Has anyone been up there recently and able to report of the new bits being built. Can’t seem to find any information and no one on the Trailblzers forum wants to reply.

Some of it looked good last time I was there but was all fenxed off. Want to try and save myself a wasted journey if it’s all still shut.

Thanks.

Anyone?

Can’t seem to find any information and no one on the Trailblzers forum wants to reply.

When you asked on the HTB forum on Friday evening, most of the trailbuilding team were up in the forest for a camping weekend, where they were going to be building the new trails, which is why you didn’t get a response in the 48 hours that your post was on the HTB forum.

Volunteer trailbuilding days are on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from January to November. If you went and helped at one of those, your trip to the forest wouldn’t be ‘wasted’, even if the new stuff wasn’t officially open…

According to the website “the build is expected to start in February and after Forestry Commission approval should be open in time for summer.”

after Forestry Commission approval

*Code for safe enough for a leisure cyclist…..

*feel free to call me cynical

Code for safe enough for a leisure cyclist…..

They approved the ladder drop at Hamsterley and the stuff at Dalby…

Brain freeze has been opn for ages now and is a red grade route with the black graded ladder drop at the end – head up towards the skills loop but instead of turning left to go to the skills loop, follow the road to the rightand you will find the entrace to the right.

Special K is not officially finshed but is rideable, to get to that, follow the fire road up past the skills loop until you reach the tarmac road, turn right and keep your eyes open on the right hand side – the entrance is just next to a bench on the right hand side – this trail has small kickers, berms, a rather nice bombhole, small boardwalk and a wall ride. From the exit of this, turn right up the hill to brain freeze.

Section 13 is not open yet, but will be soon and the entrance to this is next to the start ramp of the 4X which is next to the DH course car park.

Why not join a club ride or join one of the rides arranged on a weekday night – you will find a lot more than the official stuff that way.

Oh – section 13 is superb – fast and flowy with some nice little drops an cracking berms

Mike – are the bits that Phil cut for SSUK still rideable?

I haven’t done Hamseterley properly for yonks…

Thanks, it does sound like it will be worth another trip to see whats there.

I was thinking of doing the STW/Trailblazers ride on the 12th so that may be a good chance to get to see some more.

Mike, it wasnt a dig at the Trailblazers, I just didn’t want to get “go to Trailblazers” as a response. I’m sure someone told me before that it would be open in Summer but that’s now so I was wondering if there was anymore news. Are you doing a grand opening or just bits and pieces as it’s finished?

I’ve been trying to pursuade people to head down that way to ride but as no one knows whats there and remember it being “nothing but fireroad” las time they are reluctant. Especially given the other places that aren’t much harder to get to from Newcastle (Lakes, Pennines, Kielder etc.)

I live quite away from Hamsterley so it’s not possible to do evening rides. Same goes for building really, I’m already a member of two biking clubs, one I ride with most Sundays and the other I ride with on Saturdays (on the road) when I have the time. Trying to fit a third in/building isn’t going to happen not with the travelling time as well.

Mike – are the bits that Phil cut for SSUK still rideable?

I haven’t done Hamseterley properly for yonks…

I haven’t ridden them for a while (only been up there two or three times in the last 12 months, I think)), but I believe that they are still open.

jonb, it’d be great to see you on the 12th – the club rides are definitely the best way to find the unwaymarked stuff in the forest. Reports so far are that the new stuff is looking really good and riding really well – if you follow the black route you can’t miss the new official stuff.

Living in Newcastle I’d be tempted to just ride out to Chopwell and ride out there, certainly the riding is as good as Hamsterley. Makes a resaonable length ride as well.If you’re going to Drive the riding round Rothbury is ace, some of my favourite natural trails in the UK.

Another Hour and a half and you’ve got Glentress to ride at there’s Newcastelton too.

Until Hamsterley is properly up and running with the new trails open unless you’re wanting to ride 4X or DH, the above options give a better scope for riding.

Hopefully the new build stuff will reinvigorate Hamsterley, I’m hoping at some point that a decent length of really tight twisty fun singletrack will get built.

I keep trying to like Hamsterley as it’s only half an hour away

I must have made 10 trips up there last year checking out various routes & options & tagged along with a couple of group rides with locals but it just doesn’t work for me.

I can’t put my finger on what it is I don’t like but I find myself driving 3 times the distance to Dalby if I want trail centre stuff.

Uplink, I think the big problem with Hamsterley is that there’s no real flow there at the moment, and it’s often a fireroad climb for a short steep descent.

The North side of the Forest in particular must be ripe for all sorts of fun contouring twisting stuff like the Sidewinder bit at Afan for instance. Hamsterley building seems to be about trail features at the moment like ladders and boardwalks rather than just fun swooping trails. I can see th epoint of features I really can but when you’re in a forest on s quite steply sided valley you’d think that making tight fun stuff through trees would kind of be a natural choice really, rather than echoing the Scottish centres.

Got any info on the stuff at Rothbury? Was there a few weeks ago but everything that looked good was a footpath. As I can only ride at weekends and the place had plenty of walkers around it didn’t really seem a good idea to go racing down them.

there’s no real flow there at the moment, and it’s often a fireroad climb for a short steep descent.

yeah – you’re right
Some longer stuff that traversed the hill rather than taking the shortest route down would be more enjoyable to me
Hard to complain really when the people doing the work are doing it for their tastes
Isn’t there a big DH leaning there? maybe that’s why it gets built like that?

The DH track and 4X course are ace but they’re pay to ride…

I suspect the problem in the past may have been little investment from FC in the XC trails. Volunteers can’t really achieve much without money to pay for machinery to go in and make haste. I think they got a bit of criticism for the money spent on the techy skills area, when it could have been spent on badly needed upgrades to the black XC route, but then it’s up to the people who bother to get involved IMO. What I found disappointing (for the volunteers) when I did the black XC, was that most volunteer built features were completely lost in an 8ft wide sea of tyre tracks.

try Here

and here

jonb – Member

Got any info on the stuff at Rothbury? Was there a few weeks ago but everything that looked good was a footpath. As I can only ride at weekends and the place had plenty of walkers around it didn’t really seem a good idea to go racing down them.

You’re North of Hadrians wall therefore Technicaly in Scotland, Cheeky 😀

You’re North of Hadrians wall therefore Technically in Scotland

No not technically Scotland at all, unless the south of England is still France!!!!

Northumberland is not Scottish!!

Lots of good riding in and around Rothbury..you just need to know where to look…..but I would say that! 😉
Seriously, try tim@northumberlandbikebreaks.com, very helpful indeed

Hamsterley is only a small part of some great riding in the area. Up around Doctors Gate leading to the Forest must be some of the best Bridleway riding in the area. Went up there Sat morning, some guys were struggling on trials bikes. Use the forest as a hub to link up some of the moorland trails and you’ll get more out of a day there. Think of the graded routes there as a starter and head up on the moors for your main course!