Long Mynd, Church Stretton this Friday?

puddle-rider

I'm off to the Long Mynd this Friday afternoon, expecting to leave the Co-Op car park at about 3.30pm for a few hours, route will be Carding MIil Valley, drop down to Three Bridges back up to trig point, down Minton Batch, back up Neville Holt and then all the way back across the top dropping down The Batch to return to the car park, if any ones around there welcome to join me.

puddle-rider

Hi guys, went to the Long Mynd as planned, sadly no one else was able to join me but the riding was excelent none the less.
I've ridden these routes many times but have never done the infamous Minton Batch, well as you can see from the photo below I got ride it this time and it is every thing they say about. This has to be one of the best bits of natural single track riding in the UK, it seems to go on forever and whilst not being overly technical the bit of natural erosion that is going on keeps you on your toes and the mind active.

I fully endorse and recomend that you put this on your to do list.

mounty

Only just found this post....too late !

Fully

I love riding the Long Mynd, i don't get to ride it very often nowadays though, as i live in Germany.

I was up at Easter and rode it on my own, it was REALLY misty with about 20-30m visibility. I helped several walkers out that were completely lost on the top. This pic was just before the gradient really ramps up on CM valley (The mist got thicker higher up)



I do like Minton Batch, however it's always been really boggy at the top every time i've ridden it. My favourite descent on the Mynd is the one from Pole Cottage to Little Stretton, it is eye wateringly fast. The following pics are from halfway down and at the bottom:





There is still loads over the Mynd that i have yet to ride. I found a great DH trail that someone had built near to Priors Holt the last time i was there. In fact, the only thing that i don't like about the place is that there are some trails that look absolutely sublime (up there with the best trails that i have ever seen).... and they're OOB to bikes :roll: .

beermonsta

I rode there on monday did minton batch & pole cottage two excellent trails anyone fancy a ride over there in the next 2-3 weeks ?

puddle-rider

I know the Pole Cottage to Little Stretton run very well and agree with you on all counts.
I'm up there again in two weeks time showing some newcomers around and i'll definately be taking this route down to the Pub for Lunch.
I've seen that down hill stuff at Priors Holt, have to admit it's too much for me though.
Minton Batch was boggy at the top last week but further down it was much better.
A lot of the trails on the Long Mynd have been turned into permisive bridleways, Pole Cottage to Little Stretton being one of them, i'ts worth getting the pamphlet from NT tourist office (25p)which identifies both the true bridleways and the permissive bridleways.

puddle-rider

beermonsta,
Can you do a Friday afternoon? I can always get there on Friday's from about 3.00pm but weekends are a little harder, domestic bliss and all that!

mounty

I would be up for a ride, just depends on the day as I have a few things going on at the weekend for the next few weeks.

I could do a Friday afternoon if that was the plan ?

Alright beermonsta, did you have a good holiday ?

topsey_turvey

I know the Pole Cottage to Little Stretton run very well

'scuse me asking, but are you talking about the track down Ashes Hollow, or the one over Cross Dyke?

Fully

I don't know about Cross Dyke, but it's not Ashes Hollow (I think it runs parallel to it, but is SW of it). It doesn't follow the path of one of the valley bottoms. On a 1:50,000 map it's marked up as a footpath with 'Pole Cott' at the top of it, and finishes at a pub. It has definitely been upgraded to BW though. Ashes Hollow 'looks' like it would be the dogs danglies if it were legal.

topsey_turvey

Good, I understand. It's what I would call Cross Dike. Ashes Hollow is quite good, but is usually full of walkers; not surprising really as it's a footpath, but I just wondered if it was one of those that had been upgraded. Thanks.

puddle-rider

Cross Dyke is the one we are all talking about, Ashes Hollow looks superb, had a good look on Google Earth recently and it looks awesome but don't think you would get away with it as i terminates in the camp site at the bottom and you would be sure to get caught in the act.
Has any one come downYapsel Bank or Minton Hill where they both join up with Packetstone hill and run into Minton at the bottom, again on the OS map and google earth they both look perfectly rideable.
I could do Friday afternoon 4th or 10th July, maybe even Saturday 11th July if we fancy a group ride?

Fully

I've done Yaspel Bank once, only as far as the top of Windy Batch though (Very nice view from there). It was okay, but a pedally(sp?) imo.

Do you know much about the other side of the hill? The only drop i've ever done is the one down to Asterton, which although fun was over way to quickly due to how steep it was. Also, any info on Stiperstones or the trails over towards Hope Bowdler would be much appreciated 8) .

puddle-rider

Iv'e been across Wild Moor and down into Ratlinghope and from there worked my way over to Stiperstones and back via Bridges, Medlicott and up Pole Bank to the Trig Point. There are a few good runs on this route but it is still pedally allthough pleasent.
I don't know anything about the other side of the road Hope Bowdler and all that allthough the OS map looks very interesting, sounds like an expedition is needed!

beermonsta

Hi Mounty

Holiday was good thanks

I could do a friday if we arrange a date

puddle-rider

Let me be the first to propose a date.
How about Friday 19th or 26th June, leaving Co-Op car park at 3.00pm

Fully

If this becomes a regular thing i'll catch up with you guys when i come over in Sept/Oct.... It'll give you more time to find more trails over there for me too .

beermonsta

I've done a few bits near hope bowdler a big climb up to car cradic (i think it's called) then a fantastic descent realy rocky remined me of the alps.

