Devon TRF Group Forum

snailspacejase · Novice

R.I.P. the big puddle at the top of the Devils steps.

snailspacejase · Novice

'grading the steps' I think they'd have a problem doing that. This looked like a couple of hours worth with a mini digger or similar. The steps would be a major job and would erode away nice and quick too.

Glad I got to wade the beast wile it was there.

-- Edited by snailspacejase on Thursday 23rd of February 2012 09:30:38 PM

potus · Clubman A

Hope the steps don't get graded????

Biff · Expert

snailspacejase wrote:
Rode along the lane that leads to the top of the Devils steps today (sorry don't know the number) and it's been graded and topped with aggregate. It's still a good lane but the nice deep silt bottomed puddle is gone.

-- Edited by snailspacejase on Thursday 23rd of February 2012 09:01:41 PM

That twenty quid note is still mine lol biggrin

Water.jpg?t=1300480267

Gripper · Clubman B

That's a real shame , it was one of those puddles that was missed all year round then was hated once it had appeared, also it was very entertaining watching people stall in that one and having to dismount and walk their bikes out, including me (once) biggrin .

Pete · Devon's Best

Gripper wrote:
it was very entertaining watching people stall in that one and having to dismount and walk their bikes out, including me (once) .

Me too...

Kwaka Geoff · Clubman A

Anything to do with the redevelopment of the barn at the end or is it JUST the deep puddle area? (or is the entire length from the puddle to the barn?)

Tribey · Expert

Good riddance?

Having drowned my old KDX there once and then experienced being towed home all the way to Torbay for the first and only time, I thought Id be glad to hear its gone.

But, like 202-144 used to be, I enjoyed the expectation when approaching it, together with the challenge of getting through.

I certainly dont have these feelings towards graded lanes.

Yes, shame.

Wheely · Expert

Well thats a big shame. Was the icing on the cake for Devil Steps, getting to the top of the climb with a big grin on your face, and the subsequent excitement of how deep the water will be around the next corner.

In the early days we used to look at it and occasionally ride-round if it looked too deep. But over the last 18 months or so I just rode it no matter what -- and luckily never had to do the gloopy walk of shame.

RIP my big muddy gloopy deep brown smelly puddle.

TTR · Powermonger!!

When Fixer named The Devil's Steps didn't he call the "puddle" The Lake of Despondency or something similar?

Only ridden it half a dozen times and never when the tide was in smile

RichT4 · Champion

So what's happened?
Has drainage been established or just the puddles bottom fixed?

danno82 · Clubman B

Will miss it in a way. biggrin biggrin

russell11031967 · Devon's Best

Going to investigate tomorrow biggrin will post some pictures

Monty · Clubman B

TTR wrote:
When Fixer named The Devil's Steps didn't he call the "puddle" The Lake of Despondency or something similar?
Only ridden it half a dozen times and never when the tide was in

"The Bog Of Eternal Stench".

Its little brother was named Lake Placcid. Andy took me there on my first ever DTRF ride.

karR1e · Sportsman

Nooooooooo!

wackyracer · Powermonger!!

Yep always a shame to have a lane regraded or improved

Has it been TRO'd ?

Is the lane still open?

Why dont you channel or your energy and open an overgrown lane that hasn't been used for a while maybe a new challenge could be found wink

russell11031967 · Devon's Best

Had to go and investigate as just up the road for me, this is what I found

blankstare from where the puddle used to be to the barn at the end it has been graded and hardcored plus a large drainage pipe has been put through the hedge at the puddle and just before the barn, doesn't look like the water will be coming back soon disbelief

The view down devils steps

Devils steps 343.jpg

Coming up to the first smaller puddle

Devils steps 344.jpg

The first puddle gone

Devils steps 345.jpg

The larger second puddle gone

Devils steps 346.jpg

Devils steps 347.jpg Devils steps 348.jpg Devils steps 349.jpg

Fixer · Sportsman

What is slightly more disconcerting is that they are doing work on the old barn at the SE end. The owner of the field at Shilston Gate tried to get planning permission for a Veal Farm there a couple of years ago and I thought it had been turned down. The owner of Ludbrook Farm is a 'friend' of mine and he has no objection to the lane being ridden but does get fed up with noisy bikes. He doesn't mind the quiet ones.

This lane needs to be monitored to see what is happening at the SE end so we don't suddenly get a TRO slapped on it....Remember Whipples, where someone converted a barn and then tried to get the lane shut?

L'orange · Devon's Best

I know it spoils our fun a bit, but you can't really blame them for sorting the flood out, perhaps they just want to use the road

Wheely · Expert

L'orange wrote:
I know it spoils our fun a bit, but you can't really blame them for sorting the flood out, perhaps they just want to use the road

There's a perfectly good bit of tarmac which loops around the steps for that!

Pete · Devon's Best

A tribute to the Puddle remembering some of the 'fun' had there

Fixer · Sportsman

I received this reply to my investigations....

It's owned by Sebastian and Lucy Fenwick, who own Shilston Barton on the other side of the ridge road. Apparently, one wall of the barn was about to collapse due to subsidence, so they're removing the upper half, reinforcing the foundations and then rebuilding. They're also replacing the roof. Ted says they'll probably make the roof suitable for later conversion of the barn into a dwelling, but he doesn't think that'll be for a few years as he's been turned down for any development by SHDC. However, Sebastian is known for his persistence and will probably keep on badgering SHDC Planning Dept until he eventually wins. May not be in the immediate future though.

It wouldn't have been them that did the road works on the lane though as they have already put a new drive in for the barn. They got retrospective planning permission for that so I suggest that that may be what will happen to the barn!

Many thanks to my friend Martin C who got this info for us.

maggotman · Clubman A

maby thay did it so they could renforce the foundations cant be easy building under water

russell11031967 · Devon's Best

Fixer wrote:
I received this reply to my investigations....
It's owned by Sebastian and Lucy Fenwick, who own Shilston Barton on the other side of the ridge road. Apparently, one wall of the barn was about to collapse due to subsidence, so they're removing the upper half, reinforcing the foundations and then rebuilding. They're also replacing the roof. Ted says they'll probably make the roof suitable for later conversion of the barn into a dwelling, but he doesn't think that'll be for a few years as he's been turned down for any development by SHDC. However, Sebastian is known for his persistence and will probably keep on badgering SHDC Planning Dept until he eventually wins. May not be in the immediate future though.
It wouldn't have been them that did the road works on the lane though as they have already put a new drive in for the barn. They got retrospective planning permission for that so I suggest that that may be what will happen to the barn!
Many thanks to my friend Martin C who got this info for us.

The walls are certainlly being built to current building regs with celotex insulation in the cavity

phone 610.jpg

Have done this many times for farmers who are very sly when it comes to planning issues, bit by bit over the years and then suddenly they get planning, like Fixer said I hope once the barn becomes a dwelling and I'm sure in the next few years it will as they are not spending this sort of money just for a few cows that they don't try to TRO it