Do you ride on Military Land near Farnborough & Aldersho
trailactiongroup
Posts: 4
Some months ago and following a series of rumours on various forums about the potential banning of mountain biking on Caesars Camp, Minley, Porridgepot Hill and Tunnel Hill a group of local cyclists got together to form the Trail Action Group (TAG) with a view to working with the military and relevant environmental groups to ensure that mountain biking could continue in the area.
Thanks to having military personnel active in the group we have been able to set up trail maintenance days, put up signs and posters encouraging responsible mountain bike riding in the area and identifying guidelines for riding in Military Training Areas where soldiers are often on exercise both day and night.
The guidelines are centered around being courteous, moving on from areas being used, dimming or dousing lights when you become aware of soldiers training and not to creating new trails or features without permission from the land owner. Common sense really.
Several incidents of riders interupting night exercises have occurred over the last few weeks which only serve to highlight the need for us all to keep an eye out for soldiers training on the land (especially at night). If you see military personnel or any Army or SHB 4x4’s on the land please make your way to the nearest fire road and move on to another area as quickly as possible. If you are addressed directly please show courtesy towards any military personnel – they have much more right to be there than you do!
Also – please dim or completely switch off your lights, they are blinding and ruin night vision for at least 20 minutes making continued operations very difficult. In addition, and as part of some exercises trip wires and perimeter wires are used which can hurt you and damage your bike. So for everyone’s benefit please steer clear of military exercises, apologise if you encounter/distrub them and move on.
With your help we will be able to continue using the land safely into the future.
For more information on the Trail Action Group please check Facebook or visit www.trailactiongroup.co.uk
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Your support will be appreciated!
TAG
Thanks to having military personnel active in the group we have been able to set up trail maintenance days, put up signs and posters encouraging responsible mountain bike riding in the area and identifying guidelines for riding in Military Training Areas where soldiers are often on exercise both day and night.
The guidelines are centered around being courteous, moving on from areas being used, dimming or dousing lights when you become aware of soldiers training and not to creating new trails or features without permission from the land owner. Common sense really.
Several incidents of riders interupting night exercises have occurred over the last few weeks which only serve to highlight the need for us all to keep an eye out for soldiers training on the land (especially at night). If you see military personnel or any Army or SHB 4x4’s on the land please make your way to the nearest fire road and move on to another area as quickly as possible. If you are addressed directly please show courtesy towards any military personnel – they have much more right to be there than you do!
Also – please dim or completely switch off your lights, they are blinding and ruin night vision for at least 20 minutes making continued operations very difficult. In addition, and as part of some exercises trip wires and perimeter wires are used which can hurt you and damage your bike. So for everyone’s benefit please steer clear of military exercises, apologise if you encounter/distrub them and move on.
With your help we will be able to continue using the land safely into the future.
For more information on the Trail Action Group please check Facebook or visit www.trailactiongroup.co.uk
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Your support will be appreciated!
TAG
0
Comments
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I normally ride around Old Windmill Hill which is right next to Porridge Pot (and probably the same area for all intents and purposes) so good to know you guys are around. Gonna check out your site now.
Never do night runs but have seen a few exercises and always move on - it is their land after all. Parts of it were taped up on Sunday but couldn't tell whether you were meant to keep on the fire roads or off them - I cut in from the chain link fence by the ranges and came upon the tape from the trail side so the road seemed cut off. Never worked it out but saw no activity0 -
HAHA I had visions of guys riding into an ambush with gun fire all around them. That would be a hell of a scare for them!
Luckily, they only use blanks!0 -
Funnily enough that sort of thing can happen. Hence the be aware and steer clear messages. Unfortunately by the very nature of what they do the military are usually pretty well hidden, their perimeter wires are green and they can often be found sleeping!
So it is definitely a case of steer clear and if you do bump in to them be nice, apologise if appropriate and remember who owns the land!
Cheers guys.0 -
Hi,
Thanks for the post and intro. Been aware of the issues around these areas for a while, seen the signs up, but didn't know there was an active group working with the military. I just got the impression that we weren't going to be tolerated for much longer and no further trail building or maintenance would occur.
Are the Trolls involved with this as well, or at least aware of this? I'd think for night rides that maybe groups like them are perhaps the preferred option if their rides can be scheduled with the military so they are less likely to conflict.
Good to see people are on the case and I'll be interested in developments, and maybe can get involved.
P.S. MTB Britain forums have a number of riders around these areas too.
Cheers,
DK(Tim)0 -
Hi Tim, yes the trolls are aware and particpate in our trail maintenance days. Thanks for the tip about MTB Britain.0
