Healy Nab trail ideas wanted

EXCLUSIVE

THE MAN driving the consultation forward for more mountain bike trails in and around Rivington today revealed precise details of the plans.
Ian Hart, Lancashire Countryside Service West Pennine Moors, is overseeing work to build new trails around Healy Nab on the West Penine Moors.
He urged mountain bikers to join the consultation and post comments - before the deadline for final designs in May.
And he sent a clear message to everyone in the mountain biking community: use it but respect it - the eyes of everyone in the outdoor community will be watching how this goes.

The designs are being drawn up for technical rather than fast down hill sections on a narrow section of Healy Nab.
The final plans will be drawn up by elete mountain biker Rowan Sorrell and the trail are due to be completed in August.
So far more than 1100 trees have already been felled as part of a wider eco strategy in the area.
The new development - which will take in ideas and suggestions directed from mountain bike forums in conjunction with the Blackburn and Darwen mountain bike club, represents an investment of more than £10,000 to trail building in the area.
Ian said: 'This will appeal to all riders and we really want to answer their needs for more trails. This comes as a respnse to their concerns that trails were being increasingly sanitised.

police yourselves and make it work

'But this has to be used with respect for other users with a safety first mentality. If you abuse it, you'll lose it. The eyes of everyone will be watching to see how this goes and if it can be used properly. Any further developments will depend completely on how this turns out. There is always a risk with a site that is on such an urban fringe. Police yourselves and make it work.
'This will be a case of self policing and maintenance so we want people to show their support with their feet and turn up to help maintain it.
'We want all bikers to input into the design via the forums. So far we are relying on word of mouth to spread this news.

Comments and suggestions should be made here or with the B&D MTB club.
A lengthy consultation has already been carried out over the past year between land owners United Utilites, support groups such as Friends of Healy Nab, local horse riding groups and bike groups as well as environmental agencies, parish councils and local famers.
The route will be a specialist mountain bike trail no more than two handle-bar widths wide.
Rowan is open to requests about which technical sections are wanted, and will include a range of switch backs and rocky sections.
There is limited scopy for bringing in resources but felled wood could be used. The main plan focusses on clearing top soil and exposing the underlying bedrock as this was originally a quarry.
All bikers are urged not to build any jumps for safety reasons, particularly across other bridleways.
Ian added: 'I had to go up there recently and knock down some jumps but I put up posters urging the riders behind them to get in touch and express their wish list in a more formal way. They did get in touch so I am hoping the lines of communication are open.
'The site is not suitable for a fast down hill route but rather something that is technical and that is what Rowan will focus on. Safety first. It will run down from the summit to the post and rail fence with a range of banked turns.'

new bridleway

It is hoped that this will also have a positive impact on parking and encourage bikers to form loops away from the Chinese gardens.
The plans for the trails coincide with a move to open a new bridleway around the west side of the Goyt from the Waterman's cottage to Lodge Bank and Brinscall.
In all, the new trails will be the highlight of routes from Horwich or from Roddlesworth and Brinscall.

downloadable maps

By the end of summer, riders could potentially enjoy an uninterrupted route of around 56 miles as part of the councils longer term 2006-2013 bridelway development strategy.
The final routes will be available potentially from a new website that is being developed in PDF format to be downloaded.
Work has already been done to clear some trails. Ian said the area was long overdue for management as many trees were diseased and being blown over.
The hope is to see more disiduous trees flourish in the area.
The funding has been generated equally from Bolton council, Lancashire County Council and Blackburn wuth Darwen Council.