Anyone else tried it yet?

I’m not sure when it opened, I rode their about a month ago and I’m sure I didn’t see it, rode it for the first time yesterday – HOW MUCH FUN IS THAT!

Tighter than a tight thing, Rooty, and ‘loamy’ – best ride I’ve had in ages.

Rode the Blue, then the Red Extension and finally pushed up for a go on launch pad – legs ruined.

I rode it last Monday, thought I’d do the Freeminers as a tag on after I’d done the Verderers, the Freeminers was actually longer with the extension……..

Some bits were great, some nice techy stuff, some really nice loamy stuff, BUT i found it really pedally, it just didn’t flow much for me, to be honest, after I’d ridden it I doubted whether the good bits were worth all the effort.

Having said that, there were a couple of diversions in place, and it hasn’t ridden in much yet, so will surely roll quicker and perhaps flow a bit better once it’s had some more traffic. I also hadn’t been on the bike for a fortnight, and went at the Verderers pretty hard, so was slightly blowing out of my ass……..

One thing that needs a bit of tidying up is the signage and trail demarcation in the first/last section, it’s all a bit vague and hard to tell where you’re supposed to be going.

Also, when you get near the end, after the northshore section, and it crosses the fire road for the last time, just before you cross, there’s a REALLY new section (like dug last week I’d say) that leads back down to the car park, very tight and twisty through some dense fir trees, well worth a go.

I did this just before new year last year, so Im not sure how much they’ve added since then.
I did it after an uplift day, so legs probably not that fresh, plus it was dark by the time we hit the last bit. Was quite good, but I did feel it went on a bit.
I’ll happily give it another go with fresher legs though.

The Freeminers extension has only been open a month or so (If that) Bigyinn, so its changed since your visit.

Got to be honest i am fairly local and have yet to ride it. Never really liked the original Freeminers as i felt that too much had ben crammed into, what was a short loop. Really tight switchbacks etc. Just felt that if i was going for a quick local loop the Verder just offered more fun! Glad they have extended it now and will give it a bash next time I am over there for a few hours without the kids in tow!

Tried it the other week after a lap of the Verderers and a bit of messing about. Saw a sign for Freeminers extension and thought why not – daaammmmn it was long, not so much an extension as a whole new wing.

Legs were already knackered from 5 days of commuting but really enjoyed it. It’s great to ride some fresh loamy stuff even if it’s a bit wandery. Just wish I’d been fresh enough to do it justice.

I like the Freeminers more than Verderers but do them both as 1 trail. The steep uphill bit is tough and why it goes back down for like 2 seconds before it goes even steeper seems quite pointless. Glad they are continuing to extend it, cannot wait until its 15 miles long! 😯

Not enough woodwork though. 😉

Slight interuption here but can anyone say which trail to do first for someone new to FOD?

How far is Verderers trail?

Are riders using elbow/arm pads for Verderers and Freeminers?

Also I’m guessing it’s well marked for the blue and red runs?

tia

@core it was ‘almost’ bone dry yesterday and without diversion, a couple of the guys said it lacked flow, but I thought it was okay, for me it’s one of those trails where the sense of achievement at the end is almost as good as the riding itself.

One thing about it though, it’s very tight, with over-hanging brambles and ferns, which makes it fun, but there are lot of stumps and rocks lurking unseen which for a cautious rider like me holds back my speed it would be much faster if them strimmed it back, but with so many SUDDENLY tight turns which tighten more as your round them, full-speed attack might be a bad thing – twice I had to abort a turn and head off into the trees to avoid binning it.

Go for Verderers first, it’s 7 miles, and nothing too technical, good fun though, wouldn’t have said pads are necessary for either really, there aren’t any jumps or drops that aren’t rollable/avoidable, and none are huge, there’s a chicken line on the bigger stuff.

Blue is really well marked, you can’t go wrong, red is a little bit more patchy with the extensions and diversions, but plenty of temporary signs up last week.

@P-Jay

I had to bail off/fell off once last week, slight drop into a tight left, actually in the old section, and couldn’t round the bend, I’d agree it is more techy xc, you’ve got to pedal and work at it. Perhaps a better ride would be to do Freeminers first, while fresh, then Verderers after as it’s not quite so demanding. I actually really like the steep/overgrown/tight top section.

Start with verderers, it’s shorter and easier in terms of features. It’s great fun and has better descents than freeminers . Freeminers is more techy xc. Steeper climbs and rooty descents.
Wearwhat you want, it’s no one else’s business. I wear knee pads for both trails.

hopeychondriact – Member

Slight interuption here but can anyone say which trail to do first for someone new to FOD?

How far is Verderers trail?

Are riders using elbow/arm pads for Verderers and Freeminers?

Also I’m guessing it’s well marked for the blue and red runs?

tia

Verderers trail is about 10k from memory, it’s the first one to try for anyone new to FOD – it’s a nice trail to ride, fun without being too challenging and the topography of the area means not much is very steep up or down. A lot of the time you’re on the flat darting between trees any speed you fancy, fast or slow – final few sections are fast, wide open things with lot of manmade jumps and such – like a bike park descent really.

Freeminers is 8km I think, it’s much harder and quite un-trail centre like, roots, off camber stuff, drops and lots and lots of roots there’s nothing like it in any of the South Wales Centres at least. It’s also very narrow in places which is great, but leaves little margin for error. The Extension I would guess adds 5-7km on top and is VERY un-trail centre like – loose surface, flat corners, roots and rocks and needs more thought to ride quickly, you can’t really rely on the builder to have laid out everything in front of you, easy to see before you get there. It’s not as tough as I’m probably making it sound though, I’m no Super Enduro Dood.

Ok, thanks for that guys, will check out the Verderers first then.

Wasn’t too impressed by Haldon the other day tbh, my bros like it for a quick blast though as they live at bottom of hill.

sounds good FOD, as I am new to the trail centre scene.

😯

Pads? Possibly for the DH tracks, but verderers or freeminer? No chance!

Those trails have been there for years they have just turned it into the extra bit of the Freeminers.I know that from last Friday was going the wrong where on a trail till I saw the new signs.The trails below the solar panel cottage do get very muddy in the winter a lot more traffic will wreck them quite quick in less they plan to hardcore them in places.Worcester lodge area does seem to be getting hammered now.Dowies area is much better I think.