sherwood pines...any good?????

deadliest

Yeah not very impressed at all . . . keep hearing reports that its a finished trail but it still needs sections to be hardpacked to make it rideable IMO.
If its supposed to be a purpose built trail then it should be just that and the really boggy sections should have an alternate route marked out as they do at Cannock.
I live really local and would love nothing more than this to be a trail I want to go back to.
The pines also need to get a Webpage up with more info on the trail such as Cannock http://www.chasetrails.co.uk/index.php and Dalby, The Purple Bike shop at Dalby http://www.purplemountain.co.uk/index.php/bikeroutes has all the info on their page and really promote the trails because it is obviously good business but the Pines LBS has nothing ???
I personally feel the trail is not finished and we should all stop riding it and churning it up until it is.
I know that what I am riding is a MOUNTAIN bike and I should not moan about muddy conditions but purpose built trails are meant to be pretty all weather to keep us smiling until spring, When I go up the peaks I expect the worse and usually get it, Most of us I am sure ride the trail centres through the winter months as they tend to be slightly less treacherous.

stevieboy

Couldnt agree more with what you have just said, although it'll be interesting to see what its like when its done.

However, there should be diversion routes set up to give some of the new trails a chance. The management is poor.

mbrfan

Big Tex, were you at the Pines last Sunday? Saw a group of four, someone with a Meta said hello going past the cafe.
My first trip for a while, should have taken a look at the Bikely route, then wouldn't have got lost (possibly). Some areas are good, but I notice that the off-camber bits at the start were a bit greasy and thus asking for a tyre washout.
Difficult to assess tyre choice - hard, narrow mud tyres worked well in some muddy parts, but got completely bogged down in the more peaty areas.

and then, about 20mins into the route there's a bit where, after a wide track you turn sharp left and go into a tight slalom-like trail through the pines, slightly uphill - this was very boggy, but I felt it would have worked better in the opposite direction - anyone know where I mean?

Overall, it probably would be a blast in the summer, but for now I'll stick to Woburn for my winter recommendation to anyone P'boro way.

big_tex_uk

MBRfan was not me the other day as last time i was up there was before the snow.

Deadliest - i agree also, so much of the route could do with some TLC but nobody seems to know what is being done from what i can make out. I will speak to Paul at Sherwood Pines Cycles on Saturday when i am up there to see what he knows.

All we can do is try and get some point of contact. Last thing i knew it was Becky Mayo at the Rangers office but have not seen her around.

stevieboy

A few of us tried to get in touch with the forestry via paul, paul & co to set up a meeting. We collected a load of thoughts to give to them, but whoever it was that went in the end was met with a frosty reception. They werent apparently interested in hearing our views and would only say to 'judge it all when it's done'.

This was despite the points we had raised being valid from an engineering point of view (from myself) and a riders point of view, all concerned with what had been built so far.

My major gripe is that they are ripping out existing trails and replacing them with poorly built replacements that do not drain and do not ride well. At this rate there will be no 'locals trails' left. Bit disappointing that the only 'local' brought in was Cy Turner of Cotic Bikes who i've never seen up there before, shame they ignored the club riders who know ever single feature of every square meter in there collectively. Some of the route choices leave a lot to be desired, especially given the natural drainage of the forest.

It's no Cannock, Dalby or Glentress, never will be, even after they've wasted a few hundered thousand k on it. Being local, i'm stuck with it unless I wanna go tarmac munching.

wysiwyg

deadliest wrote:

, The Purple Bike shop at Dalby http://www.purplemountain.co.uk/index.php/bikeroutes has all the info on their page and really promote the trails because it is obviously good business but the Pines LBS has nothing ???

http://sherwoodpinescycles.co.uk/location.html

You didnt look very hard...

deadliest

wysiwyg wrote:

deadliest wrote:

, The Purple Bike shop at Dalby http://www.purplemountain.co.uk/index.php/bikeroutes has all the info on their page and really promote the trails because it is obviously good business but the Pines LBS has nothing ???

http://sherwoodpinescycles.co.uk/location.html

You didnt look very hard...

Although I have my own bike what I really need to do is log on to the page and then click the link to HIRE a bike ??

That way I will find what trails they have, Of course its so simple how stupid of me for thinking they might have a section about the trails in a seperate section.

wysiwyg

God you are blind - its under the tab that says location. Which if i were looking to ride somewhere, and didnt know it, would be the first place to look.

deadliest

And what a vast array of information there is once located ?

