+ mate's brand new Fox Flux = hours (well, minutes) of fun...
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Mr Agreeable is there any plans to replace the direction signs or make them more permanent.
It all seemed to be looking pretty good before the balloon fiesta but the couple of times I've been there since it seems like someone's on a mission to remove all the new signs.
Personally I wouldn't have thought it would be bikists as the trail flows better the way it currently runs but you never know.
Also are there any plans to put bigger signs up to try and deter walkers / joggers / dog walkers et all from using the trail as the female jogger running up from the gate house had a proper panic when she saw us (she did have headphones in mind) coming towards her and I've also seen a guy go over the bars trying to avoid a couple with their dog walking up the red downhill in new barn wood.
Yes there are plans to make the signage more permanent. The temporary signs have also been replaced several times but unfortunately it seems that someone is systematically removing them. If you look above you'll see that someone has apparently spotted the guy. I passed this description on to the rangers who are keeping an eye out for him.
The old trail was very poorly signed and I've been assured that the new signage will make things a lot clearer for other users of the estate. At the end of the day though it is a busy trail in a country park that gets over a million visitors a year, so it's always a good idea to keep an eye out for randoms.
Yeah I saw that. If I do see anything being abused I'll either find a ranger or let you guys know.
Walked around Leigh Woods on Sunday. Trails looking pretty good 🙂
Strugling to find any updates on opening dates. Anyone (Ant?) happen to know
Early November apparently. Although it might be sooner - this rain is going to help it bed in a treat. 😀
I know it's all a bit media luvvie, but 1SW's Twitter feed is a great place to find out such things: check https://twitter.com/1SouthWest
Cheers Ant. I did not have that link 🙂
Did 3 laps of AC today - it's bedding in great, feeling rougher under wheel, but is just as fast in the wet it seems. Did some new rock steps appear on the Upper Quarry Trail?
All sort of people enjoying it today, including a young fella wearing a cap, iPod and white jeans, yes folks WHITE JEANS!
I had a chat with a nice fella some of you regulars may know: Robin - riding a old Cove Stiffee with 24" wheels and one brake; carrying a shovel 😉
Was up there again today with a couple of mates for a few rounds of AC & 50 Acre. Loads of riders out and about and a big posse up by Wraxall Piece. Good times.
Went to the loo at the tea hut tonight, and whilst I was in there the tea hut man came and locked the toilets! Luckily it was at the start of our ride, and my mates managed to get the guy back to let me out. 😆
Lots of talk above about the numbers of people using the trails.. an amazing 30,146 passes clocked up since mid June
http://www.1sw.org.uk/experience/a-measure-of-success-for-ashton-court/
The cycle counter at Ashton Court Estate near Bristol has been doing overtime since it was installed in mid June.In just six weeks it clocked up a staggering 30,146 passes – that’s an average of 412 cyclists per day using the trail. When you consider the previous average was around 160 cyclists per day, we believe it’s proof that the trail is succeeding in attracting lots of new people into off-road cycling, despite the glorious British summer! The busiest day so far has been Sunday 10 July, when 969 passes were recorded.
All this use is fantastic, but all the images we have so far are lacking people! If you have a favourite photo of yourself or friends riding the new trail and don’t mind sharing it with us, please e-mail it to jonathan.fairhurst@forestry.gsi.gov.uk .
In just six weeks it clocked up a staggering 30,146 passes – that’s [b]an average of 412 cyclists per day[/b] using the trail.
That's actually less than I'd have expected though maybe it's skewed by being quieter in the week.
I went yesterday, first time ive been there since Beggar Bush Lane was re-opened, 2 laps of thoroughly enjoyable riding.
I've only been on a Sunday before, so to me it did seem quiet, but there were still people about which was nice.
A bloke on the Trails Group Facebook group says he bumped into a train of 20 riders on the partly completed Leigh Woods trails last night. I would say that definitely crosses the line from "having a sneaky peek" to "thoughtless douchery". 👿
Been riding the new stuff in AC a lot of late...
my 2p is its great.
Yeah sure its lost the rooty tech of the old layout but it really was the case that trail was getting wider as time went by.
The new stuff is also fun! Did a lap of 50 acre for the first time in ages yesterday and I don't know if its me but it felt like it was in better nick for not being hammered as much as days gone by. Only saw 1 other person and that was 11am on Sunday.
I really think its great to have so much on the doorstep. When its wet, ride the new stuff in AC and when its open, the new stuff Leigh Woods. When its dry go ride all the old stuff in 50acre and Leigh Woods. Paradise bottom, rim trail*, picnic table etc Win win, non?
Oh and 1 for the turbo geeks... I am now the foursquare mayor of timberland trail. Come and get me! 🙂
*hee hee i said rim.
