About IMBA-UK >> Updates >> Update 60 (April 2009)
Forestry Commission Scotland's Ae Line Trail at 7Stanes
Welcome to the IMBA UK Members update.
If you have information, news or events for the next email update, please by Wednesday 27 May. I look forward to hearing from you.
This year the UK IMBA members get together will take place over the weekend of 16/17/18 October. The AGM will take place on Saturday morning (17th). This will be followed by a discussion meeting, and a look at some trails. On Sunday (18th), for those who want, there will be the chance to go and ride some trails. The location this year is in the Keswick area. Once further details are confirmed, we will let you know.
IMBA chairman Karl Bartlett, along with Ian Warby of CTC attended the steering group of the SMBDC (Scottish Mountain Bike Development Consortium) in Edinburgh on the 24th April.
The Implementation plan is at the stage of finalizing the job description for the proposed Project Officer. This three year post will enable the framework document (yet to be made publicly available) to be implemented.
IMBA were concerned that the core competency of the role didn't include sufficient emphasis on having a sound understanding of mountain biking and the MTB community. Following representations before and during the meeting these concerns have now been taken on board and an understanding of mountain biking is now an essential part of the Project Officer's skill requirements.
The proposed timetable is that a Project Officer will be in post by September. Final amendments are being made to the framework document for publication by the end of May. IMBA will continue to represent the best interests of mountain bikers in Scotland as part of the group.
The very first Bicycle Festival in Dumfries and Galloway will be run 9th-24th May. The "Original Bicycle Festival" will include a series of road and mountain bike rallies, competitions and events as well as a Cycling Film Festival and Cycling presentations.
In addition, there will be an appearance or two of Kirkpatrick Macmillan - the local blacksmith credited with inventing the first pedal bike in 1839.
There will be a number of activities being run at the 7stanes trail centres including:
See www.originalbicyclefestival.co.uk for more information on this unique event.
As the popularity of mountain biking continues to grow there are more companies, groups and individuals out there building and maintaining trails to keep riders on track. The proposed formation of a professional group aims to make the trail design and building process robust, sustainable and the trails themselves high quality, so that riders have an enjoyable experience.
Trail designers and trail builders might want to consider setting up a similar organisation to the Professional Trail builders Association www.trailbuilders.org/about.html
To help facilitate this process the original working group formed after the Paths for all meeting in 2007 has brought together a range of partners including CTC, Forestry Commission and experts from, Commercial Forestry, Cycling and Trail Building sector to form a steering group to discuss the potential formation of this UK group.
There will be a meeting to discuss taking this forward at Browne House on the Crichton Campus in Dumfries On Wednesday 13th May 2009 10am - 4.30pm. Information on the Browne House location is available at www.browne.org.uk.
John Ireland (FCS) is the contact for this and is going to arrange video conferencing facilities.
If you are able to attend/interested in video conference please could you contact (phone 07810180124).
If you are unable to attend the meeting the minutes will be available after the event and distributed to interested parties, please contact John Ireland.
The 7stanes team at Forestry Commission Scotland is working closely with their English counterparts to link up the great mountain bike and off road riding at the 7stanes, Newcastleton and Kielder Forest.
They will shortly have the Cross Border Trail suitably signposted, and if you fancy a 50km+ day out in the stunning scenery of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders then this will be the ride for you.
If you do plan to try it out, make sure you visit the mountain bike trails on both sides of the Border and remember to stop off at Newcastleton or Kielder villages for some coffee and cake!
Crompton Moor is a jewel in the crown of Oldham Boroughs countryside and is seen prominently above the township of Shaw, which has excellent transport links to large conurbations, yet within a short distance of its summit lies the Peak District National Park.
In recent years a number of local riders have dug quite exciting freeride mountain bike trails on the Moor but in an unsustainable fashion and in locations that have caused conflict with other users. Fearing demolition of the trails the riders organised themselves into a formal group known as North West Riders (NWR) and set about positively advocating for the provision of managed trails. The Parks and Countryside Service of Oldham Council recognised this as an opportunity. Crompton Moor is an excellent location for an urban fringe access project to deliver a variety of quality recreation and education opportunities for all set harmoniously within the landscape.
Taking the fast growing sport of mountain biking as a catalyst the Council saw the potential to develop a 'countryside recreation park' offering a series of sustainably managed activities for inclusive use by the community, while respecting the character and wildlife of the Moor. The overarching philosophy of the 'Crompton Moor Project' is to establish activities that allow progression for users from all backgrounds and to give confidence for users to explore the wider countryside. An example of this would be sustainably built and managed trails that allow walkers, mountain bikers and horseriders the opportunity to progress from 'entry level' through a number of more challenging trails, using a colour coded system similar to those seen at many country parks and dedicated mountain bike centres. Proposals also include an off-road trail for use by people with mobility difficulties to explore the Moor using motorised scooters.
For mountain biking activity there are proposals for a 'green' family trail of 1km and a 'blue+' trail of just over 2km, both of which link directly into a skills area. Around the perimeter of the site a 7km 'red' trail is envisaged with potential to extend this. Finally a 1km freeride trail has been mapped out through one the the plantations. Through the NWR forums, mountain bikers have taken a responsible attitude to the project, working positively with other users to develop trail plans for all and manage the existing use of the trails to minimise potential conflict.
The Project is taking the route of full and active communication with the local community and with potential partnering organisations and neighbours as the Council undertakes an extensive feasibility study, planned to be complete in autumn 2009. This will also include an assessment of the impact of the proposed trails on the moorland landscape and habitat.
