Oxshott Heath - 'If we build it...'
Not sure if any of you ride on Oxshott Heath (some people know it as the Common) but I have stopped and chatted to a few people recently, who I hope are on here.
If you do ride the Heath, you'll be fully aware that a pretty large scale deforestation project has taken place. On first glance it looks pretty desperate up there but, yesterday during my ride, I got pretty excited.
The area nearest the car park which has always had a few dirt jumps built there has been hit the hardest but after a quick ride around, it becomes clear that the natural landscape that has been uncovered has so many features and opportunities that have been overlooked.
Now I know that the Heath isn't set aside for cycling and the few of us that do get up there have to respect other users.
I want to get a handle on two things.
Firstly, is there enough interest or enough of us who cycle in that area to actually try and make something happen up there.
Secondly, if there is, and there is no point in wasting peoples time, I think we should meet up, discuss the options and then get some idea of planning or building skills people can bring to the party.
Of course nothing would be set in motion until we have contacted the local council and proposed the idea. I look at it this way. Right now there is a chance, a small chance, that something good can come from something bad. Ok, it's never going to be a world class trail centre but if we could get a skills/pump/jump section built, it's got to be better than a smashed up muddy hole.
Maybe this is just a flight of fancy but, if you don't ask...
If you do ride the Heath, you'll be fully aware that a pretty large scale deforestation project has taken place. On first glance it looks pretty desperate up there but, yesterday during my ride, I got pretty excited.
The area nearest the car park which has always had a few dirt jumps built there has been hit the hardest but after a quick ride around, it becomes clear that the natural landscape that has been uncovered has so many features and opportunities that have been overlooked.
Now I know that the Heath isn't set aside for cycling and the few of us that do get up there have to respect other users.
I want to get a handle on two things.
Firstly, is there enough interest or enough of us who cycle in that area to actually try and make something happen up there.
Secondly, if there is, and there is no point in wasting peoples time, I think we should meet up, discuss the options and then get some idea of planning or building skills people can bring to the party.
Of course nothing would be set in motion until we have contacted the local council and proposed the idea. I look at it this way. Right now there is a chance, a small chance, that something good can come from something bad. Ok, it's never going to be a world class trail centre but if we could get a skills/pump/jump section built, it's got to be better than a smashed up muddy hole.
Maybe this is just a flight of fancy but, if you don't ask...
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