# Proposed Bike Park, Northampton



## PeteXXX (26 Nov 2020)

There's proposal for a new world class Bike Park in Harleston, Northampton, going on at the moment. 

~ Bike Park survey ~

If you have a minute, it could be worth supporting the idea for both local riders and those wishing to travel..


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## Drago (26 Nov 2020)

You know the BMX track cum skate park near Crackthorn? When I was the community beat Bobby I felt it was poorly sited, and wrote a letter opposing it on the grounds that it would become a crime hotspot.

They ignored me and built it, and on the very first morning a young lad was robbed of his BMX...

They're now trialling the shopping robots in Northampton after successful trials in MK. I predict they'll all be in the Nene within a week.


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## ColinJ (26 Nov 2020)

Drago said:


> They ignored me and built it, and on the very first morning a young lad was robbed of his BMW...


He'll just have to ride his bike to the track next time and leave the car at home!


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## Drago (26 Nov 2020)

Chuffing Samsung thinks it knows how to spel bette tha I doo.


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## PeteXXX (26 Nov 2020)

Drago said:


> You know the BMX track cum skate park near Crackthorn? When I was the community beat Bobby I felt it was poorly sited, and wrote a letter opposing it on the grounds that it would become a crime hotspot.
> 
> They ignored me and built it, and on the very first morning a young lad was robbed of his BMX...
> 
> They're now trialling the shopping robots in Northampton after successful trials in MK. I predict they'll all be in the Nene within a week.


It's slightly more than half a sewer pipe and a bannister rail that Crackthorn got..
Did you see the proposal?


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## Drago (26 Nov 2020)

Indeed, it's very close to where I used to work on Brackmills. Cant see the Hardingstone locals neing terribly happy.


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## PeteXXX (26 Nov 2020)

Drago said:


> Indeed, it's very close to where I used to work on Brackmills. Cant see the Hardingstone locals neing terribly happy.


Harleston, not Hardingstone.. 👍🏼


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## LJR69 (26 Nov 2020)

I've got family in Northampton - completed the survey!


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## PeteXXX (26 Nov 2020)

LJR69 said:


> I've got family in Northampton - completed the survey!


It'll be a good extension to the trails around Harleston Firs!


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## Drago (27 Nov 2020)

@PeteXXX its most definitely adjacent to Hardingstone, its proposed for the 'unused'land adjacent to the Delapre golf course thats currently used as an unofficial park by dog walkers.


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## PeteXXX (27 Nov 2020)

Ahhhaa! The plot thickens..






Who'da thought that the local rag would get it wrong!

The dog walkers around there already had their say last year. Less trees for them to hang the dog poo bags on of this goes ahead, then..


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## Drago (27 Nov 2020)

Was it reported in the Chronic Error? Not like them to muff up a news story!


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## johnblack (27 Nov 2020)

The Friday night summer series races in the wood on the edge of the park next to London Road and in to Delapre Park, it's a really good circuit and gets pretty technical, nice if it can be added to and make use of disused land. But I'm guessing this is the other side of the A45, survey done.


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## mjr (13 Dec 2020)

Where's the money from? I hope it's sport not transport funding.


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## Archie_tect (13 Dec 2020)

Drago said:


> You know the BMX track cum skate park near Crackthorn? When I was the community beat Bobby I felt it was poorly sited, and wrote a letter opposing it on the grounds that it would become a crime hotspot.
> 
> They ignored me and built it, and on the very first morning a young lad was robbed of his BMX...


I hope you gave it back after you'd made your point.


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## PeteXXX (13 Dec 2020)

mjr said:


> Where's the money from? I hope it's sport not transport funding.


It says in the article :
_Funding must be applied for by the council to British Cycling by January 2021, so people's views on the move are being sought._


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## biggs682 (13 Dec 2020)

It's definitely by Brackmills from what I read


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## PeteXXX (13 Dec 2020)

biggs682 said:


> It's definitely by Brackmills from what I read


Yep. Just after Brackmills, as you go up the dual carriageway towards the Queen Eleanor, it's in the woodlands on the left. 
There had been an unofficial jump park there until the local nimbys got it bulldozed.


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## sheddy (13 Dec 2020)

Wheres the questionnaire link ?


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## PeteXXX (13 Dec 2020)

sheddy said:


> Wheres the questionnaire link ?


You've missed it, unfortunately. The survey linked to in the OP closed on December 9th


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## Drago (5 Jan 2022)

Update on this, including a map of the proposed layout.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/...ark-on-former-northampton-golf-course-3494267

I know the area well having worked at the Criminal Justice Centre (the building on the left edge of the industial estate) for a few years. Looks like the park will be a fair size, and should be fun for the coppers that cycle to work.

Indeed, I could hit a bridleway on the edge of the village less than 100 metres from home and not touch tarmac - other than to cross roads - until I reached this new park, so wou,d make for a nice circular ride for me.


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## PeteXXX (5 Jan 2022)

Good news! Just think, all the whingers from Hardingstone who got the 'unofficial' jump & trails area closed down caused this one to be built. 

A lot of lads and lasses still meet on Sunday mornings for a thrash around. You can park at the back of the golf club car park or ride sown from Queen Eleanor Cross for access.


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## Drago (5 Jan 2022)

It's not even "in" Hardingstone, so I'm not sure what they were whinging about. The way its been swallowed by Northampton you'd think theyd be keen to support anything that means the land won't be used for yet more densely packed housing.


