Ireland could be a world class Adventure destination..and we get Ballinastoe and Ticknock and a 35 page load of waffle about how great Mountainbikes are for Tourism.
I reckon Roundwood is the undiscovered Adventure Capital of Ireland..
I like this part: "By July 2012 there'll also be a well-equipped visitor centre at Llechwedd, which will include a cafe, conference facilities, showers and a bike workshop."
And "Come on, pull your lazy nose from the screen of your phone, computer or iPad (other tablets are available), and come and enjoy a totally different and real experience in this amazing area."
Look lads I don’t post here and I’m not a member, but I am a mountain biker and a responsible one at that. I haven’t joined a club as I’m too old, too heavy and I don’t get out enough to justify it. But after reading the “35 page load of waffle” I will be joining a club simple to be part of group of like minded responsible people and be heard by people that don’t want me to enjoy our mountains. I’m not going off on one here, but I did expect a bit more of verbal back lash on the main MTB forums, equally I understand that it might be best to say nothing. The link about Snowdonia just makes the whole thing worse when you think of the potential on our door step.
George..
there would have been more of a backlash , certainly on here but when members of the MTB Community are copying down everything thats said in a negative way about Coillte ( especially my comments )and being fed to them, we tend now to discuss them in private. EPIC at present are still under investigation and facing prosecution due to last years Blast. Plus we EPIC have been banned from running events by Coillte , not to mention a strange retrospective ban on running any event from Cycling Irelands Offroad Commission..
It would be very easy to see how certain Organisations would love to see MTB die off in Ireland, Its frustrating to see people going on Holidays to other countries to bike , when you see what we have right on our doorstep. Wales ( i climbed there in the 70's and 80's ) was for all intents and purposes a 3rd world country and then the Coal ran out but it was Mountainbiking that saved the place !
Thanks for your comments though .
Look lads I donât post here and Iâm not a member, but I am a mountain biker and a responsible one at that. I havenât joined a club as Iâm too old, too heavy and I donât get out enough to justify it. But after reading the â35 page load of waffleâ I will be joining a club simple to be part of group of like minded responsible people and be heard by people that donât want me to enjoy our mountains. Iâm not going off on one here, but I did expect a bit more of verbal back lash on the main MTB forums, equally I understand that it might be best to say nothing. The link about Snowdonia just makes the whole thing worse when you think of the potential on our door step.
Never too old or too heavy to join a club George!
As Byrner says we all feel very inhibited in our response to the published Coillte Strategy document because we have been effectively muzzled as to what we can say in public! But I think the complete lack of reaction throughout the MTB community actually speaks very loudly as to how people feel about it! For most of us, it has little or no relevance! An opportunity has been missed but the resulting "strategy" is pretty well exactly what was anticipated. It's just a shame that it has been given some legitimacy by the participation of our representative body in it's formulation!
yWell richie you know Coillte have banned and threatened me and my company with legal action if i bring groups into Ballinastoe or any other forest etc. I was at the Wicklow tourism AGM meetimg on wednesday in arklow, another waste of 3 hours of my life. Failte ireland were there and have chosen kildare and wicklow as there number 1 priority for increasing tourism in these areas. They explained what they have proposed for Heritage, new maps for the county and when it came to their outdoor stradegy they quickly moved on saying wicklow was a great place for mountain biking and cycling calling wicklow the outdoor hub of the country. When i asked the question of any new bike trails to be built in the near future we were told NO as there isnt any funding so its coilltes bike stradegy seems to be a complete waste of time.
Absolutely Paul and we have to do something about this. I've been Paddling, Climbing and biking in Wicklow since the 70's and it physically turns my stomach to think that we have amazing places in Dublin and Wicklow and all we ever get when we want to enjoy riding in them is censure and aggravation.
Wicklow is unbelievably deadly and the biggest mistake we ever made as a community was to keep talking to Coillte when they got us criminalised with that poxy Bye Law. The
I foolishly listened to the suits then that all would be well and that we would be granted licences covering good people in Clubs. Thats now not even up for discussion.
My instinct at the time was to go to the newspapers and the media about it but unfortunately I listened to The Voices Of Reason.
I won't be doing that again.
