Swinley forest?

natrix

If you want to ride in Swinley the best thing to do is to join BOB mountain bike club. These are the guys who build the trails in Swinley and are closely linked to Gorrick who run races in that area so they know all the best bits! Check out their website at http://www.bobmbc.com/

They have regular intro rides in Swinley so that prospective members can come along on a ride.

richjackson

I rode with BOB once, great for learning the area but they mainly stuck to XC routes through Crowthorne when I went... I don't mind a bit of XC or organised rides now and again but I like to be able to repeat bits I like a few times.

I managed to find most of the freeride/dossing about area with the help of a few locals. I know exactly where to find this (see vid) and the alternative tabletop/jump route:
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/31420/ I've been loads of times but still manage to come across new bits every now and then.

I'm going to start making it a regular thing if I can after xmas, a weekend at Afan gave me the motivation to sort out more rides :twisted:

boofhead

went there last sunday, apart from severe train issues and a 15mile ride to get to the top (had to ride to a station that was 12 miles away to get there. had a really gd ride. Met some people on the train who showed us round and found a single trail that goes nearly the whole way down to bag shot. Passes the big jump sections/canyon and ended up at the top of the labrinth. Which we road for a hour so. So for me thats a great trail as it ends near bagshot station. So a good ride. Probably going to try the same on sunday. Without out the 15 mile detour hopefully. I just fitted some free ride forks so will see how bad they are for xc. Now just need to make a cheap light thats good enough. Probably have to make the tesco one since batteries are so expensive.

Sir HC

I'll be up there on Sunday, was going to go tomorrow but waiting on CRC for some chainring bolts.

stev68

Im over swinley tomoz, and i still dont know where the bleeding so called corkscrew is!
any ideas folks? ta very much.

Sir HC

For the two people I met today and showed around:

http://images40.fotki.com/v1262/photos/ ... 808-vi.jpg

RussAlf

Nice route Looks exactly the same as one ive done, even has the waypoints i made in the map and the little bit where we went exploring

deadpool2e

RussAlf wrote:

Nice route Looks exactly the same as one ive done, even has the waypoints i made in the map and the little bit where we went exploring

Yeah i seem to remember doing a route EXACTLY like that.

stevet1992

deadpool2e wrote:

RussAlf wrote:

Nice route Looks exactly the same as one ive done, even has the waypoints i made in the map and the little bit where we went exploring

Yeah i seem to remember doing a route EXACTLY like that.

BUSTEDDDDD had to be said

The Northern Monkey

Anyone going to be heading down here in the next few weeks? Should be getting my bike sorted sometime next week, and I may be heading down Swinley for a bit of an explore. (Cash depending, i'm proper skint atm ).

whats the altitude change like at Swinley?

Th3 Firestarter

I'm always up for a thrash at swinley. I know a few of the popular trails (labyrinth, jump gully, etc) but I'm always up for exploring and finding new stuff.

The Northern Monkey

Sweet, I WILL be going soon
bloody wheel still hasn't turned up yet tho

out of interest, if coming from twickenham, is it best to get off at Bracknell station or Heron's (can't remember last name) if i'm wanting to get to the look out?

Sir HC

bigbenj_08 wrote:

whats the altitude change like at Swinley?

Not very much. Which means for the most part is fast and flowing, when its dry. In the wet some bits can be hard going.

Been up there this morning, trails all in good condition, not too muddy.

The Northern Monkey

oooo goody
making me bloody jealous now

stev68

Whooo hooo summers here! not yet ,but it felt like it over there this morn/afternoon,was well busy, dog and kids bit was rammed,car park was rammed,but a mile out an it was bliss!trails were a bit different to a couple of weeks ago lol,its drying out nicley.

p.s i found the corkscrew,and its crud!

