National Cycle network

National cycle network route markers.

If it is a sticker on a lamppost then not eligible but if it is a sign on its own post then it is eligible?

or are they both eligible/not eligible?

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Comments

  • sogNinjaman-INGsogNinjaman-ING Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭✭✭

    THe majority of UK Cycvle Network markers are numbered blue generic markers - not eligible as far as my voting goes.

  • FrealafGB-PGOFrealafGB-PGO Posts: 354 ✭✭✭✭

    They were always said to be ineligible before the criteria update, because they are more like road signs than anything else and look the same across the whole country. However they are a great place for exercise, so I am also wondering if I'd been voting incorrectly to score them quite low. I wouldn't be averse to seeing some come into the games, especially in suburban and rural areas, but I had always been led to believe I should reject them

  • TheAuraStorm-INGTheAuraStorm-ING Posts: 92 ✭✭✭✭

    No, the NCN is not eligible, they are numbered road signs for bikes. They are not named biking trails, just as the A1 and M25 are not named walking trails.

    The only NCN markers one could consider eligible are the “fishtail” ones that are usually at the start of a route, they are not mass produced and aesthetic.

  • LukeAllStars-INGLukeAllStars-ING Posts: 4,625 Ambassador

    Ok, sounds like I have no clue about NCN lol

  • FrealafGB-PGOFrealafGB-PGO Posts: 354 ✭✭✭✭

    Following up on this... I'd say that whether the route marker is eligible or not isn't linked to the material it is made from. The stickers and the metal signs do the same job, and it's the trail itself that is the eligible item rather than the marker, but the marker represents it. Those stickers are made to last outside for years, so I don't see a sticker or a metal sign or a wooden sign as any different when marking a trail as long as they are official markers.

    The issue is whether this specific type of biking route is now eligible under the exercise criteria. I ' m c o m i n g round to the idea that they're possibly eligible now, even though previously the advice was to reject. Probably something like a 3* accept in my opinion.

  • RedsoxMark-PGORedsoxMark-PGO Posts: 52 ✭✭✭

    I just came across one of these reviewing and wasn't (and still are not) sure what to do. I agree with the previous post, the issue seems to be not is the sign mass-produced (it is), but with the cycle path itself.

    If the cycle marker is in a nice place itself I find it easier to score it higher. This specific one is on a busy road. It is good to encourage cycling, but the spot itself isn't a point of interest. I'm thinking 2* for this case.

  • sogNinjaman-INGsogNinjaman-ING Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This is a typical UK National Cycle Route type marker.


  • silverkali-INGsilverkali-ING Posts: 92 ✭✭✭

    The blue signs/stickers like the one above I'd say are not eligible. On the routes however, are Millennium fishtail sculptures and some NCN routes are combined with other routes (like the Mercian Way) whose cast iron signposts are works of art in themselves and would be eligible.

  • RedsoxMark-PGORedsoxMark-PGO Posts: 52 ✭✭✭

    This is where I struggle. What am I reviewing? The quality/interest/construction of the cycleway sign itself, or the cycle route and location they represent?

    If the sign itself is unique, artistic, etc, yes that is a "bonus". But I'm unclear if this is mandatory to qualify (as long as the sign is robust enough to be considered permanent). I tend to put more emphasis on where it is (is this a great place to visit and exercise) than the construction of the sign. But not clear if that is "correct".

  • Thor3381-INGThor3381-ING Posts: 220 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    Many submit any kind of marker. Node markers (leading you from one node to another, most often only a few 100m furter, just following the street towards the next node-marker) or (named) walking-route-markers (where you often already have a map and some extra info at the starting point)

    The walking route markers, mostly walks varying between 2 and 10 km with a directional sign at each and every crossroad.

    Admirers of these plaques will say: "but it's not the marker that is nominated, it's the trail it represents"

    In that case we can state: if you see any similar marker of that same walking route, then the trail is already represented by that marker and thus it makes them a duplicate. Right? I've seen nominations where 8 out of the 10 suggestions to check for duplicates were of the same route, pointing left, right, straight ahead etc.

    The "promotes exercise" makes me laugh for these signs, or can we add a wayspot every 20m on an athletics course? (or at least the straights and the bends) that way it promotes you to do a complete tour of 400m - promotes exercise you know ;-)

    Thing is, these generic plaques are flooding the system, taking in space in the system of POI's that are far more interesting. I'm already waiting for the first complaints about nominations of Statues, Churches, Monuments etc that don't come online because there's a node-marker or a walking-route marker too close to it.


    Just did the math for a closeby walking route in my rural area: on a 8km walk you already come accross 10 existing wayspots, if you're prepared to move a bit away from the original path you come accross another 7 extra wayspots (because you go by the centre of town)

    *** grabbing a big bag of popcorn to follow up on this thread

  • RedsoxMark-PGORedsoxMark-PGO Posts: 52 ✭✭✭

    I too feel there are too many route marker submissions. More walking trails than cycle ones.

    With both walking and cycle markers, I see several factors to consider like:

    • The location where the marker is. A junction of trails with a great view, or an urban marker with another the same 20 metres away.
    • Is it a generic marker or a named trail
    • The construction of the marker itself


    Talking to others locally, it seems a marker for a named trail is generally 5*. Markers or unnamed trails (which just say "public footpath" ) generally are 1*. And less agreement about cycle routes which tend to have numbers and not names.

    But I'm not sure I like this. I want to consider all the factors. If the generic footpath marker is at a great viewpoint 300 metres outside of town, with no other wayspots on the way, then it is clearly encouraging people to walk (or cycle) to a great place. If there are signs every 20m and they all become Wayspots (as it is a named trail) then I'm less impressed. But I don't see in the criteria how to handle these cases.

  • sujynx-PGOsujynx-PGO Posts: 21 ✭✭✭

    My take on this FWIW :

    I walk 6 miles a day with my dogs and like to follow trails and footpaths where I can let them off the lead so I can play on my phone. These routes aren't full of POIs but there are some great views and they are excellent exercise. The only things I can submit are trail markers, NCN markers and bridleway signs with varying results but they are always far away from any other wayspots so I'm not trying to flood an area with them. I'd just like a few on each trail I take. I do try to make the photos pretty but it's not always easy. If a submission is out in the country with no other spots nearby I like ot try and allow it but my wayferer rating is dropping - I've gone from great to good

  • HankWolfman-PGOHankWolfman-PGO Posts: 4,843 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This is an outdated post from well over a year ago. You may want to search for more recent posts on the subject as there have been clarifications on these markers.

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