Forest of Dean - what are the trails like?

Trails, rooty, techy, wet. Fun

Parking good, cafe good.

Good progressive skills area.

Trails vary in difficulty and gnar.

Start easy with Countdown/launchpad

Going there on 24th as part of a double header weekend with BPW on the ebikes, watched a few vids last night but following this

What sort of riding do you want?

@doomamic a bit of everything - flow & tech.

Is there a decent place to lock the bikes during the café stop?

You can lock the bikes up right outside the cafe.

If it's your first visit there's enough at the centre to keep you busy. Countdown and Launchpad are great flow trails and the DH tracks will give you all the tech you want.

There are wood bars to lock bikes up right outside the cafe. Also hire locks attached to the building walls.

You tend to just have the bikes by the table outside for the Cafe, if you go in then they have areas to lock them right outside.

Trails wise, you have the standard Red and Blue, the red is a little more rooty and natural, the blue more of a nice flowing trail, nothing too harsh, they both start going upwards, then tend to be simple climbs and descents. The DH tracks are up top and they are the main fun around the centre, loads to try, going from fast flowing trails like Countdown and Launchpad, to rooty tech stuff with features like Corkscrew and GBH.

If you're looking at doing miles and XC stuff then the red and blue are good, if you're after DH stuff then they're all good in their own ways, Countdown/Launchpad are just fast and flowy, Sheepskull and Ski Run are rooty and can be rough in the wet, Corkscrew is nice, but has some big features and in the wet it's treacherous, GBH has lots of tabletops and fun stuff up top, and two decent drop features, but is actually rollable all the way and not the worst if you avoid the features.

What type of riding do you like?

Vs llandegla the hills / hills are smaller but they make much better use of them. I find llandegla really underwhelming apart from the black graded stuff that you have to cycle through loads of boring red stuff to get to first.

The blue / red loops aren’t that exciting but they’re ok. The DH runs are fun and you can just shuttle up and down the fire road in the middle.

The real magic of FOD though is in the off piste stuff - pretty much anywhere you look there is something that has been created. Near the centre you have 2 official enduro trails (they show on Trailforks) and if you carry on out on that fire road at the bottom of them you have quite a few trails up to the right hand side (cross the road and carry on). There are loads of other areas but they’ve all been removed from Trailforks so unless you know where they are you don’t know what’s there really.

Thanks all.
How long do the XC blue/red generally take?
Will try and do a mix of the XC & DH stuff if we can.
The Enduro trails sound good - will have a look for those.

Sounds like you are a competent rider but will say this anyway. On your first run down launchpad just hold back a small amount. It is incredibly fast if you just let it take you and despite it being probably the smoothest trail in the park it probably accounts for the most crashes 🙂 Great fun though. The rest has all been covered, have a great day.

One thing about the dh trails is that it's a bit of a warren- like innerleithen, it's a bit hard to recommend a trail because you can easily end up on another. But having said that there's nothing <that> difficult. It's hard to judge another person's riding but if you've done any tweed valley offpiste/dh, it's got a similar feel but it's easier. I absolutely bloody love it for that, somehow losing the steepness/terror of the valley and replacing it with a freedom to muck about a bit more and not feel like one mistake and you'll die, but somehow the feel of the ride ends up much the same.

I personally could ride Sheepskull all day.

Sounds like you are a competent rider but will say this anyway. On your first run down launchpad just hold back a small amount. It is incredibly fast if you just let it take you and despite it being probably the smoothest trail in the park it probably accounts for the most crashes 🙂 Great fun though. The rest has all been covered, have a great day.

Yeah, it's the '1' lozenge run, but you can easily pick up too much speed, the biggest thing is if it's dry or wet, those DH runs have a lot of roots around them, bar Countdown/Launchpad, so in the wet, those are the best, the rest all seem to have lots of roots, same with the red trail, so weather can play a bit part in what is enjoyable and what can be treacherous.

If you do manage to get over a bit, Elephant Man and Y2K are also nice runs that do well in all weather conditions.

I personally could ride Sheepskull all day.

This.

I’ve just realised the bookmark feature has gone, comment posted to keep this in my posting history, I’ll be visiting on a Saturday in October.

lots of big roots.

working out what trail you are on is a bit of a lottery with eth DH`s as the signage is crap.

more roots.

i like the top of GBU and then into teh less used techier DH`s after that for a mix.

Something for everyone... and then some.
I'll 3rd or 4th or whatever the most accidents are countdown/launchpad

If I had a choice for a day I would definitely do uplift unless you have a eMTB... you'll see/do much more and if Llandegla is your local you have plenty of times you can pedal... and you're travelling so I'd make the most of the time.