When its dry go ride all the old stuff in 50acre and Leigh Woods. Paradise bottom, [b]rim trail[/b]*, picnic table etc
If it doesn't get incorporated... 😉
Well it was back to winter this morning so I fitted mudguards, rigid fork and lights.
The great news is that the trails hold up very well - sure I got wet and a bit gritty but the bike didn't really need a clean.
Swapping to rigids was interesting though - normally the summer->winter swap from sus fork->rigid is a lesson in how much work a sus fork does for you. This morning it was only at the end of the ride that I actually remembered that I'd swapped. Much smoother evidently.
Hmmm, thinking of doing the Oktoberfest rigid.
I've started riding rigid again since the new trail opened, I don't miss suspension in AC but by back was killing after riding 50 acre and bits of LW too.
I think the numberr of riders on the trail have now peaked and are dropping off - I only saw a handful of others on Monday night.
The fact that so many cyclists are fair weather types and the 'there's something new to ride' novelty factor has worn off means there's bound to be a sharp drop in numbers.
Not that i see ever any one at 7:30 in the morning!
I'm still waiting to ride them! I was planning to wait for Leigh Woods to be finished but think I'm gonna have to have a go before then, maybe in the next couple of weeks. Numbers will reduce which will be good for me as I plan to use AC and LW for training during the winter months when the Quantocks are a mud fest.
Not that i see ever any one at 7:30 in the morning!
Too right, I'm comfortably back home by then 😉
all the old stuff in 50acre and Leigh Woods. Paradise bottom, [b]rim[/b] trail*, picnic table etc
Work on section F to G has begun. 🙁
I'm gutted, tbh. I'm going to really miss the roots, rocks & short sharp technical climbs on that bit of trail - it was everything I like about riding in woods.
I'm starting to think It's becoming a victim of it's own success, the trails were heaving with people on Saturday afternoon mainly families with there little ones which goes to show how easy most of it is, the thing is IMO the best way to get enjoyment out of these new trails is to ride at speed which you can't do with families in the way, nice to see the little ones having fun though.
Also a special mention goes to the group of walkers walking along the BBL section of the trail :mong:.
Also a special mention goes to the group of walkers walking along the BBL section of the trail :mong:.
To be fair as I understand it Ashton Court was opened up to general public access back in the 70s. Surely there was a path there made by walkers before it got adopted by mountain bikers and eventually turned into the Timberland Trail?
I think it was more so a horse riding trail than a walking trail before it became the TT, they may have a right to walk there but why bother putting themselves and others at risk, a bit daft IMO.
Most walkers / runners tend to stick to the edge of the golfcourse and the other more sensible adjacent paths. I suspect a some of them at the moment are just curious about the new trail. I think there'll be a lot more conflict in Leigh Woods with the disgruntled dog walking mafia who weren't consulted and have suddenly had a brand spanking new mountain bike track slapped on 'their woods'.
New pumptrack en route to the trails is looking good! Should be fully open in about 3 weeks.
new pumptrack
It looks ace! Now I just need to rebuild my Supercross BMX race. And get some new knees. 😀
Rode AC at the weekend and was very impressed. The weather was pretty grim at times and the trails held out well. Really enjoy the flow of the new trails.
Also popped down to 50 Acre but that wasn't much fun as it was so muddy and the wet roots were no fun. Had a look at Leigh Woods too and saw some of the new stuff. It was all closed off byt you could see some numpties had been riding it.
Big thumbs up from me.
50 Acre but that wasn't much fun as it was so muddy and the wet roots were no fun
A point of view thing. It's not fast, grippy and flowy like the new AC trail and more like how AC used to be where you have to pick lines and fight for traction, possibly slightly tricker than the old AC in places. I thought it was a right laugh staying upright with the bike skipping and sliding, especially the rockier bits. We were jolly filthy at the end 🙂
I'm determined to keep my fast summer tyres on for the Oktoberfest (tubeless faff) which with current trail conditions in 50 acres is a recipe for disaster, hence my borked knee, elbow and holed arm warmers.
Wouldn't want 50 acre any other way.
I've ridden 50 before in the dry and it was great fun but just couldn't get anywhere on Saturday without coming a croper. It was a total mudfest from the heavy downpours. Only managed to postie myself on the crossbar a couple of times! Still, all good practice!!
By the way, some good pictures available on the 1 South West facebook page of the new Leigh Woods stuff.
A quick heads up - the Quarry Trail loop in Ashton Court is going to be closed for riding between 1.45 and 3.00 pm this Sunday (25th) to allow the Bike Olympics fastest lap competition to take place. All the other trails will be open as normal.
