It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

Amateurretiree

We are within yards of the C2C cycle path in the North East and often walk a part of it near our home. Been within a hairs breadth several times of being struck by bikes going very fast, travelling 3 or 4 abreast. I know it’s a cycle path, it’s an old railway line, but it seems some don’t want to share it with us old walkers!

Nebulous2

Amateurretiree said:

We are within yards of the C2C cycle path in the North East and often walk a part of it near our home. Been within a hairs breadth several times of being struck by bikes going very fast, travelling 3 or 4 abreast. I know it’s a cycle path, it’s an old railway line, but it seems some don’t want to share it with us old walkers!

I'm not sure the relevance of that. Shared paths need to be treated with caution. Old walkers deliberately spread across the path when they see bikes coming, people have dogs on long leads across the path, bikes go too fast for the conditions - there are idiots everywhere and in every group, which has the capacity to create friction.  

I've only done a section of the C2C around Beamish (is that the same one?)  and it was dire - much of the bit I did was quiet with few walkers but it was in poor condition and difficult to navigate. 

Sea_Shell

I'll stick to two feet rather than two wheels.

A lot less kit to cart about for starters.

Also my pelvis doesn't appreciate a saddle!!  *

Amateurretiree

Nebulous2 said:

Amateurretiree said:

We are within yards of the C2C cycle path in the North East and often walk a part of it near our home. Been within a hairs breadth several times of being struck by bikes going very fast, travelling 3 or 4 abreast. I know it’s a cycle path, it’s an old railway line, but it seems some don’t want to share it with us old walkers!

I'm not sure the relevance of that. Shared paths need to be treated with caution. Old walkers deliberately spread across the path when they see bikes coming, people have dogs on long leads across the path, bikes go too fast for the conditions - there are idiots everywhere and in every group, which has the capacity to create friction.  

I've only done a section of the C2C around Beamish (is that the same one?)  and it was dire - much of the bit I did was quiet with few walkers but it was in poor condition and difficult to navigate. 

Yes that’s the one, sorry was just having a gripe! 

Nebulous2

Amateurretiree said:

Nebulous2 said:

Amateurretiree said:

We are within yards of the C2C cycle path in the North East and often walk a part of it near our home. Been within a hairs breadth several times of being struck by bikes going very fast, travelling 3 or 4 abreast. I know it’s a cycle path, it’s an old railway line, but it seems some don’t want to share it with us old walkers!

I'm not sure the relevance of that. Shared paths need to be treated with caution. Old walkers deliberately spread across the path when they see bikes coming, people have dogs on long leads across the path, bikes go too fast for the conditions - there are idiots everywhere and in every group, which has the capacity to create friction.  

I've only done a section of the C2C around Beamish (is that the same one?)  and it was dire - much of the bit I did was quiet with few walkers but it was in poor condition and difficult to navigate. 

Yes that’s the one, sorry was just having a gripe! 

Thanks - we all have gripes, and the compromises associated with shared paths are one of the reasons why I do most of my cycling on the road. It worked when we had children however, especially when we navigated away from populated areas to quieter places. 

Sea_Shell

Throw runners into the mix and you've now got a 3 speed path.    Runners (inc me) trying to navigate round the dog (and other) walkers, whilst cyclist are trying to navigate round both!

Those extra long extendable dog leads should be banned IMO.      Walker on one side, dog on the other, tripwire spanning the gap!!

cfw1994

Sea_Shell said:

Throw runners into the mix and you've now got a 3 speed path.    Runners (inc me) trying to navigate round the dog (and other) walkers, whilst cyclist are trying to navigate round both!

Those extra long extendable dog leads should be banned IMO.      Walker on one side, dog on the other, tripwire spanning the gap!!

Well.....I’m finally home after my PandemicPedal.
19 days cycling, 1,089miles (not the shortest route, but via home, Marsden mountain rescue folk I was raising money for & Edinburgh), avg 57 miles per day, mostly B&B (plus one castle, the amazing Balsporran B&B & even a couple of cheeky nights camping just to add around 4kg extra weight😜). 

