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Post by thistle on Feb 16, 2012 20:32:01 GMT
Does anyone know of any 'shop rides' around Halkyn/Rhosesmor? Looking to go out somewhere after work tomorrow. I know there's loads of tracks and paths but from memory the hills are pretty rolling and gentle - good for a nice summer ride having a laugh but not so good for a quick technical blast around  Don't fancy paddling through the Clwyds tomorrow ;D |
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fugazi
Have-a-go Hero
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Post by fugazi on Feb 16, 2012 21:48:00 GMT
Takes a bit of exploring Halkyn Mountain to make up a route + remembering it, theres that many paths + tracks. The route Gus took us on last month was great, how it all linked up, tried to remember it + do it again myself but failed  Best just to park up by the Crooked Horn pub + just join one of the tracks there + go and explore. Get yourself a viewing point aswell like the big mast so you dont lose your direction.  |
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Post by thistle on Feb 16, 2012 21:59:33 GMT
Best just to park up by the Crooked Horn pub + just join one of the tracks there + go and explore. That's kinda what we did last time, except someone had been out on a recce a couple of times and loaded it on his GPS  Exploring isn't the best plan after work at the moment, given that it's dark and easy to get lost (as I found out last night ;D ) Good tip about finding a visual reference point though. |
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Post by campbell on Feb 18, 2012 14:14:56 GMT
Pete, there's a shop called Bikes Direct in Holywell that do regular shop rides round Halkyn. I think they're on a weekend though rather than a weeknight.
Only ridden once since the time we rode there and I had that 'incident'. Knee's never been the same. ;D
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Post by Tarbo on Feb 18, 2012 20:08:02 GMT
Very interesting to know that Bikes Direct conduct rides over Halkyn Mountain. Why ? Because we received an e-mail here at MBNW not long after Gus posted up a report of one of his ries around the area. And I quote ; I refer to the recent thread on your website describing rides over the Halkyn Mountain and feel I must point out the following;
The vast majority of the area is registered common land which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. In addition it is private land within the ownership of the Grosvenor Estate.
With the exception of course of Bridleways it is therefore illegal to ride mountain bikes on the common.This was sent by a graduate surveyor who was acting on behalf of the Grosvenor Estate Now I've been biking up Halkyn for over 25 years and not once seen any sign indicating it is either privately owned or a SSSI. Not only that, but I've seen horses ridden where ever they please and motocross bikes tearing up and down the mountain  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2012 21:14:02 GMT
I was up there again today with Jake and bike.
Bloody hard going in really muddy conditions. Loads of moto x bikes and land rovers have really torn a whole lot of the place up into a mud bath.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using ProBoards
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Post by campbell on Feb 19, 2012 21:11:36 GMT
Looks like it is an SSSI... Not sure where we stand tho as I understand that common land has few restrictions?? Not sure really, but unless there are signs and people telling us not to ride I can't see the problem A quick check on Google revealed the truth! IIRC tho, the lad that was on here that led us around there a few years back lived there and had done the research and was happy that we could ride up there. |
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Post by thistle on Feb 19, 2012 21:34:42 GMT
This explains what you can and can't do on a common: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_land..or doesn't ;D You have to be a 'commoner' of the area to use it though, not an outsider You can't just ride anywhere on a common, although you might be allowed to on the paths/tracks that are already there. If there's a public bridleway ect. then that works the same as anywhere else. I think Mike who led the ride ages ago asked around locally and the conclusion was that nobody knew, but as long as you kept to the tracks and didn't tear the place up nobody minded. Leave no trace etc. I wonder what happened to him though. He showed us around a pretty good route, went on honeymoon then we never heard from him again....  |
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Post by woody on Feb 19, 2012 21:38:07 GMT
All these laws and restrictions are there to be broken. Ask yourself this - what harm am I doing by riding my bike here? The usual answer is - non whatsoever.
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Post by Ross on Feb 19, 2012 21:41:23 GMT
Too much red tape just do it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2012 21:50:19 GMT
I just pm'ed Tarbo about another situation, another 2 of my photos have been called into question, seems like I'm causing a shit storm as of late!  The 2 photos are part of the mbwales competition running and are on Moel Hebog and Moel Siabod.... hang on! Hey Jeff - Are you leading us astray? Seems there's always some know it all having a go.... www.flickr.com/groups/1841960@N23/discuss/72157628731993453/As for Halkyn, I've never had a problem when riding there (until the email Oggy recieved from the bloke about riding there). Horses, motorbikers and walkers go where ever they want up there and so do I, if there's a problem with that then the people/company/owners who have the problem should put signs up and let us know where we stand, until then I shall continue to roam free! |
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Post by woody on Feb 19, 2012 21:53:02 GMT
Incidently this year is the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Scout mass tresspass: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_trespass_of_Kinder_ScoutMountain biking is in the same position as rambling was back then. Walkers who berate mountain bikers are hypocites and they're acting like the gamekeepers of 80 years ago. Next time they have a pop tell them that. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2012 22:07:55 GMT
Incidently this year is the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Scout mass tresspass: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_trespass_of_Kinder_ScoutMountain biking is in the same position as rambling was back then. Walkers who berate mountain bikers are hypocites and they're acting like the gamekeepers of 80 years ago. Next time they have a pop tell them that. ;D I have used that quite a few times on walkers/ramblers that have been nasty with me for riding somewhere they think they should have to themselves, they don't like the truth and get rather rude. |
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Post by woody on Feb 19, 2012 22:23:31 GMT
There's nothing they can do to stop us anyway. I've bumped into the ranger on the top of Moel Fammau and all he did was give me a half-hearted lecture FROM THE SEAT OF HIS LAND ROVER!!!!.
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Post by Russ on Feb 19, 2012 23:41:41 GMT
First reaction how does a landscape thats basically 2000 years worth of slag heaps become a SSSI? Does that mean as soon as Queensferry gets some grass is will become the same? I would be interested in what the determination is for it to become such.
Serious note this place is starting to get some critical mass, by that I mean it could be possible to get some representation on the committees that work on local access due to the knowledge and numbers of riders.
When you look at the Local Access Forum Minutes for the North Wales council areas, sometimes cyclists are not that well represented despite some valiant efforts by some of the NWMBA members. Could be a case of taking a step to affiliate with some organisations and then putting some names forward to the forums.
I've got 20+years worth of MTB riding in Flintshire with a balanced view (SWMBO has a horse) so willing to give it a go if needed, but I think that some of the mods and people with some trail knowledge would need to have a good chat offline about it first of all.
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