# The Joys of Riding Locally



## simon.r (8 Apr 2020)

I’m restricting my rides to my local* area at present, for obvious reasons.

This is ‘forcing’ me to find new routes. Despite having lived in the same house for over 5 years I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by some of the stuff I’ve found.

This photo was taken today, about 3 miles from my house (I live in the City of Nottingham):







I’ve never been to this spot before. I even found some pleasant bits of off-road track adjacent to main roads, that I didn’t know existed, on the way there.

Anyone else found any new local areas or rides?

*My definition of local is about a 5 mile radius of my house.


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## I like Skol (8 Apr 2020)

Been riding 'local' since I was a kid (more years than I care to mention) and this has given me a pretty good idea of how the area fits together, much to the dismay of Mrs Skol who just doesn't get it!
However, even my local knowledge is limited and still find or get shown the odd gem of a cycle track for road or MTB use.
It irks me to put the bike in/on the car to drive out to somewhere for a ride when there is such fantastic and plentiful cycling opportunities starting right from my doorstep. I am fortunate to live at the foot kf The Pennines.


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## Glow worm (8 Apr 2020)

I found a footpath I never knew about off the bridleway I’ve been riding for years the other day. Walked The bike along it for a bit.

The bridleway, about 2 miles from my house, runs alongside this waterway called Swaffham Bulbeck Lode. It’s bloody lovely!

Edit : pics from my hour solitary ride yesterday.


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## KneesUp (8 Apr 2020)

I have a bit of a dilema about this - 5 miles from me and you're in the Peak District, and I guess should I come off and injure myself out there it is going to be a right pain for the NHS to get to me. But the local routes are chock full of joggers, walkers and cyclists, who of course have every right to be there, but it doesn't make for stress free riding. I need to spend more time with a map, or find enough parts to get one of my road frames rideable.


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## SkipdiverJohn (9 Apr 2020)

KneesUp said:


> you're in the Peak District, and I guess should I come off and injure myself out there it is going to be a right pain for the NHS to get to me.



People who ride in a sensible manner at an appropriate speed should not be falling off their bike too often, especially not in good warm dry weather. Most of the tales of incidents I read of on here seem to involve fast descents, hard braking, loose gravel on the road surface, bends with loose gravel on them, and vehicles appearing in the path of a bike being ridden at speed on urban commutes.
That's not to say incidents can't happen anyway, but usually a fast/aggressive riding style combined with a lack of caution seem to be common factors.


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## Globalti (9 Apr 2020)

Firstly just buying the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map for your area will reveal things you never knew existed and help join up the bits you do know. Hours studying the South Pennines map revealed a fantastic network of routes, most of them old packhorse trails, and gave me some of my best rides when I used to mountain bike. @ColinJ will agree on the richness of the area for walking and cycling.

We once gave a greenhouse to some nutty survivalists who live near Colin, the conversation turned to maps so i went and fetched the OS map and I remember their son's astonishment at seeing his house and area on a map. He had clearly never seen a map before and from his reaction, had no idea of the layout of the area. His Dad's face was a picture, I guess because he didn't really want the lad to get too inquisitive about the world beyond their defended compound on a hilltop and he certainly didn't want us to know where they lived.

Secondly and a bit less practical, a flight over your area in a balloon or a light aircraft is equally revealing; features like quarries that are blank on maps turn out to be unexpectedly big and busy and thanks to the eye's natural tendency to look for patterns, old railway lines and other lost features reveal themselves.


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## sleuthey (9 Apr 2020)

simon.r said:


> I’m restricting my rides to local* area at present, for obvious reasons



Iv never understood this part of the guidance. Surely if your riding alone then the risk depends on the duration of the ride not the distance from home. In fact if you live in a city then surely the further you go from home into the sticks then the lower the risk. 

Criticism to the policy makers here not the OP


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## IaninSheffield (9 Apr 2020)

Globalti said:


> Secondly and a bit less practical, a flight over your area in a balloon or a light aircraft is equally revealing


Agreed. Where a flight isn't possible, there's always 'satellite view' that online maps often provide. I find them fascinating and can pore over these (and maps) for hours.


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## steveindenmark (9 Apr 2020)

I have decided to stay within 20km of home. Thats local for me and my commute is 20km. I have just been out and done my half century and realise I could actually do it all within 10km of home and still have a good ride.


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## pawl (9 Apr 2020)

simon.r said:


> I’m restricting my rides to my local* area at present, for obvious reasons.
> 
> This is ‘forcing’ me to find new routes. Despite having lived in the same house for over 5 years I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by some of the stuff I’ve found.
> 
> ...






Some years ago I bought a OS map.If memory serves me correctly it was either two inches or two and a half.

