jump to navigation
Posted by Pauline Roby in Uncategorized.
Tags: bikes, Buckinghamshire, Bucks MTB, family, Forestry Commission, Mountain Biking, Off-Road, Trail Leader, training, Wendover Woods, young people
Learning to plan routes, assess and control risk, work out operating procedures and manage groups on Mountain Bike Trails is all part of the training that a group of 6 Bucks Beds and Herts Bike Club leaders are undertaking this week in Wendover Woods. They will also be honing their mountain biking skills – breaking them down into component parts so that they can ensure that the youngsters in their care understand the best and most enjoyable ways of biking along trails in beautiful open spaces, such as Wendover Woods.
Sharing ideas and learning together in the Wendover Woods Forestry Classroom on the first day of the course. Next morning - out on the trails!
Find out more about Trail leader and other great cycle leadership courses at http://www.promtb.net/
And to see more information and photos of Wendover Woods and maps of the trails have a look on http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandBuckinghamshireNoForestWendoverWoodsMainentranceCyclingtrail
One of our CTC Bike Clubs – BucksMTB - is an efficiently run, friendly, family/youth Mountain Bike Club that offers regular led/group rides in Wendover Woods and other locations too. They have a ride on Sunday 23rd October 2011 – find out more from their website, where you will also need to log in, in order to join the ride. They have lots of photos and information about their activities. http://www.bucksmtb.co.uk/GROUPRIDES.htm
Enjoying the ride! Photo from Bucks MTB website.
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury, Uncategorized.
Tags: Buckinghamshire, Bucks, Country Lanes, Haddenham, Haddenham Bike Club, Haddenham Cycle Training, On road riding, training, young people
The second group of riders along Haddenham main road, returning from a hilly ride along country lanes.
Riding from village to village is quick and easy! Haddenham Bike Club is showing their members how fast, easy and enjoyable it is to ride around their local villages by bike. A round trip of 6 miles took us through beautiful countryside, through Cuddington Village and into the Bell Pub at Chearsley for tea, squash and chips and cheery faces!These fun Bike club rides take place once per month and invite young people and their families to join in a variety of outings – to local villages, as well as further afield for special occasions, for example they travelled by train to join the London Sky ride, enjoying the busy atmosphere, which contrasts well with the local, easy-going ride that I joined in with on Saturday.The group and the rides are led by Haddenham Cycle Training staff in their own time, who are confident with cycling on the roads and lead the group competently, demonstrating good “snaking” practice – guarding junctions seamlessly to allow everyone to gain confidence and skills on the road, while knowing that they are well looked after.Good practice in Snaking enables an enjoyable, confidence-building ride along country lanes in Bucks
More details can be found about the Club’s programme and how to join in, on their website:
Plenty of opportunities to chat and get to know each other during the Tea and Chips stop at Chearsley
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury.
Tags: Bike Club, bikes, Buckinghamshire, Bucks, Bucks Young Carers, GoRide Activities, Group Ride, training, young people
Learning a few cycle sporting tips from Chris in AylesburyYoungsters from Bucks Young Carers enjoyed 2 afternoons of cycling activities over the summer holidays. One session involved learning GoRide cycle sport techniques, and a second session took them on a ride in the area, learning group riding techniques and enjoying their bikes and the freedom they bring. Many members of the group are keen to do more, so we may see the group out and about again..... Great to see you out on your bikes BYC! Getting ready for a longer ride ......
Posted by Pauline Roby in Leighton Buzzard, Leighton Linslade, Linslade.
Tags: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Canal Tow Path, Cycle Trails, family, Heath and Reach, Launch, Mountain Biking, Off-Road, Rushmere Park
Saturday morning’s stair-rodding rain formed the backdrop to speeches and an opening ceremony in a cosily crowded marquee at Rushmere Park. The weather didn’t seem to put anyone off coming along and the guided walks went ahead under dripping umbrellas after congratulatory speeches and ribbon cutting.
I was down to do a talk about Cycling in the area and the role of CTC and Bike Club. After a lively talk by Mike Fayers from HealthWalks, I was up and raising my voice above the sound of the rain on the tent was extremely energising all round!
The park is beautiful, rain or no rain, and the opportunities to see wildlife, even from the bungalow/visitor centre are fabulous.
The above photo features on Rushmere’s webpage and was taken by Stefanie Satchell of the Greensand Trust.
You can cycle there easily from Leighton Buzzard and only half a mile from the Canal path between Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes, so alot of access.