I use https://cycle.travel/map to plan my routes (& a Wahoo Roam to then follow it....couple with a Garmin Varia as a radar-car spotting brake light - truly awesome kit!) - it plans *brilliant* quiet routes.   Even through cities like Sheffield, Derby, Edinburgh, kept me on cycle routes & paths.

You can pop your postcode in and just ask for a 10/20/30mile route - try it, you may be surprised what it suggests!

Quite a lot of cycle+walkers+runners along many ‘green trails’ - use of the bell or a cheery bellow meant I had zero incidents of concern, & often some decent banter on the way.  Probably had to slow for dogs a handful of times (over 100hours of pedalling!), never a problem.

Mind you, I’m struggling to walk now, wondering whether to wash the bike or put it on eBay 😂.  

I can see an electric bike in my future - I do realise I *hate* hills, although nothing compared with pushing mine up The Buttress - I lasted about 10 yards pedalling that beast 🤣

Had a dozen pals join me or meet up in evenings along the way, which was fun....but I quite liked the days I had to myself, to be honest.

Weather ranged from those 50mph Cornish winds & pouring rain around the 19th May to some beautiful sunshine through the Yorkshire Dales and even a mostly bright & no-midge Scotland (carried a pointless £4 head-net for that leg!).

Anyway....back to life!  A great decompression from the day job, & seriously, by the end, I could have just kept going......

Fave pic of the journey: Heptonstall.  Like cycling up the Hovis advert:

Amateurretiree

Sea_Shell said:

Throw runners into the mix and you've now got a 3 speed path.    Runners (inc me) trying to navigate round the dog (and other) walkers, whilst cyclist are trying to navigate round both!

Those extra long extendable dog leads should be banned IMO.      Walker on one side, dog on the other, tripwire spanning the gap!!

We get quite a lot of horse riders too, who insist on riding two abreast and chatting, and the accompanying mess!

Amateurretiree

cfw1994 said:

Sea_Shell said:

Throw runners into the mix and you've now got a 3 speed path.    Runners (inc me) trying to navigate round the dog (and other) walkers, whilst cyclist are trying to navigate round both!

Those extra long extendable dog leads should be banned IMO.      Walker on one side, dog on the other, tripwire spanning the gap!!

Well.....I’m finally home after my PandemicPedal.
19 days cycling, 1,089miles (not the shortest route, but via home, Marsden mountain rescue folk I was raising money for & Edinburgh), avg 57 miles per day, mostly B&B (plus one castle, the amazing Balsporran B&B & even a couple of cheeky nights camping just to add around 4kg extra weight😜). 

I use https://cycle.travel/map to plan my routes (& a Wahoo Roam to then follow it....couple with a Garmin Varia as a radar-car spotting brake light - truly awesome kit!) - it plans *brilliant* quiet routes.   Even through cities like Sheffield, Derby, Edinburgh, kept me on cycle routes & paths.

You can pop your postcode in and just ask for a 10/20/30mile route - try it, you may be surprised what it suggests!

Quite a lot of cycle+walkers+runners along many ‘green trails’ - use of the bell or a cheery bellow meant I had zero incidents of concern, & often some decent banter on the way.  Probably had to slow for dogs a handful of times (over 100hours of pedalling!), never a problem.

Mind you, I’m struggling to walk now, wondering whether to wash the bike or put it on eBay 😂.  

I can see an electric bike in my future - I do realise I *hate* hills, although nothing compared with pushing mine up The Buttress - I lasted about 10 yards pedalling that beast 🤣

Had a dozen pals join me or meet up in evenings along the way, which was fun....but I quite liked the days I had to myself, to be honest.

Weather ranged from those 50mph Cornish winds & pouring rain around the 19th May to some beautiful sunshine through the Yorkshire Dales and even a mostly bright & no-midge Scotland (carried a pointless £4 head-net for that leg!).

Anyway....back to life!  A great decompression from the day job, & seriously, by the end, I could have just kept going......

Fave pic of the journey: Heptonstall.  Like cycling up the Hovis advert:

Amazing! I’m in awe you must feel so good for doing it .

Sea_Shell

Well done @cfw1994 , that's an amazing achievement!!!

Hope you recover soon.     Have you had a "Steve Redgrave" moment yet?