Popped up there

It depends on what stuff you are asking opinions on?

I think the Downhill, 4X and skills park are good.
If it’s XC riding routes, then they still have much work to do IMO. “They” being the FC, the volunteer builders, in such a large forest, can’t make much impact without some real support and financial input from FC and other partners. Hopefully, for the volunteers, that is on the cards in the near future!.

If you know your way round its fine, some nice “new” bits, but I wouldnt travel there expecting a Glentress! But good in its own way

Sorry, initial post should have read:

Popped up to Hamsterley on Saturday with Ms Spanner to meet a mate of ours – mate’s not a particularly experienced rider so we thought we’d have a go at the Blue route.

We rode it twice: once just the two of us and once with our mate:
17 miles of fire road, 1 mile of wide, hardpacked singletrack with one small water splash each lap for excitement.
Ne’er mind, it was a pleasant warm up, Katie felt comfortable with it and we were looking forward to trying the the red route today.

Talk about a let down! 15 miles long with 4 very small sections of singletrack totalling at most two miles. Nothing challenging, nothing stimulating, and nothing to excite anyone, apart from the beautiful views.

Sorry, whoever graded these routes is seriously out of touch – anyone riding the red here then trying a red route in Wales is in for one hell of a shock – there is simply no comparison.
The Forestry Commission Leaflet describing the grading and the route is genuinely misleading – ‘mostly singletrack‘ – er, no.
‘Boardwalks, berms. large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers and water crossings.’
I’ll give you the two water crossings, but the rest? Nope, nothing, nada.

Nothing wrong with the trials as such, they are well maintained and it’s a beautiful place, popular too.
But the grading! As we only has limited time there we couldn’t do the Black run, and tbh I doubt we’ll be rushing back to try it.

Speaking to a few folks in the car park, our view seemed to be shared by everyone we spoke to – a couple of people were actually quite angry about wasting time and money to get here.

We’re hardly the most extreme of riders and usually find ‘Red’ graded trails perfect – we may have to walk or retry a couple of bits, but
are always up for a challenge. This just felt like a bit of a letdown.

What does anyone else think? Worth a return visit just to do the Black?

Don’t expect anything different on the Black apart from 100 yards of root section. I’ve been going up there for 10+ years only because it’s local and nothing much has changed in that time.

Good for a long traffic free ride, I’m sort of used to it and it makes for a pleasant surprise when I go somewhere (anywhere) that has had a bit of an effort made.

All the investment seems to go in to the downhill stuff. Which I’ve never even bothered to find as I ride a HT, so am unqualified to comment on that.

Do find it a lot less busy further out, which has its attractions, you don’t always get that feeling of isolation at a lot of the popular ones plus they sometimes feel a bit ‘artificial’.

Thanks for the replies.
So it’s not just us then?

On the plus side the tea and cake in the cafe were very nice, the Cross Keys in Hamsterley does great food and the campsite at High Shipley farm is superb.
The DH and 4x tracks look like fun and the on site bike shop was reasonably cheap.

I have a mate nearby so we rode the black. As you say nothing black about it, but enjoyed it non the less. It was dry as bone and rooty as hell in places, nice and old school.
Finished with the skills park which is a good place to take people who need to learn the basic skills for proper trail centres (although not big enough to travel for).

In future before traveling any distance to a Forest do some internet research first to save disappointment later or arrange on here to hook up with a local who knows the good stuff.

There were plans for FC financial spending there,new trails, a visitor centre, not sure what happened…..

Mugboo, thanks for the reply.

We were going up there anyway to meet a friend – she works for the FC herself and used to be based there a few years ago.

We did do a search on’t net! The FC info provided re trail features and grading is extremely inaccurate, hence the initial post.

Also searched all the posts on here for the past couple of months and couldn’t find anything relevant.

I did respond to another Hamsterley thread (http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-northern-meet-hamsterley) to say that we would be there this weekend and invite anyone to join us but got no replies – must buy some internet friendly deodorant! 😉

We’ll try the black run and the loop next time we’re in the area, but don’t think I’d pop up specifically to ride there.

It’s shit.

Yes it’s massively sad, the trails that are there have never been maintained at all and with the traffic they get are just dying as a result, I’ve seen the black get worse and worse and worse over the years. The Red is just a joke, you keep riding all this fire road up and then think well it’s going to start rocking soon, then it’s fire road all the way down.

It’s a wate of money going there. Chopwell is better, and with so much actually fantastic natural riding, locally you’d be daft to go, drive for another half hour or so over the top of the valleys and you’re within distance of doing a big North penines day including High Cup Nick and Cauldron Snout.

Hamsterley is good for beginers, I can honestly hand on heart say, that there’s better Singletrack in Epping Forest in London than at Hamsterley….

