Young Rangers Course

Newark Rides

(Note: to cycle to Fledborough from Sheffield, take NCN67/6 to Worksop and through Clumber Park and NCN647 through Tuxford. There is no bike-carrying public transport east of Sheffield to assist you so it would be a long ride out (although if you have a folder you could take it on the tram to Halfway) but trains do run in the afternoon from Worksop back to Sheffield. )

Our next rides are planned for Sunday 13 May.     We have a choice of two rides , both using the Dukeries Trail (NCN 647) and both starting from the tiny village of Fledborough. Ian and Sue Oakden have kindly offered to provide refreshments for us again with proceeds donated to the Japanese Tsunami Relief Fund – some of you may remember the cakes and bacon butties they put on for our ride last year.   There is plenty of parking both at the Oakden’s and at their neighbours.

 

Ride East     A 28 mile guided ride to the East of Fledborough along minor roads and NCN Route 647. We will include a lunch stop at the Lemon Tree Café near Saxilby and a visit to St Botolph’s Church in Saxilby which will be open for visitors as part of theWest Lindsey Open Churches Festivol.

Ride West   A 31 mile ride via Tuxford and Bevercotes into Clumber Park where we will use some of their excellent cycle routes to complete a tour of the Lake.  The main stop will be at the cafe in the park where our arrival coincides with their Rhubarb festival. They have 112 varieties of rhubarb! There will be time to see some of the events if you wish.   There is no charge for cyclists entering the park but there is a charge of £3 for visiting the kitchen gardens where the festival takes place. 

Start time     Refreshments available from 9 30 am. This will include tea, coffee, bacon butties and cakes which can be bought to take on the rides.

                     Rides will leave around 10 00 am   An email or text the evening before would be helpful so I can give Ian and Sue some idea of numbers.

                            Ian and Sue have also offered to provide refreshments on our return.

Starting Point   The Manor House, Fledborough, NG22 0UU. (OS Grid Reference: SK8113972020  

Getting there     Take the turning off the Normanton to Dunham road signposted ’Fledborough’. Parking will be signposted.   To reach this road from the west, north or east its best to use the A57 and take the turning for Ragnall and  Normanton about one mile west of Dunham Bridge.  Coming from the south, turn off the A1 at Carlton on Trent and follow signs to Normanton but don’t take the sharp turn left into Normanton village, keep straight on until you see the turning to Fledborough just after you cross the Dukeries Trail.  Its about 13 miles to cycle it from Newark if you’re feeling fit.

If you’d like to take part but can’t get to Fledborough, let me or Roger know and I’ll see if anyone can take extras.  Likewise if you can offer a space please let us know.

More information   East  - Roger  01636 650604 or 07990 640598            West  -Alan  07722 656582 or Dave 07770 735396

Future Rides

Tuesday 5 June   Jubilee Ride  exploring some of the quiet lanes and tracks around Retford.

Sunday 1 July  Head Out West     A gentle easy ride to the west of Newark with a refreshment stop at Portland Fishing Lakes - Sibthorpe.

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you on the rides.  Fingers crossed for better weather than last Sunday – it couldn’t be worse.

Alan

Newark Sustrans Rangers

New Stop-off at Beighton

There;s a new place to stop off in Beighton  - The Beighton Lifestyle Centre & Cafe. They are situated literally a stone’s throw away from the Trans Pennine Trail, on High Street Beighton, the building is the old church hall.

We offer free use of our toilets, & have an affordable cafe open to all staffed by volunteers.  Outside are bike racks where bikes can be locked up and a couple of permanent picnic benchess & a bin. They are a not for profit organisation. 

This is their web page – www.lifestylebeighton.com and you are more than welcome to come along to the centre.

Workdays On The Trans Pennine Trail – Penistone

Our next workday will be this Sunday 6th May  10am – 4.30pm

Once again we're working in Penistone, meeting at 10am on the Trail at the St John’s Community Centre access. This is about half way between the station and the showground; click here for a map. We aim to finish about 4.30pm.

What will we be doing?

