Few little logs on the start of teachers just ride over them rest fine.Shrine/cranham corner/scout field/racetrack/wall.All portways fine does he get over that far.Evidence of his handy work is on all the trails or by them as we all clear it in passing.Odd sort of feeling as your ripping around the trails best not to think about it.Those newish jumps by the shrine are awesome,who ever built them great job.
Hiya, where does teachers start? And is race track the blue bell wood at the top before the climb to the wall?
Hi Racetrack is the 1st track on right from the Royal George Birdlip the one with the big bombhole in it.Teachers start opposite farm/woodsaw place just after those new houses on the Buckholt road.
I dont know way these names come from????????????.
the one with the big bombhole in it
sorry but "bombhole" will be funny until the day I die ha ha ha ha god im childish
is that where that bit of north shore is? (Fell off there 🙁 )Those newish jumps by the shrine are awesome,who ever built them great job.
Can anyone help me fill my map with proper names of tracks?
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=117279128650502738105.00046bb3e0de065580308&t=h&z=14
I used to ride with the bigfoot lot and I think a couple of them know the where-abouts of the trail name history. Legend has it the shrine trail was named so cos when the trail builders were hacking away some overgrown ivy on part of the planned route they discovered a wooden toy shrine to jesus and mary and joseph.
The Christmas tree trail is so named cos the switchbacks form the shape of a typical Christmas tree drawing. And it's interesting that you have the Christmas tree trail and the shrine trail both linked through religous connotations. There's also the trail that goes along the back of that campsite which I recall is a popular place during pagan holidays.
That's what I was told anyway, and they have a nice murky, mythical atmosphere about them, so I'm gonna stick with them.
Monsta
I ride with the Bigfooters occasionally and have been lucky enough to have ridden the area for 15 years now
Yhe Shrine Trail is a far more Pagan affair than you described
[url= http://www.cranham.net/history/tumuli.htm.htm ]null[/url]
dobiejessmo
Someone has been busy on the lower part of the Racetrack with some different options rather than running straight down to the road.
Have you ridden these yet ?
STS
dirtbiker100
Not signed up to Google maps so:
4-What is this called = One Who Waits (Local Trail Pixies effort)
1+2 What is this called = Racetrack
6 What is this called = Rooty Hump
Hope this helps
STS,
I joined Bigfoot after I met Graham at one of the KSX events. He taught me a lot about riding down hills very fast without braking. Did you ever ride the epic 'shore about eight years ago or so at Pope's wood?
Suprising how many people ride those trails. My favourite (the rollercoaster?) is the first one you hang a right off buckshot road. When the trails are dry and dusty, oooh, it's so much fun.
<puts on rose-tinted oakleys and drifts off to happy riding place>
ooh i always ignore the second half of the racetrack as its a boring track down to the road but if someones been busy there might take a look.
thanks shaun the sheep! much appreciated. still trying to figure out which "teachers" is and is there one called "sidewinder"?
sidewinder is further down as i remember, much closer to Cranham corner but on the same side as the shrine.
The shrine name is due to a little votive offering, thanking god for the birth of a child. It was placed near the trail and remained undamaged for a couple of years. But someone went and trashed it. The big hump on the Shrine is a long barrow. I did find an article on it and as i remember it has been excavated aand the remains are now in Gloucester Museum.
The Wall starts from Cranham corner and climbs up to the top of the woods, ususally ridden down though and it follows the line of a wall (surprising that)
Guys, when you have ridden the top part of the the Shrine from the road at the top and followed it all the way until you have to climb back up to the flat before the mound, where is the left turn to go down to One Who Waits? I can't seem to find it?
Evening all you Cranham riders
Just thought I would let you know what overtook me on the racetrack on Sat evening - no not his Jimness this time honest.
Helix pomatia - look it up !
Seriously though this is a protected species and one of the reason why trails in the area need to be kept as low key as poss. I have it on good authority that the Warden for this area also rides and as long as trails remain low key without any major digging or construction then we will be able to continue riding. The area is more popular than ever in the 15 years I have been riding there so keep it natural and look out for our Italian friends.
STS
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Helix pomatia - look it up !
wow I didnt expect that!. Ill look out for one of the slimy little dudes next time I am up there.
They have been more active this year then ever. Especially oposite the saw mill in the slightly boggy area just past the gate.
Have picked a few up and moved them. Had to move 2 on Wednesday.
Just got in from riding Cranham and its all clear.
Whoever posted the Jim Bowen signs goes down in my book as a local legend.
Is there only one poster as that is all I could see. Made a very muddy, slow lap a very funny one on the way back to Painswick.
Also, hello to the two guys I passed making there way up the side of the beacon.
Was up there with the dog earlier as well and had to laugh at the wanted poster..... Genius! I have been thinking the same about the 'new' tracks that are springing up, might be worth scaling the building down for a while???
Indeed. Lookmanohands where is One Who Waits (directions from the shrine hump would be appreciated)
lookmanohands, whiped round the beacon instead tonight, muddy in the woods? how did you do at bikefest? poss out tomorrow but commuting on the rat also so could be thursday as ive osteopath on wed, no biking after. wheres the poster? more building and it could end in tears for us all. so many riders up there now, for years i hardly saw any one now im meeting all sorts, solos and some big groups. be cool people...
