gisburn - new trails - anyone tried them?

stumpyjon

Next dig days are Wednesday and Friday of this week (half term so we squeezed a couple of extras in). Next official dig day is Sunday 8th November. Official dig days are now the second Sunday in each month although we'll probably have an extra one on the 4th Sunday (it's all in transition a bit at the moment with the volunteers taking on a bit more to give Martin Colledge a bit of time off). Also thinking of maybe doing another mid week one in a few weeks time (I've got another week of holiday left to take before Christmas).

I'll PM you my email and you can drop me a line and I'll send you the latest stuff from the other Martin.

Jon

The Northern Monkey

stumpyjon
Got an email from Martin today regarding the dig days...

What time are people meeting for the digs on wed/fri?
I assume they are during the day ptherwise it'd get too dark?!

Btw, that skinny looks awesome!! love skinnies myself!

stumpyjon

Hi Ben, we'll be meeting at 10am, I'll try and get there slightly earlier or everyone will waiting at the locked gate :oops:

Probably work onto 3ish, depends on how everybody feels / weather.

Btw, that skinny looks awesome!! love skinnies myself!

the phrase you're looking for is scary, I walked along it after stripping the bark off and that was bad enough :shock: [/quote]

The Northern Monkey

Ahh bugger don't you just hate 9-5 jobs

I think I might have a doctors appointment coming up this friday though 8)
lol, I wish


There's a few skinnies at glentress freeride that are fairly high... luckily managed to avoid taking a tumble!

Mancunianfightingcat

Bugger. I'm off on Thursday this week and pretty much every week!

stumpyjon

Ben, next dig after this week is a Sunday - that's you sorted.

Manccat - I might manage to squeeze another mid week dig in in about 3 weeks. I'll see if any one else is available and bear you in mind.

The Northern Monkey

yay! lol!

Gives me chance to actually get to Gisburn and ride!

stumpyjon

Ben

that's not a bad idea, we've done that once or twice before, had a ride after digging. Terry often gets a ride in before digging (but that involves getting up early).

Mancunianfightingcat

Kewl! Keep me posted.

The Northern Monkey

stumpyjon wrote:

Ben

that's not a bad idea, we've done that once or twice before, had a ride after digging. Terry often gets a ride in before digging (but that involves getting up early).

:shock: you're pushing it a 10am!











hehe, only joking :P

tony_m

New bits done yesterday.

A few more metres of trail...



A shonky bridge...



And another test run... sorry, test walk on the log-ride (from the skinny end)...

The Northern Monkey

wow. very very sweet!

Dying to get to gisburn now

BlueAdvocate

Got up with the family and friends on Friday. Did purple route as we had young-uns with us.
Have to say impressed with the work and really have to say fantastic work setting up that blue single track, its great to get the kids used to some of the more fun stuff (fun for the adults as well ....).
I can't commend you enough for that.
Spotted where some of that new work is going on I think, just before the bridge?
Just need to get up again and do the red with no kids! Can't wait.

nfinite

Just to follow on from a few other comments, great work so far on the trails at gisburn.

I can tell that a large amount of work has been undertaken in the project and I would like to pass my regards onto all concerned who have clearly given up their time to make it happen.

A couple of us visited last weekend and it was a great ride.

Our only issue was the size of the carpark, which was very busy and difficult to find a spot.

But I guess the rep is growing all the time and as a result, more visitors shows exactly what is thought about the development.

Are they any plans by the FC to increase / improve the facilities?

I would have no objection with a few quid into a meter to ensure funds are available to supply better facilities.


But again, please pass my thanks onto all concerned with the trails.

I will have to pay you a visit on a dig day in the future, nothing says thank you more than a few hours with a shovel.

tony_m

BlueAdvocate and nfinite,

Many thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

BlueAdvocate, if it was the rock chute you spotted, then I believe that section's basically finished apart from the bermed exit from the chute (which is why it's still roped-off).

And depending on what time you were around on Friday, you may have heard or spotted us messing about in the woods to the left up the hill beyond the bridge - that's where we're working on the log-ride etc. pictured above.

nfinite, I understand the ultimate aim is to establish another proper car park somewhere around Stephen Hall, with more in the way of amenities (toilets and cafe for example). There will probably be a charge for this, with the money going towards the cost of maintaining the trails etc. In the meantime, Cocklet Hill does seem to be getting overloaded at weekends, but alternative facilities are available at the Dog & Partridge in Tosside (including a cafe and free bike wash) .

I will have to pay you a visit on a dig day in the future, nothing says thank you more than a few hours with a shovel.

You'd be more than welcome. I think stumpyjon's already posted basic dig day details earlier in the thread, but if you want to PM either of us we'll fill you in further.

stumpyjon

^^ wot he said

Emmodd

Hi guys. Going up next Monday but wondered on tyre choice. From what vids and pics i've seen it all seems surfaced. Is it likely to be muddy at all or is the surface generally good even when wet?

stumpyjon

Most is fairly well surfaced and dries well. There are a couple of rather notorious muddy bits though, just where you don't want them, not deep but very slick mud. Particularly on the rollercoaster / big berms section (Hully Gulley), so take it easy on that section. Have fun.