The detail was really good showing the outline of fields More to the point there are foot paths etc I never new existed.


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## simon.r (9 Apr 2020)

sleuthey said:


> Iv never understood this part of the guidance. Surely if your riding alone then the risk depends on the duration of the ride not the distance from home. In fact if you live in a city then surely the further you go from home into the sticks then the lower the risk.
> 
> Criticism to the policy makers here not the OP



I agree entirely, but given some of the, arguably, over zealous policing we’ve seen recently I don’t fancy trying to argue that point to anyone if I get stopped or have an incident that requires medical treatment when I’m 20 miles from home.


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## Phaeton (9 Apr 2020)

If you don't want to buy then this is a good website https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ you can also use the council maps at https://www.rowmaps.com/


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## Jody (9 Apr 2020)

I have always lived within 5 miles of my current house and there is still so much yet to discover, even sticking to a 5-10 mile radius. I've quite enjoyed heading out on my road bike with no plan and just taking odd turns to see where they go. Depending on how cheeky you want the route to be there is also a warren of paths and bridleways linking woodland, canals and villages. 

Strava heatmap is good to find some hidden off road routes. 



KneesUp said:


> I have a bit of a dilema about this - 5 miles from me and you're in the Peak District, and I guess should I come off and injure myself out there it is going to be a right pain for the NHS to get to me.



I did the same last night. Set off for the peak district but decided against it when I got to Holmesfield. Not so much for falling off but I didn't want to risk a mechanical or any other reason for needing a rescue from the middle of nowhere. 

Whilst it didn't end up being a ride ending mechanical, I managed to throw the chain between the cassette and spokes but luckily was going slow enough that it didn't get too jammed or cause an off. The joys of fine tuning your mech whilst listening to music  Maybe a bit of a service is needed


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## anothersam (9 Apr 2020)

Local rides are pretty much all I've been doing for a while now. Here’s a map, with landmarks.


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## derrick (9 Apr 2020)

steveindenmark said:


> I have decided to stay within 20km of home. Thats local for me and my commute is 20km. I have just been out and done my half century and realise I could actually do it all within 10km of home and still have a good ride.
> View attachment 513641
> 
> 
> ...


I see them fly tippers have been out again.


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## steveindenmark (9 Apr 2020)

derrick said:


> I see them fly tippers have been out again.


This is the nearest thing we have to fly tippers 😁 At the end of the day they come out with a big sweeper and clear up. If they dont and I slip on it. They are held to account. 😊


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## 8mph (9 Apr 2020)

I've been busy nursing someone for the last three weeks. Could someone please tell me what the current restrictions are (UK)? Is there a limit on how far we are allowed from home? Thanks in advance


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## geocycle (9 Apr 2020)

It’s been interesting exploring more of the local area on my 10-20 mile corona rides. Has made me realise how fortunate I am to have great countryside so close. Here are two pics from the last week. The first is my Thorn by the Lune estuary, the second is high above the Conder valley today.


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## steveindenmark (9 Apr 2020)

The reason I have chosen to stay close to home is that I have a mechanical I cannot fix or an off. I will just point out that I dont subscribe to the "there is a virus, I may fall off and need an ambulance theory". But if I need Jannie to come and collect me. It will only be a short trip. Its also new for me to criss cross tracks, so close to home. I usually head out on a big loop. I know most of the local roads and tracks. But I have found a couple of new ones.


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## roley poley (9 Apr 2020)

have a look at a map site called.. Where's the path 3 ...you can do overlays of many sorts of map all in one, zoom in and compare sat and os with your position shown hours of fun and knowledge to be had best find I have had for ages


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## Globalti (9 Apr 2020)

8mph said:


> I've been busy nursing someone for the last three weeks. Could someone please tell me what the current restrictions are (UK)? Is there a limit on how far we are allowed from home? Thanks in advance



They are saying 2 kms but that's because for the majority of our sedentary population 2 kms is the exercise equivalent to a trip to the Moon and back. If the government had said "you can walk 15 miles or cycle 60 miles if you want" people would be out in their cars visiting beauty spots again. I don't think anybody with a brain would object to a 20 or 30 mile bike ride, alone or with one member of your isolation group.



geocycle said:


> It’s been interesting exploring more of the local area on my 10-20 mile corona rides. Has made me realise how fortunate I am to have great countryside so close. Here are two pics from the last week. The first is my Thorn by the Lune estuary, the second is high above the Conder valley today.



Have you visited the very poignant village of Sunderland Point? There was a fascinating TV programme about it a few days ago - Villages by the Sea on BBC1. They touched briefy on the locals' involvement in the slave trade and the sad story of Sambo, whose grave is on the shore behind the village. If you do ride over be prepared for your bike to get filthy with salty mud on the tidal road. You might need to take a hot shower with it later.

