCC and Parish Council) and special signage. Armed with signs we cycled along the lovely wooded trail (old railway line used for constructing the dam) until we reached Water Lane at the bottom. I have agreed with the Quakers that we will erect special signs at the start and end of their property to advise cyclists that it is a permitted right of way and to take care. However, at the start of the lane we really struggled to find anything to attach the sign to. It was as much as we could do to affix directional signs onto a very rotten fingerpost, but for the time being at least there is some indication that there is an approved link to the station. At the road end things were only marginally better, and we were left with little choice other than to fix our special sign to a handily placed telegraph pole.

Finding street furniture along the road to which we could affix further signs was also difficult and whilst we did the best we could with what is available it is far from perfect.

Things just weren't going our way. The supply of directional arrows had long since been depleted, but Catherine was robotic in her ability to create temporary stickers from other signs we were able to cut up. We ran out of other adhesive stickers and had some tough decisions to make about where we should position the last one that either of us had. In the end we decide to put it high on a lampost in the hope that cyclists arriving at Bamford from the Sheffield direction woul dbe able to see it. We'll nee dto go back once we have refreshed our stocks of signs

So, all in all a busy, but very productive day with a bit of frustration thrown into the mix too. At least the link is now in formal existence after such a long time of trying to get it to be  areality. I wonder who'll benefit from it??

A wet day checking NCR 54

Despite the inclement weather a useful day was had - cleaning old signs, replacing manky ones and removing foliage where needed. 

After meeting up with David Sharpe and new recruit Naomi Mcfadyen we (David and Catherine) set off from Minninglow car park on route 54 towards Wirksworth. We noted the temporary bridge at Longcliffe was very satisfactory. Some work was needed at the junction of the 54 and 547 where a sign needed turning, having presumably been knocked by a lorry. We didn’t have any 547 signs with us so were unable to replace some that are needed but we will order some more asap and return to finish the job. 

Two drowned rats but no cyclists were spotted on the road at Carsington. A nasty tack was found in Naomi’s back tyre, which was mended with panache in the ‘doubly thankful’ village of Bradbourne.

We had a downpour as we cycled back up the hill from Parwich to Minninglow but it failed to  dampen our spirits.

Southern extremities

Today we visited the most southerly extremities of the White Peak Rangers' area. We travelled from Ashbourne to the outskirts of Etwall along NCR 68 where it meets routes NCR 54 and 549.

Our monthly work day started differently as we met in one of Ashbourne's delightful deli and cafe bars for an update from Tom on Sustran's new Earthlight mapping software. The purpose was to get us involved with looking at how the recent independent audit of National Cycle Route had assessed routes within our region. Whilst some other regions seem to be covered by a forest of "blue crosses" to indicate signage issues, ours seems to be only sparsely covered. A great credit to the work done by White Peak rangers in the past. We will need to see precisely what issues were picked up by the auditors, as long as two years ago and ensure that we update the notes with the latest position. We have up to two years to do this, by which time Network Development Plans have to be drawn up and put in place. Tom helped us to understand all the reviews and projects that are taking place presently, although talk of de-activation of 5% of routes and activation of other new projects all made us wonder what the network in our region might look like in 5 years time??

Regional News earlier on in the day had spoken about funding available for the Derwent Valley cycle path and Tom confirmed that this was specifically mentioned in a recent award of £21m to Sustrans for infrastructure improvements.

Updated with information about the software and plans for how we would use it we set off on bikes in broken sunshine to travel out of Ashbourne and south to Etwall. Escaping out of the town was excellently navigated by Catherine, despite having to cycle along the very busy A517. We soon left the traffic and headed up the hill through new housing estates before hitting the very empty country roads of south Derbyshire. This is a very different landscape to the one in the north of our region but certainly one that is ideal for easier, safe cycling.

Passing through Wyaston, Rodsley and Longford we enjoyed the very rural, pastoral landscapes but these feel like very dormitory villages with active life all but totally sucked out of them. The pub in Wyaston was closed today, and so it was lucky we had taken sandwiches for a picnic with us. The cafe in the Tara Buddist Centre would have made an interesting deviation had we listened to Catherine's cries suggesting a detour.

Refreshed by our sandwiches, enjoyed all the more by eating them in the middle of a field under sunny skies, we agreed we could complete the rest of the route to Etwall today, after all. Stops to replace faded NCR 68 signs were few and far between but nonetheless we have certainly left the whole route looking a lot smarter than it was first thing this morning.

Having reached the intersection of routes 54, 549 and 68 just north of Etwall we celebrated having reached the southernmost extremity of our region before turning around and heading back exactly the same way. A most enjoyable day thanks to David & Catherine, Andrew and David S. Thanks to Tom also for coming out and giving us the talk first thing.

Work Day - Route 548

As the pictures below confirm, our April work day was a pleasure to undertake as we were cycling in the White Peak with glorious sunshine and lovely blue skies. Route 548 runs from Hartington to an intersection with Route 54 on the High Peak trail, close to Minninglow hill fort. Significant sections are on gravel surface but should be reasonably safe for most riders to cope with. The views out across the White Peak area are unforgettable and breath taking along this route.