In order to encourage public debate about the aims and objectives of the project the Council has facilitated the establishment of the Crompton Moor User Group (CMUG). This Group, which includes ramblers, dog walkers, mountain bikers, horseriders, conservation groups, neighbours and other interested parties meets regularly, and sometimes vociferously to discuss a range of topics. The Group also acts as the forum for a number of debates and activities. The Project has set up communication lines with present and potential partners, funders, neighbours and users. One of the most exciting aspects of the project is the potential to link a series of mountain bike centres in the south Pennines area, along the 7stanes type model, using the Pennine Bridleway as a connecting thread. Initial talks are underway on developing this ambitious and thrilling opportunity.
Overall the principle of the Crompton Moor Project is to talk to as many people as possible to encourage involvement and seek views. This enables informed decisions to be made for the development of a masterplan and associated management plan, for a sustainable and inclusive countryside activity park that is endorsed by the Council but more importantly by the local community. To allow a wider audience to participate, updates on the Project are available through the Council's website on www.oldham.gov.uk/cromptonmoor. If you wish to find out more about the Project please see the website for contact information.
The star of a new YouTube video is set to demonstrate the tricks that are wowing audiences around the world at the 2009 Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Fort William in June.
Danny MacAskill in action in Edinburgh: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o. Biker Danny MacAskill's mini-film 'Inspired Bicycles', shows him carrying out stunts around Edinburgh.
The 23-year old, who is originally from the Isle of Skye and moved to Edinburgh three years ago, will be appearing at this year's Mountain Bike World Cup on 6th June.
The video shows Danny taking on unbelievable stunts - jumping off buildings and balancing along railings in Edinburgh's city centre.
Danny will be showing off his daring bike display skills on the Saturday (6th June) as part of the two-day Mountain Bike World Cup event and later in the evening in Fort William for the Party in the Fort.
Danny is team leader of IMBA Affiliate, MB7's stunt team The Clan. More info on The Clan - www.mb7.com/TheClan/team.html.
In Scotland the right of access places certain provisions on people taking access and on landowners and managers. Some members will be aware of the case between Mr & Mrs Tuley and Highland Council regarding access for horses. In brief, the Tuleys have made provision for people to enjoy access on their land, including mountainbikers and walkers. They were concerned about the use of certain paths by horseriders, worried that such use would lead to damage and that this would reduce the enjoyment of the paths for other users. The Tuleys put up a barrier to prevent horse access along one track. Highland Council objected to this, and the case was heard in the Sheriff Court, in 2007 and the Sheriff Court's decision went against the Tuleys.
The Tuleys appealed and the case was heard in the Court of Session this year. In brief - an expert witness gave evidence to say that the track would be damaged by horse use, this evidence was not disputed by Highland Council. The appeal judges have decided that the purpose or main purpose of the barrier was not to prevent access by horses, but rather to prevent damage. It was recognised by the judges that the Tuleys managed their land responsibly with regard to access. It was decided that the Tuleys were not in breach of Section 14(1) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
To read the full Opinion of the Court follow this link: www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2009CSIH31A.html.
Building on the success of last year's event, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK will be holding "FSC Friday" on Friday 25th September 2009. FSC Friday will lead into a weekend of FSC related activities.
FSC is an international, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting responsible forestry. It runs a global forest certification scheme which enables consumers to identify products from well-managed forests. FSC forests are managed with due respect for the environment, the wildlife and the people who live and work in them.
The primary aim of FSC Friday is to raise awareness of the FSC logo as a mark of responsible forestry. We also want to highlight the fact that forests and woodlands in the UK need to be well-managed and we will be encouraging people to visit their local FSC certified site. We hope that various NGOs and local organisations will help us by holding FSC related events over the weekend. The Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, National Trust and RSPB all have FSC certification for their woods and forests, as do several local wildlife trusts, councils and private landowners. FSC UK can help to identify suitable locations for activities.
FSC UK's Deputy Director, Rosie Teasdale, explains "We are asking national and regional groups to help us celebrate our forests and raise awareness of responsible forestry. A wide range of events took place in 2008, from guided walks to treasure hunts, charcoal making to hands-on woodland management. Whilst choosing FSC certified products can have an impact on forests worldwide, we also want people to focus on the importance of our own UK woods and forests."
Any groups interested in holding events in FSC forests over the FSC weekend should contact (phone 01686 413916). FSC UK will help to promote these events and provide promotional material. We are also looking to offer incentives to participants. As in 2008, there will be prizes for the most innovative celebration on FSC Friday.
The loss of the World Mountain Bike Conference to the UK is a massive blow to the Scottish organizers, and IMBA believe that important lessons need to be learned if such a conference is to attract sufficient interest in a global setting again.
Vitally the content of any conference has to resonate with a much larger potential audience, and predominantly that means UK based trail advocates and land managers. The postponed conference was targeted primarily at businesses looking to benefit from mountain biking.
IMBA believe that some of the best examples of purpose built trail have been built in Scotland by home grown talent and are now going to be miss their global showcase on this occasion. In addition it is vital that the UK mountain bike community is engaged to back the event and create a buzz - which failed to materialize this year.
Ride The Peak - A group open to all with like-minded interests in maintaining and enhancing mountain biking in the Peak District by: Developing the trail network; Highlighting and if necessary developing new facilities; Acting as a forum for discussion between MTB riders, promoters, land owners, other user groups and local decision/policy makers in the Peak District; Linking with national MTB projects and work. Visit their website - www.ridethepeak.co.uk.
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