In your second photo there are signs of old mine workings just up the hill. I wonder if there's anything interesting like old adits?

There's a nice circular ride we do from Pilling along the sea wall to take the ferry over to Fleetwood, down the front then inland to the cafe at the country park, then past Skippool, a rather photogenic place and thence back over the Shard Bridge and back via the lanes. Done clockwise or anticlockwise depending on wind direction up the front.


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## Jody (9 Apr 2020)

8mph said:


> I've been busy nursing someone for the last three weeks. Could someone please tell me what the current restrictions are (UK)? Is there a limit on how far we are allowed from home? Thanks in advance



There are no defined limits as such but you ought not to take the p*ss. I've been going out for anywhere up to 1.5 hours and not too far from home. The MTB community coined "Not far and no gnar" which kind of sums it up.


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## geocycle (9 Apr 2020)

@Globalti Yes I saw the programme about Sunderland Point, very interesting. I’ve enjoyed the series and for me that was probably the best in terms of the range of things covered. It is within corona riding distance so I might take a ride across there assuming the tide is out! I’ve not been for a couple of years so perhaps this is the opportunity.

You might be right about mine workings, I’ll investigate further! Thanks also for the tip about the route near Pilling. I have ridden down there but don’t really know it well as I normally head north and east. The Fleetwood ferry is great, a real throwback! I hope they are managing to keep it going.


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## Banjo (9 Apr 2020)

8mph said:


> I've been busy nursing someone for the last three weeks. Could someone please tell me what the current restrictions are (UK)? Is there a limit on how far we are allowed from home? Thanks in advance


There aren't any restrictions on distance.You must ride alone or with people you live with.

Personally I am keeping within an approximately 10 mile radius of home as I could get home on foot carrying the bike should the bike have a major mechanical .it's extremely unlikely to happen but sods law would apply.

PS In Wales the rules have changed, still no actual distance but you are told to stay local to home and go no further than a reasonabe walk.


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## Ming the Merciless (9 Apr 2020)

8mph said:


> I've been busy nursing someone for the last three weeks. Could someone please tell me what the current restrictions are (UK)? Is there a limit on how far we are allowed from home? Thanks in advance



no limit on distance in UK if out exercising


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## Smokin Joe (9 Apr 2020)

First time out on the bike since October (I know, shameful), but a nice brisk half hour to get the legs back into trim for what will hopefully be a good summer. Very nice with next to no traffic, it makes riding so peaceful.

And yes, the stain on the bars of the gate and the damp patch on the ground is just what you're thinking it is. What do you think I stopped for?


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## KneesUp (9 Apr 2020)

45 minutes of pottering today on my mountain-bike-that-was-drop-bar-for-commuting-but-is-now-flat-bar-again bike: the drop bars were great on road, but the handling was a bit sketchy off road (probably me) so I've put the original bars and thumbies back on for now, plus some scavenged brake levers from the parts box.


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## fossyant (9 Apr 2020)

Smokin Joe said:


> First time out on the bike since October (I know, shameful), but a nice brisk half hour to get the legs back into trim for what will hopefully be a good summer. Very nice with next to no traffic, it makes riding so peaceful.
> 
> And yes, the stain on the bars of the gate and the damp patch on the ground is just what you're thinking it is. What do you think I stopped for?
> 
> View attachment 513733



Pee or puke 😁


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## fossyant (9 Apr 2020)

I have some cracking stuff locally. We have an off road which tackles two ascents of a local hill. Round trip is just 10 miles, but over 1500ft of climbing. Fortunately its rewarded with two good descents, although one is a bit Gnar for the current climate, so Ive only come back the faster less tricky descent.


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## Gunk (9 Apr 2020)

We did a local 8 miles ride today on our mountain bikes through woods and farm tracks, we discovered spots that we had never been to before.


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## Twilkes (9 Apr 2020)

Not gone further than 3 miles from my (city) home, mainly because we have a toddler and I've been working from home so limited to 30 minutes, so it's been sprintervals more than anything. In all honesty I've been enjoying doing my commute roads with no traffic, especially in the evening, and am 2 seconds off my first ever (and probably only) KOM - unfortunately the tailwinds have died down so it might be a while yet.


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## 8mph (9 Apr 2020)

@Globalti
@Jody
@YukonBoy 
Thanks for answering my query


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## palinurus (9 Apr 2020)

This morning's 13-mile ride before work I rode to a place near me that I've never been to, found a nice little lane that passes a quiet lake (just inside the northern boundary of the London Borough of Hillingdon!), it was early and still just a bit chilly so there was some mist on the surface. No-one was about.

