I did the Blue route on BH Mon with the wife and my 8 YO Son, then when he went off to play on the fort i thought i’d nip off the Red route, Its fairly local to me and as its fairly peddaly it keeps me topped up fitness wise………..

Problem is on the first bit of track between the two metalled roads i was confronted by 3 women ! looked like Gran, Mother, Daughter combo ? Turned out to be the 3 billy goats gruff !
They refused point blank to move and obstructed my path ! i tried reasoning with them but as far as they were concerned it was a path for all ?

I then encountered numerous Dads with their sons on tiny bikes trying hard to ride the red ! ubfortunately some of the grown ups had Lycra on so i suppose the kids on to a loser with the over zelous dad !

THEN on the bit of a Berm section i was pretty much flat out when i encountered a Big Dog ! Two grown ups and a kid on a battery operated trials bike !!!!!!
None of who’m wanted to move ?

Then there were all Pikeys on cronkers cycling the wrong way road asking which was the quickest way back to Forest Town !!! WTF !

My Question is this !
Should i take up tiddlywinks to avart giving myself stomach ulcers OR Join in with majority of folk i saw on the trail yesterday and just do WTF i like Hollyhocks to every one else ?

AND Relax

Welcome to trail centre riding

on BH Mon

There’s your problem…

My BH run was early morning and miles away from a trail centre!

I wonder if we should petition to add some gnarr to the first section or two of the red at Sherwood to destroy any BSO that may be steered towards it by their numpty owners! 😀

The section after the next one is also a usual spot for tricycles (and usually coming up the trail too) due to it’s proximity to the green route… Fortunately there is pretty good vision so you can stop in time!

Just to add some balance, We rode Sherwood Pines red on BH Monday too.

Had a great time, didn’t see anything strange, nobody going the wrong way, no dogs in the way. Just rode it and enjoyed it. 😀

(Actually, I did see a bloke in Jeans, a long sleeve button down shirt, and a Full Face helmet, but he looked happy enough so it barely registered)

4 scallies on the FTD trail late last night @ cannock, trying to get me to stop as they were feigning injury. 3 on bikes one on foot – must think I was born yesterday……seen most things at trail centres.

trail centre on a sunny bank holiday, you did ask for it 😉

Avoid at peak time if you want to avoid numptyness. Avoid the waymarked routes as well.

Thought there was going to be a pines pootle looking at the title.

Lucien; that’s shocking. I’ve noticed more and scumbags at Cannock these days but I’ve never had any trouble with them.

What section was it on? Was it the flattish bit near the other visitor centre where they all hang out and have bbq’s?

@mindmap3 – after the Werewolf drop, climb up and it levels out and then gets bermy/small drops, before the roller coaster bit – it was the bermy/drop bits where they were loitering….saw them by the Cafe after I’d put bike in the car etc and all seemed “well” with the injured hoodie.

Sheesh. That’s the last place I’d expect to see them (although I guess it is near the cafe). I know it’s not funny, but I’ve got images of a hoody wearing, track suited oik rolling around pretending to be injured but with no bike.

We’re you on your Todd? On a serious note, it is a bit worrying because I ride there on my own quite a lot although I haven’t been up there in the evening for a long time. I’m surprised that there isn’t more trouble like that up there like that.

Last time I was there a kid on his own going the wrong way round on a bike with stabilisers.

I had to brake pretty sharpish as I didn’t see him until very late as he was hidden from view by the previous berm. As I was stopped trying to convince him to go back to his parents, I got expletives hurled at me by a fellow mountain biker for being stopped on the trail!!!!

Thing is, _SHE_ did see a 6’2″ bloke wearing fluorescent jacket on the blind corner… What she didn’t see until she’d actually passed me, was a 4 y/o kid stopped in the trail, at which time I vaguely heard what was either a muffled apology, or more cursing (though this time at the child).

TBH It’s par for the course. First time I ever went to the Pines, I admit I got told politely I was going the wrong way. I apologised, explained I was lost (the signs are much better now though), and the guys were very helpful. With that approach everyone wins.

BTW If you are in Notts, and don’t want the traffic, the bridleways that make up the Tonya’s challenge route are good. Much better climbs, and faster descents :). I ride them regularly, and it’s rare you even see another MTB, let alone a walker.

smaca, I,m just North of Notts on the Doncaster border, I’m usually at Wharncliffe or Wales sometimes Scotland but my Son is keen to get some peddaling in this half term on his new bike so we started off the week with a run round the Pines, The Blue is a decent family trail and uses up the forest tracks and trails well, to be fair the Red is a decent loop and is a good Lick round when done twice.

I was a bit retisant to do the the Pines and should have took a trip North to Dalby but its a decent area and my Son loves the fort and the sand Pit.

Hopefully the next time will be a bit more normal….. and maybe we should have a pines Pootle ?

Hopefully the next time will be a bit more normal….. and maybe we should have a pines Pootle ?

Yep, I do tend to avoid it on BHs. I often take my kids (12 & 14) at the times the faster guys would consider avoiding due to “traffic” (e.g. Saturday afternoons), and have had no real problems.

Next time I’m taking the kids I can drop you a PM if you like.

Si

You usually find when ure a mile or 2 in the small
Kids & dogs are less frequent !..however it is supposed to be a family centred facility !…but …

And if you want real excitement to test your skills ,go dog lead dodging round Clumber !..

And if you want real excitement to test your skills ,go dog lead dodging round Clumber !..

Or how about Blidworth Woods and try dodging doggers!! 😈