Coming back from a shopping trip, I decided to have a slightly longer evening ride as it's nice weather, and I really need to start working off all of that parma ham and parmesan that I ate spending a week in Italy without a bike! So, cycling along National Cycle Network route 64 from Newark Northgate station, I took off at one point along a little lane that then changed to a bridleway (or so the signpost said!) If the link below works, then you can make out the path running West to East from Clay Ln to Newbury Road. Unfortunately, there's been a lot of rain and it's a lot more overgrown than on the pic now.
Plus, the field at the east end of the path is now waist high with wheat! After battling through that (had to dismount and push) I found that the end of the path is now pretty much blocked with a hedge. Imagine the surprise on the man's face on the other side, out walking his dogs, when through this hedge came a reflective yellow clad cyclist, but with a hybrid, laden with panniers full of shopping. Maybe next time I decide to get adventurous I'll do it out on my MTB, rather than on the way back from shopping. At least I guess I burnt a few calories - enough to give me a reason to have a beer now :-)
Plus, the field at the east end of the path is now waist high with wheat! After battling through that (had to dismount and push) I found that the end of the path is now pretty much blocked with a hedge. Imagine the surprise on the man's face on the other side, out walking his dogs, when through this hedge came a reflective yellow clad cyclist, but with a hybrid, laden with panniers full of shopping.
I think I know how you felt! A couple of weekends ago I was exploring local bridleways on my MTB. At one point, it disappeared into waist-high weeds and brambles with a barely discernible path through, plus lots of big holes almost hidden. I battered my way through and emerged from what had by then become a solid mass of chest-high weeds - fortunately no-one saw me emerge. At the far end was a hand-scrawled sign saying "path closed". Gee, thanks :-)
I only kept going because to turn around would have meant going back through the same field of cows that charged me as I walked my bike past them. (Nope - no calves!)
"Paul Boyd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I only kept going because to turn around would have meant going back through the same field of cows that charged me as I walked my bike past them. (Nope - no calves!)
Yeah, I only kept going because I'd had quite a few sideways drifting moments going through mud and deep puddles without knobbly tyres, so didn't fancy the return journey. (Worried if I went over I might break the bottles of wine in the panniers!!) Strangely, when I got to the end of the path it was signed as a Public Footpath, whereas at the end I joined it was signed as a Bridleway. I wonder which was right, or where the change occured?
Yeah, I only kept going because I'd had quite a few sideways drifting moments going through mud and deep puddles without knobbly tyres, so didn't fancy the return journey. (Worried if I went over I might break the bottles of wine in the panniers!!) Strangely, when I got to the end of the path it was signed as a Public Footpath, whereas at the end I joined it was signed as a Bridleway. I wonder which was right, or where the change occured?
Colin
a couple of years ago i was doing a hundred miler alfreton to lincoln and back and I did exactly what you did . Practically needed a panga to get through to the field. It looked ok on the map. You don't like to turn round when you've invested so much effort. Terry J
Yeah, I only kept going because I'd had quite a few sideways drifting moments going through mud and deep puddles without knobbly tyres, so didn't fancy the return journey. (Worried if I went over I might break the bottles of wine in the panniers!!) Strangely, when I got to the end of the path it was signed as a Public Footpath, whereas at the end I joined it was signed as a Bridleway. I wonder which was right, or where the change occured?
Colin
a couple of years ago i was doing a hundred miler alfreton to lincoln and back and I did exactly what you did . Practically needed a panga to get through to the field. It looked ok on the map. You don't like to turn round when you've invested so much effort. Terry J
Heh. Try that sorta thing around our coastline and estuaries in the southwest, and only turn back when you're up to the knees (or whatever your personal turning-back-point is) in salty mud/gloop.
'twas a few winters back when I had just such an incident. When I eventually did turn back and pedalled by road to the official (paved) ford, it started snowing even as I deliberately went in the water to wash some mud off.
"Colin Reed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
So, cycling along National Cycle Network route 64 from Newark Northgate station, I took off at one point along a little lane that then changed to a bridleway (or so the signpost said!) If the link below works, then you can make out the path running West to East from Clay Ln to Newbury Road. Unfortunately, there's been a lot of rain and it's a lot more overgrown than on the pic now.
Plus, the field at the east end of the path is now waist high with wheat! After battling through that (had to dismount and push) I found that the end of the path is now pretty much blocked with a hedge. Imagine the surprise on the man's face on the other side, out walking his dogs, when through this hedge came a reflective yellow clad cyclist, but with a hybrid, laden with panniers full of shopping. Maybe next time I decide to get adventurous I'll do it out on my MTB, rather than on the way back from shopping. At least I guess I burnt a few calories - enough to give me a reason to have a beer now :-)
The year before last I was doing the Birdwell 100km Audax nr Barnsley with a pal and we managed to make a wrong turning. It was one of the rare ocassions that I wasn't carrying a map and we made the mistake of asking some locals for directions. After listening to them argue between themselves about the best route to where we wanted to be, we took the short cut that the more intelligent local suggested. We found ourselves riding on disused railway embankments covered in brambles and almost impenetrable saplings. Had to cross the East coast main line - there was a bridle path sign and sets of gates to facilitate this. After struggling to cycle along a river embankment we emerged after nearly 3/4 of an hour to find ourselves about 400m away from where we met the locals. Further misadventure with well intentioned locals saw us do 130km for the ride....
I take a map with me for every Audax now and get nervous when any route sheet mentions bridle paths or off road sections.
Strangely, when I got to the end of the path it was signed as a Public Footpath, whereas at the end I joined it was signed as a Bridleway. I wonder which was right, or where the change occured?
Did you cross a council/parish boundary?
There's a lot of bridelways which turn into footpaths and dead end footpaths/bridleways around here, most of them at county boundaries. It's something the council say they are going to do something about.
Also happens a lot at rivers where I guess the bridge has been removed or there was once a ford.
There's a lot of bridelways which turn into footpaths and dead end footpaths/bridleways around here, most of them at county boundaries. It's something the council say they are going to do something about.
I really don't know why they can't do what they've done in Scotland - abolish all these ridiculous designations and just let people get on with it! What on earth is the point of a path suddenly and for no apparent reason changing status - it's just a path on the ground.
On the OS map for hereabouts, there's what appears to be a bridleway that cannot legally be used by horses, and can only be used by cyclists who walk up to it, because the start and end are footpaths. Mind you, I haven't seen this "on the ground", so it might be signposted sensibly!
There's a lot of bridelways which turn into footpaths and dead end footpaths/bridleways around here, most of them at county boundaries. It's something the council say they are going to do something about.
I really don't know why they can't do what they've done in Scotland - abolish all these ridiculous designations and just let people get on with it! What on earth is the point of a path suddenly and for no apparent reason changing status - it's just a path on the ground.
On the OS map for hereabouts, there's what appears to be a bridleway that cannot legally be used by horses, and can only be used by cyclists who walk up to it, because the start and end are footpaths. Mind you, I haven't seen this "on the ground", so it might be signposted sensibly!
then you get the paths that go to middle of wood etc and stop.
the other issue is that the folks putting up the signs are not allways correct.
The Luggage said the following on 10/06/2008 13:01:
Quoted message said:
Like "Cyclists dismount" ?
No, that is a perfectly correct observation. At the end of every journey, cyclists do indeed dismount ;-)
If the journey includes a swim across a river, cyclists will need to dismount. www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/misc/dismount1
But the sign ignores the possibility of an amphibious bicycle, in which case no swimming is needed. Though an amphibious bike that you could bunny hop over the fence and onto the river without dismounting might be too much to ask....