Never been there before! I've been in that general area but never in that exact place.
(to get there was A-roads all the way, but it's not far. Used to use that route a lot to get to some local time-trials near Denham)

Tomorrow will investigate a short bit of bridleway I spotted on Tuesday's ride.


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## JPBoothy (9 Apr 2020)

I've managed to get my Xbox addict teenage son to cycle a local 8ml loop regularly on one of my bikes during the Corona restrictions and, I find that a 36x25 gear choice gives my legs a decent spin over that distance


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## Gunk (9 Apr 2020)

If it’s a choice of X Box or doing something with their Dad, most teenagers will do something with their Dad, the problem is that too many Dads don’t make the effort.


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## ColinJ (9 Apr 2020)

Globalti said:


> Firstly just buying the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map for your area will reveal things you never knew existed and help join up the bits you do know. Hours studying the South Pennines map revealed a fantastic network of routes, most of them old packhorse trails, and gave me some of my best rides when I used to mountain bike. @ColinJ will agree on the richness of the area for walking and cycling.


I moved to Hebden Bridge (in the South Pennines) in 1986. All I did for 3 years was work, work, work, and slob out at home. I knew the town and my route to work, that was it. I got fat, unfit, and depressed. I bought a bike after being inspired by watching Greg Lemond's 8 second victory in the 1989 Tour de France. I also treated myself to all of the OS maps for the area. Over the years I systematically explored everywhere except for built-up areas, which I avoid where possible. Without those maps, I would never have found many of the great places that I now know so well.



Globalti said:


> Secondly and a bit less practical, a flight over your area in a balloon or a light aircraft is equally revealing; features like quarries that are blank on maps turn out to be unexpectedly big and busy and thanks to the eye's natural tendency to look for patterns, old railway lines and other lost features reveal themselves.





IaninSheffield said:


> Agreed. Where a flight isn't possible, there's always 'satellite view' that online maps often provide. I find them fascinating and can pore over these (and maps) for hours.


Now there's an interesting coincidence. I had been wondering if I have actually been everywhere that I could round here by bike or on foot... 

It turns out that there are quite a few footpaths that I haven't walked yet, since riding normally takes priority over walking. I have friends who walk but don't cycle, so I think we will go and walk some of those paths once the coronavirus crisis is over.

As for cycling... Most of the roads have been ridden, but I found a few offroad routes that looked worth investigating. 

One thing caught my eye...







The thick red line shows part of a mixed-terrain ride that I did with @Littgull a couple of years ago. I was thinking that the woods below Ramsden Clough reservoir looked like they would be good for a local walk. I have never been up there on foot. Then it struck me.... I had no recollection of seeing Ramsden Clough reservoir on the bike ride! I decided to check on Google Maps...






Okay, who's nicked me bleedin' reservoir! 

I found this interesting snippet online...



United Utilities spokesman said:


> Local knowledge and the feedback we have received from the Calder Valley communities worst affected by flooding means we can target specific locations where the money spent will have the greatest benefit.
> 
> Following July’s flood in Walsden locals called for work on defences to “slow down” flood water as it came off the hills.
> 
> ...


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## ColinJ (9 Apr 2020)

PS The map above was lifted from the 1:25,000 OS Explorer map of the UK that I have on all of my devices. It is a single seamless digital map covering the entire UK apart from Northern Ireland. I also have the 1:50,000 Landranger map and the 1:10,000 street map. 

I just received an email from Memory Map telling me about their 2020 Platinum Pack Flash Sale - for a limited time you can download the latest versions of those 3 maps for £125, which is an amazing saving over the cost of hundreds of paper maps. Details HERE.

If you have a decent colour printer you can print out any areas that you want to have on paper, though I never feel the need. I own the local paper maps, but just use the digital maps outside this area.


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## Mrs M (9 Apr 2020)

One of my favourite local destinations (don’t think we’re allowed at the beach though)


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## Globalti (9 Apr 2020)

ColinJ said:


> PS The map above was lifted from the 1:25,000 OS Explorer map of the UK that I have on all of my devices. It is a single seamless digital map covering the entire UK apart from Northern Ireland. I also have the 1:50,000 Landranger map and the 1:10,000 street map.
> 
> I just received an email from Memory Map telling me about their 2020 Platinum Pack Flash Sale - for a limited time you can download the latest versions of those 3 maps for £125, which is an amazing saving over the cost of hundreds of paper maps. Details HERE.
> 
> If you have a decent colour printer you can print out any areas that you want to have on paper, though I never feel the need. I own the local paper maps, but just use the digital maps outside this area.



How good is the detail Colin? Or does it depend on your printer? I ask because recently we got a 1:25,000 map printed by OS centred on our house and I'm not very impressed with the quality of the printing.

