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It seems that the BHF Peak District Mountain Bike Challenge is back for 2016. Great, I thought, until I saw that it had been moved to March and appears to use Cut Gate (see [url= https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/bike-rides/peak-district-mountain-bike-challenge ]here[/url]). I have just emailed the following to events@bhf.org.uk:
Dear Sir/Madam,As a keen mountain biker I was initially very pleased to see this event return to the calendar for 2016. I signed up to the BHF initially as I was interested in doing the 2014 ride, but couldn't enter as I was away. However, the timing of the event and the chosen route has given me great cause for concern.
From the vague description of the route currently on the website it appears that the routes take in the trail known as Cut Gate, between the Upper Derwent and Langsett reservoirs. Sections of this trail are very boggy even in the summer (I rode this trail recently after a prolonged dry spell and even then there was a small section of bog that was only just passable). In wetter months the trail conditions are very poor. The general consensus amongst the mountain biking community is that this trail should only be ridden after prolonged dry spells, or when the trails are frozen. This is not only because many sections of the trail are unrideable in the wet, but also because it causes a huge amount of damage to the trails. Many people ignore this advice and I have seen a serious deterioration of the trail over recent years due to this - the thought of hundreds of riders using this trail in March makes me shudder at the thought of the damage it will cause. My understanding is that part of the reason the 2015 event was not held was due to the poor "restoration" works on the previous route carried out by Derbyshire County Council. Using sensitive trails for an organised ride will only lead to more unsympathetic trail repairs.
March seems a very poor choice of timing for this event. Last March saw Cut Gate, and many other trails in the area, being covered by snow drifts. I would strongly suggest that you reconsider both the timing and location of this event, and that in doing so you consult people that know the trails well. A good starting point would be to look at the Keeper Of the Peak Twitter account, which should give you some idea of which trails hold up well throughout the year:
I would strongly encourage anyone who cares about the state of the trails in this area to do the same.
I'd suggest that anyone who 'cares about the state of the trails in this area' could argue, not unreasonably, that any sort of mass participation mountain bike event in March is a pretty bad idea, Cut Gate or not. Several hundred riders banging over the obvious Jacob's/Roych loop isn't going to do the more gloopy bits of that much good either... Bloody tourists.
ps: some good outrage in your e-mail though. I could feel your shuddering from here.
Qtip - is your quibble not more to do with the people who gave them permission to do it?
Couldn't they route it up and down Rushup a few times with a spot prize for the most stylish and longest skids? 😀
It's not as if the mountain's going to wear away,
I get the feeling that this is planned from an office miles away without any thought to locals.
I've forwarded it to Mr kotp direct
Qtip - is your quibble not more to do with the people who gave them permission to do it?
Partly, but I thought that BHF should be made aware of the issues.
Come on bwd, even you must admit that Cut Gate is a particularly bad route choice.
You don't need permission to do something like this do you?
Don't worry if it gets to cut up the council will come along and put loads of gravel down and kill another trail.Peaks is not what it use to be unfortunately.
That does seem like a pretty stupid choice of route and timing
Not just for environmental reasons but there is presumably also not an easy shortcut/escape route if someone should have mechanical or physical problems half way round, or if the weather closes in (as it can be prone to do that time of year)
For all the issues surrounding Rushup/Chapelgate etc the Hope Valley College ride is still going ahead this year with a similar (slightly changed) route to previous so they obviously don't see the same issues as the BHF organisers do
What has happened is that the park wanted the route to be within the derwent Valley area, so those routes were about the only ones possible. Then the date of the event was later moved.
I'm trying to persuade everyone involved that it should be changed. Route or date.
I have a feeling the park is directing or happy for it to happen like this so they can resurface cut gate or something.
Anytime is dodgy - The country is water logged now, in August!
How do you reckon they're routing it back? Hardly going to have an out and back on Cut Gate with riders going both ways, are they?
Can't believe they'll use cut gate. There appears to be a long and short route both going from Derwent reservoirs to Langsett no way you're going to get lots of 2 way traffic on the north part of cut gate.
March seems a very poor choice of timing for this event. Last March saw Cut Gate, and many other trails in the area, being covered by snow drifts
you'd shit your pants about the 'puffer
Anytime is dodgy
this ++
Never impressed with the BHF cycling events. There is always something less than impressive about the organisation. As with race for life they do a great job in leaving number cards all over our park... This whole volunteer/corporate charity mix is all a bit questionable but that's for another thread.
However cut gate will probably still be there after us humans have been wiped out. And all the better for it.
you'd shit your pants about the 'puffer
Hardly a like-for-like comparison of events and the riders they're likely to attract.
It is the park that has requested the event uses this specific area (so effectively those trails).
The date was then changed/brought forward significantly (don't know why exactly) and the park Ok'd it.
I don't know the park reasons for this tbh and wonder if they are just misguided or more sinister. I'm hoping and advising the bhf to make changes.
Also, I think there is a limit of around 200-250 cyclists for events in the dark peak now.
Considering the PDNP haven't been too impressed with DCC over Rushup I very much doubt that there is anything sinister going on but please feel free to spread wild rumours every 11 hours.
To be fair, done right, Cut gate would really benefit from some bits being resurfaced
Mildly off topic (I was looking for Cut Gate photos) but if someone knows Jack Quick maybe they should have a word
Checkout the state of the ground [url= http://www.go4awalk.com/userpics/jackquick17.php ]HERE[/url] and [url= http://www.go4awalk.com/userpics/jackquick18.php ]HERE[/url] Then take a look at the photo titles...
Pook - Member
Come on bwd, even you must admit that Cut Gate is a particularly bad route choice.
What, backtrack on STW, are you insane? 😉
Whoops, I love/hate the way things can be taken out of context. So sorry I'll backtrack, I was uncomfortable using the word sinister.
Just wondering why they don't mind an event going up there in March. Yes some bits could do with being improved and I think this might be being used as a catalyst. Good or bad.
I won't post for a while next time 😉
Thank you for all your feedback, advice, comments on the route. The BHF have been working closely with the National Parks to allow this event to go ahead in 2016 on a date which has been agreed on by both parties for several reasons such as - quieter time in the area, away from the Easter break, day light hours, away from other events such as the Hope Valley college event in September.
I am working closely with Rough Ride Guides who designed the route, which again had been submitted and accepted by the National Parks. I will be looking at alternative options and look to take on board your suggestions over the coming weeks, as you will hopefully appreciate alot of planning goes into these events to get them right.
Whilst I am not based directly in the Peak District I am not a person in an office in London either. I am a keen runner, and hiker, event lover, charity fundraiser who lives in Yorkshire and wants to see more events in the North of England for us all to enjoy, take part safely and raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.
STS, no offence meant just your almost exact post 11 hours apart seemed like you were trying to force a point.
Helen, Rough ride guides don't seem to have any books based outside the south of England and they clearly haven't visited the area as no one in their right mind would think of sending 200+ people over this [img] 
[/img]
and this
[img] 
[/img]
Perhaps you should pick local guides for ride planning, someone like [url= http://www.v-graphics.co.uk/ ]http://www.v-graphics.co.uk/[/url]
I'll give Max Rough Ride a buzz. Podge, me and Sam are IN a Rough Ride Guide.
I know I'm not internet famous like you, but it's my 15 minutes 🙂
No offence taken.
Basically the date change has caused some concerns.
Are you on the inside sts?
Basically the date change has caused some concerns.
Not just the date change. It seems like a bad choice of route at any time of year, given how sensitive to the weather Cut Gate is and there's no way of predicting when we're going to have a dry spell. Also, the out and back nature of the route seems like a silly idea for that number of riders, but that's only an issue in terms of how enjoyable it would be to partake.
Ok - as you can see up there, Helen is great and very open to advice as are Rough Ride, we're talking to both.
Chris
Peak District MTB
Pook - I'll give Max Rough Ride a buzz. Podge, me and Sam are IN a Rough Ride Guide.I know I'm not internet famous like you, but it's my 15 minutes
Is that the filofax you got given?
Available in all good book shops!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/UK-Breaks-Bikes-Mountain-Around/dp/095488292X
Parts of cut gate are quite technically difficult and exposed. Factor in inexperienced riders, potential bad weather and people coming the other way as well I think there could be some nasty accidents
I'd be interested to hear the view of people like the local mountain rescue on events similar to this.
I did it the other year and they were asking you not to ride down Greenlands as "a fat lad" had fallen off and injured himself quite badly. They didn't want to have to carry anyone else back up the hill to be rescued.
Didn't know hora had entered.
It wasn't Hora, they fell of halfway round, rather than not even starting 😉
Tbh the people who moan and complain are the ones that have **** all going on in their empty lives. Hence they lash out at other human beings.
Victor Mildrews.
What are you on about? (ironically moaning and complaining? 😉 )
I'm not sure if that's supposed to be directed at me Hora. If so, and you wish to judge my life as empty based on a forum post, then knock yourself out.
I don't like moaning and complaining for the sake of it, but this is something I feel fairly strongly about, that I thought should be brought to the attention of other members of the mountain biking community, and that I'm trying to do something about (by asking people to voice their concerns to the BHF, as I did).
qtip - drop me a line. email in profile, or Chris Maloney on FB - find me via the Peak District MTB pages. Don't get offended by Hora - I don;t think he was getting at you.