Ride Sheffield is crowdfunding for a total of £20,000 in order to complete their fundraising to repair the 1.5km “Cooking on Gas” trail at Lady Cannings in Ringinglow, Sheffield. With £20,000 already raised, we're half way there - but need your help to get this project completed!
Ride Sheffield’s Treasurer Steve Hardcastle says “Cooking on Gas has always been a popular trail with kids and families but weather and traffic has eroded it, and rebuilding it will help more people discover the joy of MTBing and grow the sport locally.” Fundraising has already kicked off in earnest - “The money will be added to the £20,000 we’ve already raised through donations, grants and regular donations from our Trail Fund programme.” adds Steve. The project has also been helped by support from Rapha and Paydirt - both instances of the cycle trade supporting grass roots mountain biking.
[A berm on Cooking on Gas, showing the deterioration of the surface]
The money will be used to;
- Return the trail to its learner friendly Blue grade status
- Replace the trail surface along the majority of the track
- Reshape and improve berms and other trail features
- Improve sight lines at crossing points
After opening in 2017, the “Cooking on Gas” trail in Sheffield has proven popular with a variety of mountain bikers, those new to the sport, seasoned riders and everyone in between. It’s one of two Blue Grade trails built within Lady Cannings - a plantation near Ringinglow that is managed by Sheffield City Council. Ride Sheffield is a volunteer mountain bike group that helps with trail access and repairs across the city, including at Lady Cannings.
Mountain bike trail grading follows much the same pattern as for skiing, so the Blue grade sits one step above a complete beginner Green trail. Cooking on Gas was designed as a smoother rolling trail for those new to mountain biking - but with a few features that riders can use to build their skills. This has only added to its popularity, with families making regular use of the track, along with its sister trail “Blue Steel”
With both trails having seen thousands of runs across the years, they’ve suffered wear and tear along with weather damage, with the surface wearing away and now in a much rougher condition.
While Blue Steel has suited repairs by our excellent “Trail Crew” volunteer team, Cooking on Gas needs professional repairs with machinery and materials - which is why Ride Sheffield is asking for your donations to put to the cause.
We have an overall target of £40,000 and have already raised £20,000 from grants and donations, leaving £20,000 to raise.
[Can you help us to top this pile of material back up?!]
£500 would pay for a 20 ton delivery of surfacing material
£100 pays for a small berm to be rebuilt
£25 would pay for a metre of trail repairs
So how can you help?
- Donate directly to this Crowfdfunder
- Discuss with your employer and/or local businesses, can they help?
- Spread the word!
Ride Sheffield is particularly keen to reach those riders outside the enthusiast mountain bike world, the people who have maybe used the track but don’t realise the ownership and maintenance implications - if you know of anyone, please mention it to them!