Originally Posted by
LesterOfPuppets
It's not very nice to the trails to ride them when they're that muddy. I suppose it's alright if you were just riding on that dirt road the bike's standing on in the pics, however.
Different aspects over here- I have gone into it before but Cycles are allowed on Bridleways and white paths. White paths are open to ANY vehicle including cars and motorbikes. Cycles don't use them in winter due to the 3ft of mud and don't use them in summer due to the ruts or the worry of 4x4's coming down the hill or round the corner out of controll.
Bridleways are what they sound like. Horse trails. Many of these are old rights of way or cart tracks. They are used all year round by horses (Not many Carts nowadays) and they are continually muddy in winter. They are only legal for horses- Peds and cycles with priority in that order. Most of the damage to the trail is done by horses. The path is then widened by Ramblers not wanting to get their "NEW" boots dirty and the bikes take the line of the horses unless it is too deep in mud to get traction.
And in Friston forest we do have dedicated Cycle trails. Used all year round and they grade from easy to "Help". I can assure you that a flint covered clay based 15% hill that has no traction due to mud in winter and the flints and scree in summer takes a bit of effort and skill. Especially as this is a drovers trail for cattle around the hills.
Different aspects of trail use and conservation- but I can assure you that Cycles do less damage to the trails- If any- in comparison to hundreds of ramblers- plenty of horses and the Sheep- cows and herds of Shetland ponies that are used to control scrub on the hills. And if you want to see real damage to a trail- Look at a footpath over the hills or through the woods after the Winter meets of the Rambling association. They are dedicated footpaths where cvycles and horses are not allowed.
And attachment is of a couple of our "Worst" bits of the trail in winter- showing how it recovers in summer. The first is of the Drovers trail that is "Difficult in Winter. The Tandem is on a White trail in spring. You can see how deep the mud is by the position of the rear wheel. And the 3rd is of one of the Cycle trails and the bike is just launching from a dropoff.