…are they worse than normal this year? Is it just the recent rain?

Been in for 40mins since 2 hour XC ride and cuts and stings are still going strong (in a strangely nice but irritating way!). The nettles seem especially thick and omnipresent and the gorse very sharp and hard!

I will swap you for the midges that are biting the hell out of my legs.

Its because you can’t ride past them at the same speed as normal due to all the mud around! Therefore, slower riding past, more time to get brushed by them. Less of a line to navigate = more stings, cuts etc

Try riding in the New Forest, Gorse and Nettles are there to break the trails up into something more interesting

Damn wish i had said it was because he was slow now 😀

Lucien, weird you should say that about the NF.

That is exactly what i have always said.

Without the gorse and nettles the NF trails would straight and dull. I just wear leg protection and enjoy the natures flowy lines.

Having said that i dont think they’re anyway near as bad this year.

Hmm, I was thinking this morning that the gorse (nettles / midges too, but not so much) seems worse this year. My knuckles are killing 🙁

Still tingling now!! Super powered nettles!!!

Doc leaves and a bit of spit soon sorts it out – so they reckon, but it’s never really worked for me…. 😕

Know exactly what you mean! Think the rain has deffo helped. Went out after work for a blast and trails were way overgrown.
Flies in every orrifice (now, now peeps…) and scratches, stings all over my legs and arms – ‘trail fairy’ time tomorrow if time! 😉