2 hour ride from Bristol city centre?

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This topic has 21 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by swallow.

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2 hour ride from Bristol city centre?
Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Will have a couple of hours free later in the week, and was wondering if anyone could give me a longer loop to ride? I've ridden the 'official' trails in Ashton court, but was hoping for something a bit longer and challenging. Thanks in advance

Posted 14 years ago

FuzzyWuzzy
Full Member

I guess a loop involving AC, Leigh Woods and what's left of 50-acre? Other options would involve more fire road/path/road sections.

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

and what's left of 50-acre?

Has some of it been destroyed or something? its been a year or so since I've ridden in Bristol so I dont know what will still be the same.

Posted 14 years ago

Fresh Goods Friday 700 - The censored edition

njee20
Free Member

You given up on the idea of racing the Scale!? I see you didn't do the Gorrick, and you're not down to do Sherwood! Thought you were racing Elite this year…

If you've got time, go to Cwmcarn.

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Hi njee –

I didnt end up doing the Gorrick due to lack of transport, and wont be racing Sherwood due to a Coursework deadline on Monday, which is a shame. How was your season started?
I raced the BUCS at the weekend though and got 6th. I was 2nd seeded rider for Bath though so I had to start behind 40 other people. I would have like to get on the leaders train for at least a few laps but they were already a minute or two up the road by the time I got past the traffic! It was a solid performance though and feeling pretty happy with my fitness, definately improved my overtaking technique!

No transport to get to cwmcarn unfortunatley, and bored of riding around Bath, so I was wondering what the Bristol options are.

Posted 14 years ago

swallow
Free Member

Chris – where do you ride around Bath? I moved here from Cheltenham a while back and have really struggled to find any good routes. I basically follow a loop based on the skyline with some forays into the woods by the golf course but it is pretty dull. I tried to do a ride around Lansdown taken from the bath uni mtb website but that was even duller….
Cheers, Tom

Posted 14 years ago

njee20
Free Member

Hmmm, yes I forget John Whittington is a perpetual student, are the results for the BUCS XC anywhere public?

I've trained for some triathlons over the winter, with less time on the bike, so I shall be straight out the back of the expert field on Sunday I imagine!

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Yep BUCS results are here. Bath had a great showing overall – we won the Team XC and Team DH.

I would have thought I will be nearing the back on the Elite field, but this season will be a learning curve, and a big one at that! Good luck for Sunday!

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Hi Tom/Swallow –

Riding around Bath is pretty dull in general! We tend to ride 4 different loops – Browns, Helens, Landsdown, and Nosey cows. The university club has a ride every wednesday which leaves from the 25m pool on campus at 1:30. its a social ride and I'm sure you would be welcome to discover the routes. Browns is by far the best, but most of it is footpaths so its a no go at the weekend. email me if you want more info.

Posted 14 years ago

knottie8
Free Member

Any chance of a map of the Bath routes ?

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Knottie – heres a picture of all the routes linked together into my 80km 'superloop' which includes all the fun trails in the area. they mainly work best in a clockwise direction. Email me if you want details or GPX files. However, I'm an exmoor local, and I would recommend travelling any distance to ride in Bath (not even from Bristol!)

Posted 14 years ago

anotherdeadhero
Free Member

Nice to know Helen's ride is still called Helen's ride by you all, even though we tried to rename it to save her blushes 🙂 I'll have to tell her next month.

BTW you're missing a great descent from Holt's Down into St Catherine's valley, just turn left under the underpass in Upper Swainswick, ride up onto Charmy Down, jump the gate at the top and ride over the old airfield.

As far as 50-acre goes, the official trail is fine, the thinning operations have blotted out the 'old' trails through the middle of the wood though. The wood looks devastated, but I think it'll be good for the wood long term, line of sight is much better and the official trail seems better bedded in, if anything.

Plenty to keep you going for 2 hours in a Leigh Woods/AC/50 acre loop or two.

Posted 14 years ago

llama
Full Member

its no exmoor but there are lots of fun trails missing from that map

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

anotherdeadhero – why is Helens called Helens?! Its just part of the club folklore and I have no idea why! I know the St Catherines descent, its a good one!

Posted 14 years ago

agentdagnamit
Free Member

I wouldnt call Pipe Lane boring…..

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Come on then llama and agentdagnamit – where are the better trails around Bath? would love to know as my training is getting beyond boring!

Posted 14 years ago

llama
Full Member

Only saying that some fun ones are not marked on that map.

Pipehouse is probably too technical for XC training 🙂

Posted 14 years ago

Kitz_Chris
Free Member

Wheres pipehouse? havent heard of that one! Not much is too technical for XC training anyway – unless you're talking repeated 4ft+ drops!

Posted 14 years ago

anotherdeadhero
Free Member

Oh dear, you've not looked much beyond the usual loops have you 😉

Pipehouse lane is SE of Bath and runs from the 'Park Corner' crossroad on the A36, down into Midford.

I've emailed some more suggestions.

Posted 14 years ago

agentdagnamit
Free Member

Pipehouse Lane

It's about a mile of rocky mayhem, dropping you into Midford and starting at around ST 77420 59970

There's some more interesting stuff between Castle Combe and Box too, I followed a route from the new Vertabrate Cotswold Guide that had a couple of tricky descents.

North Stoke down to Swinford maybe, but a bit cheeky.

Posted 14 years ago

swallow
Free Member

I look forward to having the time to explore some of the above. Seem to be always working except on a Sunday! Given how hilly it is around Bath I was sure there should be some great trails, just a case of finding them or being shown….

I used to ride a lot around Cheltenham with Leckhampton Hill although being compact being able to entertain me four endless hours – looking forward to the lighter evenings allowing for some after work rides…..

Posted 14 years ago

swallow
Free Member

oh also @ anotherdeadhero – would you mind emailing me said suggestions? tomandlaura at hotmail dot com

Cheers.

Posted 14 years ago