We had planned some fantastic new events this year but with a ban in place from Coillte and absolutely no support whatsoever from The Offroad Commission and Cycling Ireland that was never going to happen.
Remember this, it was the culmination of years of passion and it turned EPIC in to criminals ..name one bad thing about it and I will shut up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv2p5TT9yFo
Well said richie, i do believe wicklow can be the outdoor hub of the country which has amazing hillwalking, climbing, kayaking and massive potential for bike trails. All we need is a vision and to open the suits eyes to the potential of outdoor tourism. Im the meeting we were told that statistics show theres no recession in outdoor recreation and its increasing year on year. So why the hell can they not see the benefits that we do. I do believe from goimg to these meetings that Failte ireland reps really havnt a clue regarding Outdoor tourism at a local level. I have gone to my local TD and explained to him that Coilkte have denied me access but he has promised to meet me but has since let me down over the last 5 months and everyone i speak to says there is nothing they can do for me.
Pain in my arse with this countrys ways of dealing with ppl.
yWell richie you know Coillte have banned and threatened me and my company with legal action if i bring groups into Ballinastoe or any other forest etc. .
I can't see how this is possible/legal when another company is allowed .
Is it typical Irish not what you know but who ya know?
Yeh it seems to be who you know as another company is given the monopoly over all the bike trails with nobody else even allowed to apply for a permit system from coillte. I wish i had money and this would definately guarantee me access ha!
its a typical Irish Bureaucratic nonsense that the wrong people are always put in charge of things, because they have been in a place for ages or their Dad went to school with somebody. Look at Roundwood..
Lakes, Rivers, 3 big crags within distance, Glendo,Luggala, Lough Dan,the Quarry only 40 minutes away, The Dargle, the Annamoe, The Avonmore..
The Wicklow way, Hostels, brilliant pubs , come on..
When you see the Ads on the TV, it comes across as an Adventure wonderland.
But the reality is something different.
I went to a lecture once about Climbing in Kasakstahn ..there were amazing mountains and it took weeks to get to the one the Expedition were after.
Along the way they were captured by the local equivelent of the Taliban..
They escaped eventually but killed a Guard along the way.
I wonder how far I would get if I killed one of the guards stopping us from doing what we love ...
Yeh it seems to be who you know as another company is given the monopoly over all the bike trails with nobody else even allowed to apply for a permit system from coillte. I wish i had money and this would definately guarantee me access ha!
Sorry Paul but I really don't think that you are doing yourself any favours by "having a go" in that particular direction! I don't know anything about the issues that you have with Coillte but your anger should be directed at them rather than at another operator who runs an extremely professional and succesful operation!
Well richard i wasnt having a go at any other operators or how successful their business is, coillte wont even talk to me regarding this issue. I wouldnt expect you to understand but theres alot i cant say here and why i have been denied access. And its not some issues i just have when its my livelihood your talking about ok!
While I agree with you Richard,but I can understand Pauls frustration , theres room enough for everybody though..ever been to Lahinch ? there must be 20 guys there renting surfboards and surf lessons..I know, Paul and hes just trying to make a living, like Niall, the thing is lads, MTB is growing at an alarming rate, I should know, I'm the man selling more MTBs than anybody else ! Seriously , its madness out there..and I am also sending them up to the Coillte built trails, with some usefull tips along the way.
You think its bad now up there, wait till I'm finished , you won't be able to move up there..and when they get fed up riding Ballinastoe and Ticknock, which they are..they are looking at Wales and Scotland..
I kitted out two biys with Go Pros and armour this week..
They were going to Fortwillian for 3 days..
One was on a Cube XMS..thats a 100mm travel basic Cube full suss..retails about €1300 the other lad was one a Cube Acid, a €900 Hardtail..
So I ask you..where do I send them to next ? I tried to dissuade them from going but there was no alternative.
I have watched this sport grow from very humble beginnings. Very humble ..
And we have been completely left behind.
Coillte had better hurry up and open more trail centers or the money goes in to our neighbours pockets..
And lets not forget the €120,000 that was thrown at a DH center that will never open..and Rathoath still owes thousands..
this Country is a Banana republic..actually its a Dried Fig republic, no a frickin left out in the rain too long Raisin Republic..
I woke up very angry this morning and now I'm even angrier than I have ever been before in my life !!
