Where to start?

I’m quite happy to follow my nose, get lost and emerge from the forest 3 months later as an emancipated shell but where’s the best place to park as a starting point?

Well, you could park at Ludgershall Castle on the A342, on the sharp bend. This would mean you’ll be at the bottom end of the Woods.

Another option is in Upper Chute, road side parking.

Or the Village Hall/playground in Collingbourne Kingston, turn right off mini roundabout from A338. This would give you a nice warm up climbing up to Brunton, turn right at Spicey Buildings for more climbing. When you hit the road, turn right and then immediately left. This will drop you into Rag Copse which is the northern end of the Woods. That would be my preferred option.

HTH.

Thanks again!

If you are coming from the andover direction drive through ludgershall and keep looking right you want central street it’s about 3/4 of the way through if you pass tesco’s you have gone to far, follow central street all the way out of the houses and you will be going down a hedge lined single road when you get to the sharp bend at the bottom turn left and follow the gravel track till you get to the forestry collingbourne woods sighn park anywhere around there and explore.

There is some great stuff to be had but you will probably need a guide to find the dry bits, i will hapilly show you round one evening or sunday.

Do you reckon he’s still out there?

baznav – is it drying out nicely yet?

Don’t know hanvn’t riden up ther since april us locals know to avoid in summer, i switch to the plain which dries out super quick after rain.
I would think it’s still very wet after the amount of rain we’ve had the last couple of months you might be lucky if it’s dry by october.

Don’t bother at the moment it’s going to be a bog fest at the mo! I last went up in may and it wasnt too bad but still very wet.

Think it was Spring-time that I last went there and it was in pretty good condition.

I’d park either here at the top end of the woods

or here at the bottom end

both perfectly accessible in a car.

However, as above, the woods will no doubt be a bog fest currently 🙂

My first Xc race was there…. The Marlborough Classic about 1990 I think?

Yes they were the days good times,cinnemon girl, yep spring is always the best time for collingbourne woods before the leaves come out and the sun and wind can get in and dry it.
However i reacon with 20 years knowledge of the woods i can put together a fairly descent bog free loop even now.

I even found a starline picture of one of the early collingbourne races in the shed it must be close to that time, lots of dayglo lyca on display and rigid forks make me cringe.

OK, sounds as though a good few cold frosty days are needed!

Still no word from drofluf so baznav you’ll need to organise a search party at first light!

Got a few photos of the races there. Great times, a local race and from memory was about 400-500 competing.

I’m off over the plain tomorrow to catch some rare rays to nice to go looking for some lost guy in the woods 8)

So these old races – did they head out towards the Plain or where did they go?

The Marlborough Classic – where did that take you? Bet it didn’t start in the town. 😉

Interesting hearing about these. 🙂

All based in the woods with several laps. Lots of singletrack, forest tracks etc

They were all held in the woods itself didn’t go anywhere else, you can make a good circuit round there the old races used to use probably two thirds off the woods and used to start at the bottom end and one or two of the later and last races started up the top end at herridge, and as i remember they were generaly wet and muddy.

I’m OK, but thanks for the concern 🙂

Ended up rehanging a gate for my folks yesterday so didn’t make it out yesterday 🙁

Think I’ll give it time to dry out first ….

Might pop up one evening this week and have a look, couldn’t believe how dry the plain was today.

drofluf – thanks for the update!

baznav – what part of the Plain did you ride? I couldn’t believe how deserted it was yesterday over Larkhill, not that it’s ever busy. 🙂

Well the mud in the woods isn’t the problem it’s the greenery brambals thistles and nettals, it was drier than i expected.
Cinnamon girl. I don’t tend to go any further west than upavon and neitheravon it gets a bit bland further over, best riding is around bulford, tidworth and everleigh areas some great trails to be had and holy cow was it hot today.

Thanks baz. Everleigh is on my ‘to do’ list but suspect the other areas may be a bit too downhilly for a wuss like me!

No not at all there is plenty of fun singletrack i’m a wuss to when the going gets to steep, i prefer the nice flowing fast safe stuff however it’s good to scare yourself once in a while reminds you your still alive.

Pootled around Collingbourne Woods today, figured there may be a wee chance of it having dried out.

As soon as I started on the single track, coming towards me was a quad bike and mini MX’er. 👿 Despite the initial mud, it did get better and, blimey, was that gully running fast. 😯

Investigated some single track on the opposite side of the woods but that did get particularly muddy so turned back. Also, there was a fair selection of small branches placed across the trail.

Didn’t see another soul either.

The mx bikes were there on wednesday night too!