Edit: I've ridden your Limer's Gate a few times, so-called because it was used by packhorse trains carrying lime to reduce the acidity of the fields. The Burnley end is a bleak place under high-voltage cables with occasional visits by travellers and frequent dumping of rubbish. You can get a good speed up in the middle section. It's quite an interesting ride as it passes what used to be a small privately-owned coal mine. Dunno if it still operates, I think I saw it on TV once. I seem to remember that the Todmorden end of the route was a bit disappointing to ride and quite muddy. I also seem to remember that the Rossendale Way BW that heads off the map southwards is a better ride. Not been over that way for a good ten years or longer though.


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## Ming the Merciless (9 Apr 2020)

One of the joys right now is riding A or B roads you wouldn’t dare touch in normal times. Like riding your bike back in 1955 with current traffic levels.


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## ColinJ (9 Apr 2020)

Globalti said:


> How good is the detail Colin? Or does it depend on your printer? I ask because recently we got a 1:25,000 map printed by OS centred on our house and I'm not very impressed with the quality of the printing.


It should look very close to a pre-printed map if you have a decent colour printer. I don't own one so I don't print maps - they look bloody awful printed using a 20 year old monochrome laser printer! 

This is part of the map at its natural resolution, so what you should get with a decent printer. (The map posted above had been scaled.)


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## ColinJ (9 Apr 2020)

PS Actually, the CycleChat forum software has degraded the image slightly - it looks clearer than that on my computer before uploading.

And I forgot to add that you can use the maps with the GPS on a smartphone on the free MM app.






(That old phone is very small - it is much more usable on a bigger phone!)


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## HLaB (9 Apr 2020)

5 miles wouldn't get me far, 15minutes on Oundle Rd


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## ColinJ (9 Apr 2020)

HLaB said:


> 5 miles wouldn't get me far


It would get you, oh, roughly 8 kms!


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## 13 rider (10 Apr 2020)

If you fancy a challenge riding new roads check out https://wandrer.earth/ links with Strava and free to use


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## SuperHans123 (10 Apr 2020)

I only cycle locally.
Then again, I do live here:-


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## JPBoothy (10 Apr 2020)

JPBoothy said:


> I've managed to get my Xbox addict teenage son to cycle a local 8ml loop regularly on one of my bikes during the Corona restrictions and, I find that a 36x25 gear choice gives my legs a decent spin over that distance


I knew I'd spoken too soon, as I have had to become the teenager today and stay in bed after my rib muscles (Intercostals I believe) went into spasm last night and are forcing me to let out involuntary screams. The neighbours must be wondering what's going on! My wife is fuming as I slipped and banged the ribs last weekend (fixing her car BTW) but instead of resting them have been doing jobs. Where's that xbox 🤔


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## DiddlyDodds (10 Apr 2020)

sleuthey said:


> Iv never understood this part of the guidance. Surely if your riding alone then the risk depends on the duration of the ride not the distance from home. In fact if you live in a city then surely the further you go from home into the sticks then the lower the risk.
> 
> Criticism to the policy makers here not the OP


I think they are basing it on the further you go from home and have a problem / accident etc the bigger the possibility of needing to bring other people in to help.
There are a lot of cyclist out there that if they had just a minor issue with the bike they would have no idea how to sort it out themselves and would need help rather than just being able to walk home.


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## Phaeton (10 Apr 2020)

DiddlyDodds said:


> I think they are basing it on the further you go from home and have a problem / accident etc the bigger the possibility of needing to bring other people in to help.


I think you are giving them too much credit, I don't think they have any clue, on today's briefing the medical lady spoke about the 'hordes' of cyclists out riding together crossing Westminster bridge


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## 8mph (10 Apr 2020)

I went on my tourer at long last for a 10 minute dusk ride. (my first ride in a month. ) 

I've only got to ride this bike a handful of times before the lock down. It's a Martin muirwoods converted to drop bars, not the lightest of bikes but it's ideal for my local potholed lanes. Looking forward to getting out more, hopefully on daily rides.


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## Drago (10 Apr 2020)

I got the forest, the fields, the grand union canal, open countryside, more bridleways, byways, and single track roads than I can shake a stick at. Although I know the area in general I'm not a local boy, so unlike Mr Skol I didn't get to roam as a kid and don't know every little wrinkle, so local exploration regularly brings me something new to capture my interest.


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## Ming the Merciless (10 Apr 2020)

sleuthey said:


> Iv never understood this part of the guidance. Surely if your riding alone then the risk depends on the duration of the ride not the distance from home. In fact if you live in a city then surely the further you go from home into the sticks then the lower the risk.
> 
> Criticism to the policy makers here not the OP



They don’t want you driving far away to exercise. There is no such statement on how far you go if exercising from your home.


