Having studied the course map

http://www.osmountainmayhem.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/OSMM11-Marshal-Map.jpg

I thought i would impart some knowledge about the course. I live in the area and have ridden around Eastnor since I was 15 years old. Some people may have no idea what the course layout is like so heres some info.

Eastnor is a deer park which is shaped roughly into a valley. The highest point is the Obilesk which is a stone stucture located near the northern part of Osprey Off-Camber marked on the map. On the opposite side of the valley, to the west is mostly fields and wooded areas interspersed with tarmac/dirt fire roads. The lakes in the middle of the map mark the lowest point in the valley. If there are riders who don’t like climbing, sorry but your in for a bit of a slog. However, it’s not without it’s good points.

The course itself is technically intermediate and if the weather is bad you’ll be concentrating on retaining traction a lot more than worrying about obstacles.

Starting from the Main Arena up to M1, this is all grass. 100%. Up until you pass for the 1st marshall point at the top of the Kenda climb, the first of many climbs. As you pass M1, you will arrive onto a wide farm track until you pass the apex past M2. Here it’s wooded single track and appears to be a downhill gradient until M3. After M3 theres more farm track which leads you on to a short but steep climb up into Wiggle woodland. Last year, there was a strangled route through woods (which became known as plasticine woods), this year it’s not a straight landrover/mud track until a sharp right turn into a semi-technical downhill section, leading out into a field. More farmtrack and fields lead you to M4. After some short downhill negotiation through some switchbacks the course is straight and fast until you each M5. This marks the begining of the longest climb. This is’nt that hard, except some may find it a slog climbing on grass through the middle of the valley (expect lots of spectators here). The climb goes past M6 and ends up near M7, near the highest point on the course. From the map it appears that M7 continues to the hairpin turn to the east and then drops down onto a single track route which takes further downhill toward M9. After M9 another climb on landrover tracks takes you opposite a house in the furthest eastern corner of the course. The North Face Forest is a fast flowy semi-downhill section which ends up on some singletrack past M10. In the dry this section is excellent. A left hander at M11 forces you into another climb into wooded area. This section is likely to be mowed fern in order to create a track. In the wet expect low grip! I’m not sure how steep this section will be but it’s likely to be quite steep, although quite short. After the Magura Brake Test (which im sure is a steep short downhill), the rest is 100% downhill to the start underneath the bridge (or over it perhaps), with the exception of small climb back to the actual timing gate.

I’ve had no involvement with the course design so not sure what surprises the designers have thrown in, but it looks fun and slightly longer than last years.

Hope this helps anyone who is coming for the firs time this year.

The “Muc-off Take-off” should be entertaining. You should be doing 40mph with mud flying everywhere when you hit it. Whatever it is.

The Gap Clothing Gap Jump isn’t on your list

my first time really up for a good weekend.

Anyone know if you can officially ride the course on the Friday before the weekend?

From the MM email:

strictly no riding of the course before Friday 17th June between 4pm and 6pm only

So, that’ll be between 4 & 6 on the Friday then.

Cool, shall have to go churn up some nice gooey mud.