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Of over to Darlo later to stay with my best mate for his mums funeral and we were planning on riding Hamsterley tomorrow but closures means anything decent of the trail centre is closed. We dont fancy anything super gnar as he's not ridden since November and I'm still building back up after a broken wrist hence not doing the off piste at Hamsterley. Paid user of trailforks so can see all the tracks but wondering on recommendations for lines which are brill but not too mental?
Nothing on Trailforks is too mental I don’t think. I’ve only ridden there once in the summer and it was sandy. Not sure what it’s like in the wet.
Best trail for me was skip off work probably cos it’s in the open more like what I’m used to in peak/lakes riding. Other stuff is more loamy between the trees type stuff
Apparently they've not had much rain over that way so we're hoping it's fairly dry or at least not a bog fest.
It's very much dependent on the weather in my experience (style trails do well in the damp but not dry and vice versa), that and the locals who seem to have occasional outbreaks of significant NIMBYism and take to blocking or standing for hours watching their dog look bored on the unofficial lines (sometimes the official ones too)
What sort of thing are you looking for in terms of a ride?
Guisborough’s running a treat at the moment apparently, loads to go at, although skip off work’s seen better days and needs some tlc and probably best avoided at the moment.
^^^good to hear. It's dryer over that side but the woods can get pretty greasy. Anyway, I was just going to add that I like to make a slightly longer ride by doing some of the natural stuff, dropping into Sleddale, over Gt Ayton Moor, and round the back, drop down (or parallel to is better) Cleveland Way to Roseberry Topping, then down and back into the woods for more trails and back to carpark. Can't say I've experienced locals being other than v friendly [actually realised post above means non-bikers? Can't say I've noticed this, but haven't ridden there much.]
What are we after in terms of a ride? We're not too fussy really, nothing particularly tough for aforementioned reasons but we're both under normal circumstances comfortably black riders. Best mate on a spec levo ebike and I'm on a hightower, ideally something between 15 - 20 miles between 3k n 4k elevation. Just good fun in the woods which makes you whoop really.
Just good fun in the woods which makes you whoop really.
In which case most of it should suit pretty well, the way marked trails aren't great but most of the unofficial is good, if a little hard to find at times. You'll fit everything from skip off work North to dirty hole and covid20 in at least once in that sort of distance with room to repeat your favourites.
Okay fab just wanted to make sure nothing was too crazy, if I did the same for the tweed valley I'd end up doing some mental stuff without being aware!
There's plenty of gradient in places but you should be fine.
Bigger worry will be trees following the wind this week but I can't imagine that's hugely surprising
A few of us are going out in the morning about 10 - 1030ish if you want to tag along, if you’re too fast for us we’ll just point you in the right direction?
Cheers for the offer, we're both early risers so will prob be away by then already but if you see us around say hello and point out anything. Nicked something off strava and will just try n find stuff based on trailforks if we want more.
No worries, some of the trails to look out for on strava:
Start by going ‘up the Jedi’ (short sharp climb) onto ‘shadows’ (undulating trail - actually a footpath, so be careful, but rare that anyone moans)
Turn right at the end follow forest fire road up around a hairpin bend (keep right)
Then left up another sharp climb and right at the top to some nice little trails (homage to the loamage, shin-diggerty).
Right at the bottom then back up the climb lookout for some trails on your left, stripes, and shortly after, chevronzz.
Up ‘the little bastard’ climb (clues in the title) to a cross roads and from there your spoilt for choice, little willies, flowrider, old man’s view, secret path, if you go up towards and past high cliff there’s ridge racer, dead man’s shoe, nomad amongst many more.
Have fun
How did you get on? Thinking of possibly heading that way tomorrow if the turbo doesn't manage to look like a much more enticing option!
Yeah really enjoyed it, some were impressively dry and a few others were slick in places but awesome. I'll definitely go back when local, even considered going again tomorrow seeing as there's no way I'm riding my road bike in that wind. Would be the perfect place for an ebike with the winch and plummet, I was pretty tired after 14.5 miles considering that was 3500ft. We didn't see major tree damage either really, at least not on those we rode.
No, road bikes are not the order of the [s]day[/s] weekend!
Good you enjoyed it
Exactly! Decided I'm gonna go back so feel free to wave if you see me lookin' lost!