POSTS
Urban Cross-Country Trail Network: Trails in Cities
‘Desire paths’ are where people cut off the corners of paths because it is more convenient. If you look in fields near housing estates you will often find footpaths and bridleways that are more worn than the countryside.
Trails could be created that joined-up bits of off-road trails, cycle paths, and trails through small areas of landscaping on business parks. Most of the infrastructure is there; perhaps it just needs a few more markers.
Trails traditionally were formed by everyday movements of people or were associated with farming e.g. shepherds’ trails. These days trails are more often created for recreation. More people now live in cities than in rural areas, so perhaps it makes sense that trails should get formed in and around cities.
Benefits
There are urban downhill races and road bike races in cities, but what about urban cross-country routes and mountain-bike-style singletrack in a city. They would be cheaper to build, keep people fit and make use of otherwise-derelict land. Often in cities there are areas that have become wild because they are fenced off or not often used by people. These areas give city dwellers the chance to feel wilderness and nature but in the city.
Conclusion
As cycling grows in popularity the culture must also grow and it would be great to see an emergence of off-road urban trails for utility purposes.