A popular Peak District tourist spot is updating one of its most novel attractions – just in time for the Easter break.

The wishing tree in Padley Gorge has been a magical highlight of family walks for generations, with kids (and big kids) seeking out a rock to tap a coin into the twisted trunk of the tree close to the Longshaw Estate.

And now, recognising that many people prefer to use contactless payments and no longer carry cash, managers have added a card payment system, meaning wish-makers can continue to ‘tap’ their wish into the tree for many generations to come.

Gunar Ffalforrit, digital revenue tech manager at the Funding Of Organised Landscape Service said, “We’re pleased to bring the latest technology into one of our most historic locations. By granting the wish of so many for contactless payments in these locations, we can grant the wish of our partners’ Board too to bring an innovative new funding stream to the outdoors.”

The Wishing Card Payment System will be live from Bank Holiday Monday, and from that date, wishing tree payments will only be taken by card, with an assistant on hand during weekends and bank holidays to ensure those making a wish have no trouble with the system. To ensure no confusion is possible over the use of the card payment system, the area has been cleared of rocks which could potentially be used to tap the device by mistake.

“Making these wishes come true is a real joy for me,” adds Ffalforrit. “And for only a £2.50 service fee it’s a real bargain. And with pre-set wish choices of £5, £10 or £15, people can decide for themselves how hard they want their wish to come true!”

For those of you who enjoy a night ride, the moors and woodlands can be spooky places when it’s pitch black. The gnarled fingers of branches jump into the tiny pool of light cast from your bars. Deep shadows hide unknown terrors, and you can never shake the feeling that there’s someone – or something – watching you from the darkness, just waiting for you to stop for a rest….

Arriving at a dark layby or car park, the waiting car or van is a welcome sanctuary, warmth and safety from the evils lurking in the murky night. Or is it….?

The Stocksbridge Bypass wends its way across the wooded valley side and over the lonely hills of the deep Little Don River valley. If you’ve ever ridden Cut Gate, you’ve no doubt been on the A616 Stocksbridge Bypass, the road which links Sheffield and Manchester over the top of the Peak District. Some say it should be renamed the A666 for the visitations of a shadowy character you may spot on the side of the road…or closer.

Startled drivers have spoken or seeing a mysterious hooded figure – “a monk” holding a lonely vigil from bridges over the road, or walking slowly along the verge. Spooky enough on its own…but those same drivers also talk of the terror of looking back in their rear view mirror only to see the hooded figure in their rear seats, joining them for a ride as they drive along.

The bypass supposedly crosses the site of former monastery farmland and tales talk of a former monk who was buried on unhallowed ground returning to his former fields. Maybe he’s looking for a new saint groupset…

Local legend also talks of voices singing in the distance, ghostly rhymes of ring-a-roses and a group of children who disappear into the ether when approached, leaving witnesses puzzled and terrified.

It is undoubtedly a strange place, the dark hillsides and lonely moors holding secrets only they can know.

So next time you’re riding Cut Gate and you get back to your car a little late, just make sure you keep your eyes on the road as you drive home, because you never know what….or who….might be sitting right behind you.

Happy Halloween.

KoftheP – aka me – has been a bit quiet recently. Previously I’d aim to get at least a tweet a day out with the hope that a handful would come back; almost a digital spinning of the plates if you like.

Thankfully this is such a wonderful community that I haven’t and don’t have to do that really that much as you awesome people keep diligently updating like the true altruistic community minded souls you are.

Thst said, the community has never been far from mind for me and I do always love seeing the updates come in every day.

But it begs the question, “What have I been up to?”

Well I’ve been busy doing other community mtb stuff with a smattering of real life thrown in for good measure.

Firstly, I’m now the chair of Peak District MTB, the UK’s largest volunteer led MTB advocacy group. Busy stuff in the group as they take on the role of guarding the bridleways of the Peak and pushing for greater access with landowners. Visit peakdistrictmtb.org for more on what we’re up to. Including planning our 10 year anniversary…

Then I’ve picked up a regular column in the excellent Cranked magazine. Yep, my witterings have actually found a receptive audience and you can read my slightly more carefully composed thoughts in the pages of the UK’s most beautiful MTB magazine – seriously, get it. Despite my nonsense in there it is a stunning thing every quarter.

Talking magazines, I’ve also had some fun with the wonderful folk at Singletrack magazine. Not only have I been the focus of Hannah’s questions for their Desert Island disc brakes podcast, but I’ve also been interviewed for a feature AND helped Barney plan and do a route in the dark peak for the mag. I truly love this mag and have done from issue 1. Another very worthwhile subscription and shining light in the mtb world – again; despite my witterings.

Finally mtb related, I’ve been plouging ahead with developing and establishing The Trail Pot: National Mountain Biking Investment Fund. This could/will be big. As such, I’m doing a lot of dotting Is and crossing Ts. Registering charity is tough going – but I’ve been plugging away. Just tonight it’s been Trustee management. But I have to be diligent and do it right as when it works, it’ll be riders’ money being invested.

