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– New England Switchbacks – these are part of a trail which crosses a fire road with a bank on either side. Access via some Singletrack (200 yards up the singletrack you come to the top of the hill, where you can either go straight down and across the fire road or start with the switchbacks, which are on your right) which starts at the end of the first long flat fire road section on Blue. Instead of turning right (and almost back on yourself) into the woods on the official trail, you almost carry straight on.
No blocked by the ranger apparently 😢
I forsee us hitting Crowthorne woods.... well i certainly will be 🙂
No blocked by the ranger apparently
I know that a few weeks ago there was a half hearted attempt to pull logs across parts of the entry trail, but apart from this it was all clear when I rode it (this was mid August though), has this changed?
I'm surprised they've targeted this trail as it doesn't seem to get much traffic at all.
And when I mention R16 above I may actually mean R15 - I can never remember the right number, it's the good downhill trail starting at the reservoir.
I know that a few weeks ago there was a half hearted attempt to pull logs across parts of the entry trail, but apart from this it was all clear when I rode it (this was mid August though), has this changed?
It was all still clear when I rode that section a 2 weeks ago.
You are brave Razorrazoo, for you have angered the Swinley Gods of 'Off Piste', their disciples will be along soon to sacrifice you for revealling information about thier holiest sites on the internet and all those who have read these posts wil be 'disappeared'. ;0)
But, but, but........ your bike might upset the ground nesting birds, which aren't upset by either the walkers, seguays, rangers sat in their vans or forestry machinery clear felling tens of acres of woodland.
You are brave Razorrazoo, for you have angered the Swinley Gods of ‘Off Piste’, their disciples will be along soon to sacrifice you for revealling information about thier holiest sites on the internet and all those who have read these posts wil be ‘disappeared’. ;0)
It's OK, I think I'm safe unless I start posting vids of me shredding the gnar on Swinley FB groups.
Ridden those trails for years, remember when there were no trees (apart from one) on the clubhouse hill, crashed in the jump gulley before it was the jump gulley, use seat posts, purple anodising, jumpers for goalposts etc etc
Weeksy
Kilo and Mrs Kilo (depending on how her Achilles injury clears up)
Kryton/Steve
theotherjonv
Cokie (hopefully)
DezB & DezB Jr.
Giles
kelron (Stephen)
jimdubleyou (getting train that arrives 1017)
NathRB
Crosshair
I’m surprised they’ve targeted this trail as it doesn’t seem to get much traffic at all.
New England Switchbacks has long been on Natural England's radar for protection for some reason. Was stated as going to be strictly out of bounds back when the official trails were put in, but then nothing happened to block it off and wasn't policed until recently.
There's a strong push now to cut down on what CE call "wild trails" and hearing a little of their side of it and especially the sustainability / maintainability / legal / financial issues in keeping the place open, I can understand. The existing off piste is frowned upon also as the desire is to keep everyone to the official network which was the point of building it (to reduce the lawsuits mainly). There's some openness to improving and expanding what's there to cater for people's frustrations with what currently exists.
The existing off piste is frowned upon also as the desire is to keep everyone to the official network which was the point of building it (to reduce the lawsuits mainly). There’s some openness to improving and expanding what’s there to cater for people’s frustrations with what currently exists
I get that... but it's not entirely practical with MTBers in reality
but that's the point - we have to be responsible otherwise we risk losing what (little) we have. Crowthorne Woods, the other side of the green gate is somewhat different as that is FC land but the Crown Estate stuff , where they have (at considerable expense) put in a trail network in place of the existing wild trails needs to be treated carefully. There are some remaining heritage areas where it seems riding is somewhat tolerated, but others where clearly it isn't (eg: blocking off) and to just say 'MTB'ers, disparate bunch, what can you do!?' isn't the answer.
And if we can't keep clear of the prohibited areas - there's also a difference between single / pairs of riders vs leading group rides through the barricades.
(yeh yeh, Kinder Scout and so on, but personally I favour rationality and collaboration)
If I can make it will be happy to try and remember some of the Crowthorne stuff, but will not be leading a mass trespass on Queenie's patch.
but will not be leading a mass trespass on Queenie’s patch.
There's plenty of good stuff without doing that, I reckon.
well i'm certainly up for a 'disconnect the brakes and try to hang on' session with the experts. Assuming they show up.
On the one hand they take a dim view of riders straying from the official route, but on the other they support events like Swinduro, that use wild/unsanctioned trails, thereby disseminating knowledge of their existence to a wider audience. Odd.
Good grief. Even a simple rida and a cup of tea gets political on here.
Dont bring it Saturday please...
being sensible about access to 'banned' trails when being followed by a large group of riders isn't politics, it's being sensible.
on the other they support events like Swinduro, that use wild/unsanctioned trails, thereby disseminating knowledge of their existence to a wider audience. Odd.
Not that odd, as they can then control what areas those trails go in. As I said before, there are the official trails, trails that they 'turn a blind eye to' and trails that they don't want used, for whatever reason (feathery friends being one)
I'm out i'm afraid guys....
I've just brokered a deal to get a new motorbike which is now happening on Sat.
