Trails, routes, and other bikeable things from a UK perspective

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Trails, routes, and other bikeable things from a UK perspective
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flag zabdiel
Posted: May 16, 2018 at 13:40 Quote
Hello,

I recently joined the site after getting a new XC bike a year ago. I'd like to contribute trails etc but want to make sure I understand what's what Smile I'm based in the south of England.

I'm fairly clear on how stuff works when it comes to constructed trails specifically aimed at mountain bikers somewhere like Swinley Forest:

Trails - an individual trail segment, something like "blue 1" on the blue route in Swinley Forest.

Routes - a collection of trail segments making up a route, so the blue trail.

But I'm not really at all clear when it comes to other stuff, and there's lots of the other stuff Smile

Access routes - I notice there are some clickable purple access routes. I've also noticed lots of non-clickable purple routes, some brown routes, and turquoise routes on roads. I'm assuming these are pulled from open street map? There are some bikeable tracks near me that are missing and some tracks that are showing brown where I'm fairly sure bikes aren't allowed. Is it documented somewhere what these brown/purple routes are? I'm assuming that anything that shows up brown/purple shouldn't be added to Trailforks as an access route?

Unofficial trails - there are a couple of what I assume are unofficial trails on the north of Southampton: Through Home Wood and Monk's Brook Greenway North/. Neither of these are on tracks which show up as bike routes on open cycle map so having them in Trailforks is useful. (I'm not actually sure if bikes are allowed though all of both routes but...) Is there some kind of guide as to what is and isn't a trail?

Off road cycle routes that aren't specifically aimed at mountain bikers - e.g. something like the Meon Valley Trail which is a disused railway line - should this be added as a route? Does it need trails too? Or should it not be added at all? Most (but not all) of it shows up in brown on the TF map - there are a few significant gaps. I'm reckoning it should be added as a route without trails as per the South Downs Way.

Anyway, sorry if that was a bit of a ramble.
flag gav-s
Posted: May 21, 2018 at 2:33 Quote
Purple generally relates to access roads in forests but can also be used for cycle paths as these are generally regarded as "ungraded". When I add things I go by the build to decide what it should be classed as. If its paved/tarmac then its purple. If its purpose built and multi use then you can get away with classing it as a green on the premise that its suitable for kids and leisure cycling. Purpose built cycle trails should follow the Green-Red-Blue-Black-Orange rating that the Forestry Commission use.
Anything wild..like walkers paths up into mountains etc.. which isn't specifically aimed at biking, should be graded black. Unless it's spectacularly dangerous, I'd personally graded that as orange. Although orange is intended for use as "bike park" trails it also covers professional grade trails.

 


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