Green Lanes - Our Heritage
This damaged track starts by the Mountain Box on the mountain road. On the 1:25,000 Outdoor Leisure map it is marked as a greenway (weight limit 0.5 tonne), but the track is composed of soft peat which is easily damaged and not suitable for the purpose. In the past an attempt was made to define the greenway with short marker posts, probably to reduce damage, but these have all been uprooted and lie on the ground.
Multiple scars have been cut into the soft peat as off-road bikes try to avoid the deeper ruts and create more and more scars across the heath.
This set of pictures illustrates a classic example of where a soft surface is being used incorrectly by inappropriate vehicles. It would be far better to reclassify this greenway as a bridle-path for walkers and horses only before it is further damaged. However, off-road bikes are using this greenway to gain access to the northern section of The Millenium Way, which in itself has become very badly damaged by off-road vehicle activity.
This damaged track starts by the Mountain Box on the mountain road. On the 1:25,000 Outdoor Leisure map it is marked as a greenway (weight limit 0.5 tonne), but the track is composed of soft peat which is easily damaged and not suitable for the purpose. In the past an attempt was made to define the greenway with short marker posts, probably to reduce damage, but these have all been uprooted and lie on the ground.
These photos show what happens when motorbikes deviate from a known path cutting new ruts across the soft peat. This leaves scars that often never 'self-heal' because the turf or heather has been damaged. These ruts usually erode out into deep ravines when rain water is allowed to run down them.