Mud-plugging on the TPT

Rode the Calow section today with new rangers Paul & Pip & then rode back to Sheffield. (We have had heavy rain & strong winds in the last few days)

Took the B6057 road route from Sheffield to Chesterfield and noted some measures that are needed to make this a safe commuting route which will be reported separately.

The Calow loop is in good condition. The signing at the golf club is a bit ambiguous and Pip agreed to sort that out - it might need the OK of the golf club but I expect they don't really want lost trail-ers wandering over the links so shouldn't be a problem. This section will be in good hands with Paul & Pip.

Staveley - a link is needed between the TPT and the Five Pits trail near Arkwright Town.

There is a litter problem at the access points in Staveley.

North of Staveley the trail is in good condition and with a strong following wind I was able to travel at speed. However, the area around former Renishaw central station is a mudbath. This is a pity because it is an access point and the condition deters potential users. Also it is visible to road cyclists as they pass over the road bridge and they are unlikely to be attracted onto the trail in its current condition, although the surfaces are quite rideable a few hundred yards away from this location. Suggest therefore that this area should get some priority.

North of Renishaw the surface is mediocre and has plainly been disturbed by off-road motorcyclists (I came across one in this area)

I veered off to do some shopping at Crystal Peaks shopping centre, and tried to put myself into the position of a tired & hungry stranger to town who had done this and then needed to get back onto the trail.(the tired and hungry part wasn't hard) There is no link between the trail and Crystal Peaks. It would seem logical that there should be one, and the off-road path that passes the Drake House Lane tram-stop is an obvious contender.In fact there is a whole network of pathways in Mosborough that could be converted for cycling, as has been previously noted. There are no links enabling a cyclist who has strayed from the trail and find themselves on the A57, one of Sheffield's classic roads designed to deter cycling, to get back off it and on to the trail. The traffic around Crystal Peaks on a December Sunday is horrendous. I won't go into the details of how I got back on!

Came across some off-road motorcyclists at the Stradbroke Rd crossing. Unfortunately my phone was dead so couldn't report them.

There is a breed line all the way up the incline to Richmond Rd, as previously reported . This is quite hazardous now.

Coming into town the trail is in reasonable condition although there is a lot of litter in the borders and there was evidence of a burnt-out car near Prince of Wales road. One anecdote I picked up was that when the Fire Brigade were on strike there were a lot less burnt-out cars around, as part of the thrill is getting the fire engine to turn out (& quite possibly stone the firemen) Perhaps the fire brigade should stop coming out to burning cars.

Where the trail crosses the Mosborough Parkway I noticed that the cycle route has been extended towards the Richmond College site. However, the signs are missing so this is likely to confuse trail users. I will get some temporary signs up.

Thoroughly enjoyed the ride despite the defects!