Will be taking a couple of keen wannabees between Christmas and New Year. Never been to Bedgebury, familiar with both Cwmcarn and Thetford. Anybody thoughts?
In particular what is Bedgebury like?
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Bedgebury / Cwmcarn or Thetford for beginner?
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Posted 5 months ago #
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In terms of 'technical' Thetford is easiest, followed by Bedgebury then Cwmcarn. Both Thetford & Bedgebury can be a bit of a slog if the weather's shite though.
Posted 5 months ago # -
+1 what Nobby said
Swinley is very good for beginners. But no way marked trails, so you need to know where you are going.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Never been to Bedgebury so can't really comment on that, but I don't think I'd be taking a newbie to Cwm Carn. Given that it's pretty much one long climb, followed by one long descent - it might be a bit off-putting. And while it's not massively technical, there are a fair few short technical sections; rooty bits on climbs and stuff that will catch 'em out.
I took a mate last year to Thetford who was keen to do some more cycling. He loved it; it is pretty slow & draggy in places in the wet, but is still a good blast.
Do they have their own bikes or will you be hiring? You can hire bikes from Bike Art at Thetford and then grab a hot drink and slab of cake afterwards at the visitor centre!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Does cwmcarn have two routes at the top to the higher carpark? I have only taken the route through the concrete tube and over the jumps, but seen video of an easier route with more flow "airstream"?
Posted 5 months ago # -
Bedgebury also has a bike shop, bike hire & a visitors centre with decent enough nosh etc. Just be aware it's not cheap to park there (£8.50 I think).
Posted 5 months ago # -
The easy route up at Cwm Carn is up the tarmac road but it is still a couple of miles of climb followed by what could be a scary descent for a beginer. Even easier is to use the Cwmdown uplift van!
Bedgebury, apart from the v short black run, is generally easier with lots of sections that you can repeat by using the fire roads to get back again. There is also a family trail which is all fire road if the red sections are a bit much. The single track can get very gloopy in sections when is has rained a lot.
Bedgebury gives you more options if it turns out a bit too tough for your newbies.Posted 5 months ago # -
if its wet bits of bedgebury might well be a swamp. Where are you based? seems odd to have that and cwm carn as an option with so much riding inbetween!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Bedgebury is free to enter. But charges for the car park.
There is a free car park just across the road. A short 5 min ride away from the entrance.
It's a 6 mile loop. Relatively flat. Good fun.
You might also consider Swinley forest?Posted 5 months ago # -
Bedgebury is very sloppy at the moment though!
It is a nice simple blast around, that's small enough for looping and re-riding bits you like. Let me know if you're going down and fancy some company and I'll bring cake!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Cannock would also be good for a newbie.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Thetford is pretty wet and Muddy on the High lodge side at the moment, mainly because its getting so much traffic.
The Trails over the Road at BCP (Far Better) are very disrupted by the Forestry Logging and the same for some parts of Santon DownhamRed route will be ok, Black is just the usual Winter Slop, Roots and stutter braking bumps & hollows
Posted 5 months ago # -
Bedgebury is very sloppy at the moment though!
It is a nice simple blast around, that's small enough for looping and re-riding bits you like. Let me know if you're going down and fancy some company and I'll bring cake!
Sounds good.
Posted 5 months ago # -
beginners? take em to Verderers at FoD, its fun, fast and swoopy and you can do a couple of laps followed by a few downhill runs.
Posted 5 months ago # -
At least two of the three palces you mention must be a significant drive away. If they are beginners, are there not some nice trails more local to you to ride?
I'm not anti trail centres, but it seems like a lot of driving to look for some easy routes. If you showed them around their local area then they would have somewhere to start exploring.
Posted 5 months ago # -
phinbob - I agree looks like Epping forest or Thorndon Park is the venue.
Just fancied a change, would like to know what Bedgbury is like at the mo - only just over an hour away,Posted 5 months ago #
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