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Hi,
I’d planned to cycle the trails in Thetford Forest on Saturday. Weather looks like it will be 45mph wind +/-(but sunny).
Is that considered dangerous or will the trees provide plenty of shelter? (Never been before but it’s about an hours drive sonwant to make an informed decision)
Cheers
Jeff
The forest might officially be closed (there’s new national guidance on wind speeds) so you might not be able to park in the FC car park.
You'll be very unlucky to have a tree fall on you, but be ready to stop quickly if there's a tree across a track.
The wind may help. It's very flat!
It's pretty sheltered, once you get into the forest. There are a few exposed areas, but they are few & far between.
I've ridden there in strong winds, but probably nothing approaching that.
What is your concern, regarding the wind? Getting blown around a bit (you mention shelter) or the risk of a tree coming down just at the moment you get to it and flattening you?
If it's the latter, then I reckon the risk is pretty small but it would probably spoil your day quite comprehensively.
Aversion to risk is quite a personal thing, but it wouldn't put me off going for a ride - I'd just be paying extra attention to creaking, cracking sounds..... 🙂
Some of the exposed areas will be hard if its into a headwind - from memory there's three areas that are exposed and to be honest, quite boring. The rest of it in the forest should be reasonably well sheltered. It is flat, again from memory I think there are two "rises" in the entire 9 miles.
Maybe coming down the last fast gritty berms section could be a bit tricky if hit by a strong side wind, but realistically I can't see it being a problem.
If the FC Car Park is closed, loads of other areas to park close by.
Its a very XC type of trail. Depends on what you are used to riding, but some of my riding buddies don't think its worth the journey, I personally enjoy it. The small black sections are not really black, in fact compared to other places they really are a bluey shade of red at most. There's a small fast section called the monster (I think), that's fun. But the majority of it is very peddaly which is great if that's your thing.
Thanks all. I guess the concern was both being blown about and being under a lot trees. But I think I’ll give it a go.
I tend to be into downhill bike parks and XC around my local area. Just fancied a bit of XC somewhere different. An hour is that far. 🙂
Thanks again.
Should be OK on windy days, flat but quite fun, the whoop bit at the end is called the beast, can be looped at the end to "session". Park at Brandon Country Park(£3 all day), good hot chocolate & cake👊.
Park at Brandon Country Park(£3 all day), good hot chocolate & cake
This is what I normally do.
To get to the start of the trails, have a look at this below. I stuck it on Flickr after repeating the same description a few times to people.
Basically go back to the main road, cross over & head into the forest - there's a subtle right turn after ~50yds or less. That takes you parallel with the main road & splits a few times - doesn't matter what split you take so long as you keep heading in the same general direction. You get spat out at the bottom of the Beast onto a fire road. Pretty straight forward from there.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/35563330211_63705dbba5_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/35563330211_63705dbba5_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/WbBn4H ]Brandon car park to trails.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/me96kka/ ]STW stumpy01[/url], on Flickr
richmars
You’ll be very unlucky to have a tree fall on you, but be ready to stop quickly if there’s a tree across a track.
Especially on a fast downhill around a corner.
This one nearly did for us...
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/730/22921595890_cec1d60d43_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/730/22921595890_cec1d60d43_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
I no longer night ride in the forest in high winds. 🙂
If you’re still at home thinking about this, I’ve just been out for a short ride round the Limburner trail (from Brandon Country park rather than high lodge) and the forest is fine to be in.
There are quite a few small branch’s about but only one small (rotten) treee has fallen over the trail; some kind (cough) soul has already shifted that though. For the most part I didn’t notice the wind apart from the noise and a small bit of one of the open sections which seemed to catch it a bit.