Gisburn Forest needs 5 mins of your time

stumpyjon
stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
edited July 2011 in Routes
As some of you may be aware Gisburn's got great plans for a new car park and skills area along with better facilities. It’s currently going through the planning process and we're trying to secure significant funding to actually build it. We have a major application in at the moment but we need to provide more supporting documentation which is where you come in. One of things needed is an assessment of the need for the facilities upgrade. Could you spend five minutes (that’s all) and fill in the online survey hosted here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N25QDLL

No personal details are required except your postcode. The more people who fill in the survey the more credibility the funding application will have.

Even if you haven't visited Gisburn but are may do in the future it would be worth filling it in.

Thanks
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
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Comments

  • ricardo_smooth
    ricardo_smooth Posts: 1,281
    Done and good luck! Love Gisburn!
  • BobbyTrigger
    BobbyTrigger Posts: 377
    Done!
  • Brood
    Brood Posts: 138
    done
    Canyon Nerve AM 6 2011
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    Ta

    any of the evening crowd up for airing their opinions?

    Hope to be able to publish full plans of what's proposed on www.pmba.org.uk as soon as we get a planning decision (which is over due!).
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • mystery h
    mystery h Posts: 154
    done
  • mkf
    mkf Posts: 242
    done
  • Done
  • Raymondavalon
    Raymondavalon Posts: 5,346
    Mission accomplished :¬)
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    Ta all.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • Done ... :) And good luck with it :)

    As we are on topic whats the conditions like at Gisburn after all the rain as we are going up on Sunday ?

    Cheers :)
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Done it though I dont like the idea of spending money on a visitor centre. Much better I think to put in a new car park, a bog block (weeing against a wall is okay for blokes but not women) and some better signposting. Then spend the money on the trails rather than a bland overpriced cafe and shop, I can honestly say I have never chosen my trail on the basis of which one has a good cafe.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • done, and hope it goes through
  • grim168
    grim168 Posts: 482
    Sorted.
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    Stubs

    No worries, the proposal is for a better carpark with toilets. Better information boards at the trail head. There's no indoor visitor centre being planned and the cafe is part of a seperate development being undertaken by the people who now lease Stephen Park. Actually it's likely to generate money for trail repairs and improvements rather than cost money to build.

    Car park is the priority with the new connecting Singletrack. Skills loops will be the next thing to fund but we're hoping to tap into a different funding source for that.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • piker
    piker Posts: 353
    Done,i hope it all comes together.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    stumpyjon wrote:
    Stubs

    No worries, the proposal is for a better carpark with toilets. Better information boards at the trail head. There's no indoor visitor centre being planned and the cafe is part of a seperate development being undertaken by the people who now lease Stephen Park. Actually it's likely to generate money for trail repairs and improvements rather than cost money to build.

    Car park is the priority with the new connecting Singletrack. Skills loops will be the next thing to fund but we're hoping to tap into a different funding source for that.

    That sounds much better I read it as a full on visitor centre which I think would be a waste of money and an eyesore.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • furry.
    furry. Posts: 46
    Done ... :) And good luck with it :)

    As we are on topic whats the conditions like at Gisburn after all the rain as we are going up on Sunday ?

    Cheers :)

    Done and I was up at Gisburn on Wednesday night. Conditions were fine although one puddle was deeper than I expected :shock: , kept it together though :wink:
  • Alan P
    Alan P Posts: 127
    Done.....good luck
    Ibis Mojo HDR (2014)
    Canyon Grand Canyon AL29 (2013)
  • MTBmaniac
    MTBmaniac Posts: 29
    Personally I feel that the trails are already too busy at weekends and I feel that further development will only add to the problem. As a local rider who has been riding around the forest since the mid nineties I've seen the forest change significantly over the years with the introduction of the original red route towards the late nineties etc. Although I enjoy the new trails and appreciate the hard work that has gone into them (I volunteered myself on the home baked section) I think there is a real danger Gisburn Forest will be over developed and spoilt. In terms of riding, I've changed the times I ride to either very early morning or night time, just because the trails are too busy. Busy trails are fine if everyone is riding at a similar speed, but this isn't the case. I seem to be coming across more and more large groups of riders riding very slowly who just scowl or give me a blank look when I politely ask if I can come past (obviously I get out of the way when someone wants to come past me). Also, litter is becoming a problem with a lot of plastic drinks bottle strewn about especially on the lower part of the red route, although admittedly it looks like someone has had a clean up over the last few weeks. So, although I'm not against out and out trail development as such I do think plans to increase visitor numbers could have quite a detrimental impact on Gisburn Forest.
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • MTBmaniac
    MTBmaniac Posts: 29
    StumpyJon, thanks for your reply. That'll teach me to post on two forums. You're doing great work on the volunteer section, so I don't want you to think I'm being negative about everything.
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    MTBmaniac

    to be honest all (constructive) feedback is very welcome. We're not going to please everyone all the time and it would be a bit worrying if we did. You're obviously a passionate Gisburn rider so you've got as much right as anyone to share your views.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • woodnut
    woodnut Posts: 562
    Done. GIsburn's great, although I now fear I may be one of the unwashed masses that MTBmaniac doesn't want to go there :roll:
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Stumpy could you ask for a grant for a roof over the forest. I got a tiny bit damp today in fact its safe to say I looked like I had rolled in a pig pen for 3 hours then been badly hosed down with ditch water. :lol:
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    Done and hope to get back up there soon.
  • browny584
    browny584 Posts: 18
    Doing a fine job up there, hoping to go again monday, Hully Gully was closed last week, anyone know if it's open yet???
  • Wayupnorth
    Wayupnorth Posts: 40
    Done! Best in the North West.
  • grant43
    grant43 Posts: 170
    just done it hope it happens :D
    keep smiling no matter how much it hurts,commencal ramones 1 loving it lol
  • lawson_m20
    lawson_m20 Posts: 97
    Done. Fingers crossed.