Whitelees forest consultation (Scotland)

ivancarlos

Please see attached link re whitelees windfarm access policy. Good opportunity to influence future use. MTB facilities here would save a lot of people having to trail half way across the country for some decent singletrack. Follow this link:

http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/whiteleeaccess

BoardinBob

Have you been up to the Windfarm recently?

there's absolutely no forest left! Virtually the only remaining bit of forest is alongside the track from Carrot up to the windfarm.

woodywmb

There's still forest at the southern end, down towards Fenwick, Galston and Newmilns. Scottish Power are offering up only the turbine paths for cycling. That's it. Chris Hoy has been booked as part of his sponsorship (pre-Beijing) to open the visitor centre in the Spring.

BoardinBob

Ooh, I'll need to investigate. I've been up a few times and it's a surreal experience. The landscape is very lunar-esque and it is quite fun hooning around on the MASSIVE fire roads.

ivancarlos

I've never been up on the bike since they started working there but have been a walk round the loch at the Ardochrig end a couple of times and can't believe how much it has changed. There might be some scope for making some natural trails if they wont put in anything purpose built.

woodywmb

Only the paths they've built between the turbines will be used for cycling. Our club (Walkers Cycling) are submitting a request for MTB access and trails within the forest or what's left of it. The deadline for submissions is today, Friday, Oct 31. Scottish Power implied at the early stages that the existing off-road cycle provision would be maintained. Looks scary now that the trees have all gone. I don't see the point of having a visitors centre in the middle of a network of identical, hard-packed trails on a huge expanse of nothingness.

BoardinBob

I completed the consultation and requested separate designated mountain bike trails, graded by difficulty.

ivancarlos

Good man!

roscoe

I've just stumbled across this thread and I'm shocked. Have lived in East Ren all my life, Mearns, Eaglesham and now Clarkston.

I was familiar with the single turbine that has stood there for years, used to have great fun biking up and down the track. I've obviously noticed that the Turbines had multiplied over the last few years, but until now did not realise how massive this site is going to be.

If they do away with the forest, it's going to be totally lacking in soul and surely will not hold any interest for anyone apart from the novelty value. I for one would rather travel to somewhere that looks a bit more natural and has a bit of life.

I'm going to take a ride up today morning and see what's what, haven't been up that way for years.

ivancarlos

OP edited as online consultation is still open.

nickquinn293

I stay in East Kilbride and I cycled offroad up in Whitelee years ago. I was always surprised that this did not receive some kind of stanes treatment as it's massive and is/was virtually unused by the public.

I can't believe that there isn't scope to put trails in here in the future.

I also can't believe this location wasn't considered for the the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and that they chose Cathkin Braes(!!!) instead!

Obviously it's not quite that simple, but the Cathkin Braes is not suitable for this event. Far too wee. I don't accept that Whitelee couldn't have been used if some folk in charge got their fingers out and started talking.

Would also mean I would be left with some classy built trails on my doorstep after the games were over.

woodywmb

Are there any trails/paths in Calderglen Park outside East Kilbride? Looks small but the Calder throws up some riverside possibilities.

nickquinn293

Yup - Calderglen is small but some good sections. Not particularly bike friendly though. Busy with pedestrians/dog walkers. Used to have no cycling signs up but haven't seen them for a while. There is also a lot of stairs if that ain't your bag. There is a singletrack link to langlands moss too. That really is bike hostile territory. Dog walkers seem to think they rule the roost there (just like everywhere else!!!) and there are "NO CYCLING PLEASE" signs put up by the council. I don't think these hold any particular legality though, given the new access legislation. It's just a pain having to stop all the time and be sneered at. However if you go at a quieter time it's okay and it's not that far to Whitelee from Langlands.

ivancarlos

I've done a loop starting at langlands moss down through calderglen and following the calder to blantyre (slight detour up the pavement beside the expressway to the underpass and through stoneymeadow wood). From blantyre I took the path down the side of the expressway to strathclyde park. You can get off road to chatelherault country park and come out near quarter. After that you will have to go back on the road to limekilnburn and back to ek along muttonhole road.

woodywmb

Was there, yesterday, Saturday - doing a road route from Calderglen to Quarter, Larkhall, Stonehouse, Glassford and back. The road at Limekilnburn was shut for re-tarring and we got a talking-to by some maintenance guy. We just said we were lost! I had a look at the tracks around the park and sure enough these were full of dog walkers. Might make Calderglen the starting point for a wider MTB route in future. Re-Blantyre etc ... I once did the River Clyde route from Glasgow to Lanark. Was a mix of all sorts, going through Blantyre, Strathclyde Park and then a section where there is no right of access. Pretty tiring but we took the train back to Glasgow Central after climbing up that monster of a hill going into Lanark. If you ever fancy coming down to Ayrshire there's a multitude of trails not that obvious on the map. Ninety minutes of travelling each way though. Check Walkers Cycling shop (Kilmaurs) and club on the internet.

ivancarlos

Woody do they still do mid week rides?

woodywmb

Yes. Wednesday nights for a couple of hours, 7pm to 9pm, at places like Darvel, Irvine, Glennifer Braes, Cathkin Braes, Lochwinnoch. Weekend rides take them all over. There are 80 members in the club, two thirds into MTBing. Only the daring go out in the dark - about half a dozen to a dozen.

ivancarlos

Checked the site and looks like you will be in Darvel next week. Where do you meet?

woodywmb

Phone the shop and ask for John, Neil, Stevie or Anna - they're the adventurous ones that go out at night. 01563 544488. They will likely meet at the bridge in Morton Park, Darvel, for the climb up the concrete road to the Lanfine Estate. I can hardly negotiate the trails in this plantation in the light - it's a young man's game. The route leader will be Gavin Turnbull who lives local. The distance is quite short. Mention me if you do phone. I write their newspaper articles for them. www.kilmarnockstandard@s-un.co.uk