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There's a badly written review of a ride in last month's Singletrack which is very uninspiring and lacking any real detail at all. But it goes on about 'one of the UK's longest singletrack descents'..
Can someone who has ridden it please tell me about it ? How tech is it ? What route is best for what ? Is it enjoyable on a hardtail ? etc
I am sure someone will give you more useful info.....but I have done quite a it of riding around there, but with local knowledge/guide.
I really like the area, lots of good decent routes etc, one or two climbs 😉
Minton batch is good, great when its dry!
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/long-mynd-must-rides
It's ace.
Your rides consist of climbing up a narrow valley, riding along flattish moorland at speed on good tracks then bombing down a fantastic technical descent down another valley that will have you grinning like a moron - then repeating as long as you have the legs for it 🙂
Long Batch and Mynton Batch are the best descents IIRC.
And don't fanny about worrying if a hardtail is going to be ok. FFS. A hardtail is always ok!
Some of the descents are technical in places and exposed so that if you fall off you could fall a long way, however...
What did they call it?
Long mynd is great. Plenty of longish decents off the top with fantastic views, many start off fast and gentle across grass and get a tad tech and steep near the bottom.
There is of course equally good stuff at the Stiper Stones and XC around and over Caradoc/Lawley area.
[url= http://www.plushhillcycles.co.uk/trails/35-long-mynd-trails.html ]here[/url] is some good info on some of the trails on the LM. I used to be relatively local there and the riding is pretty typical of North Wales (not the trail centres). Lots of exposed hill tops and bracken and quite rocky in places. The descents tend to be shortish and fairly steep and tends to stay pretty wet even after a week or so of dry weather. Well worth a visit of you've never been before.
There's a badly written review of a ride in last month's Singletrack which is very uninspiring and lacking any real detail at all...
Singletrack tend to point you in the direction of an area, give you a few ideas and then leave you to do a bit of research, a bit of map reading, a bit of exploring. The article has obviously inspired you and got you interested...
Minton Batch is the descent referred to. The article also refers to [url= http://www.mtb-shropshire.co.uk/ ]these guys[/url] at Marshbrook just south of Church Stretton. They are very welcoming and have MTB maps [FOC] and are more than happy to talk routes 8)
ps the riding there is great, the uphills are big and the rewards are bigger.
A group of us went for a couple of days riding last Nov when it was very sub zero.
Despite the bikes all freezing up it is a cracking place to ride.
More than enough for a weekends riding, great views, Housemanns does great food, Plush Hill Cycles have some useful maps and can help decide where you go.
Most of our group stayed in a bunkhouse - I stayed in a very nice B&B.
Cracking place IMO