UKH

A big drop, but as a climber I'm also thinking, which crag is it?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKl-NHQJkT4/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_she...

Can't help with the ID...

But...WOW!

The slab at Armathwaite

Do you reckon he had permission to build the big landing ramp? And I wonder if managed to stop in time before ending up in the river!

He didn't have permission but did clear everything up after himself. 

Wow, a Danny Macaskill in the making! I have noticed bike tracks ending in crazy looking drops on my walks at Armathwaite, but never seen the bikers. I guess the tree clearance around the crags to open them up a little has made it possible. There are routes on that slab. A beautiful spot to climb, walk and kayak, but I'd better look out for flying bikes next time!

The jump was a one off and has been removed. There has been some concern raised however from local people, the Forestry Commission and the local climbing clubs, as although mountain biking is allowed in the woods, building trails and jumps are not and unfortunately there has been a big increase in trails over the last year. 

I've been biking and climbing in the woods myself over the last 20 years so hopefully this stunt, impressive though it is, will not jeopardise future access.

The BMC did pay the Forestry to help clear some of the trees below the crag several years ago to help with air flow and the drying of the crag. 

One point of note is that another local crag nearby (Scratchmere Scar) has had all access removed due to all the illegal trail building in the woods. No one is allowed in now including walkers. It's a shame as the location could have been managed well for everyone to enjoy. The BMC did renew access for a while for both walkers and climbers on the proviso that the bikers stopped using the woods. 

Unfortunately throughout the Eden Valley we have lost access to over 5 crags in the last 10 years, due to either aggravated land owners or the changing of ownership. I know as climbers we don't have a right to be on private land but some of these places have enjoyed access for 50 years, so it's a great loss when we do lose access due to a few thoughtless individuals.

The BMC did renew access for a while for both walkers and climbers on the proviso that the bikers stopped using the woods. 

This kind of thing bugs me, 

1, one group's enjoyment shouldn't depend on another groups behaviour

2, to presume that a whole group is under the control of some kind of all knowing governing body is foolish. 

What they actually mean is "we don't want anyone in the woods, let's make it look like we're helping but put in a massive get out clause". 

They did hold a Downhill Comp there, with up-lift trucks turning around in the quarry at the top. This may have had something to do with it!

We have a voice through the BMC, I'm not sure the mountain bikers have. I know the illegal trail building got so bad in Scotland that they have introduced something where they can have a say.

It seems quite frustrating for the mountain bikers in Cumbria, they won't even build a DH at Whinlatter though Hamsterley Forest over the boarder in Durham has one, its open to both walkers and bikes. Whinlatter hasn't got a bike park neither so I'm not surprised that they build jumps and trails elsewhere.

The beauty of cycling is it's so easy to get into, anyone can buy or borrow a bike and go but this makes it so difficult to regulate. 

Cycling will never have a voice like the BMC because it just isn't possible to get such a high % of participants to be involved. 

I've dipped my toe into the whole unsanctioned building at Wharncliffe, there's clearly a demand for self build challenging tracks but no one wants to green light them. 

British Cycling and Cycling Uk might feel they have a greater voice than the BMC. BC have a slightly bigger budget than the BMC.

They both represent cyclists and there are a number of smaller groups doing good things but my point is if BMC say don't do something, most climbers will hear about it and obey, if CTC or BS do similar, it only gets to a small proportion of cyclists. 

There's a massive problem because no-ones legally allowed to cycle on footpaths and bike parks are few and far between. The problems been exacerbated with lockdown and now every c@#t with a shovel is building. Unfortunately most of these lines are identical steep slalom courses. They encourage erosion, damage wildlife habitats, look unsightly to the general public, and mostly become un-rideable after a few months due to rutting caused by bad line choice. If this carries on it will cause a backlash against mountain bikers in general.

As both a biker and someone who is involved with conservation I'm keen to address this issue in my local area. I've recently been involved in demolishing two local illegal builds under the badger protection act and think that better education amongst trail builders is probably the key thing, after all I suspect ignorance and frustration is probably behind most environmental damage and dialogue and education would go a long way in solving these issues. It needs to work both ways though at some point some land needs to be allocated for trails to be built, or permission needs to be granted to maintain the better of our local trails, as a biker it's tiring being demonized for daring to ride a bike off-road.

As someone who has been involved in trail building do you know of any forums or websites which amateur builders frequent or anywhere where educational video's or literature could be posted and might be read by trail builders?

For disclosure I will admit to riding both footpaths and illegal trails and I think that there's space for walkers, bikers and wildlife, but the rate of local building is unnerving and threatens any future balance.

I was never a trail builder as such, I just tried to help get some digging in Wharncliffe sanctioned... it didn't work. 

There isn't a builders forum or sub forum or anything like that I have seen. As I've mentioned elsewhere, cycling is too fractured to say "post on here and it'll make a difference" if you seriously want to help promote responsible building then in all honesty I think you need to be on social media advert cycles but that will cost you. 

I seem to remember our local group got challenged about some digging and did a bit a rant about it to their members... turned out it was a couple of kids skipping school, kids who had no idea about and no intention of ever joining a group or forum, they were just digging some jumps. These are the people you need to be in front of. 

I thought that that was probably the case, thanks anyway. I guess I'll just have to hang about in the woods and hope I bump into them.

I keep meaning to make a trip down to Wharncliffe... Maybe after the current lockdown.

I walked some of the old red xc route up there last week, it's in a sorry state. 

BC is seen as mostly just a road/track racing support organisation. They dont give a monkeys about mountain biking (even the highly successful athletes) and the favour is returned with interest.

Cycling UK is a bit more involved but is still struggling to reach out to mountain bikers and is mostly a road/commuting based advocacy organisation.

Although road racing/casual road riding is fairly represented with clubs which then plug into those two organisations for various reasons there simply isnt the same thing in mountain biking. There are some clubs but nothing like the road clubs or the BMC affiliates.