If you fancy giving it a go it's £2, there will be prizes for the winners and the best effort.
There's also loads of other stuff happening that day for riders of all ages. Check it out here:
http://bristolcyclefestival.com/event-diary/bike-olympics/
Bike Olympics
Why can't these things be organised when other things aren't on? (FoD Enduro). I'm doing some fast morning laps up there these days.
Tell me about it! Particularly gutted to be missing the Cobble Wobble.
On the other hand, this is going to be ace, local, and either dirt cheap or free! 😀
Got a facebook update this morning that they are putting in a trail diversion at Ashton Court which will be ready by the end of the week. Anyone know anything about this?
Slightly off topic, has anyone ridden nearby Ashton Hill Woods? I've heard there are a couple of small DH tracks there.
"Don't look down" has gone in LW. The old entrance is still there (I assume the badger set meant they couldn't buldoze the new trail through), but a new trail joins it after about 100m.
Is any of the new stuff at Leigh Woods open yet or is it all closed off for a grand opening?
Is that the one with the off camber rooty bit? Be interesting to see how it turns out - the last time I rode it it was pretty knackered.
In last Tuesday night's rain the new AC trails were excellent, even though I still can't get the hang of the New Barn Wood roller coaster-esque bit.
Looked around Ashton Hill a couple of months back. Lots of jumps that looked impossible to us ground-dwelling trail plodders. Tried some of the easier chutes and berms which was fun. Definately worth an explore. Not sure how it would be in the wet?
Looked around Ashton Hill a couple of months back. Lots of jumps that looked impossible to us ground-dwelling trail plodders. Tried some of the easier chutes and berms which was fun. Definately worth an explore. Not sure how it would be in the wet?
Great thanks, as long as it's worth an explore! Hopefully it'll stay dry.
The majority of the tracks in Ashton Hill Plantation are now destroyed thanks to extensive logging operations. The place is almost un-recognisable now! There are a couple of tracks at the Long Ashton end that have survived but that's it. Nearly every path has been driven down by the huge machinery they used to remove trees.
In regards to Leigh Woods, can anyone explain what the hell the trail builders were thinking?! Rode all the surfaced stuff we could find last night and apart from the sporadic 'feature' it was all flat corners and no interesting bits whatsoever. I love the new AC trails and despite riding most of it daily as part of my commute i'm not bored of it. LW on the other hand is awful!! Just as well the best bits have remained untouched.
nickegg, why not ask them here:
I've not seen yet, but that doesn't sound like the fun that AC now is.
nickegg - I thought that too but if you look at the map the skills section and most of the downhill has not been completed yet so I'm withholding my judgement.
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Just as well the best bits have remained untouched.
I'm still gutted they went through Don't Look Down/The Rim Trail etc - I wish they'd left that stretch alone. I don't have a problem with an all-weather blue trail in LW (and they've done splendid work in Ashton Court) - but smoothed out berms & rollers ain't really why I like to go riding in woods. Still, I guess a compromise was required.
Anyway, give it a few years.
In regards to Leigh Woods, can anyone explain
what the hell the trail builders were thinking?!
Rode all the surfaced stuff we could find last
night
has it been opened? I thought it was still being built.
I thought LW was being done by Clixby, not Architrail...?
I still can't get the hang of the New Barn Wood roller coaster-esque bit.
Has anyone? I'm happy with the last section starting with the mini rock garden, but the upper section perplexing me.
I guess I'm just going to miss the roots, although it's possible I'm getting grumpier as I get older. Maybe I'll take up dog-walking & trail sabotage. 😀
Has anyone?
It might work better as a climb...
Is any of the new stuff at Leigh Woods open yet or is it all closed off for a grand opening?
None of it's open yet. There's at least one more month of building/bedding in to go yet.
Rode all the surfaced stuff we could find last night
Well done. 🙄
LW is being built by Clixbys under supervision from the trail designer who did AC. It's not meant to feel as "built" and it should bed in and become a bit more interesting before you know it.
We're slipping back into presenting our own personal tastes as infeffable fact, but I reckon if you rode the old trail back when it was first cleared, then you were put into cryogenic storage, and then revived just in time to ride it again immediately before it was rebuilt, you'd be pretty horrified. Ditched out lines, ruts and mud might make a DH course more interesting but most people find them a bit of a chore on a flat pedally trail.
We're slipping back into presenting our own personal tastes as ineffable fact
I know* - we're a right bunch of Immanuel Kants. 😉
(*or do I?)
Anyway, Mother Nature is going to be the ultimate arbiter on all this. Few harsh winters, lots of deadfall, colonising roots etc - & it should blend in nicely.