Rushmere Park is now open to visitors – CTC’s Ian Warby designed and helped Greensand staff and volunteers to build the family cycle trail and the Mountain Bike (permit only) trails. More details about permits and for maps, photos and more, see http://www.greensandtrust.org/Rushmere.html
Posted by Pauline Roby in Uncategorized.
Tags: All ability cycling, Bike Club, Bike maintenance, Bikeability, Buckinghamshire, confidence, CTC Trail Leader, cycling culture, fitness, Fun, Level 2, School, training, Winslow, Youth Achievement Awards
A fleet of bikes and trikes plus enthusiastic trained staff brings fun, freedom and independence to Furze Down students
Having been warmly welcomed into the calm and friendly community of Furze Down School, myself, some staff and students lifted the fleet of mountain bikes and 2 trikes out of the container, pumped up a few tyres, adjusted the saddle heights – all ready for action.
The youngsters needed no encouragement to get changed, find a bike to suit their size and were ready to enjoy the feelings of freedom and independence that the bikes offer them during the school day.
Getting the cycle fleet in and out of the container is a joint effort by staff and students.
Furze Down staff are right behind the project – 1 Teaching assistant has trained as a CTC Trail leader and with 2 more of her colleagues are currently undergoing accreditation as Bikeability Instructors. Many students have already been out for level 2 training (on-road) and out along the Sustrans route that runs close to the school towards Milton Keynes, to experience some longer journeys together. The cycling skills offer a means of transport, fitness, independance and fun, for when they leave school and make their own way in the world.
Watching the youngsters riding in the playground and on the fields around the school grounds, they show growing confidence, awareness of other riders, negotiation through eye contact and bike position and many other life skills – it is a subtle and effective process, appreciated by students and staff.
Furze Down’s fleet of bikes and trikes, plus the trained and enthusiastic staff, offer some opportunities to carry out Youth Achievement Awards, with cycling activities in and out of school, bike maintenance, filming and photo diaries and a growing cycling culture in the school, and the staff are keen to set this up as another opportunity for their students to cycle confidently into their future.
Cycling confidently into the future .......
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury, Education.
Tags: After School Club, Bearbrook School, Buckinghamshire, Cycle Training, Mobile Cycle Training Service, The Big Pedal
Bearbrook Bike Club smilles better!
Scooting swiftly along the Gemstone route from Aylesbury Town Centre to Bearbrook School and I can already see loads of bikes around – parents brining them for the pick up, bike sheds stacked full (50 bikes) and younger siblings rolling up on cycles, trikes and scooters.
This last Bike Club for the school year, run by Jill Henderson of Mobile Cycle Training Service, shows the success of running a variety of activities – “The Bike Club has been used to enthuse children and build skills and confidence. As a result, many more have taken up cycle training & taken part in the Big Pedal and now ride to school regularly, through the rain too! We have had 78 children with their bikes and lots of parents too” said Mrs Hobbs, a parent who has been a cycle champion at the school and is on the School Travel Planning group. She has just handed over the reins for cycling to the Sports Co-ordinator, who happily took it on “because it is already well organised! 
“
Jill’s skills have allowed the youngsters to enjoy a fun hour after school, expressing themselves and learning to work with others, while building their cycling skills through fun activities on the playground. All the children (this ASC session was for Year 6) cycled home after the session finished, empowered and enthused, as the rain started to spot the scorched tarmac.
Empowered and Enthused
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury, Events.
Tags: Adapted Cycles, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, Green Park Centre, training, Wheels for All
Enjoying the sunshine and the cycles - Easy Rider Trike
9 people gathered in an airy Yurt, provided by the Outdoors Pursuits Team at Green Park Conference Centre, to have training in offering activities on adapted bikes today. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/assets/content/bcc/docs/youth/outdoor_education_brochure.pdf
We learnt how to put the cycles together and take them apart for storage and transport, we considered how best to introduce people to the cycles, thought about what designs would suit what abilities best, risk assessments including checking the cycles and generally familiarising ourselves with how the cycles work and what their strengths and challenges are.
Lots of ways to move about - hand powered or pedal powered, trikes and quad cycles
In amongst the fleet we tried were a laid back trike – like sitting in an easy chair with Harley Davison style handlebars (Easy Rider eat your heart out!), a cycle with a wheelchair platform at the front, a wheelchair with a detachable cycle on the front (making a hand powered trike – thanks Lee!), and a side by side hand powered cycle, plus a nifty quad with fixed wheel which needed pedalling really fast, but was great fun to use.
