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Live in Malvern but office is in Swindon (off j-16). Is the Croft Trail worth taking the bike with me and putting the lights on for an explore?
Yep! 🙂
Can you elaborate?
If you like quick, tristy turny pedally gravelly rocky boardwalky blimey-that-tree-was-close type riding then yes, it is fab and worth a visit.
If you like none of the above then no, it is carp.
To be fair if you are that close and someone has gone to the effort to build it , well it would be rude not to 😉
If you like quick, tristy turny pedally gravelly rocky boardwalky blimey-that-tree-was-close type riding then yes, it is fab and worth a visit.
Isn't this what MTBing is all about hmm? One of my local loops has twisty turny not much pedally or gravelly or rocky but plenty of boardwalky blimey-that-tree-was-close type riding...I love it.
It is definitely worth a visit! Three laps flat out will be a WHOLE BOATLOAD of fun in a very small space. MB Swindon have done an amazing job to put together such a great bit of trail.
I visit from Malvern to ride with the MB Swindon people, and I would definitely ride Croft a lot more if I worked that close.
Glad you posted this as we have an office in Swindon too
Drop me a line if you fancy a little bit more tacked onto the trail
I go visiting in Swindon sometimes and never even thought to take a bike thanks for the heads up. 😀
[url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/croft-trail/ ]MTB Swindon[/url]
That's recommendation enough for me. Ace thanks.
The in-laws live in Swindon, so my son(10) and I often take the bikes for a blat while the Mrs talks family bobbins with Granny. It's a good trail for a quick ride or longer if you do a few circuits. Well worth a ride if you live in the area or are visiting relatives/working nearby. As previously mentioned The Beehive in Old Town is worth a visit for a decent pint of beer.
The Beehive in Old Town is worth a visit for a decent pint of beer.
Worth a visit, yes. But the beer is usually dreadful. I'd try The Hop or the Steam Railway for a decent pint.
The Check Inn at Wroughton is nearby and serves pretty good Fuller's beer and Thai Food.
This little trail has pretty much everything, but no steep downhill sections, There's nothing anyone can do about that. These guys give up so much time and put in so much effort to improve and repair it.
Its packed with feature after feature, you have to stay switched on. Got to be worth a visit, then if you want more...head on up to the Ridgeway Via the motorway bridge close by!
The Check Inn at Wroughton is nearby and serves pretty good Fuller's beer and Thai Food
good call, the check inn is a a realy nice pup used to stop there often when i lived in swindon/Lyneham
+1 for the Croft Trail. A lot of fun packed into a tiny space, and I'm talking as someone with a pathological hatred of 'built' stuff.
If I'd have been more organised I'd be heading over there myself tonight for a couple of laps after work.
Do a couple of laps, its great fun, the builder have done a great job.
As someone heavily involved in building it then it's great to have some positive feedback. We shifted 190 tonnes of material Feb 2011-2012! Last year was a bit lighter, with 80 tonnes shifted and approx 800m resurfaced. More to do this year!
Our build diary shows what we've been up to: [url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/croft-trail/croft-build-diary/ ]http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/croft-trail/croft-build-diary/[/url]
More build days coming up:
[url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/march-build-day/ ]Sun 10th March 2013[/url]
[url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/april-2013-build-day-1/ ]Sat 13th April 2013[/url]
[url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/april-build-day-2-2/ ]Sun 14th April 2013[/url]
It is indeed great. I first went there about 4 years ago and thought it was average. I went for a quick visit after work on Friday and the improvement from when I first went there is immense.
Great work and I will be visiting more often in the future.
tom what is the material you use for the surfacing?
Crushed Limestone.
also Gabion rocks in deep things.
and addtional limestone dust on top.
Is it still underwater ? I fancy riding it again as I loved it previously, but last time I asked I was told it was a muddy mess and water logged in places.
http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/trail-build-report-sat-5th-jan-2013/
That was about 2/3 weeks ago.
Hope its dryish as I'm going to Swindon today and taking the bike!
Reports from the weekend say the trail is drying out nicely. You don't need me to tell you how wet the past year has been.
I hadn't cosidered much riding around Swindon, but there seem to be a lot of positive comments for all of the hard work and I'm reasonably local so I will pop along for a look soon 😀
Just been down for a lap at lunchtime (Tuesday 19th Feb).
It is riding fine, 80% dry, 10% sticky, 10% wet.
With a few more dry days it should improve even more.
The Croft Trail is excellent, well done the MB Swindon guys, a role model for what all towns/cities should have.
4 laps in the late afternoon sunshine, it's drying out nicely. What's the score with the long narrow section of up and downy woodwork that doesn't appear to be connected to the trail, is it a work in progress?
Work in progress is exactly what it is. Eventually it'll be a more technical option for that section but will still be avoidable for those that don't fancy it.
[url=:
lap video from last week[/url]
Croft Trail and Comrie Croft are my two favourite little volunteer built trails, both very short but the best examples of what can be packed into a very compact space
...and both totally polar opposites to each other both in terms of techical features and location
Major thumbs up to the voluteers, top work there
Anyone about at The Croft trail on Good Friday afternoon? Family visit to Swindon so planning on bringing the bike.