Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

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Steve
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by Steve » Tue 21 Jul, 2015 5:41 pm

codek2 wrote:There IS a clear path it has been mown in!
Not on the [first] sheep field there isn't.

Is I said, a post with a picture of an oak leaf is no help if there are no direction indicators. It just tells you where you are, not where to go. You can take one of five different paths from that marker.

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Steve
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by Steve » Tue 21 Jul, 2015 8:26 pm

It appears that the park authorities have taken the hint and improved the signage since Sunday!
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It also appears that there are leaflets in the box describing the trail and a map with the route. On Sunday there was nothing to indicate they were in there.

This the view of the field from the gate by the post. No sign of a path.
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... unless you line up with the mown path that has since regrown! Then you can just about pick it out.
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codek2
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by codek2 » Wed 22 Jul, 2015 7:39 am

They have also added a map to the website now.. especially useful for those unable to follow way markers.

Also park authorities is an ambiguous term. Be interesting to know if Lafarge did the signage or the friends. Lafarge are supposed to be staffing the site to some degree but who knows if they do.

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Steve
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by Steve » Wed 22 Jul, 2015 1:27 pm

codek2 wrote:They have also added a map to the website now.. especially useful for those unable to follow way markers.
How do you follow something that doesn't point anywhere?

codek2
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by codek2 » Wed 22 Jul, 2015 3:37 pm

Thats not how way markers work. They work by sighting the next one. (which was just visible although had the grass been longer like in the last field that may not have been possible)

Sniffer Dog
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by Sniffer Dog » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 11:30 am

I think we were probably the 'others' you encountered late on Sunday afternoon Steve, also trying to find the trail.

As a rider I’m used to following bridal path markers – but if you parked at Thieves Lane car park as we did, there was nothing to even tell you where to find the first one.

I’ve since returned and, armed with the info from this site plus the better signage now, found it easily. It’s well worth it, a beautiful landscape.

mdja
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by mdja » Sat 01 Aug, 2015 10:42 pm

Am I the only one who actually went to the opening event while it was happening? I was welcomed at Thieves Lane car park by some enthusiastic volunteers, guided to the car parking area (with the special 'privilege' of driving up the dirt track) where I met more volunteers, headed around to the Great Oak (great) and the Orangery, where I had a free cup of coffee and cupcake. I would have had a free ice cream too, but it was a bit chilly. All very pleasant and well organised. The lack of signage may have been a problem after they shut down, but it wasn't that hard to go to the opening event while it was actually happening. And even without clear signs, there aren't many places you can go other than the route, unless you walk into a lake, river or gravel pit. Whatever people say it is a great improvement to what one day will be a truly impressive park. 30 years or more late, but still truly impressive.

More importantly, on the day they were canvassing opinion on how better to fund the park going forward, and some of the options included turning bits of the park into residential estate. Now there's something worth being concerned about.

codek2
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Re: Panshanger Great Oak trail opening event

Post by codek2 » Sun 02 Aug, 2015 8:58 am

They'll be further continuing that discussion at rock the castle today. So get down there and make your thoughts known!

I find it quite interesting that the cottage in the middle has a gas supply, but not electricity. Curious priorities there!
but imagine what that must be worth.. ( It seems to be semi-commercial though, is it effectively used as a site office? )

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