‘Bog of Doom’ is now much less daunting
PICTURES have been released of work to open up the infamous “Bog of Doom” in the Derbyshire Peak District.
Often ranked in the top ten paths in the UK for mountain bikers, the Cut Gate, between Langsett and Ladybower Reservoir, is one of the Peak District’s most well-known routes.
Despite being a favourite among riders and walkers, sections of the path became nearly impossible to navigate in wet weather. This led to the mountain biking community affectionately referring to one section as the “Bog of Doom”.
The 21.5-mile long trail is located directly north of Ladybower, looping around Langsett Reservoir in the middle. The route is thought
to have been used for more than 1,000 years and also forms part of the promoted long-distance horse riding route, Kinder Loop.
This difficult reputation led the Peak District MTB mountain bike advocacy group to join forces with Ride Sheffield and Moors for the Future to try to make it more manageable.
Chris Maloney, committee member of Peak District MTB, said: “When we started the Cut Gate project alongside Ride Sheffield there was obviously some level of trepidation about how getting something done could change the path.
“The path is regularly in the top 10 of best paths in the UK to ride, so we were keen to ensure that they understood that – and they did, coming along to our meetings and listening to what we as mountain bikers would like to see.”
Funds for the project came from a wide range of sources, including horse riding groups.