Macclesfield forest DH

chatters

Hi, has anyone ever ridden Macc forest DH? I have heard about it a few times and was wondering if its a private affair or if anyone can thrash it!! It sounds a good blast!

Vaudevillevillain

Nice coincidence this as I live in Macclesfield! You'll notice that I only joined on here today, have only been mtbing for a couple months, but I have ridden a couple of routes up macc forest, but cant claim to be an expert!

Short answer though: yes anyone can thrash it. At least as far as i'm aware. Theres always a few other riders up there on a crisp sunday morning! No, there are certain areas which are for walkers only, but theres plenty of excellent DH routes marked by the green bike signs which are easy to follow.

Let me know your thoughts if you try it! Have fun!

prophet_1000

Hi, I used to live in Macc and still ride around the forest when I can get over that way, I think that you are refering to the proper DH course? its called the Nessit Hill DH.

You cannot ride it officially as there is wooden beams across the beginning and ends and chains across the middle section of the course which crosses the Sub-bridleway. there are signs on the trees stating that you should not ride it due to Health and safety risks and that it belongs to FC and Nessit hill Mountain bike club.

However....... I have rode it a handful of times on a hardtail (rockhopper) many years ago,I thought then it is definitly NOT for your average cross country weekend warrior on a hard tail! So when I bought a Full susser I thought Ok now lets do it, Again still not for lightweight cross country bikes. There is Padding wrapped around most of the trees as the gap between them is pretty tight.

Advice.... If you are already a downhill rider then you'll know what proper MAD downhill Trails are about and May be able to contact them to join them at a ride, If your Not a Downhill rider and don't have a downhill bike then stick to the trails around the forest or better still, incorporate the Catn Fiddle into your ride and do the Dane Bower section and then back upto Macc forest again.

Final word... Yes the Downhill Course is a blast and Much fun but is off Limits Unfortunately.

Hope this helps

prophet_1000

Visit My site at www.27gears.com for pictures of Macc forest and Cat n fiddle trails

davethejackal

chatters wrote:

Hi, has anyone ever ridden Macc forest DH? I have heard about it a few times and was wondering if its a private affair or if anyone can thrash it!! It sounds a good blast!

I did it 2 (or was it 3) weeks ago, the wrong way round (didn't have a map). The DH was great, but as I bought my bike less than a month before the uphill almost killed me... esp the 100ft climb in the first mile without much of a warm up.

You can get a map here or from the numerous locations in the forest itself, e.g. the food van in the main macc forest car park.

keepfallingoff

Hi, has anyone ever ridden Macc forest DH? I have heard about it a few times and was wondering if its a private affair or if anyone can thrash it!! It sounds a good blast!

I've ridden the forest and cat and fiddle loops dozens of times, great rides with some good techy stuff and killer climbs. The proper downhill section is hidden away in the forest and locked timber logs obstruct the entry if you can find it. (no markers).

prophet_1000 Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject: Macc forest DH

---

Hi, I used to live in Macc and still ride around the forest when I can get over that way, I think that you are refering to the proper DH course? its called the Nessit Hill DH.

You cannot ride it officially as there is wooden beams across the beginning and ends and chains across the middle section of the course which crosses the Sub-bridleway. there are signs on the trees stating that you should not ride it due to Health and safety risks and that it belongs to FC and Nessit hill Mountain bike club.

However....... I have rode it a handful of times on a hardtail (rockhopper) many years ago,I thought then it is definitly NOT for your average cross country weekend warrior on a hard tail! So when I bought a Full susser I thought Ok now lets do it, Again still not for lightweight cross country bikes. There is Padding wrapped around most of the trees as the gap between them is pretty tight.

Advice.... If you are already a downhill rider then you'll know what proper MAD downhill Trails are about and May be able to contact them to join them at a ride, If your Not a Downhill rider and don't have a downhill bike then stick to the trails around the forest or better still, incorporate the Catn Fiddle into your ride and do the Dane Bower section and then back upto Macc forest again.

Final word... Yes the Downhill Course is a blast and Much fun but is off Limits Unfortunately.

Hope this helps

prophet_1000

prophet_1000

Hi davethejackel

I dont suppose there is a correct way around the forest and think you can ride any direction, although I prefere to ride from the leathers smithy up the lane and into the forest on the left through the gate, follow the bridleway up and up and up past the old small stone building (keep it on your left) out through the gate and UP the very steep but short road, at the top where it levels out turn right up the double track path (Charity Lane) then nail it down the other side.

