Wimpole Estate Multi-use Trail 2017 Frequently asked questions

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1 Wimpole Estate Multi-use Trail 2017 Frequently asked questions Why does the National Trust want to create new trails? We want to play our part in helping to reconnect the nation with the outdoors. At the heart of the Trust s strategy is improving access to and awareness of our many outdoor locations to encourage people to enjoy the unique pleasure of spending time in the countryside. We want the next generation to grow up loving and caring for the British countryside, and by providing facilities that appeal to them, giving them a positive connection with the outdoors, we hope they ll grow to love it, rather than feeling that it is not relevant and therefore not important to them. Why has Wimpole been chosen as one of the sites for the trails? Research has shown that more people are using the park at Wimpole, but for some it s still hard to access. It s one of the East of England s most iconic estates, and being one of the largest in the area has enough space to allow a variety of visitors to enjoy different activities. This project would be able to fulfil our visitor s needs, but also give us the funds to upgrade many areas which are under heavy use, are potholed and in need of repair. Where will the new route take you? The new multi-use, waymarked trail will follow existing paths for just under half of its 9km length, although the ideal direction of travel is yet to be determined. It will provide a safe-off road environment for all but the two crossing points. The circular route will take visitors from the car park to the Arrington gates where it turns right and climbs to higher ground. Here it follows an historic track through woodland onto some farmland where very few visitors currently visit. The route enters the belts at a historic crossing of the ditch and follows the existing path for about 600m, emerging from the woodlandwith a fine view of the Gothic Tower. It then skirts arable fields and crosses Oddy Doddy lane at the current crossing point, then again skirting the belts first to the south and then the north until it meets the field track at the eastern end of the belts The route then enters the top of Gloucester field where a sinuous path reduces gradient before joining the farm tracks to Home farm. A new path alongside Old Wimpole road keeps walkers and young riders off the road and back to the car park.

2 What will the trail look like? The trail will be a maximum of 2.5 metres in width and constructed out of compact stone. It will not be finished with tarmac or concrete. For the purposes of planning consent, a wider corridor for trails of this type is commonly submitted, this might be as wide as 20m and can look alarming on a map. However, as stated above, the path built will be no wider than 2.5m. The planning corridor allows the final line of the trail to be moved during construction to accommodate twists and turns, avoid trees and unexpected archaeology and create good sightlines at intersections. Experience from other sites is that natural revegetation of the edges occurs rapidly following construction. Have you considered a shorter more usable route as 9k is too long? A short cut either uses Oddy-Doddy lane or would put an unacceptable path across the middle of the registered park. The route has been carefully considered with the needs of Nature conservation, heritage, landscape impact and the visitor experience in mind. Will new surface deteriorate given the wet weather in England? The surface will be compacted crushed limestone(6mm to dust). If laid with sufficient moisture it will bind and be hard wearing. The Limestone is whitish with a grey or cream hue which will darken over time to blend into the landscape better. Alternatives-Carrston and Reddish Granite. Will there be drainage problems? Careful construction with cambers and appropriate path pitch will ensure shedding of water. All users are to travel clockwise. Is this safer than anti-clockwise? We can only encourage users to set off in whichever direction is thought to be the safest and at least initially clockwise will reduce traffic on the part of the drive shared with cars entering the current car park. Who will benefit from the trail? The trail will be designed for use all year round and will enable different user groups to enjoy the wider Estate, be it cyclists, runners, walkers, those in adapted wheelchairs, as well as families with pushchairs and those needing a little more reassurance underfoot and a safe place to enjoy the Estate. The proposed multi-use trail is aimed at a broad audience, typical of Wimpole s existing visitor profile. Who are the stakeholders? A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in the project. Can it be named a multi use path for walkers and family cycling? All descriptions will be considered Is the gradient in the woodland area too high for family cycling? Trying to achieve a very low gradient is not always possible. The challenge will be enjoyed by many.

