Volunteers hope wood walks will deter bikers

A new set of planned walking routes is the latest effort to help deter anti-social behaviour and nuisance bikers at a beauty spot.
Fryston Woods have new signposted walks to help deter anti-social behaviour
Steve Wright, of Friends of Fryston Woods.Fryston Woods have new signposted walks to help deter anti-social behaviour
Steve Wright, of Friends of Fryston Woods.
Fryston Woods have new signposted walks to help deter anti-social behaviour Steve Wright, of Friends of Fryston Woods.

The Friends of Fryston Wood say they are determined to stamp out the troubles that have plagued the area during the past year, including two incidents where hundreds of newly-planted saplings were ripped up by yobs on quad bikes.

Having re-grouped, the volunteers are hoping to attract funding to install kissing gates around the woods to stop motorcycles entering, along with fencing and ditches.

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But while they wait for the outcome of the grant applications, a new walk has been devised with markers placed around the trees.

It is the first of several planned by the group, which recently won an at Wakefield District Housing’s community awards for their efforts.

Secretary of the group, Steve Wright, hopes the walk can have a positive impact.

He said: “The funding is still going through, however we have begun some initiatives that will help increase positive footfall within the woods.

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“We have marked out the first official walk within Fryston woods and put markers on trees, (pictured above) along with a Facebook campaign.

“This has seen lots of people within the woods that don’t normally enter, which I am hoping will cause the anti-social biker to go somewhere that’s easier for them.

“It’s about three-quarters of a mile, which starts and ends at the Kendal Drive entrance of the woods and there are about 15 markers which are nicely visible. This first walk is a trial run for future routes we have planned. The walks will be named by schoolchildren at local schools and by Facebook polls engaging with the community.”

The Friends were left devastated in May 2017 when 400 saplings, planted by schoolchildren in memory of 400 Castleford soldiers who died in World War I, were destroyed by yobs. Undeterred, they planted hundreds more in the run up to Remembrance Sunday, but were uprooted again.

The group now holds regular events, including litter picks and history walks, to help attract more people into the area.