Morning all,
After a few years of nothing, finally sorted myself out a bike capable of going out and about on some decent trails.
Having no ridden since I moved from the Midlands where the Peaks and Cannock were in easy reach, I don't have much information as to what is down near Gloucester / Worcester / Ross etc.
Obviously the Malverns are close by, are there any decent ST trails there worth going for? Heard about Cannop Ponds as well, would people recommend it? What else is there within a reasonable > 45 min drive?
Cheers,
P
Plenty to keep you interested at Cannop; a couple of (albeit tame) XC trails, skills area, DH lines ranging from smooth to big. Cwmcarn might well be in reach too.
Wotton Under Edge has some good trails.
They have their own club and forum. May be able help you on there? [url= http://www.edgemtb.com/ ]http://www.edgemtb.com/[/url]
Am I right in thinking forest of Dean is literally half an hour from Gloucester? Bloody great stuff to go at in there, with dedicated up lift in a couple of areas with fly uphill I believe
Cheers for the answers folks!
Yes @wrightyson, Cannop Ponds is Forest of Dean so need to venture over that way as heard good things!
Isn't the other big flyup downhill purpose built place near Gloucester too? The mini endure comp in fod is also worth a look for a nice friendly comp for all abilities.
Yes, the Malvern Hills are worth a visit. Wyre forest too.
Neither of these are in the South West though.
Check out Bigfootmbc.co.uk Based in Gloucester but we ride allover the county also have trips away as well, there's some good riding in cranham woods, standish woods, leckhampton hill and cleeve hill minutes from chelt/glos centres.
Lots of cheeky off-piste trails through the FoD, but they're not easy to locate. I used to ride around there with a mate, Sean White, who used to work in John's Bikes in Bath, but he's up in Worcester now possibly at Worcester Bikes?
Not sure, but I'm sure if you ask around the bike shops you'll get pointed in the right direction.
Sean used to ride around there all the time, testing bikes, and knows the area very well, it's easy to get lost in among the trees, even though it's only a couple of square miles north of the Peddleaway Cycle centre. Easy to spend several hours hooning around in the forest, most trails are only a pale line in the fallen larch needles, with occasional branches to mark a line, and muddy bits where there's a sharp turn around a tree, entry and exit points on the fire roads barely more than a small gap in the trees; I wouldn't have a clue where to ride if I went back.
South-west would be getting down my way, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall.