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Planning a trip over to Gisburn one weekday next week.
Apart from a day at Deggers a few years ago I'm a trail centre virgin. Is Gisburn pretty numpty proof ie easy to navigate? Looking at the map the blue and red seem to overlap a bit, is it best to park near the hub and start there? Any pointers welcome.
There’s the proper car park (with toilets etc) at the hub, park there and it’s pretty easy to follow the red or blue. There’s a diversion on the boardwalk, but it’s plenty signposted
The only issue is that it's a figure 8, and there's a point where you'll get a choice between outbound and inbound signs (you take the outbound).
What's up with the boardwalk?
Collapsed. Not sure if they are planning to rebuild it or get rid of it (which would be a bigger job, given that it is only there because of a swamp.)
Shame really, the climb up through the quarry and up to the start of the boardwalk is one of my favourite bits.
The boardwalk is one of the stand out features imo so it's a shame it's blocked off. Have you seen the damage? Wondering if it's just a few pieces need replacing or it's structurally knackered.
Haven't seen it myself, only head up there once a year or so now. I was told that one of the raised sections had collapsed, and the whole thing would need rebuilding if it was to remain in its current form.
I think a lot of centres are finding that their boardwalks were a great feature to begin with, but not as easy/cheap to maintain as a rock trail. Gisburn took out a load of boardwalks near the end of the route a while back and replaced with stone.
The only bit you could miss if you're not careful is around Hully Gully / Long Way Down. Basically they're both ways to the bottom of the same hill but you really need to do both.
You will meet The Long Way Down as you climb the fire road so go that way first. When at the bottom instead of following the track to the left you need to go right which takes you to the bottom of Hully. Go past that and follow the single track (Used to be the Red Route) up the hill to the fire road. Turn right and follow it up to the start of Hully. Bingo!
It may well be better signposted now but wasn't the last time I was up there and you don't want to miss either. Oh, and make sure you include The Hope Line in your ride.
The volunteers (I’ve not been for ages so I’m not counting myself as one) are doing the boardwalk now. I’ve not done a dig day since part way through them building long way down, but last time I was up there I saw a lot of timber so I presume most of it is being replaced.
The boardwalk is through a proper boggy bit (I’ve seen someone fall off in it) so it needs to be boardwalk to get over it.