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Seen on faceboak there, KLL side of devils staircase is being given the treatment, sad days.
Oh no!
?!?
If they could sanitise the A217 I'd appreciate it.
The top half, aka the good bit? Vandals.
Last time I did it was probably 16-17 years ago, can't remember it being that rough/techy then.
It'll be all those redsocks complaining the WHW is too lumpy.
I did ride the whole lot clean once from Altnafeadh side mind. 🙂
That's shite....
Guys - popular paths erode and need maintenance. What to one person is a gnarly trail to another is an eroded mess. This is a historic path tho so I hope it is done sensitively.
This is a historic path tho so I hope it is done sensitively
Problem is sometimes it's not, and end up with a very man made tarmac/gravel smooth path in areas that are all about the wild natural feel, and even the walkers like the rocky challenges (okay yeah, the paths are still generally man made, but still). Ends up looking like someone's built a motorway through the countryside.
But then again, does provide access to people who wouldn't otherwise have it. Tricky one really.
Still, given a number of years of erosion then it may very different.
linky to the facebook page?
Erosion? From memory it was predominantly bedrock.
As with the Corrieyairack road, this is an old military road and parts of it have Scheduled Ancient Monument status. The resurfacing may be simply to prevent further erosion to the original road surface/bed.
TJ +1
Considering it's not a purpose built MTB trail and as long as they do a good job with the maintenance, I don't think there is much to complain about.
Not complaining really, merely mourning the passing of an old rocky friend. On the plus side, looks like hitting 40mph should be easy enough now, Rambler skittles!
There was a link on the WHW site about this. The map looked like it was the first few hundred metres after you leave the vehicle track coming up from KLL
looks like a decent job using local materials that will blend in nicely in a few years
But then again, does provide access to people who wouldn’t otherwise have it. Tricky one really.
Agreed - I'm thinking of lobbying Tibet County Council for a tarmac trail to be built up Everest because in my current physical condition I can't get to the top.
That is unbelievable. I read that way-made-easier link expecting the April fool punchline at any point. But it never came.
That is truly truly depressing
looks fine to me, a few less loose baby heads, will rough up after a while anyway. people do realise it's a shared use trail and not an mtb trail don't they? actually more keen to have a blast on that now than when I last rode it, looks super fast!
Why is it depressing that one of the UKs most used trails that is of historical significance has been sensitively repaired using local materials to prevent further erosion and damage?
This IMO is an exemplar of how it should be done.
historical significance has been sensitively repaired using local materials
Oh give it a rest. You sound like a farm shop.
Traditional farmhouse handpicked from a trusted supplier who shares our values.....
The use of local materials is important as it means it will blend in better and not change the local ecology as well as requiring less energy to get the material on site
So why is it depressing that this trail has been repaired so well?
It looks like what it is. A hastily done ‘repair’ that effectively turns it into a road in the middle of nowhere. Use of local materials, meh.
Use of local materials, meh.
Nonsense - locally-sourced bullshit is the best.
So would you suggest that its allowed to erode down to bedrock over a 20 m wide area? Babyheads everywhere?
Or properly and sensitively repaired?
It won't look like that for long. That's just what these remedial works look like when fresh, it will wear down soon enough and the edges will blend in with new vegetation growth.
I remember the Conic Hill section of the WHW was closed for a while a few years back for restoration. They made a good job of it, really nicely done. Unfortunatly most people who use the paths are dumb twunts who would rather walk on fresh ground next to the path than on the path itself. Mountain bikers also, never seen the point of carrying a bike up a nice rocky path only to ride down the featureless side of it on the way back down. Stick to cycle paths ffs. See also people who walk 3+ abreast. The path is now back to it's usual self, 20m wide and almost just as eroded as before thanks to these muppets.
How is that repairing anything, it'll be washed away soon.
Ruts everywhere till it hits the bedrock. What was wrong with the bedrock, thought that was suddenly going to get destroyed by a herd of angry horses?
totally agree , its utter crap , they should leave them alone , nature will take care of itself . Here in jersey they do the same , sleepers with fencing nails (anti slip ) used everywhere as steps , what next tarmac to make it accessible ?
they should leave them alone , nature will take care of itself .
It's not a "natural" trail - whatever that may be. It was an old drovers route, then became a military road around 300 years ago. It's probably closer now to what it would have been then.
I rode that trail a few years back, the repairs do look like they've totally mellowed it out from a riding perspective. My zero experience of path/road/trail repairs lead me to agree that with a bit of rain and use it'll get transformed into something rough again.
TJ+1
It’s not just there for mountain bikers and after all, or was a man-made path originally. If it was a ‘natural’ trail, I could understand the outrage, but it’s not.
These things bed in and settle down in time, so I wouldn’t worry too much. It will soon feel less-engineered again.
actually more keen to have a blast on that now than when I last rode it, looks super fast!
Yep, as I said, rambler skittles!