Can I just point out that my gripe is not with the LBS my concerns are actually about the trails.

I was also under the assumption that the trails are finished which they clearly are not an announcement of expected opening date would be a good idea IMO instead of just Under Construction because they really should be labelled as Under Destruction.

The North shore drop off at the end of the Dual slalom section has been smashed to pieces as well dont know if anyone else has noted this ?

hoochylala

As someone who has relatively recently started mtb'ing, I have now been riding Sherwood for a couple of months now and have been really happy and impressed with it, but I took my first journey to Cannok last weekend, and was a completely different kettle of fish!

Problems I have found with Sherwood is that despite the trails not being finished, it appears that as mentioned before, good local created trails are being knocked down in the process, I have noticed this even in my short time riding there. I have asked in the shop about trail maintenance etc.. but I always seem to get a frosty reaction? First time I was there I asked the shop where the trail started and got told they did not really know as they had not ridden it themselves?!

Anyway... Seems a few of us riding there now. Would be good to have a forum like the chase trails one, seems to create a good relationship between users/local lbs and good place to meet people who ride there etc.. Just an idea!

deadliest

hoochylala wrote:

As someone who has relatively recently started mtb'ing, I have now been riding Sherwood for a couple of months now and have been really happy and impressed with it, but I took my first journey to Cannok last weekend, and was a completely different kettle of fish!

Problems I have found with Sherwood is that despite the trails not being finished, it appears that as mentioned before, good local created trails are being knocked down in the process, I have noticed this even in my short time riding there. I have asked in the shop about trail maintenance etc.. but I always seem to get a frosty reaction? First time I was there I asked the shop where the trail started and got told they did not really know as they had not ridden it themselves?!

Anyway... Seems a few of us riding there now. Would be good to have a forum like the chase trails one, seems to create a good relationship between users/local lbs and good place to meet people who ride there etc.. Just an idea!

My sentiments exactly Hoochy

wysiwyg

You will have got that reaction from the shop, as until recently it didnt officially have a start point (they built it backwards) so telling you where it starts wasnt possible.

And as for not riding it, its perfectly true, the owner rides road, the manager rides..around..who knows, mechanic doesnt ride. The shop is kept so far out of the loop as far as the FC and events its untrue. They tell the shop nothing. And the FC dont know a good trail or a DH trail from their ass or their elbow.

But dont get me started.

stevieboy

Start J start!

The forestry bunch are clueless

hoochylala

wysiwyg wrote:

You will have got that reaction from the shop, as until recently it didnt officially have a start point (they built it backwards) so telling you where it starts wasnt possible.

And as for not riding it, its perfectly true, the owner rides road, the manager rides..around..who knows, mechanic doesnt ride. The shop is kept so far out of the loop as far as the FC and events its untrue. They tell the shop nothing. And the FC dont know a good trail or a DH trail from their ass or their elbow.

But dont get me started.

Gawd, seems reasonable to me then now that they were forsty! - seems a little stupid them not being informed! it could be such a great centre and place to be if everyone knew what was going on surely!

Anyway still really enjoy the place now that it has become my local

dhutch

Looking for a trip out from Leicester and are trying to toss up between the Pines and Hopton Wood if anyone has any thoughts?
- Ive been to neather and unlitmatly will go to both, but as im organising it as a group dayout would hoptons better signage be of help, or is the good riding at pines?

Previously we have been going to Llandegla, and also Cannock once both of which i know fairly, and they worked well although i had only really done the dog at Cannock or followed others so the afternoon was a bit hit-and-miss relying on my sketchy knowlage of the off piste rides.


Daniel

abductee

I've just knocked up this website. let me know what you think and if you can suggest any more things that I need to add.

Or if you think I should ditch it

http://sherwoodpines.synthasite.com/

big_tex_uk

Good work,

Its a start to getting something which could get plenty of hits and at least give people and idea as so many seem to be unaware of what there is now at the Pines.

Would be good to get our own community forum and might even get our voice heard by the FC.

deadliest

Very good like Tex says above hopefully if we can get our voice heard it may stop the build being clouded in such secrecy ?

hoochylala

Woah! good idea and good work abductee - definitely keep, don't scrap - same as Tex as I suggested would be great to get a little forum of some sort and get a community together power in numbers and all that ...

abductee

I have added a Google Group. There is a link to it on the home page. Give it a go and let me know if you think it's any good? If it is I will make the link a bit more obvious. The only problem I can see is that google groups shows part of your email address so it's best to use a throw away account.