Equally, there are LOADS and LOADS of DH/Enduro trails but most people would be happy on the ones closest DH trails or Red (Freeminers) for a day. Even off those there are countless variations... you can do countdown and carry on along the fireroad into wormhole for example (GMBN cheap bike video)... ot there is a second partly hidden trailhead with Cougar Root, top of Endo etc. between GBU top and Corkscrew....

Top of sheepskull (but below the tabletops) is a bit pants IMHO if the weather/loam isn't just right then its ace.(unless there is grip or you're a really good rider it's neither flow nor tech just non grippy turn after another)... and Flatlands is generally more consistent..

Skills area has some fun for a while and good to do the roadgap if you plan on doing the GBU one later... (unless your a riding god)

How long do the XC blue/red generally take?
Will try and do a mix of the XC & DH stuff if we can.

A loop of the blue takes between 30 and 45 minutes with the red around the 75-90 mark (for the full red, there is a shorter option that cuts out a big loop of it) if you're doing them for the first time and not pushing it with little amount of stops. Once you know how they interact it's easy to mix up the XC and DH stuff into massive loops if you want to.

I’ll 3rd or 4th or whatever the most accidents are countdown/launchpad

Pedalabikeaway had a post a few days ago on ther Facebook ffeed showing 3 ambulances at the fireroad junction where Launchpad starts, that's pretty much every ambulance for the FOD area! Have seen a few big crashes there over the years as it really doe encourage you to hammer down it, especially before they put the big catch berm at the end as people would congregate at the exit only to have riders fire out at warp speed into them like a pinball machine.

its a good stop over to ride BPW the day after for the 10am start (premier inn from £41), rather than getting up crack of dawn.

went earlier this year, red route is the rootiest track i've ever ridden, its ok a lively smell of popcorn in the air.

the downhills managed 3 runs, they were all cracking, heading down again next month, bpw day after

Pedalabikeaway had a post a few days ago on ther Facebook ffeed showing 3 ambulances at the fireroad junction where Launchpad starts, that’s pretty much every ambulance for the FOD area!

thats nuts. its bloody fast! lots of inexperienced riders goin too fast i guess. there are some gaps that can be done with high concequence and the wierd rollery bits are well sketchy at full speed as its easy to over clear but too far to double (for me).

the main DH runs are so rooty i recon i`d need about 10 runs to work out where to go to go fast which probably makes them safer. riding them first go blind is like being a squid again - haha especially in the wet

I've been a couple of times. A mate is always surprised I don't get air on Countdown or Launchpad. But I don't do jumping 😀 I like my wheels firmly fixed to the ground.
Sheepskull I love but I always get the wrong line at the big rooty bit and bottle it. 5 attempts so far and 5 times I've bottled it. I think the 10 year break of exclusively road use has turned me into a scaredy cat.
It's always a laugh though when we do go and yes Countdown and Launchpad are silly quick and I can see how you could have a big accident on them.

@fatbrad, is the bit on sheepskull you mention where you have the option of going high and keeping a tree on your left only to be faced with a nasty looking rooty rollable drop, with the other option being the long way round down the bottom? If so, took me an age to do that, turns out it looks worse that it is. Seen many people jam brakes on when they see it and sort of fall down it 🙂

Are we talking about the massive rooty tree feature just before the 2nd fire road?

I’m not sure which is the best option for speed - normally I’ve always gone to the right and down a steep little slope into the fire road with no issues. Last time I thought I’d try high left and that wasn’t too bad - although the chute thing was probably a bit steeper onto the fire road. There were a load of guys stood there at the top / bottom debating whether it was rideable. Felt like I had to just go for it and it was fine. Pretty sure I just rolled it with no bother.

I think if you stand and look at it you can talk yourself out of it / psyche yourself out. I know I do that quite regularly with stuff - few rock rolls at another part of FOD I just can’t make myself do so far - plus a big chute in another part I dodged a few summers ago and haven’t been back to yet. Oh - plus that chute / drop thing to the left of the bottom of Y2K under the tree 😬

Just looked at some video footage and the tree I was on about is on Corkscrew not Sheepskull.

Sheep skull and corkscrew are my faves….been a while since I was there. Need to get back.

Lots of superb off piste riding too. Love that place!

I tend to start with a blast around the Verderers trail, it’s fun and makes good use of the gradient they have. Then I pick and choose the DH bits afterwards or do the Red Freeminers loop.
Lots of people absolutely rave about Launchpad but it’s actually quite dull and short in my opinion (probably the least technical and most boring of all the trails there) no matter how fast you go down it.
Most of the other DH tracks are pretty good from rooty jank upwards.

It’s pretty much my local nowadays (not counting Ashton Court) and I love it there. With ebikes you’ll
Be able to blast up the fire road and do most parts there.

There’s lots of parking, the food’s good and most people are really friendly.

