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I was out on a loop of the North Third reservoir doing some filming with a friend on Saturday. About half way round the reservoir when I was just packing some kit away a heavily built dog walker (two labs and a collie I think) strode up to us and essentially started berating us for riding our bikes there. Implied mountain bikers were all in some kind of cult and that we should let everyone know to repair the trails around there (because we all shop at the same shops or something to that end). To be frank the path around the reservoir is definitely in a bit of state in places but mountain bikers are only part of the problem - huge amount of footprints in the mud emphasises that. The drainage off the adjacent fields is the actual issue. From our perspective, you can't really just approach two random folk and have an aggressive go at them. Fair enough to be concerned about the paths but there's groups like the Stirling Cycle Hub and I'm sure local clubs you could raise that with (neither my friend or I are local).
Rather heated exchange between my friend and this guy ensued - he consistently reminded us that he had been walking there for 15 years and he used to be a rider, all that clichéd stuff. But the real reason I'm posting this here is because he rounded out the exchange by threatening to string up some wire between trees. He also apparently made a throat slitting gesture at my mate. It seems fairly unlikely that he could actually do this because the North Third loop is basically just a walkers path and stuff would, I hope, be immediately found. But he did also seem like a bit of a nutjob so there you go.
Two riders later passed us by and they had had a similar confrontation though minus the threat.
Got the day off to a bit of a rough start, luckily the weather was so good we soon got back into the good ride vibes.
That's worthy of a report to the police, landowners and mention it to local clubs etc. If anything is then put up, the police have a description of a prime suspect.
Igree - 101 it to police.
I've never had a problem up there.
My view - just point out the land reform act gives you the right to ride your bike there and ride off. Arguments just entrench peoples views
matt_outandabout - Member
I've never had a problem up there.
Yup, usually a very good community of trail users around there
You need a different route, round the reservoir is shite.
I'm one of the other two riders.
We had the pleasure of meeting this berk twice.
Initially loads of shouting about bikes wrecking trails and such. Appparently walking doesn't cause any erosion at all and three unleashed dogs never bother the breeding geese or toads.
Next time he was still very grumpy and made wire threats again. We took photos of him and told him to cheer up.
thebikingsquirrel, if you want a pic of him email me, swap yahoo to hotmail.
Nope, round the reservoir sends you up the cliffs in the right direction. You can come up from the back of the cliffs but that's the poorer option imo
All this will be moot of course when the bridge starts falling apart
[url= https://www.strava.com/activities/647795263 ]This way Legend![/url]
Yup....... nah
Riders out last night (Thurs 30th) reporting trail obstacles on the last cliff (closest one to Cambusbarron). The trail was clear when I last rode it on Tuesday night
Have the police been notified of the altercations at the weekend? If not could you guys possibly do this and give them the photo please?
I'll photo and log anything I see while riding there and report it and ask other locals to do the same. Shouldn't be too difficult to put an end to it given the descriptions above and the photo.
Could I please have a copy of the photo incase me or my crew/acquaintances can ID him?
Cheers
Oh dear, what sort of obstacles?
Email sent to ss.
More info would be helpful - I have shared with local bike club and riders.
Sounds like the one grumpy person, worth educating them to prevent any more issues or them doing something daft...
Haha...only 15 years...he's is still a newbie...I've been biking there since 94 so he is definitely not that old in that neck of the woods.
The land reform act gives you a right to responsible access to the land - comparing the trails now to back then, it is very clear a lot has been irresponsible access.
However, that ends with people shrugging their shoulders and claiming it isn't them doing the damage - of course not, just helping it along.
Traps are not a good thing, hopefully the exchange has been reported, photos provided and a report on the obstacles also made.
Having an aggressive go at folk isn't going to help the issue though, so the guy needs some pointers on his etiquette.
He's at it again! We bumped into him twice on Saturday morning, wouldn't speak or make eye contact with us and generally looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. Various logs and branches along the clifftop trails, including a couple of nice head height ones and ones on steep sections. Worth keeping an eye out on the way into each section unfortunately.
His dogs seem nice though
Unfortunately this guy appears to be still at it. I was up on Saturday and passed the guy, tried a cheery hello but was frowned at. He goes round the opposite way to me so usually meet him again. It was later than expected and he was looking rather sweaty. I suspect this was due to the large amount of wood scattered all over the trail which wasn't there a few hours earlier.
Get photos of the guy so it can be reported...
You'd need two witnesses for anything to be remotely likely to happen. Legend and I didn't see him pulling the logs on to the trails but it's very likely to be the same guy. I didn't hear the threats last time. Thebikingsquirreland friend may be in a position to make a report.
Perhaps he had just passed TJ who gave a couple of swift kicks to his dog's heads, and then rode off before he could confront him?
Take a picture anyway...it can be reported as a just in case...
if anyone encounters this guy; let him know that we had a man charged after a similar tactic was being used in Mine Woods.
As above, get him reported.
The trails round the reservoir will be in a state after this summer, but all users will be causing damage, for him to single out MTBers is plain wrong. For him to make threats and possibly place obstacles is plain dangerous and illegal.
I'm all for sharing trails nicely, but you can't do that with idiots like him.