Watch for cars a the bottom, either turn left to go to cat n fiddle or for a quick blast around the forest only! go straight over and follow the road to the end, turn right and at the end of that road go straight over back into the forest through the gate, follow the bridleway all the way around back to the road again and along to the leathers smithy.

If you are looking for the downhill, after you enter the forest again before the last section described in the paragraph above, you go along a flat section then up very slightly then its a fast blast downwards around a lefthand corner and back up quite steeply, down a little then its a fairly long uphill slug. Then you go down hill with small jumps off wooden boards that are set into the trail and at the bottom the trail goes up very steeply left then right keep following up untill there is a view over Macc forest on your right with benches to sit on, from the bench area is a hardly worn path to the left with small bushes etc around it head towards the trees ahead (bridleway is on your left, big drop down the hill on your right) and the start of the DH is on the right of the trees. cant really see it unless your right on top of it.

Happy riding

prophet_1000

www.27gears.com

tank121

I'm new to MTB and took on the Macc forest route on Sunday, fablous views and some really tough uphills. (Forest Fever route)

Followed the map supplied by

www.bikemaps.co.uk

Anyone else own the macc forest one, anyone done the Forest Fever route in reverse ?

keepfallingoff

Anyone else own the macc forest one, anyone done the Forest Fever route in reverse ?

Yes Mate i've done the Forest Fever route reversed a couple of times but i much prefer it as per the bikemap. Charity lane is great fun coming down as per the map direction. The other way its just hard work.

Regards

davethejackal

keepfallingoff wrote:

Anyone else own the macc forest one, anyone done the Forest Fever route in reverse ?

Yes Mate i've done the Forest Fever route reversed a couple of times but i much prefer it as per the bikemap. Charity lane is great fun coming down as per the map direction. The other way its just hard work.

Regards

I think this is what I did, I'm sure it would be better the 'right' way round. ;-)

gary_fisher3

I did it 2 (or was it 3) weeks ago, the wrong way round (didn't have a map). The DH was great, but as I bought my bike less than a month before the uphill almost killed me... esp the 100ft climb in the first mile without much of a warm up.

As above, the downhill is not marked on any map i've seen and there are no way markers. Unless you happen to know where it is you wont have seen it. It's not open to public access , which is probably a good thing because it's dangerously technical and steep.

The main trail around macc forest is steep in places (nothing like as steep as the downhill) and with the exception of charity lane is smooth, well surfaced and suitable for all abilities..This trail is open to the public.

steve100

I went to macclesfield forest yesterday, it is great place to ride. But I would not recomend trying the down hill trail in the middle of the forest unless you want decapitating, there are chains across it every 10metres or so and it looks like a very very difficult coarse, it was built by the nessbit hill biking club there are some signs up there with there contact details on it (I did not bother writing them down).

I go up there every weekend either to ride the bike or walk the dog, on sunny days the views are amasing. A good short route to take is to start at the leather smithy and ride down to the bottom revsivor then turn right to the teggs nose resivior go round the resivior and join the briddle way that follows the base of teggs nose, when the briddle way rejoins the road turn right and start a bitch of a climb of about 800 feet that feels nearly vertical,) the road eventually turns into a narrow track with very loose stoney ground. Follow the track up the hill when you reach the top you rejoin the road on the right, follow this road right to the top of the hill along side the forest, when you reach the very top of the hill take the briddle path on the right. This goes along the back of the forest (there is another briddle path lower down the hill that goes through the forest but it takes you straight back to the pub)

When you join the briddle path (known as charity lane) you have to keep climbing, the ground is loose but the climb is not to steep. After a few hundred metres the path starts to drop very steeply, the path is very rocky and stoney and is great fun, (don't fall of here as the rocks are very hard). When you get to the end of charity lane go stragight on down the road, at the end of the road turn right and follow the road, after a few hundred metres you come to a carpark on the right and in front of you is a gate which leads onto the forest briddle way go through the gate and follow the briddle way, after a short gentle climb the path drops steeply and to the left and then is followed by a short steep climb to the right after the climb is is pretty flat for a bit then there is another steep drop followed by a windy very steep climb (on a short climb though) once at the top it levels then starts to drop slightly on the right is a seating area which is a good place to rest and admire the views across cheshire and manchester, on a clearday you can see the cumbrian mountains in the distants and to the left you can see liverpool.

