Obstacles on the Ridgeway

Giraffoto

I like to cycle the bits of the Ridgeway either side of Wendover (Tring to Wendover, or around Combe Hill). The last couple of times I've been there I've found several sizeable branches laid right across the track. It's all bridleway, by the way, where the branches are laid. They're not enough of an obstacle to stop a bike, but I do need to slow down to get over them. I'm pretty sure they're put there deliberately. So do you think they might be . . .
Put there by someone who doesn't like bikes, to trip us up?
Put there by other MTBers, to make the trail more interesting?
Nothing to do with bikes, and just someone being a PITA?
Any other ideas?

rockmonkeysc

Are they under trees?

JBA

Giraffoto wrote:

It's all bridleway, by the way, where the branches are laid.

There's your answer ^^^.

Horse riders creating little jumps.

craker

If it cuts down on the number of twerps in oversized tonka toys (that's 4 x 4s if you didn't get the rant) using them then I'm all for it. Probably is horsey types though.

BigAl

I've also seen this on the Ridgeway, though further south (Stokencurch, Watlington). The ones I've seen are bigger than sizeable branches - these are hefty tree trunks, not easily moved.

Always thought it was horsey types. But now I think they're there to obstruct motor & quad bikes which can be a problem on the Ridgeway.

Who has responsibility for the Ridgeway? Is it the relevant county council or some other body?

19ninety

I've been getting back into riding this last few weeks. From Didcot upto the Ridgeway by Upton, I havent seen any as yet though where I'm riding is also used by farmers for access.
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway/faq.asp?PageId=42
Looking forward to riding a bit further on it once I get my stamina back up.

paulneenan76

I've ridden around chinnor, P risborough, Wendover for years and never had an issue. I live near the start at Ivinghoe now and not seen anything there either -mind you, it's a bit more open than most of it.

Out of interest, has anyone attempted to ride the whole ridgeway 88miles or whatever it is? I know there is an Enduro event on it each year but wondered if people have tried it outside of a managed event?

Paul

pesky_jones

paulneenan76 wrote:

I've ridden around chinnor, P risborough, Wendover for years and never had an issue. I live near the start at Ivinghoe now and not seen anything there either -mind you, it's a bit more open than most of it.

Out of interest, has anyone attempted to ride the whole ridgeway 88miles or whatever it is? I know there is an Enduro event on it each year but wondered if people have tried it outside of a managed event?

Paul

I did it about three weeks ago. It was good. Tailwind the whole way and no rain

singletracksurfer

walkers/local residents are sometimes responsible for the smaller stuff and I've known farmers to drag tree trunks to block paths - sometimes to stop motor vehicles, sometimes to annoy cyclists. The Ridgeway has its own department to look after it (I believe) - should be a contact on the National Trail website.

BigAl

Planning to do the full Ridgeway next year with my boys, hopefully with an overnight camp

Lowride

I'd put money on it being walkers, you know the type, retired with nothing better to do. Can't imagine horse riders going to the effort of getting of the horse to lay some branches down.

In one of my local woods there was a big problem with motor crossers and quads a few years back until the police started turning up on crossers too. The local yocals went through a stage of putting little branches down across the tracks, I could get over most of them on a MTB so I imagine a 125cc crosser would have no problem at all.

These pensioner types are stronger then they look, one of my mates caught one putting some logs across a trail and gave him a telling off lol.

Oxygen thieves!

paulneenan76

BigAl wrote:

Planning to do the full Ridgeway next year with my boys, hopefully with an overnight camp

Finally, it looks like a group of us are going for it from Avebury to the Beacon in September - have you planned yours yet?

paulneenan76

Pesky Jones wrote:

paulneenan76 wrote:

I've ridden around chinnor, P risborough, Wendover for years and never had an issue. I live near the start at Ivinghoe now and not seen anything there either -mind you, it's a bit more open than most of it.

Out of interest, has anyone attempted to ride the whole ridgeway 88miles or whatever it is? I know there is an Enduro event on it each year but wondered if people have tried it outside of a managed event?

Paul

I did it about three weeks ago. It was good. Tailwind the whole way and no rain

Looks like we are on to do this, at long last, in September - did you do this one way or there and back again? Did you b&b, camp or do it all in one day?

Old thread but could do with a few pointers.

Paul

BigAl

paulneenan76 wrote:

BigAl wrote:

Planning to do the full Ridgeway next year with my boys, hopefully with an overnight camp

Finally, it looks like a group of us are going for it from Avebury to the Beacon in September - have you planned yours yet?

No I haven't. Too many other things getting in the way, general lack of time etc. You doing it in a day (too much for my lads) or stopping halfway?

paulneenan76

Stopping half-way or as far as we can get toward the Beacon - Bike friendly B&B is preferable. We'll have two experienced road riders that are inexperienced off-road over distance so one day is unrealistic I'd say.