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## LJR69 (10 Jul 2022)

Looks like this is very close to opening!


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## PeteXXX (10 Jul 2022)

I might pop round there for a looksee this morning. Access & parking is supposed to be in the golf club car park, i think.


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## LJR69 (10 Jul 2022)

PeteXXX said:


> I might pop round there for a looksee this morning. Access & parking is supposed to be in the golf club car park, i think.



Let us know what it’s looking like. I don’t live near Northampton but have family there, and travel to bike parks all the time. 

Pics would be good!


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## PeteXXX (10 Jul 2022)

I rode down from Eleanor's Cross though the present unofficial jump park to check out the new Bike Park... 
Well, there's a lot been done but much to finish, too! 
Once it's finished it's going to be a blast to ride. Parking will be in the old golf club (off the Brackmills junction of A45, it's 100 yard ride through a tunnel under the dual carriageway. (There's no parking available on the industrial estate)


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## LJR69 (10 Jul 2022)

Thanks for taking those photos! Yeah, more to be done than I thought! 

Is there much of a gradient there? Do you know whether they’ve got a proposed trail map?


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## PeteXXX (10 Jul 2022)

LJR69 said:


> Thanks for taking those photos! Yeah, more to be done than I thought!
> 
> Is there much of a gradient there? Do you know whether they’ve got a proposed trail map?



No probs. You spurred me onto checking out the progress! Thanks 😊
I've not been able to find a proper trail map yet but there's some steepish downhill runs. I couldn't get full access but did get through a hole in the fence to see what I could see.. 
I'll ask a friend who is slightly involved with the project when it might open. 






Here's a link to the Gov site


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## PeteXXX (10 Jul 2022)

Apparently, it's a month ish until it opens. Basically, as a mate tells me, it's push/ride to the top then the runs are graded. 
Rinse & repeat..


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## PeteXXX (12 Aug 2022)

It's nearly there!
Apparently it's been named 'Northampton Urban Bike Park'

~Local rag linkie ~


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## PeteXXX (18 Aug 2022)

Shouldn't be long now! I couldn't get any nearer as the ground was deep claggy goo after a bit of rain. Maybe that'll need sorting once the park is in use. 
(I hope the trails aren't the same or it'll be a disaster!)


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## ColinJ (18 Aug 2022)

PeteXXX said:


> Shouldn't be long now! I couldn't get any nearer as the ground was deep claggy goo after a bit of rain. Maybe that'll need sorting once the park is in use.
> (I hope the trails aren't the same or it'll be a disaster!)



Hopefully, it will all be sorted out before it opens! 

I did a MTB event once which took us over a former landfill site which had been capped with similar deep claggy goo. Within one minute my wheels had jammed. I dragged the bike down to a deep puddle (because the clay made the bike too heavy to carry) and chucked it in. It took several minutes of scraping to make the bike rideable again!


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## johnblack (21 Aug 2022)

PeteXXX said:


> View attachment 657798
> 
> 
> View attachment 657799
> ...



Are there many trails or is it more of a MTB/bmx style track set up?


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## PeteXXX (21 Aug 2022)

johnblack said:


> Are there many trails or is it more of a MTB/bmx style track set up?



That's as far as I thought I'd go into the park, bearing in mind it's not open yet and I had to sneak through a gap in the fence 
It appears to be mainly Downhill tracks. 
Once it's open, I'll post some better pics, hopefully, though I don't have an MTB and parts of my body wouldn't take the strains anymore 😔


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## PeteXXX (5 Sep 2022)

The Park is finished but not officially open yet until Council boxes have been ticked and red tape has been declared cut.. 
A couple of mates and I walked around the trails. It looks like it should be fun once it beds in properly. 
Even though it's not open, it's not stopped people riding it, and leaving litter 😔 

There's already Strave segments created, too!


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## PeteXXX (27 Sep 2022)

It's finally open.. 

~ Local rag linkie ~

I might pop down on the Brommie later to check it out, but probably not ride it


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## PeteXXX (27 Sep 2022)

Yep, definitely open!


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## Jody (27 Sep 2022)

Looks like a good little spot


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## PeteXXX (27 Sep 2022)

It will be, I reckon. Several local chaps there today. 
Parking is in the golf club car park, apparently. There's no decent parking on Brackmills industry if you do head there. 
I did hear that it's one hour free parking at the golf club, then it costs, but I can't verify that.


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## johnblack (27 Sep 2022)

Some friends were there last night, they enjoyed themselves, I shall take a ride over there at some point and have a go.


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## PeteXXX (27 Sep 2022)

johnblack said:


> Some friends were there last night, they enjoyed themselves, I shall take a ride over there at some point and have a go.



There's a 'in' from Houghton Hill bike path down from Hardingstone to Brackmills if that helps.


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## johnblack (27 Sep 2022)

PeteXXX said:


> There's a 'in' from Houghton Hill bike path down from Hardingstone to Brackmills if that helps.



I’ll probably come up from the canal by Carlsberg and up Delapre I guess, but good to have another route.


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## johnblack (29 Sep 2022)

PeteXXX said:


> There's a 'in' from Houghton Hill bike path down from Hardingstone to Brackmills if that helps.



Went last night, bit dark, didn’t get there until 7.30ish, made it a bit dicey. But I think it will be a great local resource. Hopefully next time I go I’ll be able to see a bit more!


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