As per the title, going this weekend and the fire road loop/xc up track look like they go out quite a way before they return back towards the top. Is there any way of just pushing up a bit more directly to the top? The satellite image shows a firebreak in the trees but I was wondering if it would be useable as a cheeky cut through?

We will try and get some uplifts at the end of the day but would like to make the up as painless as possible. Most of the group are on 8 Speed Kona Hoss’s!

Fireroad only.

Oh well, worth a try!

Not a short cut as such, but after a few visits have worked out a less painful approach to climbing.

Basically the first climb from the trail centre to the where you join the fire road is a pig, very steep & almost unrideable for some. whereas once you reach the fire road, it’s a gentle slog, and not actually too draining.

So once you’ve reached the top for the first time take for example, wibbly wobbly back down until you reach the fire road, hang a right & ride the easier bit back to the top – repeat using any of the descents down to the fire road until lunchtime & then perhaps pick something like vicious valley to go all the way down. That way you get the best of the descents with the least hard climbing. I follow the same pattern after lunch, with of course the chance of getting on the uplift.

To be fair both the fireroad and XC climb are both OK and the long cut back on top is more or less level(ish). If feeling the pain of the climbs then one option is to session the top bit, the middle bit and the lower bit and then the climbs between don’t seem quite so onerous. Mind you, you will only see if there is space on the uplift if you do the bottom part!

there are a few short cuts yes, but you’ll only be saving a few mins.

If your taking the uplift fire road route up theres a straight bit of track (on the left hand side) going up and cuts the corner (about 10 mins into the climb) It can be a bit moist and muddy but should be ok now.

I can see why MatA does what he does, but personally I prefer to descend from top to bottom in one go. Descents feel a lot longer and more rewarding but at the price of a longer climb.

Haha, great minds think alike MatA

Great many thanks guys.

One of the good things about the place is you’ve got options.