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## sleuthey (10 Apr 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> They don’t want you driving far away to exercise. There is no such statement on how far you go if exercising from your home.


Good, glad to hear it


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## ren531 (10 Apr 2020)

Been cycling my local lanes for the past 25 years and never tire of them we have a large variety of choices but I am going down ones I haven't been down for years and using busy roads to get to them that I would never go near normally ,going down the road today from Garstang to Glasson Dock it was empty and a joy to cycle ,I only ever use it normally for short hops between junctions and would never contemplate riding all of it .


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## Richard A Thackeray (11 Apr 2020)

Likewise I can see a lot within a 5 mile radius
Eg;
- a grade 1 listed (cast iron) aquaduct - reputedly what Sydney Harbour bridge was modelled on (& as a model for the Tyne Bridge)

- a (built in the last 5 years) hydro-electric generator, that's alongside a Victorian weir/sluice-gates

- one of only 4 bridge chapels, left in the country (this one dating, in parts, to the 1340s)

- one of the first purpose built lunatic asylums in the country (now flats/apartments - but probably still with the cells retained in the basements
(they're interesting, I've been in there, 'on a professional basis')

- the site of the first wagon-way in the country, that was open to anyone to load goods - not simply the owners coal (Lake Lock Railway)

- the first (allegedly?) 'new town'/suburb development in the couuntry (late 1700s) - St Johns

- Wakefield Manorial Court Rolls, almost complete from 1270s, to 1920s!! (at one time, the Manor of Wakefield, stretched to Todmorden, & the border with Lancashire (by appointment at the Archives)

- one of the earliest 'by-passes' in the country, 1830s, with Ings Road (to prevent Drovers taking cattle to market, through the town centre
(if anyone knows Wakefield, the big Royal Mail sorting depot is on the site of the cattle-market)

- Englands first purpose built buildings used as a bank

- the deepest cutting in the country, at the time of digging (Barnsley Canal in 1790s) at Notton ...... okay that is pushing the 5 miles a bit!!

And lots more.....................................


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## 8mph (22 Apr 2020)

A ride from Hackpen Hill, along the Ridgeway, first going west to The Sanctuary and then back via Fifield Down, then east to Barbury Castle and back. The muddy, rutted sections that were so slow going over winter have dried out at long last.


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## Brandane (23 Apr 2020)

I've been re-discovering the joys of mountain biking in a local country centre. Hard going on the climbs, but the descents make it all worthwhile, as do the views in the current weather.


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## simon.r (23 Apr 2020)

Brandane said:


> I've been re-discovering the joys of mountain biking in a local country centre. Hard going on the climbs, but the descents make it all worthwhile, as do the views in the current weather.
> View attachment 517170
> 
> 
> ...



I’ve dragged my MTB out of hibernation as well and discovered some local trails - though no scenery as spectacular as yours!


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## 8mph (25 Apr 2020)

I had a ride in West Woods, near Marlborough today. There are downhill runs but I mostly stuck to the gravel roads and had an easygoing ride with a little excursion into some of the surrounding fields. 




Here in Wiltshire The Ridgeway is the obvious go to place if your on a mountain bike, so it was nice to get into the woods for a change. I'm a bit short on ideas as to where to go next.


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## palinurus (25 Apr 2020)

palinurus said:


> Tomorrow will investigate a short bit of bridleway I spotted on Tuesday's ride.



I did this. Managed to get lost in a very small wood. Had to retrace my tracks to get back to the road.

Will attempt starting from the other end of the bridleway and see if can find the way through!


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## Johnno260 (25 Apr 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> People who ride in a sensible manner at an appropriate speed should not be falling off their bike too often, especially not in good warm dry weather. Most of the tales of incidents I read of on here seem to involve fast descents, hard braking, loose gravel on the road surface, bends with loose gravel on them, and vehicles appearing in the path of a bike being ridden at speed on urban commutes.
> That's not to say incidents can't happen anyway, but usually a fast/aggressive riding style combined with a lack of caution seem to be common factors.



pretty much this, only people have seen fall off recently are people not cycling to the situation.

Both offs I have witnessed were people going fast on roads coated in that loose gravel

Todays off I witnessed was on a gravel track that the farmer doesn’t mind people using, I was on foot with the wife, eldest daughter riding and youngest on her balance bike, the guy came flying along I asked my youngest to move to the edge which she did, and he saw me usher her to the side, but the guy tried to thread himself between me and my kid without slowing, if he had slowed and allowed us to get right over to the side then he wouldn’t of needed to even move himself, but I suppose a KOM is worth crashing for?

He ended up on the verge and fell off, then threw his bike in my daughters direction.

He respected no social distancing, no common sense to the road surface etc, he is lucky the bike missed.

