Update: You did it! After only 10 days of crowdfunding you helped us get to our first goal of £1000. This means we’ll definitely be able to print copies to deliver to some key people in the Council, organisations like ScotRail and local NHS Scotland executives, and third sector groups. Now we’re on to our stretch goal. The more copies we print, the more decision makers we can reach. Any amount helps and just as important as the amount we raise is the number of people we can show backing the campaign for better active travel infrastructure. Please continue to give so we can get copies to community councils, head teachers and PTAs.
A key pillar of our work is to lobby for better cycling connections in and around Dumfries. Over the part 10 years we have distilled all the route knowledge of our volunteers into a project called Missing Links. These are a collection of network improvements, some stretching as far as a safe route from Dumfries to Lockerbie via Lochmaben, others as small as a junction improvement at Dockhead. Combined, these gaps in the network would form a huge contribution to the cycling networks in Dumfries if they were closed.
Over the past few months we have been reviewing and editing all of these routes into one cohesive, professionally designed document which we now want to get printed and into the hands of the people who can help to close those gaps.
It may seem like our meetings are a bit of a movable feast these days, as we chop and change venues, but it’s not just to keep people on their toes! Our next meeting is at the Crichton (at Crichton Central), but this is for a good reason – because we’ve been asked to advise on their draft active travel strategy.
The Crichton: Beautiful at any time of the year – but how can it do more to promote active travel?
As well as a good opportunity to help increase the impact of one of the town’s greatest assets, this is also a good opportunity to kick things off with a little bike ride around the campus. So while the meeting will start at 6pm as usual, if you’re up for a pre-meeting ride, then meet us outside Crichton Central at around 5:15 for a short pootle in and around the grounds. If the weather is kind, there couldn’t be a nicer place to ride, especially in May when all the trees are coming into leaf and the blossom is everywhere.
Because many of us will be coming in from town, if you want to ride to the start in company then stop by our normal ride starting place (the rowing club bridge) around 4:45 to head up together.
After our first week we’re already 80% of the way to our first target – thank you!
Wow is all we can say – we’ve been blown away by the support we’ve received in so far – after just 1 week of crowdfunding we’re 82% of the way to our initial target. Thank you everyone who donated and shared our campaign so that we can print our Missing Links book and get it into the hands of people who make decisions about the options we have to get around Dumfries and the surrounding villages.
But we still need support to get to our target. The more money we raise the more copies can print. The more we print, the more people we can reach – it also gets cheaper the more copies we print, increasing the power of each donation.
Even the smallest donation also sends a positive message that there is support for change and improvements in the active travel infrastructure, not just for people that use bikes, but for anyone that wants to walk safely, use a wheelchair or mobility scooter or be able to cross at junctions pushing a buggy.
So please do keep on sharing and spreading the word, and donate if you can. Because Dumfries could be the perfect town for getting around by active travel – just ask Julia!
Strictly speaking, how many people does it take to organise our year round ride programme? And the answer is, more than you might think!
We’re fortunate that Cycling Dumfries is made up of people happy to volunteer time to attend meetings, contact the council about active travel issues and whip up the all important baking for ride sustenance. In fact, sometimes it can seem there’s a whole army of volunteers, but we are in fact quite a small band of dedicated enthusiasts.
Our year round ride programme is a fantastic success, with turnouts getting on for 20 people, even during our winter rides. This typically means splitting the ride into two groups, to ensure safety and to be considerate of other road users. On the day itself we are often in need of four ride volunteers, not just the two we’ve normally operated with.
At the risk of sounding like an Oscar awards acceptance speech . . . firstly, thanks to everyone who comes on the rides – you are what makes them a success! Secondly, thank you to everyone who volunteers their time on the day, to lead the ride or marshal the ride as a back marker – you mean the rides can go ahead. Next up, huge Hollywood handshakes all round to our star bakers who provide sustenance and morale in the form of cake. And finally, thank you to the “behind the scenes” volunteers, who spend their time coming up with the routes, advertising them via the website, Facebook, emails and posters, sending social media reminders in the run up to the rides and writing post-ride reports – you create the rides and spread the word so people have a ride to go on.
Another great ride turn out – so great that the photo comes courtesy of a passing driver who actually got out of her car to take the group photo for us!
In any given year we organise around 20 rides, plus a few bonus ones such as the Wild Goose Festival and campaign rides to highlight problem areas for cycling. Averaging at around two rides a month, we welcome anyone who would like to be involved in baking, leading or back marking as a ride volunteer, taking photos or videos of rides, writing it up afterwards, or getting the message out via social media. You may also think there’s something extra you can add – we’ve had great contributions such as historical guides to accompany our ride routes.
We are in particular need of ride volunteers. This doesn’t have to be in the form of a leader; back markers to bring up the rear of each group are just as essential. And it would be great if you can confirm before the day if you can volunteer on the ride. It makes the job of the ride leaders more comfortable, knowing there are volunteers to help out.
If you think you could help out, or would like some more information, email us at cyclingdumfries@gmail.com or message us on Facebook. Alternatively, you can chat to one of our committee members/ride leaders/bakers/backmarkers/content creators at the next meeting or ride you are at. Our volunteering is very ad hoc, and we are open to any contribution, large or small, regular or otherwise.
We also know that not everyone can volunteer all of the time. Whether you come along on a ride as a volunteer or participant, please know you are always welcome.
Last weekend we attended the official opening and celebration of phase one of the Penpont to Thornhill active travel path – a real achievement.
Entrance to the path half way between the two communities
Although it was a very brisk and breezy early spring day, there was a good turnout of people who had come to celebrate this fantastic new link that opens up a safe route to Thornhill for people in the village – walking, wheeling or cycling.
As part of our programme to keep you all on your toes and make sure you’re reading our posts (and also because The Bridge is closed for the Easter holidays), our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 2nd April at the David Keswick Centre, at the normal time of 6pm.
As we start to gear up for a new season of campaigning and activities there’s much to discuss – from the next step in our Missing Links campaign to our plans for the all important Guid Nychburris entry
Please come along if you want to help us fly the flag for cycling …
Sunday saw our March Curiosity ride take us westwards to Drumcoltran Tower. It was lovely to have a mixture of old and new faces once again with sixteen meeting in Dumfries. We divided into two groups to be more manageable in size on the roads as we left Dumfries via the Maxwelltown Path, Hardthorn Road and Terregles.
Gathering at Greensands in Dumfries. Photo – Gilbert West
Group 2 soon caught up group 1, however, as the puncture fairy sadly paid a visit. The second group continued on under the blue skies, spotting plenty of daffodils, wood anemones and buds preparing to burst. We were pleased to see, or rather feel, the surface of Seeside Road has been patched to provide a less crater-filled ride towards Lochfoot. Here another couple of riders joined to swell our numbers to 18.
Our Curiosity rides are usually on the last Sunday of the month – but to avoid clashing with Easter, our outing to Drumcoltran Tower will be this Sunday, 24th March – so don’t miss it. We’ll meet at the bridge by the Rowing Club (see map) for an 11am start.
Ordinarily this is a 23-mile ride but we may need to adjust the route to avoid the Glen Road path which will add another 3 miles or so. There’s a bit of climbing (and descending) along the way but we’ll keep the pace steady and there will be a break and a chance to explore when we get to the tower.
As you might expect with an outing to a 500-year-old ruin, there’s plenty of historical interest there and along the way – as Jim Mackison has uncovered in his local history guide
Cycling Dumfries 