Oh, and then put my family and work in there too and you’ll understand that it’s a busy time.

I’m loving it though.

Stay tuned and thanks for the ever ongoing support.

Campaigners have reacted with cautious optimism to proposed plans for a combined horse, bike and walker chair lift from Castleton to the summit of Mam Tor.

The lift, which aims to open from a year today, will take users directly from a purpose built facility by the visitor centre to a ‘disembarking’ point close to the trig point at the summit, where they can then enjoy the views, make their own way down or take a return journey. The ride up should take approximately 15 minutes and will offer users panoramic views of the Hope Valley and a close up view as it ascends the face of the shimmering mountain.

“With the foundational work completed beneath Mam Tor, we can now move to the next exciting phase in developing the project,” says Isa Kiddingson, CEO of Gondola Solutions, the company behind the proposal. “We’ll begin erecting the first of the necessary pylons later this month before starting work on the stations required at the top and bottom. The gift shop plans are exciting too.”

Similar projects in Aprillipäivän Vuori, Finland and Sherzo Siocco Forest Park, Italy have proven hugely successful and the company is excited to be expanding into the UK here in the Peak District.

“While earlier proposals did meet some opposition, we’re pleased we’ve now found a compromise which all parties are happy with,” adds Isa.

“While our tried and tested system, ‘DobboPult’ was a sound plan for this location, we unfortunately didn’t have the space required for the launch power needed. A proposed enhancement of this approach – our prototype system ‘TrebuVelo’ was shelved as a result.”

The ‘Hope Valley Line’ will take paying customers from Summer 2025. Horses will enjoy a ride in a specially designed cradle with their riders following in a regular ski lift chair. Bikes and riders will enjoy the journey up on recyled cycle carriers gathered from local Facebook groups.

“We’re proud of our green credentials and our Facebook marketplace policy means we’ll have a steady supply of spare parts where needed. Our supply partners in Facebook have been overwhelmingly supportive.”

Speaking on Facebook messenger, Avin Alaff said, “This still available? Can you deliver to Castleton?”

What do you think? Share your thoughts on the plans. Gondola Solutions invites comments on their page here

Understandably I’ve been watching the turmoil at Twitter Inc. with interest.
 
The core of KoftheP has been the concise nature of the platform and the easy access. Not burdened with the verbosity of Facebook; more explanatory the Instagram. More instantaneous than a web update; more public than a WhatsApp group. And no, I’m not ever going to do KoftheP TikToks.
 
But the uncertainty swirling around the platform at the moment is of some concern – though maybe not for the reasons you’d think.
 
The follows I and I suspect you have on Twitter determine that our feeds aren’t really that political. My preferences tend to ensure that the content which people fear will grow on Twitter with Musk’s changes, simply isn’t presented to me (or I guess you) when you use it. Musk claims it’s reduced, but still, that content is still there on the platform and there’s a palpable sense of people with intent being emboldened by the changes afoot.
 
It is far, far from out of sight, out of mind.
 
The way Twitter’s new ‘management’ are treating their employees is unethical. And this is the challenge I find. I’ve always aimed to do things the right way on KoftheP; indeed, it’s why KoftheP was set up really and the drum I’ve been banging for years. For the very platform on which it was built to be the headline act in global unethical business behaviour is challenging to say the least and as such I’m having to think long and hard about what to do. It feels vaguely hypocritical to talk ethics as I do, on a platform led by someone who is so brazenly challenging an ethical and indeed moral approach to business.
 
I’ve seen a small reduction in followers.
 
So what to do? Move elsewhere and hope you, the KoftheP community come with me? Build parallel streams on other channels? Go the to the Winchester, have a pint and wait for this all to blow over?
 
It’s very early days. There are inflammatory headlines reporting inflammatory tweets. There’s a sad stream of ex-Twitter employees talking about their abrupt exit from the offices of Twitter. But there are also reports of buyer’s remorse and the markets are reacting in kind to the sharp business practices shown.
 
Will Elon’s foray into social media backfire? Will he have to soften his approach and straighten up a bit? I don’t know. With reports of yearly interest payments on purchase loans vastly outstripping annual revenue, the financial acrobatics are going to be fascinating. And then there’s the tantalising prospect of thousands of devs with the expertise to create a great social media platform now at a loose end.
 
It’s not an existential crisis for KoftheP yet. I am watching what’s going on though.

As you approach the Headstone Tunnel on the Monsal Trail, the signs ominously warn of the tunnel lights going off at dusk, and if you find yourself crossing the viaduct after sunset – especially at this time of year – the inky blackness ahead of you is not a particularly inviting prospect. Good then, that the path to the welcoming warmth of Monsal Head and the Stable Bar heads up the hill to the left of you.

