The phrase, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, has made my realise that there’s sections of trails on the Quantocks that completely blow away other’s i’ve ridden across the country.
Carving up the sinuous lines along frog combe roller coaster was one. A ribbon of leafy trail no more than 300mm wide, it rolls and twists, whips round trees, stumps, watch for the roots trying to throw you down the steep bank to your right into the stream bed far below.
Or was it Bincombe?
Straight off the road your speed increases forcing you into a long drifty left hander, the trail is now almost flat, yet somehow it’s rhythmic line pumps speed from the bike, only a fallen tree makes you brake to ride around it, but a flick of the rear end and a pedal stroke or two brings you back up to speed. Where’s it’s straight, little root systems give something to pop off, landing letting the bike roll scattering loose rock, leaves and tree litter as you pass through. There’s barely any gradient on this trail, nature has formed a near perfect trial, you need to follow a local closely as it’s easy to lose the not so obvious fun line. Roots are in place trying to push your front wheel off course and ankle high stumps lurk on the trail side and at the apex of corners making you need to whip your rear end around to avoid the rear tracking into them. At speed your tyres are fighting grip on the bed of leaves and at times you’re even riding in a gully deep in dead leaves hiding rocks and dead branches, sit back, un weight the forks and relax, don’t fight it you will stay on track but on’y just.
This is probably more like 400yards of trail maybe more, because it’s so rarely used it remains unchanged, therefore naturally perfect.
Or is it……..Bowermans…or ..