This is the fun bit, as most of the ride has been climbs it is time to go down, basically keep following the briddle path down the hill, this is geat fun as the path just keeps going down and down for about a mile and a half. the ground is loose gravel and you can get some real speed up (watch out for pedestrians, dogs and horses and make sure you slow down for them) right at the bottom is a sharp left and then a gate, so slow down when you see the left hand bend as hitting the gate hirts. Once through the gate you are on the road turn right and follow the road down the hill, at the junction turn left and follow the road back down the hill back to the leather smithy. The ride is about 6.5 miles and is great because the last 3rd is all down hill, I hate rides that finish on a climb.

djdime

i live in macc and do the forest run ALL the time - think it has been said before but the best route is up past the smithy, down charity lane then up past cat and fiddle - then down the dane bower section - and up again into the forest -

if your feeling adventurous - do charity lane in reverse - in the wet - deffinately deflate your tyres tho.

steve100

djdime wrote:

i live in macc and do the forest run ALL the time - think it has been said before but the best route is up past the smithy, down charity lane then up past cat and fiddle - then down the dane bower section - and up again into the forest -

if your feeling adventurous - do charity lane in reverse - in the wet - deffinately deflate your tyres tho.

The climb from the smithy is a bit boring, the climb from the base of teggs nose is a alot harder. The cat and fiddle route is good and is basically twice as long as the one I described, I do them both depending on how much time I have.

Charity lane in reverse is a real bugger I tried it twice and spent most of the time pushing the bike, but I am still a relative beginner LOL

djdime

first time i tried it, it was embarrasing - 2nd time i let my tyres down and it was still tough but i did it

Vaudevillevillain

Love any route around macc forest. Went this morning.


Grits & Gears route off the cheshire cycling website.. Too intense.

steve100

Vaudevillevillain wrote:

Love any route around macc forest. Went this morning.


Grits & Gears route off the cheshire cycling website.. Too intense.

Its not that hard, to be honest I think they have it just right. It is difficult for beginners but not impossible and for the more experienced rider it is still a challenge. The climb to the top of charity lane is great for getting the heart pumping and the lungs working, al though it is one of those that makes you think you are at the top only to find that around the corner you are still going up.

What part of macclesfield are you from???

Vaudevillevillain

True, but the initial climb up on the gravelly track from the bottom of saddlers way is nigh on impossible, in my eyes anyway. Charity Lane, I dont even bother I'm not afraid to say I walk up there! Although I'm maybe not the fittest guy and am only newish to mtb'ing.

I'm from the congleton road area. Suppose thats classed as the Moss.

gary_fisher3

Apparently there is a path across the fields that misses the gravelly track out. (Never used it myself).

http://www.geocities.com/steviestoat/macclesfield.html

steve100

Vaudevillevillain wrote:

True, but the initial climb up on the gravelly track from the bottom of saddlers way is nigh on impossible, in my eyes anyway. Charity Lane, I dont even bother I'm not afraid to say I walk up there! Although I'm maybe not the fittest guy and am only newish to mtb'ing.

I'm from the congleton road area. Suppose thats classed as the Moss.

The problem with that track is if you stop it is so hard to get going again, and when you get to the top and onto the tarmac that hill upto charity lane just seems to keep climbing up and up, every time you think yu are at the top you get round a bend and see the road still climbing. But you don't half feel like you have acheived something good when you cycle the whole thing with out stopping. I am doing the grit and gears 2 ride tomorrow morning, went up today with the dog and it is very wet up there so I will be getting covered in mub, can't wait LOL

I am from broken cross but moved to hurdsfield 5 years ago. Luckily I live right on the edge of the estate right next to the canal so its great for mountain biking as I can get to all the good places straight from the canal.

I used to spend most of my college years in the flower pot on congleton road and my inlaws live just off it so know that area well.

gary_fisher3 wrote:

Apparently there is a path across the fields that misses the gravelly track out. (Never used it myself).

http://www.geocities.com/steviestoat/macclesfield.html

There is a path but you are not allowed to ride on it, it is walkers only, to be honest it is probably just as bad as the gravel track, certainly as steep.

prophet_1000

Visit my site for a few piccys of charity lane descent (I think going in the good direction)

www.27gears.com

steve100

prophet_1000 wrote:

Visit my site for a few piccys of charity lane descent (I think going in the good direction)

www.27gears.com

Yep thats the good direction, you are right as well as the picture does not show how steep the descent is alot steeper when you are riding on it. You picked a great weather day when you went. At the weekend I could not see more that 100metres infront of me for low clouds. It was still great fun but got caked in mud.

prophet_1000

I took the picture up on the banking thinking that would be the best place to take it, Obviously thats why I'm not a photographer. next pictures will be better hopefully?

You cant beat getting caked in mud, it serves two purposes 1) It &!$$£$ the missus off 2) it means you had a great days riding and you'll really appreciate the nice hot shower afterwards, PRICELESS.

I used to fly down charity trying to do it as fast as I could then one day I thought id take my time a little, I think its much better at a slightly slower speed, it gives you time to hit the jumps properly and pick a smoother more controlled line down the slatey part near where I took that photo where it goes steeper.

steve100

prophet_1000 wrote:

I took the picture up on the banking thinking that would be the best place to take it, Obviously thats why I'm not a photographer. next pictures will be better hopefully?

You cant beat getting caked in mud, it serves two purposes 1) It &!$$£$ the missus off 2) it means you had a great days riding and you'll really appreciate the nice hot shower afterwards, PRICELESS.

I used to fly down charity trying to do it as fast as I could then one day I thought id take my time a little, I think its much better at a slightly slower speed, it gives you time to hit the jumps properly and pick a smoother more controlled line down the slatey part near where I took that photo where it goes steeper.

I did an easy ride on saturday down the canal to marple and then back down the middlewood way, its about 20miles but all flat but I got covered from head to toe in mud, dog shit and horse shit, when I got home the wife looked at me and said "o so you are doing your own washing today!!!!!!!!" :x :x :x I thought.

I have o agree that charity lane is alot better at a moderate speed, much easier to find the right lines and less stres on the bike to, but the main reason to go a little slower is that it does not hurt anywhere near as much when you fall off, something I have had alot of practice doing

I took the dog up there today I wish I had gone on the bike, the weather was brilliant, lots of people out riding. Altough I think someone had an accident as there was an ambuance and a paramedic car flyng up to the main car park, do't know what had happened.

prophet_1000

Yeah Steve100,
I know all about accidents at Macc Forest, it is one of the least technical places to ride (i.e the bridleways around it) yet I still managed to break my coller bone ON THE BRIDLEWAY !!
Before you get to the viewing point near to the Nessit hill DH track, there is a really steep twisty (corkscrew) climb which branches left off the main bridleway (you cant go straight on as there is a gate in front, there is path behind which you cant ride as it is a walking path only, BUT on the sly it is brilliant to ride BUT very dangerous to ride as it is steep and very slippy with boards going across the trail created as steps which the ground has erroded away in front of, anyway very sketchy and should be walked first to see)
Well right in the dip where it branches off it usually fills with a puddle, myself and my riding buddies were screaming it down the bridleway and my mate tried to bunny hop the puddle from the small step about 4-5 foot away but he failed, I new I could bunny hop it, which I did! problem was as I landed my front tyre pinch flatted on a large piece of Hard Core and spat me shoulder first into the floor OOUCH!
Some guys came past as my mates were fixing my puncture, "are you alright lads" " yeah no probs, cheers mate" and off they road. as soon as they were out of sight it was back to showing my pain again. LOL

steve100

prophet_1000 wrote:

Yeah Steve100,
I know all about accidents at Macc Forest, it is one of the least technical places to ride (i.e the bridleways around it) yet I still managed to break my coller bone ON THE BRIDLEWAY !!
Before you get to the viewing point near to the Nessit hill DH track, there is a really steep twisty (corkscrew) climb which branches left off the main bridleway (you cant go straight on as there is a gate in front, there is path behind which you cant ride as it is a walking path only, BUT on the sly it is brilliant to ride BUT very dangerous to ride as it is steep and very slippy with boards going across the trail created as steps which the ground has erroded away in front of, anyway very sketchy and should be walked first to see)
Well right in the dip where it branches off it usually fills with a puddle, myself and my riding buddies were screaming it down the bridleway and my mate tried to bunny hop the puddle from the small step about 4-5 foot away but he failed, I new I could bunny hop it, which I did! problem was as I landed my front tyre pinch flatted on a large piece of Hard Core and spat me shoulder first into the floor OOUCH!
Some guys came past as my mates were fixing my puncture, "are you alright lads" " yeah no probs, cheers mate" and off they road. as soon as they were out of sight it was back to showing my pain again. LOL

I will have a look for that path, I know the cork screw bit, but do't know the path you are talking about. I came off going down the hill from the viewing point (going clockwise way round the bridle path) I got my speed right up, in top gear as hard and fast as I could, I took a long right bend to quick and the back wheel slipped on the gravel and went from under me the next thing I knew I was sliding down the gravel and in the grass bank on the left, I had the worst gravel rash ever and my right ass cheek was black and blue luckily no broken bones.

prophet_1000

OOOHHH, It makes you cringe when you think about it, I know just how sketchy those corners can be, and the loose hard core really does put the Shoots up you when you can feel the tyres rolling around underneath you. luckily I haven't done the gravel slidey thing at Macc yet, hopefully never!

