Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • Is the Wyre Forest Closed?
  • OPC
    Free Member

    Is the Wyre Forest only Cheeky trails…

    I heard that its got heaps of closed Signs up…ie footpath only signs?

    I emailed the local ranger… but I've not heard from him?

    Anyone know about the legal-ness?

    Many thanks

    Owen

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    Legal wise they don't want you on the off-road trails, they have signs pointing you towards button oak (opposite side of the forest to the main visitors center) where mtb-ing is offically 'allowed' – though there are no marked trails, and the locals then put log on the trails to stop you (nice eh?).
    It's basically all cheeky-ness, though there is a bridal path you can use to start with (nr-ish the visitor centre), but do try and avoid the SSSI part of the forest, otherwise it's all fair game IMO.
    Lots of ppl on here ride there so either join a regular ride, advertise for a guide or go explore and get lost!

    OPC
    Free Member

    Cool, thank you for the info!

    I know the button oak side pretty well and i thought that was ok'd for use… but I heard from a good mate that it was off limits…

    Do you know anyone who has a contact with Forestry commission?

    Owen

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    z1ppy
    Full Member

    I thought there used to be a forestry guy on here from there? Not seen him post for a while though (unless he changed his name after the site hack)
    No I don't know any contacts, they have an office down the road towards bewdley from Button oak though, maybe call in?

    Off-hand though I believe they simply don't want MTB-er's in the forest, a completely stupid attitude, as they'll never stop us and are loosing out on what could be an addition financial resource.
    The majority of the forest is unused by most (but not all) non-biking visitors, and it's big enough you can keep us seperate from the majority of walkers who don't venture very far from the main visitor centre.

    [edit:] Just remember there are two bridal paths near the main visitor centre, the one that leave the main car park takes you down towards the SSSI, but it's the other that get you into the forest in a 'better' way.

    beerbelly
    Free Member

    Good thing about the wyre is you dont get many walkers in there when it's dry it's an ace place to ride

    OPC
    Free Member

    Thanks for the more info z1ppy…

    No Bikes in the whole forest… hmph…thats a bugger.
    Thats an old skool view of the trails from the FC…if only they'd look at afan and cannock and see what could be done… and the Wyre's got more elevation potential…i'm sure the pubs and bewdley would be happy with the extra tourists from some legal trails…

    shame there's not point of contact too…it would be great to know whats legal and whats awesome but cheeky…and un-legal…

    thanks again

    Owen

    ski
    Free Member

    Does anyone know if the dh routes at Ribbsford are still open?

    Last time we went 2 years ago, the guy who runs the Caravan park at the bottom, said it was going to be closed to bikers too?

    That's always been the the beauty of the Wyre is that the trails there are so quiet, most of the times we have been there and its felt like we have had the place to ourselves (apart form the odd deer) 😉

    Would be a shame if they are looking to stop cycling there.

    OPC
    Free Member

    Did that caravan place not get washed away… a year or two ago…
    or maybe not?

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    All these bridal paths, maybe bikes are banned now it's a wedding venue?

    We have no right to be there, FC will get more money from it being a working forest than from cake sold in the cafe, so they have little incentive to "cannock" it

    nunuboogie
    Free Member

    mmmmmm yes closed, stay away 😉

    OPC
    Free Member

    Cool its not closed… but its not fully legal…
    Its grey… so you won't get stopped cos' its not illegal but its not legal and we've got to stay away from the sensitive areas… and not be rude to walkers etc or it might get closed…

    Thank you for all the comments… the Wyre is magic, should they're be an imba thingy there to help build up the good trails into great trails?

    Owen

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    "FC will get more money from it being a working forest than from cake sold in the cafe"

    Never really though working forests were 'that' profitable – though I've no idea of figures, just going by cheap 'chinese' wood exports. I was thinking more along the lines of car parking fee's than cakes too, as no doubt the cafe is leased, but then again an increase in numbers would mean either the chance of opening another cafe or just increasing the main cafe leasing fee's.
    Money's money at the end of the day

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    should they're be an imba thingy there to help build up the good trails into great trails?

    no, keep the trails natural, build 'perfect trails' and the nex thting is a total ban from the rest of the forest because we have our 'own' trails, just like they want to do with the button oak side, the natural stuff is fantastic and ever changing because of the forest works

    if the forest wasn't profitable as a forest why do they do it? that land would be much more valuable as a housing estate, car park profit i doubt it, there are never many cars there away from the weekends and even then only in summer and all those 'in the know' don't use the car park anyway

    MrTall
    Free Member

    We ride there all the time and have never had a problem from anybody. Most of the riding is well away from the visitor centre so you very rarely run into anybody else except the occasional fellow cyclist. Most of the families stay within half a mile from the visitor centre so no problem with kids running around etc.
    I may be there from 2pm tomorrow for a blast if the weather is not too pants. It's an excellent place to ride, but far better if you know how to get to the best trails as it's easy to get lost in there.