Can do any friday but need an earlier start as need to be back for 5ish

topsey_turvey

Caer Caradoc, Ragleth, The Lawley. Brutal climbs all of them. Good job they're on footpaths so we can't ride them - honest.

puddle-rider

Sorry guys, I can't start before 3.00pm, work and all that

kinggb

hi ive been looking at heading to long mynd for a ride for a while now but am struggling to find any info on where to ride ect. is it fairly simple to find your way around or do you need to know the trails? any help would be greatly appreciated.

puddle-rider

Hi there,

You could try this route, it works out at about 4 hours in the saddle at a reasonable pace and includes a pub stop in Little Stretton at about the halfway mark. The best route list you can get is from the Tourist Information shop in town or at Carding Mill Valley they sell a pictorial pamphlet for about 25P which has all the rights of way marked including the concessionary bridleways.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Lo ... -The-Batch

If you want to PM me I can send you some pdf's of the OS map overmarked with some good routes.

Anonymous

Anyone about tomorrow, 24th July, to show a group of girlies around a 2 to 3 hr route? We are meeting at 12 noon in Carding Mill Valley. Thanks.

puddle-rider

Sorry off on my hols tommorrow but 2-3 hours does limit your choices but if you want some advice and want to stick to 2-3 hours then try this.

Up Carding Mill Valley if you have not done this before it is a hard push and should take 30 to 40 minutes.

Turn left at the top and follow the track keep right shortly where the track seems to split and then shortly after that bear right, follow the track down to the bend in the road and go staright on up teh track infront, over the brow of the hill and doen to teh farmhouse bear left to meet the road, turn right and follow road to T junction, T Right and follow road at right hand bend go staright ont and up to Coates Farm. Over the cattle grid and follow sighns to Medlicott, at Medlicott and sharp Right Hand bend go straight on and up the hill, shortly after this the raod turns into an unsurfaced rocky track at the top of this track is an obvious crossroad turn right and go up to Trig Point

Rest and enjoy the view, Go past the Trig point dwon the track to the road past Pole Cottage and at car park bear left onto obvious grassy track, follow this all the way down for two miles to Little Stretton, stop at the pub and then go left back to All Stretton.

This route will take 2.5 hours.

Have a look on bikely.com and do a search under Puddle-Rider and you will find this route mapped out on google earth the link might work

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Lo ... -The-Batch

This whole route will take 4 hours in the saddle and 1 hour at the pub, what I have described is just the first half of it.

I would be very pleased to show you around during September if you want and can do Friday afternoons as well as the weekends

Anonymous

Thanks Puddle-Rider. You're a star Two of us could do Friday's and most of us weekends so definately will be up for a ride in September.

I've ridden there once and have done Minton - guessing it will be a bit soggy at the moment Just don't know my way around on the top. Thanks again.

Fully

I am back in the UK for a long weekend on 27th Aug. I am probably going to ride Cannock on the Saturday (28th) as it's my old stomping ground, and some old riding buddies have promised to show me lots of new singletrack that i've not seen before....

...However, if anyone is about on the Friday, a ride on the Long Mynd would be a great welcome back to the UK for the first time in 6 months (Lunchtime onwards, as i'm driving back from Germany overnight on the Thursday). That Pole Cottage descent still gets me all misty eyed .

puddle-rider

Hi Muddypuddle,

Minton as in Minton Batch? excellent descent allthough it's always a bit boggy at the top but from a 1/4 of the way down it's usually fine.
Pole Bank descent is always dry, till you get to the ford at the bottom of course and the descent at the other end down the Batch is again usually dry.
Friday 14th August is looking good and i'm at this moment organising a group for the 5th or the 26th September, i'll put a post on around the 9th August.
IMO the best place to park in Church Stretton is the Co-op car park, £3.00 all day and decent public toilets for changing in.

puddle-rider

oops turn left at the T junction :roll:
My spelling is not usually so crap, just the barin working faster than the fingers

Anonymous

Cheers Puddle-Rider. The descent near the Gliding Club is the one that I have done. We will try and find Pole Bank tomorrow

I could do 14th August and/or 26th September.

Fully - Which Friday do you mean? The 28th is a Friday not a Saturday. I might be available but could you post on here again nearer the time? Thanks.

Julieanna

Hi just moved to the area, wondering if there was a group meeting to go out on mountain bikes at the weekends?

Anonymous

Hi Julieanna - welcome to Shropshire. I have sent a PM to you.