Swinley forest is on fire!!! « Singletrack Forum

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Swinley forest is on fire!!!

67 posts & 32 voices | Started 1 year ago by steveo48 | Latest reply from eekonooi

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swinley. eekonoo.

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gee - Member

No - they didn't say anything. I rode past a lot of personnel and said hi.

The toboggan run was ok too - that area has stopped smoking now.

It wasn't really scary - no flames or anything - just smoking ground. It was eerily warm riding up the trails alongside the smouldering ground by the road by the Crowthorne race start bridge. I think it is a lot worse the other side of that road, but I didn't head over there at all.

Bring on some rain to get rid of all this sand... Oh, and put out the fires too.

GB

Posted 1 year ago #
raccoon - Member

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-13286937

Seems they have arrested two little scrotes for starting the fires at Swinley.

Posted 1 year ago #
petetheplumber - Member

Spoke to the fire fighters on my way out tonight, they seem t o be trying to keep the Crowthorn area clear but there seems to be a bit of confusion. They now have two pumps at the lower star post and 4km of pipe running to the damager area. The last fire fighter I talked to reckoned they will be there for the weekend.

Posted 1 year ago #
HoratioHufnagel - Member

i thought you'd get flamed for admitting you were riding over there when you're supposed to stay away.

sorry.

has anyone done that one yet?

Posted 1 year ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

Well, according to the Bracknell Forest Council website, Coral Reef is now open but The Look Out is still closed.

Posted 1 year ago #
busydog - Member

Do you get a lot of forest fires in the UK? I never see anything about it on the news here in the US, but this post got me to thinking about it.
We have lots of fires here in New Mexico, but a lot are grassland fires on the eastern plains during the spring wind season----we do get our share of forest fires each year as well---bet more than half human caused and the rest from lightning.

Posted 1 year ago #
catfood - Member

Just back from a saunter round the forest. Its still on fire a bit near the corkscrew but otherwise its business as usual. I only saw one other person apart from fire people in forest the whole time I was there, a kid sat at the jump gully it was, felt like I had the whole of the forest to myself.

Posted 1 year ago #
thepurist - Member

I was there catfood - saw (probably) the same kid at the gully!

2 ladies on hossback too, but that was about it.

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

Ohhhh, i'm off for a ride then, anyone else fancy a pootle this evening?

Posted 1 year ago #
joolsburger - Member

Haave they opened 9 mile ride yet?

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

yes (I think)

Coral Reef is open, but the roads seemed to be open/closed depending on the smoke as I was driving around earlier and couldn't drive back the way i came.

Posted 1 year ago #
eekonooi - Member

I had an e-mail from The Windsor Crown Estate yesterday telling me that they were closing access Swinley Forest until it rains.
Dave.
http://www.eekonoo.co.uk

PS
I administer the sled dog permits in Swinley for the estate

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

Avoiding Swinley currently sounds sensible. I'm sure the fire brigade have enough on their plates without having to worry about bikers/walkers/horse riders etc etc potentially putting themselves at risk.

Posted 1 year ago #
atlaz - Member

So, open or not? I quite fancied an early morning bash around there tomorrow before my "proper" ride on Sunday.

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

Open(ish) , just not by car to the lookout, I was riding round Crowthorne woods yesterday and no one stopped me, lots of fire engines if that's your thing.

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

I personally think you'll be doing MTBers no favours if you ride there currently.

http://www.gorrick.com/swinley/news_item.php?id=413

Posted 1 year ago #
Coyote - Member

Are we sure about this? Our intrepid roving reported Woppit didn't report anything amiss. Frankly I'm sceptical that there have been any fires at all.

Posted 1 year ago #
tonyd - Member

Agreed (with allthepies). There's enough places to ride without putting yourself or others at risk, not to mention all the tut-tutting that'll come from the bike haters. It'll rain soon enough, why not wait til then before going?

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

Well there were some four years ago.....

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

a) Swinley has barely been touched, Crowthorne woods is a bit singed around the edges but not as bad as it looked on the news. We were out walking as were probably 1000+ people on Monday, didn't see or smell the fires.

b) It's going to rain tonight anyway.

Posted 1 year ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

According to another Forum, a Warden is claiming that rights of way have been revoked and will be patrolled by bikes and horses.

So ... will I get arrested?

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

c) "The local authority and the Crown Estate have closed The Look Out Discovery Centre and other local amenities till probably the weekend. They have requested members of the public to stay away from the area and this includes Swinley Forest to allow for emergency services personnel to continue working together to tackle the fires."

But if you must ride it because there is nowhere else you can ride in Southern England then feel free.

Posted 1 year ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

So is the RMA side out of bounds?

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

Dunno. Personally I'd use some nouse and would ride well away from the area. But I'm odd like that.

Posted 1 year ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

Just got the FS back from being repaired - it's goading me.

Edit: Looks like Sunday will be dry.

Posted 1 year ago #
theotherjonv - Member

I'd see this as a chance to show that MTB'ers as a whole can follow reasonable instructions and act responsibly by steering away this weekend.

There are plenty of folks who already think we don't follow the rules (permits, unsanctioned trails, not just here but elsewhere - we've had enough discussion about the MOD land recently too) - so how will it go down if someone stacks and they have to send ambulances / air ambulance into swinley while it's 'closed'. Will just add more fuel to the fires of those that wouldn't shed a single tear if we were to be banned from Swinley for good.

Pls spread the word; it's one weekend, go explore somewhere else instead. You might find something 'better'

Posted 1 year ago #
pants - Member

theotherjonv- Here, here!!!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

I'm a woman, I don't like bossy men.

Posted 1 year ago #
Reluctant - Member

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIINNN!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I don't think I've ever been this happy to have wet trails! We've had enough rain overnight and this morning to (hopefully) get right into the ground and sort out the fire

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

"The local authority and the Crown Estate have closed The Look Out Discovery Centre and other local amenities till probably the weekend. They have requested members of the public to stay away from the area and this includes Swinley Forest to allow for emergency services personnel to continue working together to tackle the fires."

Seemed to be having an epic tea break on Saturday and doing monkey impressions with a banana when we chatted with them.

20 engines on Saturday, 8 left today, judging by this mornings rain they'll be out soon too

Posted 1 year ago #
catfood - Member

You went to Swinley and survived!

Posted 1 year ago #
eekonooi - Member

#Swinley Forest fire fight 'scaled down http://bbc.in/lkOMsS
However, there is currently no public access to Swinley Forest.
Dave

Posted 1 year ago #