I'm planning on checking out Stainburn tomorrow, but I understand it's quite short.

Fine by me as it looks like the sort of place that I'd want to do a few laps of anyway – but is there anywhere else in the north Leeds area that I can fill a couple more hours in the afternoon?

Tried riding Otley Chevin before but felt that I couldn't find the good stuff.

dont worry, its quite short but unless ur some kind of god you will have couple of trys at some stuff each lap and easily fill a day. dont forget to head over the road and check out the purple and yellow runs though

OK, sounds like I may have underestimated it. Only got two-thirds of a day max, so perhaps I'll be happy just at Stainburn.

Anyone know if the website is up to date? I remember reading something about felling destroying some of the trails before?

Also, dare I ask what tyres for Stainburn? Will I die with a 60a High roller on the front? Could change to a softer Nevegal.

Felling did ruin some of the trails on the Norwood side but there is now a basic loop that has been cleared. The Norwood trails are "natural" i.e. not armoured, and should be riding really well given the dry spell.

I think Tom dB from here might be heading up to Stainburn tomorrow.

Cheers Simon, I'll be on a bronze Reign tomorrow so Tom or anyone who sees me, do say hello.

I went to Stainburn earlier this yr with a mate and I think we were there for about 5 hrs in all. We did a few laps of the easier (red?) route & then a couple of the black with plenty of stopping to suss things out & session bits. I didn't manage to ride all of it, but it's a great day. We then drove over to Lee QUarry, but it was a bit further than we thought it was going to be, so was bit of a trek & we were pretty tired by the time we got there so didn't really get the best from it.

We didn't go over the road to the natural trails, as I think it had just been felled.

If riding the Boulder Trail side (same side as the "Norwood Edge" car park) you have the Double Black Loop (Boulder Trail), Red Loop and Descent Line. Each one is relatively short but do them all and it'll fill some time.

Watch out for signs, especially on the climb back up from bottom of the wood / next to Dob Park Road. It's not the puch up that goes straight up hill which is well trafficked but mostly mud/soil. It's a (well eroded) stone track, v narrow and absolute lung ripper. The Descent Line joins into it about a third up from bottom. Two thirds up it hangs a right back into the woods, this is marked by painted white squares containing two black dots. It swings downhill and then climbs back up, popping you out of the woods about 100 yards higher than whewre you entered. Diddy bit of tech climbing back to car park.

Once you've done all those and if you fancy exploring there are a couple of lines (unofficial) that run almost straight downhill in the woods. Go stand on teh pile of aggregate in the car park, road on your left, car park on your right. Look into the woods and there is a track, follow this and then try and stick between the double black on either side. There are two potential lines but they're a bugger to explain. Both pop out eventually at the bottom of the woods.

There is a pump track just in the woods. within sight of the car park. It's quite tricky but do-able with determination and a bit of "nack". Please don't chew it to buggery 😉

Norwood trails have indeed been a bit wrecked but there is a doable loop. A map and general banter about them can be found here:

http://singletraction.frankencrank.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2911

You just want stuff on the first page.

Basically, go out of the car park to the road. Opposite the car park entrance there's a timber gate into the woods (Norwood Edge) on the other side of the road. Go through this and about 10 or 20 m in on the track. A trail breaks off left and you should see yellow flagging tape int he trees. You can follow this and the shitty map on the forum thread for a nice old-skoll-woods ride with some techy sections. Not all sections are clear of brash, so if in doubt follow the map rather than the flags.

If you still have time and inclination there is a skills progression / jumpy-type spot in Thackley with a pump track.

This thread will let you find it:

http://singletraction.frankencrank.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2831

Totally different type of thing but still a bit of fun. Guess it all depends where you're returning to.

Hope that helps. Have a good ride. I might be around with a bike / dog / sprog. Say hi.

If you haven't been before then approach it with an open mind and be prepared for some right challenging / super-tech' XC sort os stuff. It's not like many other places. I'd start Norwood, Red Loop (NB: there's a techy log / skinnies line off the last berms, you'll see it), Descent Line then BOulder Trail. Basically you get warmed up for the hardest one (BT). The only thing to watch is BT is not fast at all. Stayed relaxed, look ahead and roll through stuff.

That's v helpful, thanks for taking the time to write it.

No worries, it just makes me realise our website is a bit sh1t and out of date 😉

Hope you enjoy it.

Whoah, I knew that was going to be tough but I still wasn't prepared for quite how tough!

Very different to any man-made trail I've ridden before (bit like Dalbeattie maybe, but much more intense). Not always fun while riding it – but definitely went away feeling like I'd tested myself (even if I bottled quite a few bits).

