Can any locals tell me what the conditions are at the moment.  I figure the top ridge will be as it always is – short grass and rock, so no mud.  But what about the rest of the place ?  Is it a muddy mess or is it worth exploring ?

I’m trying to decide; some proper mountain biking, or thrashing round a trail centre.  But its condition dependent at this time of year and while I’ve enjoyed two weekends at Cwn Carn and one at the FoD so far this year, I’m missing normal riding.

Cheers

I was there a couple of weeks ago. Fairly mud-free really. Locals seemed a bit grumpy. Sorry I can’t offer a more up to date report.

Locals notwithstanding, the Hills rarely get miserable except for a few stretches in hollows north of Holy Well.  Eastnor and The Gullet areas are a different story in the winter and can be wet and claggy.  It’s all fun tho!

ie on this route it only gets muddy on map 5 bit usually skirtable, and it’s not too wet here at the moment so just go for it IMO.

Yours truly,

Grumplestiltskin

Don’t come and ride the Hills, it’s rubbish and wet & boggy all over! There are no good tracks and whenever you come it’ll be crawling with happy walkers..

Cheers chaps.

Stevied – your correct, its all pants.  Has been since 1987 when I first went up there on a bike 🙂

I think I started up there in ’87 too on a Raleigh Avanti 🙂

Ha, I’ve got a great picture of me and some mates up there.  Fully ridged, canties, triple sets and I was sporting a Flex Stem.  Which Id told my mates made the bike way better.  But actually was just £70 wasted and 3lbs of un-necessary weight.

twas a twizzel of snow today

Grumplestiltskin, that’s the route I did. Not sure about the legitimacy of the 10 to 12 section: doesn’t seem to be BW on my OS and the locals seemed  in a particular kind of funk there

stevied wrote:

Don’t come and ride the Hills, it’s rubbish and wet & boggy all over! There are no good tracks and whenever you come it’ll be crawling with happy walkers..

I’ve no idea why people go up there – in fact I don’t even believe the reports above of people riding there. as we all know it’s a complete waste of time and nobody should even think of travelling here to ride. The stories of it producing world class riders who win world championships and Commonwealth games medals are a complete myth.

Squirrel wrote:

Not sure about the legitimacy of the 10 to 12 section: doesn’t seem to be BW on my OS and the locals seemed  in a particular kind of funk there

That would be the bit where there are “no bikes” signs at a couple of points (that route looks like it goes straight past one in the middle of the last map)! I’ve ridden that bit of the route loads though and only had a couple of grumpy comments (though you’ll mostly see me riding that southern section with less than a full complement of wheels and in general people seem more friendly then).

Forgot to say, it’s nearing brass monkeys up here and snowflakes just beginning to fall.  So although haven’t been on the bridleways for a while I can confidently predict it’ll be pretty firm going ATM.

Squirrel that’s a good point re section 10-12, the general gist I’ve gathered from the Conservators/AONB/Keepers Of The Path/Ankh Morpork Song And Dance Society is to stick to the East side and stay off the ridge.  As a daylight bimbler I tend towards cheeky carte blanche or well-lit midnight raids, both have served me well so far and any complaints I’ve had are my own as a walkist when twice near-flattened by Weekend Warriors thinking it’s their own Black Run whilst running late for pie 😉