The Outdoors Pursuits Team are adding a range of adapted cycles to their mountain bike fleet and can lead cycling activities for all abilities and groups can also hire the facilities and lead their own sessions, once they have had the Wheels for All training. http://www.cycling.org.uk/wfa/intro
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury.
Tags: Buckinghamshire, Family Friendly Cycle Trail, Stowe Gardens
- Cycle Trail round Stowe Landscape Gardens offers superb views of the many temples inside the garden boundaries
It’s bank holiday Monday, the wind has dropped at last, bringing the rain, so what better to do than cycle round Stowe Gardens National Trust property in North Bucks ? I was clearly not the only one to think this – I passed Ian Warby, about to leave, having just finished ensuring that the signage of the trail was complete, then a couple on Bromptons (find their photos on Flickr on Brompton Bike Fans) and another family group on fold-up Dahons all rode out ahead of me, along the winding lanes and tracks, across a slightly
- Lord Cobham rises from the mists on his monument
bumpy sheep field track, and back up the approach road to Stowe Gardens. The trail boasts superb views of Stowe Gardens’ many follies – temples and statues in among the trees inside the gardem boundaries, which were particularly captivating rising from the mists and drizzle of the day.
- Riding along the leafy Cycle Trail round Stowe Gardens
You can ride the trail anytime during daylight hours, as it runs round the edge of the gardens, making it more enjoyable, as there is virtually no traffic of any kind along the way, not even many walkers, perhaps a few sheep to dodge.
- Ride the Stowe Garden Cycle Trail on Bromptons if you like …..
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-visits-cycling_days.htm#download will hopefully soon include a copy of the cycle trail map, which is fully detailed Ordnance Survey, but you dont’ really need this to get around the trail clockwise, as it is well marked with clear white signs that you can see off in the distance.
The cyclists turning out on this wet May bank holiday show the suitability of the trail for everyone with any bike (with a modicum of grip on the tires) – fold ups, tagalongs, mountain bikes, hybrids and so on.
Stowe Gardens Cycle Trail makes a more active outing to a National Trust property and is completely free, if you don’t want to visit the landscape gardens and superb tea rooms afterwards!
- Riders crowd round with their range of bikes to have postcodes on their frames from the Police, pick up leaflets and free puncture repair kits and to chat to staff at Stowe Gardens
Posted by Pauline Roby in Aylesbury.
Tags: Adapted Cycles, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, Green Park Conference Centre, Inclusive Cycle Activities, Outdoor Pursuits, training
- Sitting side by side and pedalling by hand is a satisfyling exercise ……
On the 11th and 12th of June 2011, Green Park Outdoors Centre in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire is running a Wheels for All Leader Training Course to complement the purchase of a fleet of new cycles. They are offering this chance for local teachers and leaders to train to lead inclusive cycling sessions on an ongoing basis in their local projects. This follows a successful Open Day at the centre where they asked local potential clients of the centre’s resources and activities for their feedback on some of the bikes on their shopping list. The result was alot of smiles and thumbs up from all the visitors and the cycles have been ordered and are on their way in readiness for this course. For more information please contact Geraint Hughes Ghughes@buckscc.gov.uk
Downhill is easier to enjoy - wind through the hair - it's a whizz!
Posted by Tejesh Mistry in Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, Leighton Linslade, Linslade.
Tags: accreditation, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Toolkit, training, UK Youth, Youth Achievement Awards
Leaders of Bike Clubs in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire came together with Cycling Development Officers to find out more about the accreditation that Bike Club members can access as part of the Bike Club membership.
The training day was an ‘Introduction to Youth Achievement Awards’ which are an accreditation programme run by Bike Club partners UK Youth. The awards are a flexible way for Bike Club groups to give their young people access to accredited activities related directly to their cycling activities. These activities can be extremely varied and span all sort of types Bike Club supported groups included those that are doing cycle training, media projects, bike maintenance, BMX bike recycling and so on.
The training day was a great opportunity for Bike Club leaders to meet together, learn about the best ways to introduce awards to their Bike Clubs and to feel more confident about starting to work with the awards.
To support Bike Club leaders UK Youth has produced a toolkit that gives an insight into how the awards fit into the qualifications framework and support ASDAN awards allowing them to choose the appropriate awards for their young people.
As part of the Bike Club membership groups benefit from access to a free place at a UK Youth run Introduction to Youth Achievement Awards training day, 20 free Awards booklets and ongoing support in delivering and moderating portfolios for the awards.
For more information about Youth Achievement Awards and UK Youth see:
http://www.ukyouth.org
The second group of riders along Haddenham main road, returning from a hilly ride along country lanes.