I have seen plenty of people out riding, and loads of horse riders, horse I always pass slow and wide, if the horse is oncoming I stop and cover my light, as for other cyclists if they have kids slow and wide as they’re children they will do the most random things sometimes, it’s about having respect for other road users and the situation.

Anyway that image is from a loverly new road I found, I will say I’m being much slower and appreciated the views more.


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## SkipdiverJohn (25 Apr 2020)

Feckwits that ride like that are deserving of a good hard slap!


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## PaulSB (26 Apr 2020)

Agreed it has been a fun and enjoyable challenge to find ways of mixing up very familiar local roads in to routes. Hitting my target for these of +/- 35 miles is becoming very difficult.

Headed out to one of my favourite areas yesterday. Once I got there checked the mileage and found I'd done 15 so all I could do was skirt around it and head for home.

I miss cycling with friends and hadn't appreciated how often we ride 15+ miles before beginning the route we want to do!

I'll spend some time on RWGPS today.


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## stoatsngroats (26 Apr 2020)

I agree, it’s is good to find new local routes, a short 8 miles in my Brompton recently saw my cycling roads into a fantastic wood, somewhere I have only driven to before.
The link below is our regular ‘mental well-being ride, which mixes countryside and seaside.
15 miles.


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## GuyBoden (26 Apr 2020)

I've been riding locally with my wife since the lockdown, about 20-30 miles most days. We ride in a 10mile(ish) circle around the locality, so always easy to get back home. It's nice to see many newbies out on bikes, some obviously on new bikes from Halfords, I hope they catch the cycling bug.


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## uphillstruggler (26 Apr 2020)

All from a 10 mile ride along bridle ways and the MK red way system, I’m discovering loads of new paths and bridle ways and revisiting old routes that I haven’t been on since I was a kid

I’m riding sensibly and with care and consideration for others.

It’s like being a kid again, it may help that I bought the bike in the pictures recently but it’s opened up the Chance to check out turnings and tracks that I may not have been able to ride before for one reason or another.

I love MK, it’s not to everyone’s taste but I’m enjoying exploring again, it’s also good to see so many people taking advantage of the wide open spaces I have available on my doorstep


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## ianrauk (26 Apr 2020)

GuyBoden said:


> I've been riding locally with my wife since the lockdown, about 20-30 miles most days. We ride in a 10mile(ish) circle around the locality, so always easy to get back home. It's nice to see many newbies out on bikes, some obviously on new bikes from Halfords, I hope they catch the cycling bug.


On our local loop today I can't remember ever seeing so many couples out on bikes together. Many obviously newbies getting some exercise in.


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## Phaeton (26 Apr 2020)

ianrauk said:


> On our local loop today I can't remember ever seeing so many couples out on bikes together. Many obviously newbies getting some exercise in.


Or relapsed couples trying again, I do wonder if there will be a birth spike in 8-9 months


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## ColinJ (28 Apr 2020)

Aha! In an earlier post recently I mentioned a local reservoir having gone walkabout...



ColinJ said:


> One thing caught my eye...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was just looking through some of my old ride photographs and lo and behold, there it... WASN'T!


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## 8mph (30 Apr 2020)

Had a quick ride on The Ridgeway and around Barbury Castle Estate. Plenty of empty tracks to ride




















but as usual, even after light rain, riding on the chalk downs is a messy business.


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## albal (2 May 2020)

Usually ride for a few miles finishing at dusk. Much quieter.


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## Ming the Merciless (2 May 2020)




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## Drago (2 May 2020)

uphillstruggler said:


> All from a 10 mile ride along bridle ways and the MK red way system, I’m discovering loads of new paths and bridle ways and revisiting old routes that I haven’t been on since I was a kid
> 
> I’m riding sensibly and with care and consideration for others.
> 
> ...


I cycled up to those kilns last year. It's a nice part of the world for an urban area, one of the parts of MK that seems to work.


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## stuarttunstall (2 May 2020)

For the last 3 weeks I have been one of the furlough workers so doing 14 miles a day around the village on country lanes.... I always do but these days it is so quiet, I have seen about 10 people and vehicles combined in 3 weeks.... 

Just horses, deer, rabbits and sheep with lambs...


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## uphillstruggler (2 May 2020)

Drago said:


> I cycled up to those kilns last year. It's a nice part of the world for an urban area, one of the parts of MK that seems to work.



You’ll likely know about the way MK grew up but there’s quite a few of these villages that were incorporated into MK as it developed. There are paths and tracks you can use to join them up, it’s a bit of time travel in the new (not a) city

That was the first time I’d actually been there even though I knocked about in Great Linford for a while.


