CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Can I ask the forum what is the situation with cycling on the grassy areas of Holyrood Park? The "Holyrood park map and guide" says "Cycling is only permitted on the road and green path alongside the Galloping Glen. Off road cycling damages plant life and archaeology."
Does the Land Reform Act etc trump that?
No it is a Royal Park. Keep off the Grass. I'm afraid.
In younger and dafter days we used to take mtbs up to the trig point and see who could be first back to Holyrood. Not advisable then or now.
The Galloping Glen..? Where's that?
Galloping Glen appears to be the grassy expanse at Powderhouse Corner;
New one to me and I'm a Seat Enthusiast.
There's a well-word desire line in the grass (Well, the dirt) between the Holyroodhouse car park booth and the park exit by the old Elsie Inglis. I've been known to take that as a shortcut on the bike, but never been sure what the legal status is. Given I go past the front of the ranger station and nobody ever yelled at me yet, it can't be that serious an infraction. Also, it's either dirt or your basic park grass that I'm riding on, I wouldn't dream of taking a bike up onto the hill proper.
If I was stopped and challenged and was told "your'e ruining the grass" I was going to point out that it's the 1,000s of people who walk that way as that's the way they want to go and they don't want an 800m detour that are "runing the grass" and I'm just following slowly in their footsteps.
Anyone kind enough to link to a definitive written decision on the battle between the might of the Land Reform act, and the Royal Parks?
On two occasions dog walkers have said we shouldn't be there. I would like to think that kids could cycle on the grass or pavement as well as the green path. I do not consider the road through the park to be safe for kids.
Of course kids are likely young enough for rules not to apply to them?
Section 6(1)(d) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 specifically states that access rights granted by that Act are not exercisable on land "which public access is, by or under any enactment other than this Act, prohibited, excluded or restricted;".
Access rights in Holyrood Park are restricted by The Parks Regulation Acts and the Holyrood Parks Regulations 1971. This means that land reform access rights do not apply in Holyrood Park.
@morningsider
Does that mean that I can't just cycle up to the bomb store at RN Armaments Depot Coulport even if I do it reasonably? Harumph and harumph again.
Just to layer on more legislation, Holyrood Park is (I believe) a Scheduled Monument. Historic Scotland or the RCAHMS will have the info. Archaeological deposits can (and do!) survive literally below the turf.
I speak as an ex-archaeologist...
Mandopicker1 - yes, Holyrood Park is a Scheduled Monument, as well as being an Area of Great Landscape Value, Green Belt and a designated landscape.
None of which seems to stop cars from travelling through it in droves...
None of which seems to stop cars from travelling through it in droves
The bit I refer to above (the flat grassy area to the east of the palace, which used to be the site of ornamental "physic" gardens, hence the earthwork terraces) is also used as a car park for Brenda's annual beer and sandwiches in the palace gardens. I'd wager the car traffic does far more damage to the grass that foot/light cycle use.
Thanks for your responses. Especially Morningsider for the very thorough response (even though it's what I feared!)
I phoned the Rangers this morning to see if they weren't too bothered about that grass slope where you see groups of footballers etc running up. The chap I spoke to stuck to the party line, but said he would discuss with others and get back to me. (Heard nothing yet)
Anyway, going by the strength of enforcement on other issues, I doubt the kids will get busted for cycling on the grass.
I've only ever run in the park, as it would be more inconvenient to get there on a MTB than to go to real MTB routes, but I recall no shortage of massively eroded trails. I wonder why running isn't restricted?
Can I tempt anyone to the "Land over which access rights not exercisable" section?
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2003/2/section/6
Features a pleasing use of the word "contiguous".
I am clearly a criminal then as I train for CX on holyrood park grass when it's dry...
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