As of July 2025, the Cooking on Gas trail at Lady Cannings remains closed, despite appearing finished. Work began in February 2025 and was on track for an Easter reopening, but the prolonged dry weather has delayed completion.
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According to Ride Sheffield, the unusually dry spring — the driest in 132 years, with only 15cm of rainfall since February — means the new trail surface has not properly bonded. Although the top layer appears compacted, beneath it lies soft, dry material that is currently unsafe to ride and would erode quickly under use.
Opening the trail prematurely would risk substantial damage and could require a third of the original £40,000 community-raised budget to repair. Ride Sheffield, a volunteer-run and community-funded organisation, has confirmed that October 2025 is the earliest realistic opening date, weather permitting.
New signage is being installed on site to explain the closure, and a volunteer dig day is planned for the autumn to help complete the trail. In the meantime, Ride Sheffield asks riders to:
- 🚫 Stay off the trail — no riding, running, or walking
- 📣 Share news of the ongoing closure
- ✋ Join the planned autumn dig day (to be announced via Eventbrite)
- 💸 Donate to the Ride Sheffield Trail Fund
- 📬 Sign up to the mailing list or follow on social media for updates
- 🤝 Volunteer for roles including comms, trail crew, events, or ride coordination
Ride Sheffield thanks the local community for their patience and continued support.
🔗 Lady Cannings trail listing on iBikeRide
🔗 Full update on Ride Sheffield
🥇 Trail of the Year – Winner Announced!