Really like the long straight after the small pool on your left as your heading down to the gate from the viewing point, Again top gear fast as you can then jump as high and far as you can on that tiny little bump in the trail half way down the straight, then its watch out for the dog walkers on the dodgy right hand corner with the wood carving on the left and gingerly around the left hander 100yds before the gate ( the one which may as well have marbles on it as its that slippy )

Classic.

Vaudevillevillain

prophet_1000 wrote:

Yeah Steve100,
I know all about accidents at Macc Forest, it is one of the least technical places to ride (i.e the bridleways around it) yet I still managed to break my coller bone ON THE BRIDLEWAY !!
Before you get to the viewing point near to the Nessit hill DH track, there is a really steep twisty (corkscrew) climb which branches left off the main bridleway (you cant go straight on as there is a gate in front, there is path behind which you cant ride as it is a walking path only, BUT on the sly it is brilliant to ride BUT very dangerous to ride as it is steep and very slippy with boards going across the trail created as steps which the ground has erroded away in front of, anyway very sketchy and should be walked first to see)

LOL I know exactly which path you mean. One of the first times I went up there I did it from bottom to top and started on that path at the resevior. Not realising until I reached that gate that it was for walkers only..... duh! But at the time I can remember thinking that if you went the downhill route it would be pretty good!

From the viewpoint down is a magic run. Love it. And yes that bend past the little pond is nice lol.

I mentioned the Grits & Gears route a few posts back off the cheshire gov website. Me and a mate did the Riding the Ridges one on Sun morn. Fantastic run, some excellent sections. BUT, if I ever see jumper lane, blaze hill and pike lane ever again, it will be too soon! :x

prophet_1000

Hi Vaudevillevillian

I will have to check out the Grits and gears, riding the ridges routes on the cheshire.gov site I have heard about them but never ridden them. Moved to staffordshire now so only really go up macc area occassionally to meet up with my mates who used to live in macc also, but they now live in (mark off my website) altrincham and (Dom off my website Odd pics) stockport. so we meet up every so often or if I have a spare weekend afternoon/morning from the wife its off where ever.

My local ride is Dimmingsdale which is very very close to Alton Towers, is a great network of trails all natural with routes running through the woods. crossing streams and there is also a totally ridable easish downhill section about 1/4 to 1/3 mile long built by local youths which pretty good. Also get to Cannock Chase Occassionally to.

That walkers only path at Macc is really scarey to ride, you pick up speed so quickly and its so hard to stop, it takes around 20-30 foot in which to stop which isnt enough time in an emergency there is also a concrete path at the bottom when the bridleway runs out which is about 3 foot wide with a dry stone wall on one side, my mate Mark found out that it makes a pretty good brake/ catch net! . I had pushed my bike up it once months before and thought it would make a pretty good descent and so we set off like Idiots at full speed, laughing at every near brush with certain injury, until the bottom where mark came a cropper!! LOL

www.27gears.com

prophet_1000

Been to Macc Forest this Morning, Excellent ride!! Snowing and very cold/ windy at the top on Charity Lane. lots of riders out this morning while we were going around and plenty of walkers too. Last descent down the bridleway to the gate was a blast, really fast and very Wet/ Muddy, AWESOME!!!

2 Pictures of the ride here:

http://www.27gears.com/macc2.html

Vaudevillevillain

prophet_1000 wrote:

Been to Macc Forest this Morning, Excellent ride!! Snowing and very cold/ windy at the top on Charity Lane. lots of riders out this morning while we were going around and plenty of walkers too. Last descent down the bridleway to the gate was a blast, really fast and very Wet/ Muddy, AWESOME!!!

2 Pictures of the ride here:

http://www.27gears.com/macc2.html

Nice pics. Bit jealous actually, me and two others went out yesterday morning but only did a relatively short run around Langley. At one point we did notice looking up the hills what it looked like and kinda thought we should have gone up. Love a bit of snow!

prophet_1000

Getting out of bed was pretty hard, and riding down the road after charity was freezing with the wind chill in your face, we were laughing saying we must be crazy! BUT hey it was still awesome and something to talk about on future rides.

Wished I had got a few more pictures but when I was getting my helmet etc on by the smithy in the rain and wind I thought, I wont bother to take the Camera or helmet cam, so those two pictures were taken with my phone hence the poor lighting.

There was 8 other riders on the trail that I saw 4 going in the same direction as us (up the lane by the smithy, Charity etc) and 4 coming in the other direction, climbing charity in the hard direction is something I wouldn't have wanted to do sunday morning :!:, it was hard enough coming down.