Ireland could be a world class Adventure destination..and we get Ballinastoe and Ticknock and a 35 page load of waffle about how great Mountainbikes are for Tourism.
I reckon Roundwood is the undiscovered Adventure Capital of Ireland..
I like this part: "By July 2012 there'll also be a well-equipped visitor centre at Llechwedd, which will include a cafe, conference facilities, showers and a bike workshop."
And "Come on, pull your lazy nose from the screen of your phone, computer or iPad (other tablets are available), and come and enjoy a totally different and real experience in this amazing area."
Look lads I don’t post here and I’m not a member, but I am a mountain biker and a responsible one at that. I haven’t joined a club as I’m too old, too heavy and I don’t get out enough to justify it. But after reading the “35 page load of waffle” I will be joining a club simple to be part of group of like minded responsible people and be heard by people that don’t want me to enjoy our mountains. I’m not going off on one here, but I did expect a bit more of verbal back lash on the main MTB forums, equally I understand that it might be best to say nothing. The link about Snowdonia just makes the whole thing worse when you think of the potential on our door step.
George..
there would have been more of a backlash , certainly on here but when members of the MTB Community are copying down everything thats said in a negative way about Coillte ( especially my comments )and being fed to them, we tend now to discuss them in private. EPIC at present are still under investigation and facing prosecution due to last years Blast. Plus we EPIC have been banned from running events by Coillte , not to mention a strange retrospective ban on running any event from Cycling Irelands Offroad Commission..
It would be very easy to see how certain Organisations would love to see MTB die off in Ireland, Its frustrating to see people going on Holidays to other countries to bike , when you see what we have right on our doorstep. Wales ( i climbed there in the 70's and 80's ) was for all intents and purposes a 3rd world country and then the Coal ran out but it was Mountainbiking that saved the place !
Thanks for your comments though .
Look lads I donât post here and Iâm not a member, but I am a mountain biker and a responsible one at that. I havenât joined a club as Iâm too old, too heavy and I donât get out enough to justify it. But after reading the â35 page load of waffleâ I will be joining a club simple to be part of group of like minded responsible people and be heard by people that donât want me to enjoy our mountains. Iâm not going off on one here, but I did expect a bit more of verbal back lash on the main MTB forums, equally I understand that it might be best to say nothing. The link about Snowdonia just makes the whole thing worse when you think of the potential on our door step.
Never too old or too heavy to join a club George!
As Byrner says we all feel very inhibited in our response to the published Coillte Strategy document because we have been effectively muzzled as to what we can say in public! But I think the complete lack of reaction throughout the MTB community actually speaks very loudly as to how people feel about it! For most of us, it has little or no relevance! An opportunity has been missed but the resulting "strategy" is pretty well exactly what was anticipated. It's just a shame that it has been given some legitimacy by the participation of our representative body in it's formulation!
yWell richie you know Coillte have banned and threatened me and my company with legal action if i bring groups into Ballinastoe or any other forest etc. I was at the Wicklow tourism AGM meetimg on wednesday in arklow, another waste of 3 hours of my life. Failte ireland were there and have chosen kildare and wicklow as there number 1 priority for increasing tourism in these areas. They explained what they have proposed for Heritage, new maps for the county and when it came to their outdoor stradegy they quickly moved on saying wicklow was a great place for mountain biking and cycling calling wicklow the outdoor hub of the country. When i asked the question of any new bike trails to be built in the near future we were told NO as there isnt any funding so its coilltes bike stradegy seems to be a complete waste of time.
Absolutely Paul and we have to do something about this. I've been Paddling, Climbing and biking in Wicklow since the 70's and it physically turns my stomach to think that we have amazing places in Dublin and Wicklow and all we ever get when we want to enjoy riding in them is censure and aggravation.
Wicklow is unbelievably deadly and the biggest mistake we ever made as a community was to keep talking to Coillte when they got us criminalised with that poxy Bye Law. The
I foolishly listened to the suits then that all would be well and that we would be granted licences covering good people in Clubs. Thats now not even up for discussion.
My instinct at the time was to go to the newspapers and the media about it but unfortunately I listened to The Voices Of Reason.
I won't be doing that again.
