Building jumps/trails - Legality

AGray

I'm wondering what the script is with building jumps/trails on public ground?
Stirling 30 mins away from me and it is full of jumps, drops, northshore, berms etc that have been built by the public.
If I had the time to go through to Stirling everytime I wanted to go out on my bike I would but sadly I dont, so I have been looking in my area for a good location to enhance some natural features and build a couple of nice trails including some cheeky drops and a section of jumps.

Am I allowed to do this? I dont want to go ahead and do anything that is going to end up getting me into trouble.

andyp79

I stay in Falkirk but am not "Falkirk Born and Bred" so I'm struggling to find local-ish places for riding as I don't know the area that well despite living here for 10 years now! I know the roads well but not the sorts of places to go riding off road and that.

Where about are these places in Stirling?? I'd travel the 15 mins to there for that stuff but don't know where it is...

Just PM me if you don't want to post it on the board.

Cheers.

Andy

andyp79

Sorry, I never answered your query...

I've been wondering about this too. I think if it's on public land that's not used for anything you'd be ok. But if it's a farmer's field or privately owned then you better avoid building anything. Likewise, if it's a park then you better avoid that too. Not sure what the Foresty Commision stance on this stuff is.

Remember though, the law up here may well be fundamentally different to the rest of the UK.

Andy

AGray

I'll drop you a pm about locations in Stirling, also Carronvalley is worth a jaunt to. I've not been up since they've updated it but one of my mates was saying its a lot faster flowing and still a lot of fun!
We go to Glentress or Inners pretty much every second Sunday - your welcome to come along.
Aye the area I was thinking about is in a Country Park.
I was originally going to speak to one of the Park Rangers and see what they say about it but then I was thinking, if I do and they say no i'd be gutted as this location is out of the way, has perfect natural features and is just begging to be used!

Should I just go for it and hope no-one says anything and if they do just appoligise and stop?

cee

better to ask forgiveness than permission.

worst that happens is it gets torn down

AGray

Aye and hopefully all the walkers that go by are sound and dont give me grief!

jay12

my mate built some stuff in some person's part of the wood. he asked if he could and he said yes as long as they keep noise levels moderate and they clean up any rubbish

supersonic

You can't build stuff on public land as far as I am aware.

andyp79

I suppose it's a gamble either way unless you are up front and speak to them about it... Like cee says though, what's the worst? It gets taken down. Unless it's actually a nuisance I reckon most folk would be ok with it.

Thanks for the PM.

Been to Carron a few times and love it there but was hoping to find other places nearby so your info. will definitely help with that.

Cheers.

Andy

Northwind

It's at least partly luck of the draw. Like, near me there's a longstanding and fairly well known downhill trail built on public land, which nobody seems to be too bothered about but in other places even hidden away trails seem to get sought out and squashed.

I'd suggest asking the landowner/ranger/whoever in a really general manner, without being specific on the area that way if they say yes, result. If they say no, you're no worse off.

AGray

Good shout, I know a guy who works for the council so i'll get him to drop a general question to one of the rangers and see what he says!

stumpyjon

I never really understand this question, all land is owned in th UK, even the public land. It's only public in as much as it's owned by and crucially the repsonibilty of a public body. Unfortunately due to the way our liability laws are written even if someone does something pretty stupid on your land you could be liable for 'allowing' them to do it.

On the flip side you wouldn't want some scrote digging up garden without asking first.

As for what's the worst that can happen, well to you personally the others are probably right your hard work would probably be wasted (although you could get sued for trepass or even criminal damage) but on a wider note you're likely to wind up up the locals, giving the mountain bikers a bad image and worse still you could wind up the local authority.

supersonic

True, if some kid falls and breaks their neck on it, could be the start of all sorts of problems.

Bignige

God I hate living in a nanny state!!!

Allan@ur

AGray where are you thinking of doing these trails? Are you from glasgow?

AGray

Nah Allan, 30mins the other way. I'll pm you where i'm from.

jay12

i built a small jump yesterday 8)

stumpyjon

I built 15m of boardwalk and 50m of trail last weekend. More coming this weekend. 8)