Did a loop of the red, three of the descent line, two of the black and had a good nose about over the road.

Red was a nice warm up, but still reasonably testing. Descent line I loved, has a great flow but quite technical too – encourages you to ride fast through the rocks. The boulder roll and following drop is one of my fave trail sections anywhere.

The boulder trail was a different kettle of fish entirely, I'll need a lot more bottle, a hell of a lot more power and more skills before I could ride all of that.

TBH I could see how to ride most of it, even if I wasn't confident that I could manage it – but how do you handle Hovis Corner? Just turn into it and hope or do some fancy hopping round at the top before you enter?

I must admit I left with the sort of mixed feelings you have when you've had some really good riding, but not had the bottle to do some other bits – but already I'm looking forward to going back, maybe with some company, and seeing if I can do better.

Managed to put together what must have been most of the loop across the road, some really enjoyable stuff over there too.

I'm assuming you guys didn't put that ladder drop and boulder jump in? For a second I thought it was part of the XC loop, but on closer inspection it looked a bit wobbly, not to mention big. Almost had a go at the drop but the lack of people/armour/full face put me off. Is it as smooth as it looks?

Anyway, just wanted to let you (cheeky monkey) know that the work you volunteers have put in is appreciated and you've come up with something really special (and scary)!

Glad you enjoyed the stuff we've built, it's not to everyone's taste.
I've been involved with Stainburn and SingletrAction for a few years and I still struggle with some bits of the Boulder Trail, especially the Hovis Corner and the Cole Chute.

The Norwood ladder drop isn't official but has lasted a while, I've seen people ride it and it does look fairly easy but I don't have the bottle for that sort of stuff.Ladder drop clip

Sorting Norwood is something we want to get on with but it's hard with the low number of people we've been getting at dig days recently.

It's dig day next Sunday by the way!

Very different to any man-made trail I've ridden before (bit like Dalbeattie maybe, but much more intense).

Funny you should compare Dalbeattie, I always cite Dalbeattie as my favourite trail, because it's like Stainburn with Dalby forest bits inbetween, my dream trail. I like to go for a ride, but also take my time and stop and play.

I like Dalbeattie too, one of my favourite Stanes. Ridden it a lot on my own when we've been on family holidays at Sandyhills.

yeah, we go to Loch Ken (nr Castle Douglas) every year and the house is 10mins from Dalbeattie. I usually get up early everyday and do a section, there's a couple of places along the main road that you can park up and jump in on the forest road to do a section or two.

While I'd love to come and help out at the dig day, I'm now back at home down south.

Definitely keen to get involved when I move to Leeds in 1-2 years time, but that's not much use to you next weekend!

This might be a funny question, but my thighs and arms ache MUCH more than they normally would the day after a ride of that length.

Is that something you've heard before? Because it's such a physical ride?

Thats probably the 'Stainburn Fear' from gripping your bars too tight…

Dalbeatie is superb, love the red trail with black choices idea, thats the future of trail centres IMHO.

After my recent Scottish adventure you can add to that Kyle of Sutherland, a whole trail ridden on technical bedrock and Golsipe (without the top section), involving techy climb, big traverse with drops and huge rollers, Stainburn style middle section with chicken runs and then 3 really sweet downhill/bermy/jumpy/droppy sections to bring you to a whooping finish..
They have even included log rides for you to hurt yourself on your way back to the car park!
Trail Nirvana.

Glad you liked it. Lots don't which in itself isn't an issue until they tell you how crap it is. It isn't crap, but it is the trail equivalent of marmite, real love or hate it stuff.

I've been building and riding there for donkeys. There are still plenty of bits I can't or don't ride. Cascade (which is the bouldery line after Hovis that you're supposed to ride the top of) and the Cyclopath (NS, Sponsored by Chevin) for example.

Hovis is still 50/50 whether I'll make it. Generally stay wide on the corner and low on the bike. There's a point (IME) where you're at the crux of the turn, probably just about to come out, the bars are turned quite hard and you're really nose down. I either come through with my heart in my mouth or come off over the bars 😉 Lots of folk seem to nose-endo off here. There's aclip on Youtube of two guys riding it qquite smoothly (but I can't access youtube from work). You don't need to hop round it but then this isn't ballet, if it works for you, do it 😉

The trail is incredibly thrutchy so I imagine a lot of fatigue is down to that. And a bit of over-gripping 😉

Don't leave it too long until coming again. It's a place where you can really progress with a second visit.

T 😎