COLEHILL TRAILS
COOMBES WOOD, OFF SMUGGLERS LANE
ORDNANCE SURVEY SU024012
SOLELY FOR BMX AND MOUNTAIN BIKES
PERMIT HOLDERS ONLY
CONDITIONS OF USE
- ALL PERSONS USING THIS FACILITY DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK – NOTHING HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED BY COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL, JUST BY PERMIT HOLDERS WITH AGREEMENT.
- NO DIGGING – THE TRACK MUST NOT BE ALTERED, AMENDED OR ADDED TO – LOGS/WOOD MUST NOT BE USED AT ALL IN ANY MOUNDS/JUMPS – THESE WILL BE DISMANTLED.
- THIS FACILITY MUST ONLY BE USED FOR BMX AND MOUNTAIN BIKES.
- APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES.
- ANYONE WITHOUT A PERMIT WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE BY A PARISH COUNCILLOR OR A MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM.
- PERMITS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION WHILST USING TRAILS.
- SMOKING IN THE AREA IS PROHIBITED.
- IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, PLEASE DO NOT BRING DOGS, GLASS OR ALCOHOL INTO THE AREA.
- DO NOT RIDE THE TRAIL WHEN WET OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
- TAKE ALL LITTER HOME.
- DUE CONSIDERATION MUST ALSO BE GIVEN TO ANY OTHER USERS OF THE WOODED AREA.
INFORMATION
- THE TRAILS ARE INSPECTED FOR SAFETY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
- PERMITS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL.
- PARENTAL CONSENT IS REQUIRED FOR RIDERS UNDER 18 YEARS.
- THE TRAILS ARE CLOSED BETWEEN 1 DECEMBER AND 1 MARCH TO ENABLE WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT AND FOR THE AREA TO REMAIN SAFE FOR USE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR.
COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL AND ITS EMPLOYEES CANNOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE WHATSOEVER WHICH MAY ARISE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE TRAILS, EXCEPT IN SO FAR AS PROVIDED BY STATUTE.
PLEASE HELP US TO KEEP THIS SITE IN GOOD CONDITION. IF YOU SEE ANY DAMAGE ON SITE PLEASE REPORT IT TO:
COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL (www.colehill.gov.uk) TEL: 01202 880049 OR
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk f.a.o Wimborne Neighbourhood Police Team
Permit application forms
Update – October 2024
The BMX and mountain bike track remains open this winter and works are underway to remedy the large excavations which are causing water pooling – these will be filled in to ensure it is drier for all woodland users. Excavations are taking place despite the Council asking users not to continue digging below the water table and disturbing tree roots so soil piles will be made available for new additions to the track.
Update – October 2023
St Michael’s Dirt BMX and mountain bike track is situated in Coombes Wood at Smugglers Lane, opposite Merrifield. The site is now open following remedial works and the safety inspector and insurer being happy with the current management of the site.
Update – March 2022
- At the start of lock-down, March 2020, we closed The Dirt BMX track in Coombes Wood in line with government guidance and erected closure signs.
- At about the same time we became aware that the site had become unsafe for a number of reasons:
- Several of the jumps had been extended beyond the safe height limits agreed with the insurer.
- A number of large excavations had been dug without permission, undermining tree roots.
- Drainage channels had been installed without permission, diverting the water, causing some areas to flood, and threatening the trees and biodiversity of the site.
- Some of the excavations were in close proximity to badger setts, activity which is illegal as badgers and their setts are protected by law.
- In 2021 we took the decision to keep the site closed and took steps to disable the take-off platforms while we considered how best to make the site safe.
- In recent weeks we found that the closure signs had been removed, and a number of people were using the site again without permits, which would leave us uninsured in the event of an accident.
- We then found that many of the jumps were in a poor state of repair and starting to collapse. On closer inspection we found the jumps had been built with wooden logs inside which are now rotting and falling out, making most of the jumps now unsafe and unrepairable in their current form.
- We have therefore taken steps to make the site safe, reducing most of the jumps in height, removing the rotting logs from inside, and erecting new closure signs.
Your Feedback on the Future of the Site
- We asked residents via this web site and via Facebook to provide their views on the future of the site, whether it should be retained as a BMX site and if so for what level of ability, or whether it should be used for some other purpose.
- 61 people responded to our request for feedback with a clear majority of 42 people, 69%, saying they wanted us to retain a BMX course in Coombes Wood.
- The majority of people wanting a BMX course said they were keen that we cater for a mix of abilities, beginners as well as more advanced riders and aimed at local residents.
- 2 people said they thought we should focus on expert level riders only.
- 4 people asked that the area be reverted to natural woodland.
- Our thanks to those who took the time to respond, we will take these views into consideration as we now decide the best way forward.