Cleaning signs

Pruning out tiny trees

Removing broken branches

Collecting litter

Enhancing the area

If you haven't come out with us before, don't worry; we generally have a mix of old hands and new.

Parking is easy – we have been given permission to park in St John’s Community Centre car park, just off Church Street. (Access to the Trail is in the far right hand corner of the car park)

You will need to wear old clothes, suitable footwear, and gloves to protect your hands. And you might well need waterproofs, unless we’ve run out of rain by then.

Bring a packed lunch  - the Arthouse Café is next to the trail here, and other places will be open where you can buy food if you prefer.

Free tea, coffee and biscuits will be available, just bring your own mug!

Although we do have some tools, it would be helpful if you can bring bow saws, loppers, or secateurs, if you have them. Other equipment will be supplied.

Children are very welcome, so long as they are accompanied by an adult.

Best wishes,

Kate Dobson

Workdays Organiser: Trans Pennine Trail conservation volunteers

Sustrans Volunteer Ranger (11232)

http://TPTcv.btck.co.uk

++ Lopping, Chopping, and Chatting ++

Litter-picking, Painting, and Polishing !

Sustrans sunday

Had a busy Sustrans Sunday. Firstly popped up to help out our new environmental hero on the manor - you can see him in the distance...

 ...& this was the haul of rubbish so far...

...the total tally was 15 bags.

 Here you can see how the council have repaired the fence without replacing the wire that was originally in place, making it easier for the Bad Boys to vandalise it...

...a local expresses his opinion about the people who have burnt the fence... 

...further along it's been broken down (again) 

 Speaking of fences, the next stop was Beeley Woods where the fence has been broken down..some people thought it shouldn't have been put up in the first place...

 The river was running strongly after the rain and looked pretty clean...

Surface is OK (still waiting for final surface) 

Claywheels lane has been resurfaced with cycle symbols on the rumble strrips 

Here's how it looks when you're driving

Anyone seen this bike? (poster at Beeley Woods)

 Fly-tipping on the Five Weirs Walk

Illegal parking outside Ponds Forge. The cycleway was open but peds and cyclists were getting squeezed.  

 The subway under the Parkway at Blast Lane

& meanwhile on the Chapeltown Greenway, this is the next section that should get the treatment...  

The tarmac has got this far.. 

 

and it's a pleasure to ride on!  If all the cycle routes in Sheffield were this standard we'd be pretty happy, although we beleive there will be a width restriction further up, subject to negotiation with the landowner.

This section of NCN67, leading up to Ecclesfield Rd from the Greenway, is not so salubrious... 

 Dumped telly in the brook

 and depressingly, more litter and tipping. 

No signs apparent here, at the access point from Hartley Brook Ave

Found a finger post eventually, hiding in the scrub.

 

No signage at all at the junction between Molyneux & Hartley Brook Rd. 

This sign at the entrance to Tongue Gutter, is pointing the wrong way

...as are these signs at the other end of Tongue Gutter.

This section of the Hartley Brook path section is particularly horrible

Last stop of the day, was up at Richmond where some new tagging has appeared on the Council's noticeboard

....However, the destination patches I ordered make it pretty clear which way to go I think,

Lastly, a little video on the topic of Access Barriers

If you're thinking of trying out the NCN and you're put off by reading this, please don't be! These are just a few isolated defects - most of the Network is fine to ride on.

New Route Alignments - Sheffield

This is what has been agreed between the local Liaison Rangers, TPT Office, Sustrans Staff and the Local Authority.

Subject to the agreement of the Local Authority, re-signing will commence in May. 

Ride on the 14th

On Saturday we put some new notices up at Manor Way:

 Rich & Fred peeled off & I took a look at the open section of the Connect2 scheme:-

& saw some steam trains:-

I also rode down to Chesterfield, checked out some new bits of cycle route that are emerging around the horrid new Tescos & tried out Holme Valley route  - nice routes but a bit lacking in signage I thought - before heading back via Barlow, Commonside & Holmesfield. The road between Holmesfield & Greenhill was vile as ever.