Swinley forest – trails open and conditions

Hi guys just wondering if anyone knows what trails are open at swinley and the condition of the trails?
cheers

Fek all and very muddy

As i thought, thanks for the reply

When is the new stuff due to open ?

New stuff opens sometime next month. Honestly- don’t bother going at the moment as the trails are pretty awful or closed and please don’t ride closed trails – it delay opening and doubtless increase the bill leaving less for maintenance or additional features.

Just seen this about the new trails…http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-21499732.

The three improved shorter trails will avoid previous areas occupied by three ground-nesting birds

only three birds – I’m sure I have seen more than that in the forest there.

Was walking round there on Sunday – people going backwards and forwards repeatedly on Stickler (although I thought it might be closed).

Some other new stuff didn’t look very bedded in at all.

Should have a volunteers day where we all go round stamping it down…

The BBC news story says 34 miles down to 15 miles. Are we losing anything worth mentioning?, i’m guessing a lot of that is unnamed tracks?.

34 miles of trails??!! No way that is the case – absolute max 20. Very few trails have actually been lost, and those that have really needed to be anyway eg Watsons Wander, which was less a trail and more a very long swamp. The bottom section of 9 yards will also go (leading up to manhole cover by the jump gulley) but again that was ruined anyway. Both of these trails have now been replaced by new diverted sections. All the scaremongering about lost trails seems to be unfounded.

GB

The main problem might be contention, as everyone will be concentrated on the known route, and I think it might be one direction only?

I was up there a few weeks ago, most of the trails I normally ride were closed but being updated so I figured they just meant rideable tracks when they were talking mileage. Are they signposting trails now, to keep people away from stuff they shouldn’t be riding?.

I’ll have to book a weekday off work to give it a go when it’s done, looked like the new surface was going to take a while to dry out and firm up.

I went today for my first time. Conditions were fine for riding. a few muddy patches here and there. In fact most of these were frozen solid so glided straight over the top without getting bogged down. However I was disappointed by the amount of trails which were closed… I should ask for my £2 back! Loved my first taste of Swinley, I’ll be defiantly be going back soon.

The rebuilt top section of 9 yards is now officially open – very fast and flowy. Was also up there today – there are some very cool looking new sections – can’t wait for it to all open!

GB

Just seen this on Youtube

they have been building since i was up there in January! will have to get up this coming weekend

not all open I think yet – and not all ready as loads of people have been riding where they shouldn’t – like that vid above – you can see the trail is not ready.

I can’t quite work out where the first video was shot, but the second one definitely isn’t open yet.

From Friday 22 Feb, Whole 9 Yards, Stickler, Tank traps and Deer Stalker were all open.

Thanks for the update natrix. Any rough dates on the rest/new ones?, I wouldn’t mind booking a weekday off work in time for the new trails being ready to ride.

Sorry, haven’t a clue when the rest of it will be open.

Middle of March apparently.

Looking forward to seeing some of these open but I’m afraid I really don’t see the point of full face lids/goggles etc around Swinley. Have seen people there with full on downhill bikes too, what’s the point?

Have you seen the drop/gap jumps just before you get to the big down/up over to the Labrinyth. There’s a 8′ drop down needing at least 6-8′ gap.

There was a guy in the car park on the Sunday before last weekend, who had finished his ride and was wheeling his 6inch full suspension bike, whilst carrying a full-face helmet and wearing big knee and elbow pads and a spine protector, before he stopped by his big, silver Audi Q7…

Told my wife that there was a typical STW forum member.

Yep, there’s some reasonable jumps but nothing a decent trail bike can’t handle. Whatever people get the most fun out of though is all that matters 😀

Told my wife that there was a typical STW forum member.

i looked cool though didn’t i ?

Have you seen the drop/gap jumps just before you get to the big down/up over to the Labrinyth. There’s a 8′ drop down needing at least 6-8′ gap.

The kids hit that on a DJ HT with 100mm up front & a pisspot, if my loop goes past it I will usually hit it with just a normal lid & no pads.

Am I doing it wrong?