The iconic view of Minninglow hill fort in the distance. It is accessible from NCR 54 by means of a concessionary footpath. Something I really must do one day as I have never been up it. 

The roughest section of track but nonetheless our cross-section of bikes all coped with it very adequately. Clyde on his new Brompton survived, although I think it was a bit touch and go on the steepest of the sections. The signage along the route has been in place for many years now and so we had to replace quite a lot of it. Certainly more than I had expected would be necessary

We also took the opportunity to put a number of new signs into place, both on NCR548 and the High Peak Trail (NCR 54). I think we can all feel very pleased and proud of what we have achieved today. This part of the National Cycle Network is certainly of a higher "signed" quality after our work day today. All the more so because Clyde (who else) found a stash of (54) and (548) stickers that enabled us to link NCRs 54 and 548 with each other using additional green ways. Well done Clyde - we really have missed you.

Many thanks to all who contributed - David & Catherine, Clyde, Maldwyn, Tom and our newest recruit David S (Sharpe)

Carsington Water - update on track condition

In response to an email received from a user of NCR 547, close to Carsington Water we used one of our recent work days to go up and have a look at the condition of the track from where it starts on the B5035 down to where it links into the drive into the Carsington Water Visitor Centre.

Andrew and Maldwyn confirmed that the initial part of the track (behind the Pudding Pie cafe) was very overgrown and unlikely to be used by cyclists in its current state.

They reported that the scale of the problem was such that it would take our small group several work days, even with a good turn out to resolve the problem. I tried to ascertain who has ownership of the land and in that process formed a useful liaison link with Severn Trent's Carsington Water Ranger Group. Without too much persuading they volunteered to apply their own full time and volunteer ranger groups to help sort out the problem for us. John and Chris have been excellent and we are truly indebted to them for the work they have done.

The picture below shows the state of the track a bit further down the hill before they started to clear it.

And this is it now! Having been up to look at the transformation this morning I am delighted to see plenty of fresh  bike tyre marks along the track, which is now visible. Andrew suggested there be a sign at the B5035 indicating it is 3/4 mile from there to the visitor centre. I have ordered that and as soon as I have it I will go and affix it so as to complete our maintenance of that section at least.












Sadly, more maintenance work is required further down the track. Water is running down the centre to form a gully, as shown by the pictures below. I don't think it is critical to repair this immediately as it is certainly still rideable for all but the most timid of riders. However, I think we need to add it to our list of work for monthly work days. Is it beyond our experience and capability? I think we will need to build in some drainage baffles to divert water off the track at regular intervals, as well as putting down a lot more stone. I will try and get Seven Trent Rangers to help us complete that work.

 For now though, this important section of NCR 547 is back to a reasonable standard and fully functional

Scrub clearance - NCR 680 Rowsley Sidings

Today we have had  a really useful work day supporting Groundworks - an environmental charity who are contracted to Derbyshire County Council to keep certain of the trails owned by the council managed and maintained. The work today focussed on NCR 680 in the old Rowsley sidings.

David (G) attended the first of the scheduled dates last monday with his friend Jackie, but this week there was a fantastic turnout of White Peak volunteer rangers, together with some of their partners coming along too. David and Catherine, Maldwyn (+ Karen) and David G (+Jenny) were joined by two non-Sustrans volunteers (David & Martin) as well as the Groundworks regional co-ordinator, Marion Farrell.

The aim of this work is to cut back the vegetation at either side of the cycle track so as to ensure that it does not impinge upon, or hamper cyclists as the ride a long it. There is a real mixture of small trees that have started to thrive alongside the track since it was created and without a strong cleanse the track would soon become more difficult to use. Work has to be done in the winter months, and before bird nesting becomes an issue that would prevent such work. 

Marion gives full training to the rangers and provides all of the specialist tools required (including chocolate hobnobs). She has a vast knowledge about the woodland habitat and was able to show us how to identify our ash from our oak, willow from alder and blackthorn from sycamore. She was able to show us examples of where ash die back has started to affect the young saplings, plus loads more.

Apart from the trackside saplings we did have one or two bigger challenges, but all taken on with great gusto. Must have been the hobnobs!

Maldwyn had just returned from a weekend of deep sea survival traing and I think his enthusiasm came from having been in a confined life raft for a few hours too many. He was a machine that onlookers could only marvel at. 

As the morning came to an end he had just one last challenge to complete ... but that was going just a bit too far with a pair of branch loppers

Well done Maldwyn, but Marion did n't want that one down!

The boss (es)!

Although we made an incredibly good start last week, I don't think we would ever have envisaged getting almost all the way back to the Rowsley car park by lunch time today! However, with eight enthusiastic volunteers anything seemed possible and we are within a stone's throw of finishing this section. Marion would like one more session to finish off this bit (more cutting back, fence rails to replace, etc, etc). Well done everyone (+ Jackie). Next session will be Friday 15 February at 1000, Rowsley station yard. This is not a Sustrans work day and so volunteering will be for Groundworks. Bring your own coffee, chocolate hobnobs provided. Many thanks to everyone - great job done

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.