Quantocks out of fashion?

The last few years has seen the Quantocks rise and rise in popularity with a similar increase in Q related threads on here. I have seen very few so far this year- are the Quantocks out of fashion nowadays?

I have a few days off this week- so I’ll be up to Bicknoller at some point in the next seven days I’m sure.

If it’s true isn’t that a good thing?

I had a fantastic ride there on Friday: Frog, Somerton, Slaughterhouse and Weacombe. Perfect weather, empty trails, fantastic scenery, even a couple of close encounters with red deer. Riding as good as my last trip to Skyline/W2 without the inconvenience of the slower riders and the attitude of the impatient. Top day. 🙂

Having grown up in Taunton I’ve been riding on the Quantocks for over 22 years now.
In that time quite a lot has happened – there’s been racing, there’s been a ‘cease’ of racing, trails have come and gone, man made DH trails have been accepted as permanent, cars have been banned from the RUPPs, etc, etc.

But the main big change I notice when I go up there these days is just how busy it is with other mountain bikers. If you think the Quantocks are ‘out of fashion’ just nip up to Lydeard Hill or Triscombe on a Saturday morning and see how busy it is. It used to be that MTBers were considered an inconvenience by the many walkers who used the Q’s- its now not unusual for us to out number them!

We’re down that way this week, will drop you a mail Ambrose 🙂

It does seem to have gone quiet on here but it’s just as busy as it has been up on the quantocks. And I prefer it to heading it a trail centre (that maybe because I can be up there and riding in 10 mins from my front door) and less sun afternoon riders looking st the scenery and not where there going

Maybe it’s quieter these days due to the amount of 29ers being ridden. I seem to remember we were all told that 29ers can’t be ridden in the Q’s because the wheels would explode.

Knottie is notably absent from here, sharki is away with the butterflies. About time I went back to visit, haven’t ridden the quantocks in a long time.

Nah you always see other cyclists about. Have a good trip

jam bo – Member
Knottie is notably absent from here, sharki is away with the butterflies. About time I went back to visit, haven’t ridden the quantocks in a long time.

POSTED 15 MINUTES AGO #

August 2009?

The Qs are rubbish – I wouldn’t bother. 😉

Was that you up there riding from Lideard Hill on Wedneday evening Richie?

August 2009?

Was that 2009? Shit the bed.

I prefer it to heading it a trail centre (that maybe because I can be up there and riding in 10 mins from my front door)

Same here, I’ve been riding up there 2-3 times a week most weeks lately and there always seems to be plenty of people about.

Maybe it seems quiet because we’re all so busy actually getting out there riding it 8)

Hey Hamishthecat – I’ve been away all week so wasn’t me on Wednesday but if it was a Silverfish van it was most likely our South West rep who lives in Taunton or our Marketing Manager who has a place in Cotford St Luke.

If you ever see me up there come and say hello. I normally ride a gold Mondraker or a fluro yellow Turner and I’ll be in an un-logoed black VW Transporter.

Cheers

Saturday, 10:00 AM, Crowcombe Park Gate. It will be my first Quantocks visit this year. Hope to meet up with NBT and Bunnyhop for some relaxed XC.

Sorry for arriving late guys- no excuses apart from not thinking about traffic and stuff. Mea culpa.

I really enjoyed toaday’s ride, Janice did too despite being uber-tired and stuff. It was nice to ride some new stuff, Weacombe was fun, the ride back up so manageable too. My new mech hangar was waiting on the doormat when we got home, I now have all my gears so no excuses anymore- grrr.

Deer, ponies, bunnies! and some pretty cool fungi as well. Plus great riding, good company and a pint of Doombar to drink and pork steaks with mustard mash to eat at the end- what’s not to like?

Use to love riding my XR250 across the Quantocks on the drovers trail.Somerset has become a no go greenlaning county.Some will love this.You always see people up there cycling any day in the week.Bit different 15miles south up on Dunkery etc.

I still ride the Qs most weeks , I just dont take as many pics as I cant think of any new ones to take. Im doing two days and camping out up there next weekend. That said I rode woodbury common today and Dartmoor last weekend , probably exmoor this mid week . Lots to ride in the southwest .

I love the quantocks, and cant wait to ride there this summer…exmoor also awesome..

I to love the Q’s!

Back in September – can’t wait 😆

I miss radsik russels posts about how boongnar the rockgardens are on the Q’s. 😥

Ambrose – We had the best time. Those descents just go on and on, so thanks again for the guiding.

Stu – Where are the ‘rock gardens’? I was trying to tell nbt about them, however not being local I didn’t know where they were. Any photos?

We cycled some bridleways in ‘Dunster’ forest on the Wednesday, my, they were steep.

I like the Quantocks but still exploring it so its a bit hit and miss for me.
I’ve ridden Smiths combe, Weacombe combe, Paradise combe, Stert/Holford.
Was there last weekend and it seems alot of the singletrack in the great wood has been destroyed by recent treee felling. 🙁
What else is worth riding round there?
As most of the descents lead to Holfords what are the best climbs to the ridge other than the great road?

Somerton, Slaughterhouse, Holford, Frog, Cockercombe, Bicknoller, do what I did 20 years ago and get yourself a 1:25000 OS map and go exploring. Keep your eyes open and while you’re doing the legal stuff you’ll find new trails, some will turn out to be deer tracks and end in nothing others will turn out to be little used gems.

Hi – I’m from the area and have been cycling about on the Q’s for about 20 years now. I know where all the combes are, and I have a couple of favourite rides. But I’m damned if I can find where you guys are on about the DH trails and built up tracks! I think I’ve been to one called Wagon Wheels, which descends through woodland into the Forest Trail, near the Chimney. But other than that, where do I look? I don’t suppose someone has made a PDF overlay of the start points for these named and seemingly well known trails?

most of the DH tracks are in cockercombe. triscombe stone car park is the best place to start.