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## Johnno260 (2 May 2020)

Lovely ride today 30miles of bliss.
The random wind turbine is only as my kid loves them haha


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## Ian H (2 May 2020)

We've been alternately walking (us) and cycling (me). We're pretty familiar with most of the footpaths within about a ten mile radius of here (I'm astonished at some folks ignorance of their local area). I can find my way on a bike round most of Devon, Somerset and East Dorset. I'm pretty good further afield on through routes. But there are still small lanes which I haven't yet poked my nose down, and a few cycleable tracks. It's a delight to suddenly find myself lost in some pocket of countryside that I thought I knew well.


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## Drago (2 May 2020)

I bought a flat in Heelands when I was in the Army. In the 2 years I owned it I think I slept there no more than 60 nights, but sold it at a handsome profit.


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## uphillstruggler (3 May 2020)

Drago said:


> I bought a flat in Heelands when I was in the Army. In the 2 years I owned it I think I slept there no more than 60 nights, but sold it at a handsome profit.



I cycled through there with daughter no 2 today, there’s tracks through and around there that most people wouldn’t notice but having the new cx/gravel/whatever opens up nicely


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## Drago (3 May 2020)

I quite like the Redways. Perfect they are not, and in a couple of spots decidedly dicey, but they go absolutely everywhere. You can go from any single point in the town to another (excluding the old towns that were built long before anyone had thought of bicycles), by any route that makes your fancy, for as great a distance as you want, and not have to ride more than a hundred yards on a road. They are absolutely everywhere, and all are at least 3 metres wide. Some parts of the Redway are positively enchanting, the northern half of the Railway Walk, around the lakes and through the linear parks. I used to enjoy exploring them and still do on occasion when I ride over to see one of my chums.

Perhaps when this virus malarkey is behind us we could meet up for a cake and selfie?


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## uphillstruggler (3 May 2020)

Drago said:


> I quite like the Redways. Perfect they are not, and in a couple of spots decidedly dicey, but they go absolutely everywhere. You can go from any single point in the town to another (excluding the old towns that were built long before anyone had thought of bicycles), by any route that makes your fancy, for as great a distance as you want, and not have to ride more than a hundred yards on a road. They are absolutely everywhere, and all are at least 3 metres wide. Some parts of the Redway are positively enchanting, the northern half of the Railway Walk, around the lakes and through the linear parks. I used to enjoy exploring them and still do on occasion when I ride over to see one of my chums.
> 
> Perhaps when this virus malarkey is behind us we could meet up for a cake and selfie?



Sounds great, it would be a pleasure.

I’ll keep in touch


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## nickyboy (3 May 2020)

Downside of local cycling is the struggle to find new bits of road to ride on

The upside is by keeping the rides sub 2 hours I can go harder and that's improved my fitness. About 1mph quicker than I was a couple of months ago


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## pawl (3 May 2020)

Found two local lanes that I usually pass on my local circuits .


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## Cathryn (5 Oct 2020)

8mph said:


> I had a ride in West Woods, near Marlborough today. There are downhill runs but I mostly stuck to the gravel roads and had an easygoing ride with a little excursion into some of the surrounding fields.
> View attachment 517681
> 
> Here in Wiltshire The Ridgeway is the obvious go to place if your on a mountain bike, so it was nice to get into the woods for a change. I'm a bit short on ideas as to where to go next.
> View attachment 517682



Late to this but I live near the West Woods, I run there a lot and I know the very stile above! There are some lovely MTB trails (that I run) out towards Avebury/Cherhill/Broad Hinton if that helps.


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## Richard A Thackeray (8 Oct 2020)

Probably just within the 5 mile radius

The abandoned/partially filled in Barnsley Canal, some sections are still in water & look reasonble
Others... less so

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/barnsley/ba3.htm

Lock # 11 (or 12?)
Between Walton & the entrance to Waterton Hall







The bridge from The Balk, to Waterton Hall

This was the site of the Worlds first Nature reserve; http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/sense_of_place/walton_1.shtml
An 8 foot high wall was built around the grounds to deter poachers disturbing the wildlife (this was in the 1820s)

The local residents/Council are chasing UNESCO listing for the grounds


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## palinurus (8 Oct 2020)

Been trying to make the days at work go a bit better by going out doing 'lunchtime mushroom safaris' on the industrial estate- there are a couple of bits of woodland left between the industrial units and there's verges on the lanes at the margins plus I've found a few along the dual-carriageway. I know fark all about mushrooms so I take a phone photo and try to figure out what they are later. It's not really about mushrooms anyway- it's just a mission to get me off site and exploring.

Saw a lot in September but there's not much around right now. Yesterday I found a golf ball and a yet-unidentified mushroom growing on a stump.

Sometimes this involves riding, mostly walking.


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