I've been trying out some riding for a while on the Mendips as I live quite close.
Whilst many people seem to talk it up (MBR features a number of routes in it's 'Best of British' series) I only seem to every find it to be a celebration of mud in all of its various guises.
I have tried riding Blackdown, Cheddar Gorge, Burrington etc, am I missing something here? Does it ever dry out?
Advice or signposting would be well received, I don't think I can afford (in terms of replacement parts!) to ride on this part of the country!
Best
Simon
Mendips is muddiest in the winter and spring, best in summer/Autumn. Right now it's terrible everywhere and is completely water logged, but it wasn't really very muddy until the end of October, when the heavens opened. I've not bothered riding there due to the weather for the last two months. It is possible to ride there and stay cleanish, but you have to know the cheeky trails pretty well, and deliberately not ride some of the main stuff. Alot of the cheek is quite slow and tight and rooty, stoney technical, and doesn't give easy flow. I know from experience of a couple of STW rides that it's not to everyone's taste.
Generally, MTB traffic has increased, particularly in Rowberrow, since Still Woods was shut off, and the DH biased trails in Rowberrow get hammered like never before, so wear rates are now much higher than I ever recall they were in the past.
Unfortunately, mud on Mendip is a fact of the area. If you want to ride there in the winter, kit up, and make sure your systems for cleaning bike and gear are set up and streamlined to make it as pain less as possible.
Mendip has made me diligent with my maintenance!
As above. The Mendips are great in the summer and autumn, particularly Rowberrow and the trails around Beacon's Batch. The guys I know who've ridden up there recently have posted horror show levels of filth though so I'd avoid at the moment.
Thanks, will bear in mind, it appears that the Quantocks drains a bit better and I may just suck on the toll and head to Cwm Carn over the winter.
A shame because I really want to get into some more natural stuff but I may just have to wait for the spring.
I'd avoid beacon batch and the main Rowberrow tracks right now. Look to Dolbury, Burrington Ham, Velvet bottom and both sides of the Gorge for less muddy stuff. Basically, excluding Blackdown, the higher stuff away from the 'Endooro' centre of Rowberrow is less used and in better condition.