Hi All,

Quick question for anyone who rides the Quantocks regularly. I'm planning a ride for the summer and have been looking at routes. Has anyone cycled down Willoughby Cleeve? It looks really steep on the map so I just wondered if it was rideable for an average Joe like me? There will be a fair few inexperienced guys and gals there. Is it rideable or too steep? I'm trying to avoid the long climb out of Smiths and instead skirt the edge of the hills and then head down Willoughby into Hodders. Advice appreciated.

Another thing, I rode Ashton Court and the weekend and thought it was good fun, nothing like the Q's but some nice trails. Even better in Leigh Woods!

Willoughby Cleeve is doable for most, not that steep (although its a steep drop off to your right as you decend) just some 12-18" rooty drops towards the bottom that can be ridden around if you slow down.

Leigh Woods was riding perfectly last night the dampness should only help as well 😉

BTW just incase anyone is wonder who the stickman is in Ashton Court putting logs on some of the less used paths (ie: footpaths) its the Rangers, as they are trying to stop bikers knackering the footpaths

Comparing Ashton Court to the Qauntocks…thats a first!

LOL.

Had a great lap of AC early this morning – shame my legs weren't working though…

There is no comparison between AC and the Q's!! Forgive my phrasing but I was just stating that I had ridden there as never ridden there previously and really enjoyed it despite reading in some places it was a bit lame.

Only kidding DJ. Glad you liked AC, i try to ride it weekly but in wet conditions is can be tougher. Bloody fast when it's not though….like now.

Did last night and there were loads of people out! The dry conditions are such a welcome change!

Blackdown was awesome too tonight! but where was everyone, usually see a few people up there??

Willoughbys is fine, not too steep, though it can be super rapid..but as mentioned there's 3 rooty steps barely 12inches(i can ride up them when i'm fit), down the bottom in the wet it can be loamy as it's popular with horse riders.

BTW, there was a hill fire above there on Monday, luckily it was dealt with before to much was damaged..

Also rode AC last night, it was even dusty in places, I can't believe how much it's dried out! 😀

Loving Ashton Court at the moment. For those wondering about how it's dried out so quickly, there's a lot of rock under the surface. 🙂

Must get back to the Quantocks soon too. If I lived nearer the Qs I'd be as good a rider as Sharki, honest.

RichC, I haven't come across any official closures in AC, and there's some twunt blocking the trails at the moment who is definitely not the rangers – big logs all over the first stretch of the MTB trail up fromt eh gatehouse. I mentioned this to one of the staff the other week, and he was most unhappy as his kids actually ride the trail a lot. Take care out there.

By the way, a mate of mine (HareyDan) showed me the Singletrack magazine article from this month with a lot of you guys mentioned (Sharki, Dibbs, Old Fart etc.) Nice one!!

Mr A. lol, i'm not a good rider just a good passenger with bad brakes…

How on earth did i get a mention? i mearly turned up at staple plantation car park with cakes and some sloe gin. 🙂

dont play your ability down mr sharki !

the routes in the mag are 100% bridleway if you want the secret stuff only locals know , well cake works quite well . ahem…

Thats not the chunk I've seen blocked, I will keep my eyes open for ejits blocking the mtb trails as I am in there a lot at the moment (doley scum).

Can't beleive they block the trails!

I could be out on the Q's this weekend. Gonna have a scout around the Great Wood area and see what I can find.

Sharki, there's just a section at the end where he thanks a few people and lists all their forum names!