So, driving back from a ride near FOD a few weeks ago, the M48 bridge was shut so went down to the M4. On the way noticed what turns out to be Wentwood Forest and looking at Strava, there is some decent riding there. I do remember mentions from DH races in years gone by but not heard anything recent, and a forum search provided nothing.

Any ideas, keen to check it out on Sunday, looks like there is a car park at the top and strava shows runs down, but always good to know if anyone is a regular or can recommend anything, or even a GPX?

Head for Parc Seymour head up into forest Park at top near the phone mast, go 100yds up trails start on the right hand side, dh trail is 1/2 mile further down and drifting right.

What are the trails like at Wentworth?

Someone I used to work with it mentioned it but never been.

Is it very much cycle up a fire road then go down a. DH then back up again or are they circular routes?

Also – how difficult are the dh’s / are hey natural or have they been trail built with jumps and berms etc? Just trying to gauge if worth a look or not.

Joe,

not sure myself, that’s why I’ve asked! I would expect it’ll be winch and plummet rather than just trails.

There’s some great trails. All seemed to link up quite well but there is a fair bit of fireroad. We put together a semi loop that sort of crossed itself or came pretty close a few times. Well worth an explore, although it had the look of place that would be a bit mucky in the wet

I have ridden there quite a few times as I live really close by. Unfortunately, I rely on a riding buddy for directions as I struggle to find the best bits when on my own (i.e. get completely lost and waste time on some pretty rubbish trails).

Bits I have ridden tend to be downhill tracks linked up by fire road type tracks.

It does tend to get pretty filthy and boggy in wet weather. Seems to take a while to dry out too.

Last time I was up there I was plagued by motocrossers. Unloading in the car park like there’s no problem then flying round the place at full pelt on a Saturday afternoon.

Used to ride there a lot 20 yrs ago. Some good bridleways and topography but it’s no trailcentre.

DH is looking pretty overgrown atm especially in the middle portion – was up there today although still rideable – didn’t do the bottom part but I’d guess that’s likely to be worse. Worth a visit but difficult to recommend a decent loop as it’s a working forest and changes constantly – someone turned my fave bit of singletrack into a motorway 🙁

DH is looking pretty overgrown atm especially in the middle portion – was up there today although still rideable – didn’t do the bottom part but I’d guess that’s likely to be worse.

Tell me about it, basically everywhere was overgrown. Tried for a few hours, using strava, trailforks and our nose, but very little luck, rode one or two good trails, but most were very overgrown.

Frustratingly, i think we missed out a lot as a mate went the dya before for an explore and found loads further down. May go another time and follow his gpx.

Was sad to see a place with so much potential, and what were obviously some very good DH tracks back in the day in such disrepair. Maybe the local riders/builders are using wylie/machen more as only up the road.

Also, a lot of motocross tracks about so would have thought anything built gets destroyed by them anyway.

Tell me about it, basically everywhere was overgrown. Tried for a few hours, using strava, trailforks and our nose, but very little luck, rode one or two good trails, but most were very overgrown.

The best trail I found (which was ace) had a very overgrown entrance. No way would I have found it without strava/gps and even then I wasn’t convinced it was actually a trail. It soon opened out though.

It appears that I have the whole of Saturday to myself (which is an incredibly rare event). I was thinking of going over to Wentwood (close to Bristol) and spending a day riding around (I have my GPX from the Wentwood 50 that I could use). Anything else I should consider (probably 40 miles away form Bristol max) I would be looking for 4 or 5 hours cross country riding.

Cwmcarn is good for a couple of xc routes. One takes about an hour and a half (Cafell) the other just over an hour (Twych) – at my pace which is probably fairly average.

You can vary it up if you felt like another lap and wanted something different by cutting off down the DH trail that leads off Cafell – called Pedalhounds. Not that technicalnor too difficult – although it depends how fast you try and hit it.

@Eskay – Wentwood is very much winch and plummet from what I can tell, even if i didn’t find much!

I reckon Forest of Dean would be suitable if you’re looking for more XC routes.

I may got to Cwmcarn and ride both trails, I haven’t ridden there since they opened Cafell.

I haven’t ridden there since they opened Cafell.

In that case you should go. Cafell is great and Twrch has changed quite a bit