Noteeth, I was thinking of you when I wrote the above as I seem to recall you left Bristol a few years back when the cheeky network in Leigh Woods was riding at its best. It was great - while it lasted...
I was thinking of you when I wrote the above
I'd never get accepted for cyrogenic storage, Mr A - I don't have the cash. 🙁
Point taken though.
Are there any plans for the Orchard trail/Abbotts Pool, particularly that swampy bit at the top?
oh no - don't tell me they're going up there as well - will there be nothing left ?
LW is transformed....to mediocrity......
imho of course
Well, if you ignore all the other trails in LW, then yes, it's all gone.
thought so 🙂
presumably all we need now is Sierra cycling to organise some tours in there ? 🙂
No plans for the Orchard. Look out for the diversion round the really poached bit - the trail heads off into the woods just before it gets boggy.
Someone was asking about Ashton Hill. There is thinning going on over there at the moment and most of the trails are buried as a result, but there are plans to resurrect them at some point. We've discussed the trails over there with the FC, who are happy for "grey" trails to be built or kept as long as the local ranger (Darren Edwards) is informed and gives the thumbs up.
Looking forward to Leigh Woods opening. The all weather trail will complement the steeper gorge side stuff, such as the knicker trail & picnic table very well (that stuff holds up well through the winter anyway (guess it just drains well and less people ride it).
Work is busy and cycle time tight at the moment. Having all weather winter trails a 10 - 15 minute ride away means less time on the road or in a spin class through the winter = very happy Taz.
Thanks Mr Agreeable - the one along by the fence I presume?
Andy - [url= http://www.betterbybike.info/bike-trains-ready-to-roll ]this[/url] must be what you're thinking of for LW.
lol flatpat - that's about my level
hey! - they've got my photo on the top of the page there too ! 🙂
On the subject of Ashton Court, as posted above, this is on Sunday:
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http://bristolcyclefestival.com/event-diary/bike-olympics/
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Get yourselves along, it's going to be awesome.
People need to remember that the trails are designed to cater for a range of abilities and experience. Whilst the new stuff in Leigh Woods may well turn out to be a bit dull for my tastes, they'll be a great introduction for beginners. And as Cheers Drive says, they're not finished yet, so give them a chance!
In last Tuesday night's rain the new AC trails were excellent, even though I still can't get the hang of the New Barn Wood roller coaster-esque bit.
Rode them in Sunday's rain (although the entire MTB crowd that day sheltered under the arch at one point) and thought they were *more* fun in the rain if anything! They're looking nicely second hand now too.
I think LW will be better than people think, there's some rollers to play with and it'll wear down.
although the entire MTB crowd that day sheltered under the arch at one point
[Waves]
The raindrops were hitting the ground and bouncing up about 1 metre at that point. Yes, it rides really great when it's wet.
Whats that new bit in AC by the gap in the wall for 50 acre about? It doesn't seem to ride right! Anyone know what i mean?
I noticed that. I was thinking that they've routed it further from the hole in the wall as there's a risk that with the original route which went very close to it, someone walking through it into AC could be hit by a flying rider.
Can't say that I saw any real problem with the new route though. Seemed fine.
Yeah i thought it may be a H&S conscious decision but i can't seem to get used to it. Time may tell.
I noticed that. I was thinking that they've routed it further from the hole in the wall as there's a risk that with the original route which went very close to it, someone walking through it into AC could be hit by a flying rider.Can't say that I saw any real problem with the new route though. Seemed fine.
My route to AC takes me backwards through 50 acre and through the hole in the wall from BBL, I had a couple of near misses with riders there, more my fault than theirs but the old route was a risk so I guess that's why they changed it, seems to ride perfectly well now IMO*.
*As long as there are no painfully slow riders blocking the trail. 😉
Thats the problem with the new bit imo - you have to slow down!
A bit yes, but for a reason between those two bits of trail is a thoroughfare to AC, that said I didn't take it fully on board last week as I was stuck behind a family plodding along, I'm up there for a few laps this weekend Oktoberfest training so it I shall see.
What weekend is Oktoberfest?
15th October - two weeks Saturday.
15th, I'll be there with the Loco BM Racing team, lokking forward to riding the new trails that have been built since Bikefest 😀
The hole in the wall is being moved to the left to make the crossing safer (especially for equestrians) so the new trail diversion is probably part of the preparation for this.
Kingtut, and anyone else doing lap after lap of the course - why? You'll be riding round it for up to 8 hours in a couple of weeks' time...
Cheers. I was planning a ride with a load of friends who haven't ridden AC before that weekend! I'll have to change it. Will it still be busy on Sunday with people still hanging about? Parking etc? I know it is only on Saturday but wondered if people stay for the night? Cheers.