Chicken Fat

Hi Guys, is there any where i can get a trial map from with a list of routes (purple, blue, red etc) as i want to take my son up there but not sure he's up to the red yet. Will be going the week after with the boys to try the red.

Cheers
Rob.

Mancunianfightingcat

There's no official website and map, but there's a few dotted around this forum in various threads, I'm not sure if they'll show the shorter routes though. If you follow the coloured markers you should be ok.

The old routes can be found here, but they've been redirected since the new stuff went in

clicky

Mancunianfightingcat

I'm tempted to go to Llandegla tomorrow, but can't quite persuade myself to drive there.
If anyone fancies a blast round Gisburn, I might go there instead and session the Crag for a bit.

Chicken Fat

Cheers MFC, I'll have a route around the forum.

Rob.

tony_m

Rob,

AFAIK there aren't any official trail maps yet - if it takes as long as the waymarking, it'll be a good while until any appear!!! :roll:

The best map currently available is probably the GPS track recorded by stumpyjon...



I'm not 100% sure whether the Purple route still exists as such - I'd suggest that simply following the fire-road all the way round probably equates to "Purple".

As for the Blue bits, these are located in the lower loop on the map. Starting from Cocklet Hill car park (bottom centre of the map - apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here!), the route to the other side of the causeway is labelled Red, but should be straightforward enough apart maybe from one climb, although this can be bypassed by swinging left at the bottom of it and following the alternative trail round until it rejoins at the other side.

Once you're out of the woods on the northern side of the causeway, you're basically onto fire-road. As you presumably want to avoid the Red volunteer-built section on this occasion, ignore the map where the route swings left towards School Lane, and stick to the fire-road. This will take you all the way round, past Hesbert Hall, to the point where the route swings south-west on the map just by the 252 spot-height.

You'll find the first Blue section (which is quite twisty and upsy-downsy, there are also a couple of bridges to cross, but for the life of me I can't remember exactly where they are!!!) off the fire-road to the right, just past where the route swings north-west on the map, roughly beneath the "F" in "Forest". This then rejoins the fire-road further on, roughly beneath the "G" in "Gisburn".

The final Blue section starts at the far end of the straight bit past Stephen Park, and eventually emerges onto the track from and to the car park - in fact, you'll probably have spotted it on your way out. This one includes more twists and turns, a short section of boardwalk, and a gently bermed downhill section. In case it's of any use, here's a vid shot by Mancunianfightingcat of this section, starting from Stephen Park...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0UJS9sFPyI

Hope this helps. If you want any more info just ask. As I say, apologies if you already know your way around GF and I'm teaching you to suck eggs here!!!

Have fun!!!

Tony

Chicken Fat

Cheers Tony, this is great, thanks for the info.

I know i'll have fun, i'm sure he'll love it, he likes most of Llandegla blue, just want to keep him interested.

Rob.

Emmodd

Went up today for the first time was very muddy and wet in a lot of places but was great. Rode the red route (with a few choice black sections thrown in for good measure). Feel certain we missed some bits out (purely by accident) but were that impressed we'llno doubt be back very soon.

Chicken Fat

Had a quality day today at Gisburn.....Really enjoyed it, Muddy yes, but its november and its been raining, just like the natural trails....... if you don't like it get a road bike!!

Had a good laugh and will be back there again soon....

Rob.

The Northern Monkey

Just off to gisburn for my 1st every solo ride... Pretty nervous actually!

Is gisburn well waymarked? Is the start of the trail easy to find? How much for parking?

Lol cheers!

tony_m

bigbenj_08 wrote:

Just off to gisburn for my 1st every solo ride... Pretty nervous actually!

Is gisburn well waymarked? Is the start of the trail easy to find? How much for parking?

Lol cheers!

No real need to be nervous, just take it easy - we were out there yesterday doing a skills day and the trails were lovely and grippy (especially the rocks). Watch out for the roots, though, they do need care.

Waymarking is still a bit of an issue at the mo. It's probably fair to say that most of the posts are in place and have the right labels on them, they just aren't properly finished yet. Follow stumpyjon's map (see above) and keep an eye out for the posts and you should be fine.

Assuming you're planning to start at Cocklet Hill, the car park is easy to spot, and it's free, although the chances are it'll be full!!! Alternative facilities including cafe and free bike wash are available at the Dog & Partiridge in Tosside.

Have fun!!!

The Northern Monkey

how long does it take to get round? i'm thinking I might have left it too bleeding late now.
wont get there till 2:30.

tony_m

Good question, I've not done a complete loop yet without lots of stopping and messing around so couldn't really say.

There's still plenty of fun to be had on the lower loop alone without carrying on all the way to the top of the forest - save that for a better day maybe? - though how this might fit in with your personal "time-to-get-there v. riding-time" equation only you can judge.