3 Isn t it just a trail for cyclists? Cyclists are just one of the user groups who will be able to enjoy using the new trail. However, it s worth noting that this trail is aimed at people who aren t regularly taking part in activity, rather than for cyclists and mountain bikers. These groups already have miles of quiet roads and purpose-built sites to use in the region and are unlikely to find our route attractive for their level of ability. The surfaces are not designed for road racing bikes with very narrow tyres, but for families looking for an easy, safe route that can get them started. We will be trying hard to ensure that the keen cyclists are aware that this is a multi-use trail, hence the careful use of the descriptive name. They will of course be welcome with their families to use the trail as a safe place to enjoy cycling at whatever speed limit is deemed appropriate. Will motor cycles and scooters like Vespas be prohibited? Yes. Can it be linked to external/national cycle tracks-with funding from national cycle track charities? The programme aim is to allow NT visitors to experience the Outdoors. Cyclists arriving on national routes will be welcome as long as speed limits are adhered. Do you envisage charities using the trails for sponsored events? Possibly but need to work around other users. When will it be ready? We will be seeking planning permission for the new multi-purpose trail during March If all goes to plan and we get the green light, it would mean we should in the summer, with completion early What will be the impact on walkers/runners etc during construction regarding lorries and diggers driving during the construction process? No doubt there will be some disruption but we will try to give notice and alternative routes. Site Safety is paramount. Where are we getting the funding from? We ve been lucky enough to receive a 2 million investment (nationally) thanks to Sport England, which is their fourth venture with the National Trust. Since 2012, Sport England has invested more than 4.2 million to help Trust properties cater more towards people s outdoor activity needs. Will there be more dog pooh bins to stop people hanging pooh bags on trees and other static items? This issue will be managed as currently in the park allowing for the perceived increase in use. Will these trails damage the natural environment they re in? No. The National Trust is a charity with conservation at its core and will always adhere to statutory requirements and recognised best practice in wildlife conservation. A full conservation assessment has been undertaken to identify key features and ensure they remain protected, and to make recommendations for minimising and mitigating any impacts on wildlife. That means the trails will be micro- designed in sympathy with the existing environment. For instance, if there s the option to go around a tree that s the route that will be taken. The new trail will also encourage people to follow that designated route, thus minimising erosion to the wider parkland. When potholes and mud appear, people tend to walk around them; this widens the path and therefore damages the undergrowth in the undisturbed parts of the woodland. Good

4 paths allow the widest parts of the path to recover from this wear and tear and will greatly benefit Wimpole, where at times this winter the paths have really suffered. Will trees have to be removed for the development? We are not planning to remove any mature or veteran trees for the purposes of building this trail. Ground vegetation will be cleared along the line of the trails where necessary and it is possible that some small trees may be removed, but this will be kept to a minimum. Any trees or limbs failing tree safety inspections will be made safe. Will you be cutting through the ridge and furrow of the belts? Careful, light touch construction methods will be used. Can you link it with the historical landscape? It is intended that all guidance documents will show links to historic paths and routes. Will this mean more visitors to the park? We already know that more and more people are using the park, and the data indicates that this could be as high as 400,000 people each year. We know that people are concerned about the mix of people, horses, dogs and cyclists. This project means improving paths further out into the park and should minimise congestion on the busier routes. If cyclists are using the trail, what about the safety of other users? Trails of this nature have been safely implemented at many sites across the United Kingdom. Each site has individual challenges but through careful planning, safety signage and the use of features along the trails such as pinch-points and speed control using tight twists on steep gradients, the safety of both cyclists on the trail and other users of the park is preserved. Pedestrians have the right of way. Won t these trails spoil my walk? Walkers will also be able to benefit from the new trails. With the trail surface being designed so that it can be used all year round, it means that it will be less muddy underfoot on this route during the winter months. What about those of us wanting to walk our dogs? You ll be welcome to use the new route too. It s true that close control of dogs is needed and it will be necessary for people to comply with the Countryside Code. What about people with disabilities? We know that people with disabilities would like to use the park, but need more support to do so. We already have electric scooters at our visitors disposal and we d like to give adapted wheelchair users and those with other, less obvious disabilities the opportunity to use the park too. We are also looking into funding opportunities to assist with the provision of appropriate adapted wheelchairs for those visitors who may require assistance to explore the multi-use trail. Will there be Buggy rides around the trail? Not proposed. They are too wide for a shared path.

5 Will there be any other facilities added around the trail, such as toilets, seating or a café? There are no plans at this time to introduce any further facilities along the trail. Can we take our horse on one of these trails? The path surface will be damaged by horse hooves so we will be introducing a permit to ride scheme to give us the opportunity to explain where horses can be ridden in the park. Wimpole already allows access to horse riders across some parts of the estate, providing an approximate 4.5m circuit. Wimpole is in active conversation with the horse riding community to explore whether this provision could be extended. The trail will not be catering for specialist sporting activities such as mountain biking or horse riders. Who will be responsible for the upkeep of the trail? Regular inspection, management and maintenance of the trail will be undertaken by the National Trust. How will you stop people using it from the Arrington gate and not paying? Unless gates are locked this will be difficult to control. Is Wimpole the only place where we are we hoping to introduce trails of this nature? Ten new cycle trails are to be developed at National Trust properties across England over the next eighteen months in a 4.25 million joint investment by the conservation charity and Sport England. Trails will be around 5 kilometres long and will wind through scenic parklands and atmospheric woodlands of the mansion properties which will be announced soon. How can I show my support for this? We d love to hear from you. Please drop us an to wimpole@nationaltrust.org.uk with Support for multi-use trails in the subject heading. Alternatively, you can write to Steph Hall, Project Manager, National Trust, Wimpole National Trust, Arrington, Royston, Cambs SG8 0BW.