I think the first thing to be done is to number the stages. I would suggest the main fire roads would delimit each stage. When we have them numbered it will be easier to know where we are talking about. (Same as Cannock). then we can post closures/diversions if it gets muddy or if Clixbys are working on a section.

I did think about naming sections after battles of the western front (Kitchener and all) but I think we would end up naming all the muddy ones after the Somme so that wouldn't narrow it down much.

It's a bit frustrating that the project started in September 07 and we only have bits of complete sections scattered around. It would be better to complete one section at a time and then open it to the public rather than do lots of incomplete sections linked by a quagmire. In the stage 2 video you can see big areas where it has got muddy and people have tracked around the muddy patch. Surely this will cause erosion?

wysiwyg

t's a bit frustrating that the project started in September 07 and we only have bits of complete sections scattered around.

I think u'll find thats it - finished, finito, done. It officially opens end of April, and Clixbys arent due back afaik.

abductee

So what's the £300,000 been spent on? Parking meters and car park lighting?

I hope you are wrong about Clixbys not coming back but in the press releases it says a 9.6km XC trail and its nearer 13.9km so perhaps the 4km shortfall is the muddy sections and we're stuck with them until the sun shines.

wysiwyg

13.9km at £9 a meter or whatever, £4k on the DJs, £2,5k i bet on the "skills loop", bet another £3k on the 'dh", new Adventure family route, new family route, then theres the Shore which hasnt gone in yet, you do the math.

siratechef

Hi there! First time poster on the forum!

I rode around the Kitchener last summer around stage 1 + 2 and some other bits of it that I found on the way. I was initially really chuffed that they finally started to get something decent there - after the really rubbish dual descender and the black project.

To be honest, I'm just glad that they've got SOMETHING there. It is a pretty decent forest and what else is there in the Mansfield area for us MTBers? Naff all!!!

One of the things that does my head in about Sherwood is there are loads of really great single track out there to find especially the abandoned routes from the NPS series, but you have to wander around aimless fireroads just hoping that that juicy looking trail will actually lead to somewhere other than back to the bloody visitor centre!!

I just hope that it will get sorted and not get trashed by the local youts!

Hope springs eternal and all that!

deadliest

Its already started being trashed . . . the Ladder drop at the end of the DH section has been smashed in half ( Fookin Ejuts )

abductee

I'm not convinced that the ladder drop is an official development. I saw someone putting it together on a weekend so I don't suppose it was Clixbys doing overtime. It was made out of poor quality untreated timber. I saw the first rung being broken by a bloke who rode to the top and then got his wheel stuck before falling off so it's probably not vandals.

If it's been completely trashed it's probaby the FC who don't want any insurance claims. After all it's along way off the beaten track to go and vandalise something.

wysiwyg

The ladder was unofficial and 'deconstructed' by the FC. BORING!

abductee

I've been for a ride round today and they've also trashed the area around the ridge. Mashed it up with a digger and plonked tree roots everywhere. Also on the stage after the dual descender they've put tree roots at the bottom of the drop-offs. I wouldn't mind if they has done something worthwhile to compensate but most of the kitchener trail is an unridable bog and even the new bits on the dual descender are full of puddles and not draining.

And to top it all off someone has been riding a motorbike up the newest section.

lastwords

Went to sherwood pines yesterday first time since early last year to be honest i was really impressed, you can see it is still a work in progress but the kitchener trail is fully sign posted, the parts they have worked on are really fast rolling and are great fun to ride

There are sections that would get boggy if we have heavy rain but it is clear to see they havn't worked on these sections apart from cutting some trees down.

The jump section looked good but there was rubbish everywhere :evil:

The downhill section is a work in progress but the parts that are finished are great fun.

I have never been to any other trail centre yet so i have nothing to compare it with as i do most of my riding in the peaks, but i can say it was fun and a lot better than the last time i went.

angrymeerkat

lastwords wrote:

Went to sherwood pines yesterday first time since early last year to be honest i was really impressed...

Right with you there.

What's been done [on the Kitchener trail] is a huge improvement. It's a hoot in the dry - a few sections really flow nicely - but in the wet the trail just isn't mature or draining well enough, leading to that sinking feeling! It'll come good in time.

Thanks to all who have been involved in the hard labour so far