Tang, was it you I saw on the beacon? The poster is at the top of the Shrine trail just before you turn right to climb back up to go towards the mound and One Who Waits.
not me, i was solo and didnt spot anyone. im on a black cotic soul so do shout out if you see me, i try and chat to everyone i meet on two wheels!
Will do, may see you tomorrow.
I don't know the names of any of the trails other than the wall and shrine! Tang, sent you a mail, BBF was good we finished 14 and I got one of the fastest laps of the day ( still life left in the old dog!) I should be up there tomorrow afternoon for a quick spin if anyone is about?
It's the circular route at the top of the shrine with bomb holes apparently.
Did a few trails around Cranham Tonight before Night Shift. saw a couple of guys (no helmets?)
didnt see any Helix pomatia though 🙂 Enjoyed the racetrack and Wall as usual. Learning that jumping is not my forte ; must join the "air in the tyres not under them" brigade!
Twas me with the Jimbo poster - glad it raised a few laughs !
I'm sure he will get fed up soon
Dimmadan
Onewhowaits is a loop that starts near the Private Campsite on the edge of the woods. Through the top bomb holes, pass the private sign heading south, follow the main track that branches off to the right and the trail veers off to the left soon after that.
This may also give you a clue (if the clicky thing works)for Onewhowaits and Teachers. Thanks to BigfootMBC for the footage.
http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/?p=482
where does teachers start and end?
ditto, where does teachers start and end? it looks great fun.
Guys, the Teachers to Sheepscoombe looks brilliant. Does anyone have a start point fort this on the map please? As I have never seen that trail with a stream before.
Also, hi to everyone I saw up the woods tonight.
do you know the short sharp climb, you duck under a tree at the bottom, hard right and climb, borderline climbable. Teachers, only just learnt the name starts from near the top of there. It ends in a huge patch of wild garlic.
Dont understand why Sheepscombe is mentioned..
There is a video of Teachers to Sheepcoombe.
Yeah on the corner where the new house is. But the video link above diesn't look like that run. It's miles longer and ends up near a stream.
ah yes thats teachers, sheepscombe is a bit misleading.
if you head down there is a river at the bottom of Cranham woods. Most trails end up there at some point.
The sheepscombe reference is wrong, Teachers can be made to do to Sheepscombe but it is a fair trek, across Cranham common, through lords and ladies and out by the cricket club at Far end.
Slightly more than a 5minute video....
There is also a short flatish bit from the bottom of Teachers to the river. gets muddy down there when wet. There is also a track that then follows the river, comes out by a bridge. Turn left climb the rocky narrow track and it brings you out at the "carpark" in the middle of the woods.
that'll be the favorite fly tipping carpark then!
I take it that all of this is to the left of the scout camp?
Never ventured that deep into the forest. I assume you can get to it from behind the saw mill then eventually?
lookmanohands, you on about the car park between the saw mill and the new house?
saw mill, house, carpark, if you look in the woods you can see what i believe are the cellars of the old sanitorium.
Yes it is the flytip carpark.
what new house?
no, the carpark about 400 meters from the sawmill at the bottom of the shrine
The one with sexual condiments lying about...and a few old tyres!
are they yours??? not the tyres!
And going from this point back towards the pink house via the rooty climb....turn right on the top....and enjoy....whats that descent called?....again you end up in the depths of Narnia just above the stream...
[url= http://www.multimap.com/s/gDI3KkiD ]the beginning of teachers[/url]
[url= http://www.multimap.com/s/jAJANmqF ]the end [/url]
I abstain from sex whilst out bike riding!
car park at the bottom of the shrine? layby by the sawmill, but the carpark is further down, over the hump from the yellow house, or is there another carpark i have forgotten?
@axroads, leave it to the lone men making owl noises?
na thats the one, opposite the funny looking house that sells honey
Ah, the house HAS changed colour...
Mrmo it worries me that you may frequent these parts after dark....is it a kind of excited mating call?
The only bird ive seen up there is the old Buzzard...
haven't been near Cranham for a few weeks, sticking to lecky,
Need to do some investigation of the forest once it dries out I think.
Clear but very wet tonight. Hello to all the Bigfoot riders. Me and Darren said hi at the bottom of the shrine. I was in the Orange jacket.
Hello guy's, I'm getting back into offroading after too many years away.I've had a bit of a totter around some of the trails in cranham woods and would like to give it a proper go, so could anyone give me some info about start points, landmarks etc? Anything would be a great help! cheers.
So much of the riding is "local knowledge", thing to do is ride the road between cranham corner and the pub in birdlip keeping an eye for the little tracks that exist.
This will show the high level routes, the stuff further in to the woods is simply trial and error or get a guide.
Is that buckholt road?
yes. things to look out for, the big yellow? house at the bottom of the hill on the left heading to Cranham cornerit comes shortly after the saw mill, a small road/track goes down the side and tracks lead off from it.
Up in Cranham today, yet again more branches across the trails.....mainly on teachers...took two of us to move them.
It was clear yesterday evening so must have been done today.
sat am i was out spent most of the time clearing esp on teachers and that area. more saplings and holly bent over the trail, plus some large branches, one i couldnt move. this was followed by a double flat and tyre that wouldnt come off....not the best ride.
Thanks for the help guys,
Regarding the trails,don't forget the kids are on holiday at the moment and are probably getting pretty bored by now...