Has Swinley got some strange space-warping effect going on? Normal things like distances and compass bearings seem to be irrelevant there, so it’s impossible to find yourself around.

Last time I was there I discovered that all tracks led to the gully jumps, no matter which direction I went. Yesterday we were prepared to avoid that scenario, bringing the Swinley map, with internet-sourced extra singletrack marked on, and a compass.

We thought we would head west to check out Corkscrew. We never found it. In fact, after about half an hour of trying to get over to Ceasar’s Camp we ended up back at the Lookout!

Even after we realised that the map isn’t set to North, we still couldn’t find Corkscrew, or pretty much anything else for that matter.

In the end we just decided to ignore the map and just take whatever random track that took our fancy. It didn’t always work, but much better than riding fireroads, stopping to check the map every 5 metres when yet another feature made no sense compared to the map.

Frankly, I’m amazed we ever made it out alive.

General relativistic effects caused by me riding there so very fast cause spacetime distortion. The confusion you experience is the resulting non Euclidean geometry.

mol – I thought that was down to your gravity well 😉

mark.a – maybe stop trying to use your compass while sat on a steel bike? It’s very easy – from the jump gully a left/left/on to the end/3rd right exit/left/so/so/2nd right/left/left/straight on/2nd right/right/right/so/left/so/right/right/left gets you to the corkscrew.

I love getting lost at swinley.
but I too always end up at the gulley, even when I think im on the border.

what is this ‘corkscrew’ you speak of? It sounds spectaculous.

thepurist – Member

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mark.a – maybe stop trying to use your compass while sat on a steel bike?

You know, I never thought about that. Stupid steel P7. And there was I wondering if Swinley was sat on top of a whole load of iron ore or something.

It’s very easy – from the jump gully a left/left/on to the end/3rd right exit/left/so/so/2nd right/left/left/straight on/2nd right/right/right/so/left/so/right/right/left gets you to the corkscrew.

Right-o! What could possibly go wrong? Chances of me finding the gully again…?

corkscrew eh? thanks for the link, will have a go at finding that on sunday.
will ride it alot faster than those nerds too..

If you are starting at the lookout, leave the car park past the buildings, don’t go past the go ape stuff, that goes towards the gully….eventually.

Once past the wooden fence, there is a gate ( read steel barrier) and you’ll be next to the top of h overflow car park.

Take the second forest road on your left, and after 200 yards turn right You can’t go straight on due to wooden gate and burial mound/Saxon fort stuff.

Follow the forest road over a short rise and then past 2 crossroads. Up steep wide climb. Go right at the next crossroads. Straight on is ceasars camp. Once there follow fence line next to gate, down to open area(ish). Cross crossroads again and climb the next rise. Once on the flat, keep an eye out for single track. Lots there under the trees at the top of the rise.

If you stay in the forest road, it will come out to a bigger forest road. Turn right and spot the tall pine trees on your left. Cork screw is in there and more besides. It’s right on the edge of th area where the fire was.

Hope that helps.

Probably not.

Oh well

IMO the Corkscrew is more of a novelty than anything. Sure can be a bitch to find though, especially if on your own and at the end of a ride when it’s the last thing you’re looking for.

It is still quite funky though. Don’t know why. Just is. But that’s probably my take on Swinley full stop. Not the kind of place to visit regularly, but 2-3 times a year is cool.