It’s getting 150k (its been on the front page here in news I think) spent on it soon I think. I really like it to be honest red route is a bit tame but the black sould be do-able. With new riders I would do the first single track section of the red near the skills loop with a spin on the skills section for a taste the first section of the black up to the first river crossing is goog fun with out being too much for newer riders.

It gets a right slagging on here but its not that bad really. If your after a bit more Keidler is only an hour or so away or chopwell woods ( spelling) power line trail never ridden it but might be worth a look? is not far off.

There are some good bit if you know where to look but you need a local. The DH track is worth playing on, multiple routes down some easy some impossible. They are in the process of spending a lot of money there but the results will take a while to show. Next time you are heading up this way let one of the locals know and I’m sure we can find something more to your taste….

I love Chopwell, anyone fancy joining us next Tuesday??

The red route grading is because of the length and remoteness, not the difficulty of the trails. Thi is a general issue with the way trails are graded by the FC, which takes too many factors into account.

At the moment, the really good stuff isn’t waymarked as it wouldn’t take any real traffic to trash it. Ad Dr Death says, you really need to hook up with a local to get the most out of the technical riding.

There’s some new stuff in place already at the end of the black route, with a ladder drop, berms, rocky bits and rooty bits, with more being built. Once the other new stuff starts to get finished, you’ll see a real difference.

The red is shit, but the black isn’t that bad.

Got to say, a few years ago I was very disappointed with the Black at Hamsterly. Having come from an experience of ‘black’ graded routes at Stainburn, I was er….. completely lost for words at the Hamsterly ‘black’. It really openned my eyes to the stupid situation we have ended up with, the FC (tree managers) in charge of MTB grading ????. WTF

If you want ‘black’ graded mtd routes, why not go and seek out some proper mountain biking? Rather than expect to turn up in a relatively small forest-in your car. at the cafe and have it all laid on for you? How much is the carpark? £2.50?
It hasn’t had the investment other places have had, but still a decent day out if your prepared to think for yourself! If you want a conveyor-belt, keep going north- its glentress your after

If you want ‘black’ graded mtd routes, why not go and seek out some proper mountain biking?

I’ve never seen a natural trail graded.

Thanks for all the interesting replies:

Just to point out, I wasn’t having a pop at the whole forest: It’s a superb facility – the blue and green routes are suitable for an introduction to off road riding (though even newbies should be allowed a bit of excitement!) and I’m sure the skills loop and downhill sections are also well built and entertaining.
What I was so annoyed about on Sunday was the grading of the red route and the corresponding route description provided in the official documentation.

I can fully appreciate that the FC err on the side of caution when grading (due to distance and remoteness etc), but that has no relevance as to their promotion of trail features that are not there nor the exaggeration of the severity of the actual trails – unless their grading description is identical for each facility and mentions what MIGHT be there? Bit misleading if so.

This trip was organised by fellow climbing club member Katie as a mixed ability weekend cycling meet, open to all regardless of experience or ability – that’s why she chose Hamsterley.

Colango kid, if it really matters, I prefer natural trails to man-made, but having a go at someone because Hamsterley black and red graded trails are not as advertised, lack imagination, investment and interesting trail features is a bit much. No one’s blaming you personally. Would you rather that no-one rode trail centres, or just those who don’t criticise them?

Thanks to the locals for your offers of advice and help – next time I’m up there I’ll be sure to ask first!
Mike, is your ‘Northern Meet’ still on?

“Having come from an experience of ‘black’ graded routes at Stainburn”

I thought the warren boulder trail was a double black? (Like laggans ‘black route’ is)

The grading of the red at hamsterley is a bit of a joke though. Glentrool (next to Kirroughtree) is full of fireroad too, but about twice the length in a more remote area? I think its a purple?

The black I can almost see why its not a red as the toughest bits of root climb/descent are quite uncommon at most trail centres and they can send you over the bars a bit quick if you’re not paying full attention

The problem I think is a lack of enough definable grades (or the use of them in accordance to their descriptions)

I’ve never seen a natural trail graded.

go to the alps

go to the alps

Never seen one there either.

Have lived in the North East all my life. The FC trails are great for families with kids But that is about it. If you want good trails etc in this area this book is a must. Great trails with some of the best single track in the area. Dolby Forest is great but its always heaving with people. You can often ride these trails and not see another person all day. http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/north_yorkshire_moors.htm

I thought the warren boulder trail was a double black? (Like laggans ‘black route’ is)

James, originally the WBT was graded double black by SingletrAction the trailbuilders at Stainburn (correctly in my view). Now, the FC have decided that double black grading doesn’t fit in with their grading system. So, as Stainburn is on FC land, it is now officially a FC black grade route. Which, when compared to Hamsterly Black grade route, makes a complete nonsense of the grading system introduced by the FC, hence my post above.