We had planned some fantastic new events this year but with a ban in place from Coillte and absolutely no support whatsoever from The Offroad Commission and Cycling Ireland that was never going to happen.
Remember this, it was the culmination of years of passion and it turned EPIC in to criminals ..name one bad thing about it and I will shut up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv2p5TT9yFo
Well said richie, i do believe wicklow can be the outdoor hub of the country which has amazing hillwalking, climbing, kayaking and massive potential for bike trails. All we need is a vision and to open the suits eyes to the potential of outdoor tourism. Im the meeting we were told that statistics show theres no recession in outdoor recreation and its increasing year on year. So why the hell can they not see the benefits that we do. I do believe from goimg to these meetings that Failte ireland reps really havnt a clue regarding Outdoor tourism at a local level. I have gone to my local TD and explained to him that Coilkte have denied me access but he has promised to meet me but has since let me down over the last 5 months and everyone i speak to says there is nothing they can do for me.
Pain in my arse with this countrys ways of dealing with ppl.
yWell richie you know Coillte have banned and threatened me and my company with legal action if i bring groups into Ballinastoe or any other forest etc. .
I can't see how this is possible/legal when another company is allowed .
Is it typical Irish not what you know but who ya know?
Yeh it seems to be who you know as another company is given the monopoly over all the bike trails with nobody else even allowed to apply for a permit system from coillte. I wish i had money and this would definately guarantee me access ha!
its a typical Irish Bureaucratic nonsense that the wrong people are always put in charge of things, because they have been in a place for ages or their Dad went to school with somebody. Look at Roundwood..
Lakes, Rivers, 3 big crags within distance, Glendo,Luggala, Lough Dan,the Quarry only 40 minutes away, The Dargle, the Annamoe, The Avonmore..
The Wicklow way, Hostels, brilliant pubs , come on..
When you see the Ads on the TV, it comes across as an Adventure wonderland.
But the reality is something different.
I went to a lecture once about Climbing in Kasakstahn ..there were amazing mountains and it took weeks to get to the one the Expedition were after.
Along the way they were captured by the local equivelent of the Taliban..
They escaped eventually but killed a Guard along the way.
I wonder how far I would get if I killed one of the guards stopping us from doing what we love ...
Yeh it seems to be who you know as another company is given the monopoly over all the bike trails with nobody else even allowed to apply for a permit system from coillte. I wish i had money and this would definately guarantee me access ha!
Sorry Paul but I really don't think that you are doing yourself any favours by "having a go" in that particular direction! I don't know anything about the issues that you have with Coillte but your anger should be directed at them rather than at another operator who runs an extremely professional and succesful operation!
Well richard i wasnt having a go at any other operators or how successful their business is, coillte wont even talk to me regarding this issue. I wouldnt expect you to understand but theres alot i cant say here and why i have been denied access. And its not some issues i just have when its my livelihood your talking about ok!
While I agree with you Richard,but I can understand Pauls frustration , theres room enough for everybody though..ever been to Lahinch ? there must be 20 guys there renting surfboards and surf lessons..I know, Paul and hes just trying to make a living, like Niall, the thing is lads, MTB is growing at an alarming rate, I should know, I'm the man selling more MTBs than anybody else ! Seriously , its madness out there..and I am also sending them up to the Coillte built trails, with some usefull tips along the way.
You think its bad now up there, wait till I'm finished , you won't be able to move up there..and when they get fed up riding Ballinastoe and Ticknock, which they are..they are looking at Wales and Scotland..
I kitted out two biys with Go Pros and armour this week..
They were going to Fortwillian for 3 days..
One was on a Cube XMS..thats a 100mm travel basic Cube full suss..retails about €1300 the other lad was one a Cube Acid, a €900 Hardtail..
So I ask you..where do I send them to next ? I tried to dissuade them from going but there was no alternative.
I have watched this sport grow from very humble beginnings. Very humble ..
And we have been completely left behind.
Coillte had better hurry up and open more trail centers or the money goes in to our neighbours pockets..
And lets not forget the €120,000 that was thrown at a DH center that will never open..and Rathoath still owes thousands..
this Country is a Banana republic..actually its a Dried Fig republic, no a frickin left out in the rain too long Raisin Republic..
I woke up very angry this morning and now I'm even angrier than I have ever been before in my life !!