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    If the forest wasn't profitable as a forest why do they do it?
    Have you ever heard of the term "green belt" and since when has a government department EVER needed to be profitable? 😈
    EDIT: Especially as their remit is: "We are the government department responsible for the protection and expansion of Britain's forests and woodlands."

    those 'in the know' don't use the car park anyway
    I rarely use the main car park (or the local pub car park), though it's handy when meeting ppl, as they'd never find my 'usual' car park (do the same at afan). That said are the any of the trail centres meant to be aimed at locals, aren't they meant to be convenient for ppl who travelled to them and know any different.
    Wouldn't suggest that I am in the 'know' though…

    Totally agree on keeping the trails natural though.

    OPC
    Free Member

    Yeah the wyre is some of the best I've ever ridden so i too agree on keeping the trails natural though. So erm yeah its closed…;-)

    Try Finland for the very best natural trails… and the finns have every mans right so you can go every where…. amazing…

    Thank you for all the info…
    The forum can be very very helpful

    Owen

    Razzer
    Full Member

    I ride a lot in the Wyre and I have learnt that the FC don't like you in there but there is nothing they can do to stop is so they just turn a blind eye to it.
    I did try a couple of years to put a dedicated bike track in the Wyre along with two other people and the FC stringed us along to the point that we thought that it would be possible then basically told us that it would never happen.
    At the time I thought it would be good for the Wyre but looking back on it now I am glad that it will never happen because it is good how it is and the FC would have an excuse to kick you off the old tracks if they provided a proper bike track.
    You have to remember that the Woodland in the Wyre is very different to most trail centres, that's part of what makes it so good to ride in.
    So its probably best not to contact the FC about riding in the Wyre as it will only remind them that they don't like bikes.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    actually there is a dedicated bike trail throught the forest, it's part of the sustrans route, not very technical though!

    green belt land not being built on, since when did that stop a determined government?

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    😆 @ RD

    On the point of stopping riding because of 'proper' track being in place. Has this ever happened? I've never seen sign @ Afan saying no mtb-ing…

    Has this happened in Kielder, Grizedale, Hamsterley, Dalby, Sherwood, Cannock, Delamere, FOD, Haldon, or Thetford? (serious question)
    http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england-cycling

    Razzer
    Full Member

    The FC didn't have to do anything to put the sustrans route in as it just runs on existing tracks. Another reason that they would never put a track in is because they would have to invest money into it. I find it quite funny that they have go a Go Ape centre and Trot (horse ride route) in the Wyre, because they don't have to invest any money into it. Go Ape and Trot invest all the money and all they have to do is sit back and take money off them.

    old_mtber
    Free Member

    No real problems that I am aware of. Keep off the walkers trails round the visitor centre and also Hawkbatch area / SSSI. Been riding there for years with only occasional aggro. Be warned though you do occasionally come across booby traps and logs etc across trails so take care especially now the leaves are on the ground.
    If you fancy a guided tour round some time get in touch!

    tim41
    Free Member

    As a former Wyre regular I'd definitely agree that the trails should never be 'developed'. The natural woodland singletrack there can't be improved in my opinion.

    I'd also agree that a dedicated MTB trail could result in loss of access to the natural stuff. There is a precedent for this at Haldon (my current local FC trails). There is a current proposal to limit bikes to fire roads and the official new cycle route. Over the last couple of years we've had an ongoing situation of unsanctioned trails being blocked by the powers that be. Seems they want all the bikes in one place and one place only.

    Make the most of what you've got at the Wyre, but do it quietly.

    bullandbladder
    Free Member

    The best bits in the wyre rival any trail centre (when they're dry), in my humble opinion. Surfacing and development would only sanitize and spoil some of the best 'natural' singletrack you'll ever ride. I'm with tim41 on this, keep it on the down-low.

    But do have a go at Go Ape, it's a right laugh.

    I live in the Wyre Forest and I'm a Sustrans Volunteer Ranger on Route 45.

    There are a couple of bridlepaths through the Wyre, but they are not the best routes to ride and they don't join up to make an interesting loop. They are not very well signposted either, so would be hard to find or follow without a map.

    Only a short section of Route 45 as it goes through the forest is on bridle paths. Presumably, the rest of it, along the railway and up the mile climb, is only a cycle way with the FCs permissino.

    The area North of the B4194 near Button Oak is the designated mountain bike area. There are no signs and no marked routes there.
    I think there's one "Kinlet Mountain Bike Area" signpost where Route 45 crosses the pipeline and that's it.

    There's free car parks at Button Oak and Hawkbatch picnic area. Hawkbatch has got gates, but I have never seen them closed.

    I ride trailquests and some of the other MTQ members have tried to organise an event in the Wyre. The FC won't allow it.
    Not all of the forest is owned by the Forestry Commission.
    A large area around Three Bears is owned by Cadbury's and managed by English Nature.

    Like any tourist attraction, it's not too hard to avoid the crowds by riding 500m from the car park staying off the signposted routes.
    Even on a Sunday in the summer I can ride for a couple of hours without meeting any pedestrians.

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)

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