Rather than head to Wales this weekend I thought me and a mate would try something a little more local but don't really know too much about the place.
Is it best to park at the lookout cafe? and where are the best trails?, we are not after an epic route just more of a mess around day sessioning stuff.
There are no epic routes at Swinley.
Red is singletrack/MTB trail:
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EDIT: Also, opencyclemap.org has most of the trails on.
Double post
The lookout's the usual place for parking (and the place to buy your day permit too). If you're after stuff to session you need to head down to the clubhouse/labyrinth area. (Bottom right of the map above, lookout's at the top, best route is the big wide fireroad that runs N/S ish to the E side from post 1 to 2 to reservoir). You've gone too far when you head down a steep fireroad that bears left at the bottom.
awesome, cheers guys
There's a whole maze of trails at Swinley and, unless you go with a local who knows the area well, it'll take you a good few visits to work out where the best bits are, how to link them all up and which way to do them.
Bear in mind that the trails are just "there" - there isn't a way-marked route round them and as a result a lot of them are used both ways so don't go nailing it round a blind bend, there may well be someone riding towards you!
There's some brilliant singletrack in the woods although it can get chewed up when wet.
Ask anyone who looks like they've been there a few times if you get lost.
Basically go past the Go Ape entrance and follow striaght down for 1/2 mile. You'll then come to a long orange fireroad to your right, follow that for 1.1miles and you'll end up around about where you need to be.
Park at the lookout, ride into the woods until you see a bit of singletrack going off to the side. Ride it as fast as possible til the end, then look for another.
When you get tired, head north.
It's bloody brilliant 🙂 The whole thing is stuffed with ace singletrack. Pretty wet currently thouh.
If you have a GPS, take it and mark the carpark on it. Handy 🙂
How do you know what way is north ?
indeed somebody posted up last week a similar question and the answers are pretty much the same... best is to go with somebody who knows it, it isnt waymarked, others have given an indication on where to get started above and if you go with the mindset of exploration, it'll be fun, hyou'll get lost, find your way and then get lost.. you cant truely get lost as eventually you'll come to the edge of the forest and should be able to get back to the car. The OS map wont help much.
I have a night ride there next week and anybody's welcome to join us, just ping an email. Altho it will be night so you'll have no clue where we are! 😉
I would normally say use the sun, but it's been in short supply recently!!
The prevailing wind in Westerly, so most trees lean to the east on flat ground.
The other thing you can do to navigate is find a wide straight bit of fire-road and follow it - you'll probably come to a finger post quite quickly. The straight fire-roads criss cross the whole forest which in reality isn't very big, so you can easily get across it in no time if you find yourself at the wrong end.
The thing with Swinley is it all looks the same. That map will help but you are going to be fustrated if you dont know whats where .
Best to team up with a local. Its not like a typical trail center at all. There are very few signs around, and the ones that are there are really aimed at walkers.
Ask on here fora guide , might turn out to be one of the best days riding you get . I would , but dont do 'sessioning' , oh and take spare pads , Swinley = grinding paste.
I think I'll be there tonight 7 ish.. 🙂