Doesn’t look too far from Cotswold Farm Park where the Bonty 24/12 was held about 5/6 years back and that was a great course (apart from when it rained, which it did, a lot, which turned it into a slither/bogfest).

I don’t know gatcombe, but i do live in the cotswolds, i think the Bonty course was pretty representative of what may be available. It can get incredibly muddy, in a deeply unpleasant sticky clogging way. But it can also be very free draining and fast in any weather. Depending on how the course is laid out it could be dry or it might not be. Real issue is how much is in the valley bottom which will probably be wet.

So no ideas what the course will be like.

Gatcombe estate is mainly up high or on valley contours if that makes sense. The bits that are low in the woods will be muddy unless we have a very dry spring. The woods are managed so plenty of access tracks/fire road. Think workmans wood in sheepscombe mrmo.

Thanks Tang,

Think workmans wood in sheepscombe mrmo.

so potentially very wet but in a way that still allows you to ride. just very filthy?

Are the high up bits comparable with Cleeve or Painswick Golf Course, ie dry short grass, fast, loose gravel where grass worn away? but never ever wet?

Just a shame you can’t arrive till the Friday 🙁

Team sumo will be at http://www.twentyfour12.com this year, raising money for disadvantaged children

Are the high up bits comparable with Cleeve or Painswick Golf Course, ie dry short grass, fast, loose gravel where grass worn away? but never ever wet?

No, probably not. It’s just off the side of Minch common but the similarity ends there. I raced at the Cotswold Farm Park 24. I’d guess it’ll be similar, and yeah, similar to Sheepscombe too. And Avening, which is the other side of the same valley.

In places where the eventing is up high its really free draining and being on top needs bit of wind and sun to dry.
There are a number of stoney tracks that I’m sure will feature. I doubt they will use the horse xc as the big event is in early August and they will want it looking good! If its dry it will be nice and fast, wet mudx will be ideal! The grass up top is grazed by sheep so always short and topsoil is not deep (bit like the commons) hopefully with careful planning good sections should be weather proof ish.

I’m not complaining about the venue. No one has seen the course let alone raced it. But my point about 500 racers all queued up, trying to get through 2m gaps between trees does not make good racing. In the same way that a flat field does not make racing interesting.

Waits to see with optimism.

Quite looking forward to this. Sure there will be a queue for the first and potentially second lump of Singletrack but after that it will spread out and a little patience goes a long way. Pretty sure lost of the folk on here moaning already will not be on the podium so these issues are of little relevance.

Sit back, relax and chill for the first lap or get to the front, run like Usain Bolt then sprint like Cav for the first bit f singletrack – then slow everyone else down!

It will hopefully be a cracking weekend with mates. You know what it will be like, either sign up, smile and enjoy or er don’t, and ride somewhere else.

Really it isn’t that difficult.

Anyway – What tyres for Gatcombe Park?

Sure there will be a queue for the first and potentially second lump of Singletrack but after that it will spread out and a little patience goes a long way.

This ^. At Cotswold Farm Park 24/12 there was a stretch around the ‘arena’ followed by a wide grassy descent and a short, sharp climb into the first 1-at-a-time entrance to the singletrack. First lap there was a lengthy queue. By the time the second lap came around it was straight in. Same for the rest of the course as well which I seemed to remember included a fair bit of singletrack. Was a cracking course until it rained…

See if I can rope a couple of mates in now it’s moved venue 🙂

At Cotswold Farm Park 24/12 there was a stretch around the ‘arena’ followed by a wide grassy descent and a short, sharp climb into the first 1-at-a-time entrance to the singletrack

I also remember some whinging because people were using the tape as intended and able to bypass the queue.

LoCo – Member
have to pay the bridge fee now

Discussing whether Loco Racing will be fielding a team at the moment

Only if you go back 🙂

It’s only 30 mins from my house. Woop!

But my point about 500 racers all queued up, trying to get through 2m gaps between trees does not make good racing

So you’re telling me they shouldn’t have any singletrack on a mountain bike event? I must have imagined all the bits where overtaking was difficult at Eastnor, and the lack of any major queues on them.

Sit back, relax and chill for the first lap or get to the front, run like Usain Bolt then sprint like Cav for the first bit f singletrack – then slow everyone else down!

I’ll probably be in the top 1% of runners at MM. I’ll be on a unicycle 😈

At Cotswold Farm Park 24/12

ah yes the mud. I seem to remember the course being a mix of landfill rubbish and chickenshit. Once it rained the smell was awful

[/url]
Untitled by tangwyn, on Flickr[/img]
Here’s where I shall be watching you all(unless im riding this year)! I live about 1 mile away but office here behind those doors and have a bed! No tents for me. This overlooks part of Gatcombe wood and some of the xc eventing course.

Recall riding at Cotswold Park Farm and the mud collecting around my wheel, the bike stalled and I fell off. Soft landing though!

Isnt it about time that the name Mountain Mayhem actually meant what it said rather than some mudddy bumps in southern England
A Peaks venue would have been better (there are some bigger bumps there at least) and its central England.
Think I’ll save the cash this year… 🙁

Not that one again Hphil. Last few years mayhem events were around 1200/1300ft of climbing per lap. The top boys will do >20 laps.

I’ll leave you to do the maths.

A Peaks venue would have been better (there are some bigger bumps there at least) and its central England.

Yeah, I’m sure there are plenty of venues in the peaks that could cope with the numbers that Mayhem gets each year. Maybe they should base it in Edale. The climb up Jacobs Ladder should help spread the field out and prevent bottlenecks further on.