Riding around Exeter area?

Will be down this way early next month. Will be actually very close to Haldon Forest but it looks a bit tame.

Any advice much appreciated.

cafe side is far from tame…

dartmoor is on your doorstep if you want to venture into the cleave…

Could you expand on the cafe side jambo? I’m no DHer!

Quite happy to do something on Dartmoor,just need a route needs to be a short drive from the Forest though.

there is more to haldon than just the red and blue routes. I know some but not a lot.

lustleigh cleave is your best bet for a XC ride, I think there was a STW route published not that long ago.

This

Will be actually very close to Haldon Forest but it looks a bit tame.

kinda contradicts this

I’m no DHer!

does it not?

kinda contradicts this
I’m no DHer!
does it not?

No I wouldnt have thought so but thanks for your input

Oh and thanks for your help Jambo 🙂

I visited that area a bit ago and did a ride round the cleave and then into dartmoor – exceptional riding and I was disappointed I didn’t have more time to explore. Also did Haldon forest with the kids in the trailer, which was nice.

Get on the heatmap to see what’s what, although you’ll need advice on directionality. I went up Hunter’s Tor on a technical, rocky trail that I’m sure would have worked better descending.

Heatmap great idea! cheers gary

Carl on here sent me a good route map when I went – recall I posted a similar query to yours. I’ll email it to you when I get home.

Will be actually very close to Haldon Forest but it looks a bit tame.

I would actually ride them if I were you. I’m assuming you’re going by the website. Red route is lumpy enough for xc mincers like myself, prefer the blue (challenge) myself as it’s more swoopy. Be rude to not at least try it if you are there. I’ve only ever stuck to the waymarked trails as I’m a good little grockle, but some of the diversions look fun.

But Dartmoor is like the best place in the world as far as I’m concerned too 🙂

Cheers Garry much appreciated!

Brassneck – Haldon sounds like Delamere up our way, good off piste stuff if you go explore so will give it a go as well as Garrys suggestion cheers.

if we can make the timings work i’ll show you around haldon if you like. 😉

post up nearer the time and you’ll more than likely get someone to ride with, knowing the cheeky and offpiste and looping them in a sensible manner will make for a more enjoyable experience.
the off piste trails at haldon are brilliant. cafe side is amazing and really well made but some big gaps on some lines, so if you dont do air you are better off over haldon side on the red trail and off piste.
the route I sent garry is a goodun for moors area.

edit: I’d take del up on that offer he knows it very very well!

Cheers guys will post up nearer the time

Just got back from Devon. The missus wasnt too happy with me doing a solo mission out ont moors so I opted for Haldon Forest.

Did a couple of loops of the red/black, I thought the 1st half of the red was pretty good (fast and swoopy). The black was ok but should have just been part of the red.

After a couple of loops I went for a look for the off piste stuff and found some cracking DH runs which could be linked together by the blue route. Shame it started peeing it down just I found these bits as they were a bit greasy in the wet.

All in all an enjoyable day playing in the woods 🙂

A trail doesn’t have to be full on DH to be ‘gnarly’. However even as an xc or pure trail centre rider, you’d find Haldon red and blue a bit tame. Definitely compared to anything in Wales. The so called black even more so. That said, if you’re used to the likes of Swinley in the SE then you’d probably find it more technical as it actually has rocks 😉

If you get there at a time when there will be no families on the blue, and blast it fast it’s actually quite fun despite all being smooth. Just nice and flowy. Combine blue to red in one and it makes it an okay length. The red is just over too quickly.

But yes, get off those trails and hit the cheeky stuff and the place becomes a lot more interesting. Not a massive amount of stuff, but some fun in there.

Elsewhere, there’s Woodbury Common down towards Exmouth. A lot of stuff there, but chances are you’ll get lost. Needs much exploring, a guide, or a decent route to follow. I followed this route last time – http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1101382

ps watch out for and keep clear of the Marines. It’s MoD land, so usual rules apply. Stay out of their way and move on if asked.