Best to get off the train at martins heron benj,come out the staition over the bridge,near tescos then follow the roundabouts(theres a few of em lol) the road runs parallel to woods opposite,quite good in there too.then you come upto the coral reef roundabout for the a322,straight over lookouts on ya left about 1/4 of a mile.

vikingboy

I went on Sunday too - first time at Swinley and first time for the missus out on her new bike. Car park was rammed and around the lookout was pretty chaotic but a short distance away and it was pretty quiet.
The trails themselves were great and the area is pretty extensive. We're booth looking forward to returning and exploring some more.

nozzac

So where is the Full Nine Yards trail then? I know the Labyrinth and the other trails that start at the same place. Is it near there?

Th3 Firestarter

Can't say I've heard of the full nine yards. Sounds like a trail popular with nobby nic whoring trail churners (a.k.a. xc-ers )
The funniest thing at swinley is when the xc-ers ride down the push up paths at the side of baby maker/deer stalker.

stev68

The 9 whole yards is the main trail into the centre of swinley,from the go ape gate take the 1st right about 300yds up,then left up the short climb ,over the crossroad junction,straight up a long gradual climbing fireroad whch bears to the right,as you nearly get to the top,take the left handside to the top.

Then pedal right about 30yds or so then you should see a red trail marker straight ahead in front of you,this is the start of the 9 trail,just keep bearing right till you get to the next fireroad,the just keep crossing them and enjoy the ride.it will eventually bring you out at the jump ditch/sandy cutting area.

weeksy59

I'm there tomorrow morning for my first venture into Swinley

Looking forward to it.

Th3 Firestarter

Ah, I know the full 9 yards now. Thats the route I always take from the car park to the gulley (always my 1st port of call ).
weeksy59 look out for me, I'll probably be the only bloke on a scott gambler. Come say hi if you see me.

nozzac

OK nice one thanks.

As I live nearby I never start from the Lookout. I'll check it out.

Do they do any maps of any of the trails anywhere? I only know the ones I stumble across by accident. It would be good to know just what is out there.

The Northern Monkey

Any idea of the conditions atm? I'm going with a mate tomorrow to check it out for the 1st time.

Any tips on how to get to the best trails? Hopefully be starting at the lookout :?

B

stev68

Benj see my post above,that will get you too the start of the main trail in.once you get to the sandy cutting aka jump ditch,you can find most stuff.

labyrinth and camel train- Are left out of the cutting down too the crossroads turn right up a reasonably steep long climb resevoir at the top bear right, oh theres a good downhill just on the left going into the woods,right bear right down the fireroad around the monster puddle ,down an up the wall,deadly steep lol,camel train is on the left before the next left turn fireroad, its tucked away in the bushes,labyrinth is a bit further on about 100yds on the left theres a big pine tree,1st ones deerstalker 2nd is babymaker the other 2 runs are quick and over too soon.

seagullrun-this ones more xc than anything but still a good blast,turn right out of the sandy cutting turn 1st right follow on for about 1/4 mile or so,turn right up the hill untill you come too a concrete hardstanding.take the 4th exit towards ceasers camp just as the fireroad starts you should see two big concrete blocks,turn left here and just follow it goes for about a mile and a quarter,then ride it backwards so you dont get lost.

Tanktraps-When you get back to the concrete called lower starpost lol,take the 2nd exit,follow on for about 250 yds,then there should be a trail head on your right,again follow and enjoy.(look on tube ref tanktrap trail that shows just the end of it.)

That should keep ya busy!

The Northern Monkey

sweet cheers mate

Anyone else gonna be there tomorrow? whats the conditions like atm?

The Northern Monkey

Well, checked out swinley today
made it down the whole 9 yards which was quite fun and to the cutting area jumps (cheers stev68) and hit them for a while.

Twas quite busy so we asked a few people where the other trails were, each person pointed us in different directions!!
Finally some nice bloke on a spesh enduro (cheers whoever you are!) showed us a few jumps and trails which was kewl. No idea where he took us, but the was 1 fu{king HUGE and STEEP piece of BAST@RD fire road never seen anything like it in my life!!

All in all it was pretty good, but I found Swinley very disjointed... and many of the trails weren't great if i'm honest.

Swinley would be awesome with a bit of cash put into some properly built trails!