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1917/45024928502_9bdc2cb0ce_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1917/45024928502_9bdc2cb0ce_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2bAGwAJ ]s-l1600 (3)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
CH, if Nath wants a bike still, i'll bring one over to yours either tomorrow or Fri for him to use for the day. Tell him not to be precious, it's a MTB not a carbon roadie 🙂
The switchbacks were used in the Swinduro last year though weren't they? So can't be that environmentally sensitive, and just look like a bog standard bit of commercial forest to my untrained eye. There again, I have probably seem more walkers and dog walkers in that specific area than bikers so perhaps it's a conflict of use especially with the path cross over (but tiny compared to other parts of the forest). Also the bits either side of the hill look a little `nicer' environmentally and do have minor trails in them.
Evidently i need to keep up to speed with social media as although up until recently I was a local, this thread is really the first time I've heard about any clamp down on off piste stuff.
Is that a huge motorbike or does it just have tiny wheels????
They're not small... but standard 17" wheels on there.
a ‘disconnect the brakes and try to hang on’ session with the experts. Assuming they show up
sorry, bowing out 😉
I have just been out in the woods to rescue our dog walkers lost daughter (long story) but they are setting up for the spartan race this weekend.
They did did this last year, it has no effect on the car park or riding, but there is the added bonus of seeing people looking completely miserable going round the course.
I’m out i’m afraid guys…
Again?!
It's still happening though, the rest of ya?
Sorry DezB, the guy taking my KTM wants it Sat morning, along with the dealer i'm getting the one above for having this one ready for me on Sat morning too in Yorkshire, so i've got a hire van coming and getting both done at the same day.
It’s been quite entertaining reading this, it’s like an episode of Eastenders. Who knew going for a bike ride could get so complicated? 🙂
Actually everything on stw gets this complicated. Maybe people should be restricted to one post a day.
Oops! Just fallen foul of my own rule 🙂
Carry on.
It’s still happening though, the rest of ya?
Yep, looks like Weeksy’s bike will go to the ball for Nath to ride, I’m going and Joe Bloggs from this end too. MrBlobby is hmmming and arrrrghing but he’s flakier than Weeksy 🤣
I'm still going.
Mrs Kilo and I are still up for this
Sorry DezB, Ha! These things happen! Forgot the smiley on my post 😉
Jolly good. Shall we start the roll call again? Like in reverse... take your name off if you're not coming 😀
[s]Weeksy[/s]
Kilo and Mrs Kilo (depending on how her Achilles injury clears up)
Kryton/Steve
theotherjonv
Cokie (hopefully)
DezB & DezB Jr.
Giles
kelron (Stephen)
jimdubleyou (getting train that arrives 1017)
NathRB
Crosshair
Tentative - if it's chucking it down I'll probably give it a miss.
I'm tentative too. I'm not paying fuel/car park to have the Telegraph read out to me at Swinley, or to sit at trails discussing whether to ride them or not when I've 75km of open forest trails on my doorstep.
That may be me not being able to distinguish actual biking from STW though.
If MrBlobby goes though I'll go. If I do go I'm likely to arrive early and get a fast lap of Blue/Red in before we meet. Anyone else is welcome to join in the earlier departure but I won't be hanging around.
If you think expressing an opinion about reasonable access to off-piste areas is 'reading the Telegraph out' - then i won't bother coming and spoiling it for you.
You have free reign. I'm out.
This thread has gone full STW, including flounces.
If you think expressing an opinion about reasonable access to off-piste areas is ‘reading the Telegraph out’ – then i won’t bother coming and spoiling it for you.
It would only bother me if we were debating at Trails heads while we wait theotherjonv - I want to ride my Bike at Swinley, you're all welcome to debate other issues here but I'm not of a mind to be sitting on my bike waiting for the debate Saturday morning. I don't care what you all talk about as long as we are riding along at the time.
Vis a Vis are we going for a ride, or a debate? I'm up for the former, not the latter.
I was just gonna do blue, red, blue and cake myself. And then a bit more blue if there’s time.
Would be nice to put more faces to names but even if it’s just Nath, Joe and I pootling about I’m not bothered.
Do we need to bring a Gazebo to set up a safe space 🤣🤣🤣
FFS - I'm downgrading to no, train strike 🙁
I was just gonna do blue, red, blue and cake myself. And then a bit more blue if there’s time.
Would be nice to put more faces to names
I'm good for that.
Wtf, I buy a motorbike and the thread goes banana crazy!
I thought it was a laid back ride, banter, chatting and cake of course.
It's now all gone a bit weird.
Not sure what’s happened here.
looking forward to riding your whyte @weeksy first time I’ve ridden a MTB in a longggg time and even then it was only hardtails so FS is going to be weird! 😆
a laid back ride, banter, chatting and cake of course.
That's what I'll be doing.
I'm still hoping to ride, maybe we can do a debate club meet another day.
Weeksy if you are coming to Yorkshire then i shall warn everyone of your visit, you now have a reputation for starting threads that lead to a debate. We in yorkshire dont like debate, we tell it how it is.😀
You know what the first rule if Debate club is though.. . oh wait...