Have fun

Ps - Launchpad was originally designed for the 4 wheeler disabled thingies (they’re awesome fun if you get a chance) so designed to be ridden without having to pedal once if you get it right. Most people I see on it are pedalling too much and having to brake at all the wrong points in the corners. But as said above don’t go full gas straight out.

plus that chute / drop thing to the left of the bottom of Y2K under the tree

That's the end of Disco Fanny, it's totally fine really. Pretty much rollable as long as you get forward so you don't buzz your butt.

The Launchpad is made for the CX bike.So is Countdown. Brilliant fun.

@mattsccm - sounds fun. I definitely enjoyed it more on my hardtail than any FS bike I’ve ridden there over the years. A CX bike would be fun.

It took out quite a few people when it first opened who refused to heed the “do not pedal” sign at the top.

Looks like we’ll be staying over for a night at the start of October half-term on our way down to Cornwall. I’ve never been to FOD before but it sounds good.
I’ll be on the Rail E-bike, I’m happy on pretty much any track, like decent sized jumps & drops.
Where would people recommend I look for a B&B/Hotel?
Also, Mrs ColP will be walking with the dog, I’m guessing there’s some decent walking routes, hopefully starting near the bike trails?

Fountain Inn.

I've stayed at the Speech House which is not far from the trails and is dog friendly.  They have some dog allowed rooms and dogs can go with you in the orangery restaurant.

Cheers, I’ll check those out

You’ll have a great day there but fwiw I find the red and blue really uninspiring (to put it in context the oft derided Haldon in Devon is better imho). I find they just sap your energy without giving much back. Never understood the appeal but then I did the DH launchpad sheep skull etc and they’re all a lot of fun.

Would still always choose Cwmcarn or Afan when making a trip from the South West.

Both the Red and the Blue have had a lot of work recently.

Personally I'd rather do Countdown twice rather than Countdown- Launchpad.
Never felt there was any reward form Freeminers for all the climbing far more fun to be had over at Dowies and shutcastle.

I concur on the blue being a bit dull - try looking at it through the eyes of a 10 year old it's a long old slog and the downs at the end are (or were last time I rode it) well rough. The red has some great bits on it but the ups are long and in places quite hard and the downs often over too quickly but I guess that goes for all self powered circuits.

The DH stuff is pretty much all great. Most has seen a lot of traffic but it's all well cared for by the local trail pixies. It's just over a 1/2 hr drive for me and I've been over pretty much every week all year and have probably still not even scratched the surface.

Whatever you do, you'll love it. I feel very spoilt and hardly want to go anywhere else short of the Alps

Yeah, the red (Freeminers) has never been a favourite, it starts with rooty climbs, and the downs don't flow in any real way, not done it since they fixed up some of the extended bit, but it isn't something i tend to go to anymore, same with the blue, it's better than the red as it does flow a lot more, but is a bit boring in places, which to be fair is pretty standard for any MTB loop.

Anyone out playing there tomorrow ? Me and the boy are heading over for a first ride back.

I'm quite looking forward to getting back to the FoD in october. I've not really ridden there since the late 90's early 2000's when I'd be there prety much weekly, for a rubbish coffee, ginsters pasty and a few hours around the, then not waymarked trails. think the last time I was there the FoDca trail was about complete, and very small.

keen to see what the differences are and what of the old trails have been reworked as new. 🙂

Anyone out playing there tomorrow ? Me and the boy are heading over for a first ride back.

Mrs fadda and I will probably be there in the morning (depends a bit how this evenings "having friends over for a curry" goes)

I'm taking the fat bike for the first time in a while and we'll probs just do the verderers with countdown/launchpad at the end...

I'll keep an eye out for the fattie... you'll recognise my lad and me as we're both on sky blue bikes, his with double crown forks unlike 99.99% of bikes there.

Cool - fattie is raw alu, Mrs fadda is on a burnt orange Whyte hardtail 👍🏻

Re the official trails, first time I went I had a great day. Second time I did it, I was confused how I'd had a great day, I spent most of the ride waiting for some big descent on the red and then suddenly I was in the car park. It's a decent enough loop but

The final blue descent is excellent though imo. I mean, it should be, it's one big charge down the entire height of the hill. Arguably it's a bit too good for its own blueness, it's a bit like glentress blue with an awkward mix of beginners and kids and uplift riders thrashing down it. Including me, we always tend to do at least one run when we're on the bus

(I think literally every run I've done, I've seen someone looking a bit harried and always looking behind, and I've ended up telling people "It's a blue, we've got the whole hill to choose from, don't worry at all about holding us up for a wee bit, you don't need to jump out of the way" sort of thing)

It's proper that blue ending... everyone can enjoy it... but not so proper that it can't be ridden by everyone if they just take it steady... it's a perfect blue.