Heading down to a customer near to Swinley one Monday late afternoon/evening in November and I'm stopping over to see them in the morning.
I'm used to the 7 Stanes, North Wales trail centres, even Cannock and Sherwood but what's Swinley like?
Ta
Sorry, no fat bikes allowed. 😉
My local forest - so i'm always gonna say their great
After you gave me a proper kicking on the E2E - then i'd be pleased to show you around if your down from 5.30 onwards
As long as you bring your Fatbike.....:)
Only kidding - let me know if you want to meet up - the trails are great
OK, seriously! It's not a trail centre, there's no waymarking but it's great fun. Some trails are armoured and some are not, they run bi-directional.
In an ideal world you need a local to show you around if you're pressed for time.
You need a permit to ride there but I understand your car park ticket has to get stamped in the Visitor Centre.
No great altitude but some good varied trails. Forested natural bits can get very boggy but the armoured and purpose built trails hold up very well whatever the weather. You can just explore but if you are limited for time a guide is highly recommended to link the good bits.
Snap!!!
Thanks all, shame it's not way marked as i could get down there earlier than 5.30, but not to worry I'll just get lost.
boltonjon - Member
My local forest - so i'm always gonna say their great
After you gave me a proper kicking on the E2E - then i'd be pleased to show you around if your down from 5.30 onwards
Ok Jon you're on, how you fixed for Monday 19th Nov at 5.30?
I've only a small car with a full boot so it will be have to be the Single Speed as it goes in the back seat easier.
I can do the 19th fine John
Drop me an email on jcl@airinmar.com and we can organise a meeting place
At least if your on your singlespeed it 'might' slow you down!! 😀
Got your email address, it might be worth you editing it out while you have a chance to stop the chance of spam.
Email on route
John, think Delamere only dry and 20 times bigger with a few bigger lumps for ups and downs. As others have said there's a few man made trails but its not a trail centre with marker posts like llandegla. There are some great sections, both man made and natural. Local knowledge will help get the most out of a short ride. If you were down here longer I'd say you could follow your nose and get lost and have great fun but some of the good stuff takes local knowledge.
Ping me an email to my hotmail addy if you still have it and I'll send you a pic/map. If I was intimidated by the fitness you used to have on north Wales rides I'd show you around! 😉
I would say you could easily end up disappointed if you havnt got a guide as its entirely possible you could just ride all the wrong bits in wrong direction etc
its also very single speed friendly imo
dont want to gatecrash but could i tag along ? Live not far from there now, been a few times but would love to know where i should be going, found a nice route to the gulley jumps bit but thats it. Will also be SS'ing it.
Would be well up for trying out Swinley. Hows about getting a pre Chrimble STW Swinley ride together?
ashmonkey - email BoltonJon, i'm sure it won't be a problem
I'm going to see if I can wangle to be there too.
You need a guide really - swinley is best if you are in a group following someone who really knows how to link the trails together and keeps the pace up.
If on your own try to get someone to show you over to the top of the babymaker/labrynth/deerstalker area and then you can session that 'complex' for a while.
theres a plan coming together to do a night ride there on the 30th October, three or four of us usually meet. For anybody wanting to join you'd be welcome. Its not an organised ride like that, just a bunch of mates going in the same direction blah blah blah.. all still tbc but usually meet around 7ish, ride for a few hours. pace isnt a race, more a bumble / stumble, but dark night rides arent always for newbies. mostly xc orientated ish, although obviously theres some bumps both up and down. We usually do the main tourist spots and link them up with the singletrack. email me if you want to join us.
I'm happy to lead a few people around on the evening of 19th
Except JonV - who probably knows it better than most!! 😆
If i can sort out the time to be there, you can lead, i'll pick up the back 😉 If you can file a route plan in advance, I'll have a middling chance of being able to follow you - if Johnclimber's quicker than you i won't be keeping up.......
Well, he beat me on the IOM E2E in a fatbike - says it all really!!
Hmmnight ride at Swinley on the 30th October? I assume you're meeting up at the Lookout, How long you intending to ride for?
I'd love to come along if that's OK, but I won't be very quick (1 ride in on a new 29" full sus bike, when old bike was 10 year old hard tail)
SM
Happy to guide a nightride on Tuesday 30th Oct if required
Jon