Just a heads up on planned work to change the exit of the Chimney as the first of several planned works to the MTB trails in FC owned land on the Quantock Hills.

This is a necessary alteration, which will change the high speed exit which currently comes out right on a section of the red trail walking route.
The present exit has been of concern to the FC for quite a while and due to amounting complaints from other users of the Quantock Forestry, the time has now come to address this issue by amending all trail exits and crossings within the Forestry commission owned land, with includes the DH area of Cockercombe.

The FC will be working alongside members of the local mountain biking community to make these changes.
The work will be under taken, mainly by Mountain bikers/Trail builders and any willing volunteers.
It will be over seen by the FC and the AONB to make sure that the work is suitable and sustainable, whilst not spoiling the look of the forest.

Also, there will be extensive Forestry work in the Forest later this year and into next year, so please read any notices and DO NOT cross the safety fences during the works.

If anyone would like to help, whilst carrying out theses alterations, please get in touch and i’ll forward your details to the work party organiser once we have the go ahead and dates planned.

Sharki

Send em down the Christmas tree line…

The Chimney – a descent that scared the life out of me on a rigid bike in the early 90’s and has got progressively easier over the years.

I love the Quantocks – some of the finest riding in the UK.

Jambo. The Christmas tree line is a touch different with a touch more gnarr these days. 😀

I know, they ran it in the last enduro1 round I did.

Can you put some more corners in the chimney. More than two would be good…

Chimney is over rated IMO. Ita just a great big gulley with no line choices to make it interesting. Best bit is there lose rocky approach to the last corner.

Ita just a great big gulley with no line choices to make it interesting.

Twenty years ago it really was just a gully (about 18″ wide) there’s loads of choices now, in comparison.

When you say they’re going to amend all the trail exits and crossings is that literally every single one?

The chimney and a few others I can understand as it’s a high speed virtually blind exit into a busy area but a lot of others are just a relatively low speed roll out onto a fireroad with good visibility of any passing walkers etc 😕

Mark. Some of the trails, that are mostly over in cockercombe will be looked at and altered if necessary. Although they may be slow to exit with good visibility, some trail users chos not to look putting others at risk.
It’s for these less responsible characters, that the changes are going ahead.

As is often the case, it’s the few that spoils it for the others.

some trail users chos not to look putting others at risk.

True, I wasn’t thinking about them. I suppose in these times of personal injury claims everywhere the Forestry commission can’t be blamed for doing something.

It’s only up the road from me so if I’m around at the time I’ll come and lend a hand 😉

When is this happening? I wouldn’t mind lending a hand. Email in profile.

I got some in depth feedback from my neighbour (quite high up in the FC) this morning makes sense to me.

Just to let everyone know, the exit of the chimney has now been altered.
Around 10metres before the original exit, the trail now bares right through some trees out into a clearing then drops down onto the forest track.
It will be a touch muddy and greasy but once it’s bedded any repairs will be looked at and dealt with in the spring.

The old exit is now blocked so do remember to turn right!
Signage is in place at the top of the trail and nearer the change.

Wet out… 😉

Certainly was Si. I think exposed the only claggy mud up there today.

I’ve just given it a try, a touch muddy is one way of describing it.
The Chimney has always been an all weather trail, the new bit can hardly be classed as that, especially after only one nights rain.

That’s not even after one nights rain, we only finished it a little after lunch time.

But don’t fret Dibbs.
It’ll get better with time and further improvements once a thousand or so tyres have run over it revealing the rocks and roots in the ground whilst pushing the slope to one side.

I wonder if the bottom section is a little too flat, ie won’t drain away quickly enough.

Thanks for keeping us updated, Sharki!

I tried it earlier this afternoon too, was a bit wet & muddy but then so was everywhere else. Hopefully it’ll sort itself out once its been ridden a bit, could do with some dry weather now though to let it harden up a bit.

Don’t know why but I was expecting it to go left at the end onto the other fire road.