Indeed, the tunnel’s nightly extinguished lights would be a welcome sight as you come to the end of the Brushfield loop.
But nearby within a mile or so, witnessing a line of lights in the darkness – legend tells – is the last thing you would wish to do.

Thornbridge Hall sits between Great Longstone and Ashford on the Water, just off the Monsal Trail, but if you find yourself wishing to explore the lanes by the hall at dusk, be very wary of any lights you might see up ahead in the darkness.

Longstone Lane passes by the Hall as you head towards Ashford in the Water, but to give it its local name gives more of a clue to its atmosphere.

For travelling along ‘Shady Lane’, even in daylight, can send chills down your spine. At night, it could be the death of you.

Locals tell of strange goings on at night. Sightings. Lights. An ominous procession passing the manor. But none can give too many details, as they fear they’ve seen the terrifying sight of 12 headless coffin bearers walking their grim march to who knows where, and quickly beat a hasty retreat.

And who is in the coffin atop the shoulders of this deathly dozen? Well, nobody…yet. Legend once more tells that the empty casket awaits the soon to be departed body of the witness themselves; the portentous sight a terrifying prediction of your own untimely death.

Accounts talk of swaying oil lamps or candlelight in Shady Lane late at night, the headless coffin bearers arriving to collect the unlucky observer. But would you hang around to greet them?

So next time you’re passing Thornbridge Hall late at night, maybe the darkness of the tunnels would be a safer bet than the lanes and woods around them…or maybe the Stable Bar is a better bet to settle and simply watch the sun go down.

Happy Halloween.

There’s been a bit more biking on this half-term holiday for me this year. As the mini-KofthePs get bigger, and their bikes get more suited to the kind of riding I’ve been looking forward to sharing with them, we’ve been able to have a bit of an explore. The Camel Trail doesn’t quite cut it for them anymore (though #3 still loved a scoot along earlier – with the escape of a trailer to jump into.)

Looking at the map, there’s not much in the way of a bridleway network in Cornwall, but that doesn’t mean there’s no riding and this week we’ve been round the Bodmin Beast at the excellent Cardinham Woods, stumbled across the trails in Bishop’s Wood and of course done the obligatory bike trail run with a pasty in Padstow.

But the highlight has been late afternoon today. Sneaking an hour out before tea, I drove to one of the many beaches visited by the South West Coast path, stuck my boots and helmet on and headed up on to the cliffs above the surfers, sandcastlers and swimmers of Trevone Bay.

Now I don’t know about you, but I see one immutable rule being that the closer to the car parks you are, the more militant the walkers are about where you can and can’t ride a bike, so a sunny South West Coast path in view of the busy beach promised at the very least some grumpiness.

But the reality couldn’t have been more different.

The ride delivered the ordered sea views and salty air I’d headed that way for, but then it brought a bonus as well. Or two in fact.

The first; a grey haired lady, two walking poles in hand gradually making her way up the hill ahead of me. Hearing my creaking saddle rails*, she turned and stopped. I prepared for challenge and put on my best smile and cheery hello. I was greeted in kind and quickly realised my apprehension said more about my prejudice than about the reality available in sharing a trail.

We admired the view together, talked about our respective families, and wished each other well. I hope she left feeling a little lifted by our interaction; I know I did.

A short while later, I turned around, the bungee cord of family life and impending tea snapping taught, and began the return along the path to Trevone. Ahead of me, I saw a lone woman who I’d passed earlier. Again, I anticipated challenge when she asked if I’d ridden past her a few moments before.

“Yes, I did. Heading home now though”

“Ah that’s a shame as you were silhouetted perfectly up on the hill there before and I just didn’t have time to get my camera out.”

I literally didn’t know what to say. Again, my prejudice undermined my own optimism. Maybe there’s a return to my positive naivety required. Maybe I’m rediscovering some hope.

And you need that right now, because it’s all a bit glum isn’t it? The cost of living crisis and all the other grim news is bad enough, but moves by our latest Prime Minister** to systematically weaken our commitments to the environment; from declining a COP27 starring role, to removing the various environmental roles from Cabinet are not that encouraging. Looking to DEFRA, Terese Coffey is now the go to Minister for things affecting our world – notably access. With my friend Richard Benyon in that space too, perhaps I need to dig deep into the positivity granted to me by those two people I met on the South West Coast path today***.

I remain optimistic. I always do, otherwise there’s nothing to go after. I know others do too. The excellent Glover Landscapes Review remains a go to argument for better access (and a whole lot more), and riding that coastal path earlier today, I was inspired once more by the people I met and the place I rode to push for more.

Back from my holiday, there’ll be a lot to do.

*I’m not sure if it’s the saddle rails or one of the pivot joints

**Rishi Sunak, this week

***I followed up our interaction some weeks ago. I eagerly await a response.