After work solo ride
cgarossi
Posts: 729
I was home an hour earlier than normal so I took advantage of the extra time and went out for a ride. Theres a normal route I do on Friday nights after work which i've done here but added an extra climb to the top of Worcester Beacon. If anyone knows the Malverns its the highest peak there.
I wanted a camera to take with me, I have a nice SLR type jobby but its too bulky so I went to tesco and bought a £25 digital camera. To be fair, you get what you pay for, its not that great but for camera that I don't mind getting broken or lost it does the job for the trails. Heres the results, no better than a mobile phone camera really but its cheap and it weights next to nothing and fits in your pocket nicely.
Anyway here goes, this might be boring to some, but just though I'd share my local ride with you guys.
The start of the ride. Its a short sharp climb leading to a very short but quick down hill to a carpark. Good for waking yourself up and getting the legs going
Coming out of the car park, another quick burst uphill which opens out on the hills proper.
From then on theres a choice of trails, all leading the same direction but you can choose how difficult you want it. I was feeling quite energetic so I decided to climb to the top of one of the bigger hills as a warm up. You can then cash in your efforts with this neat and fast down hill leading to another uphill. See a pattern forming? In the distance, the ultimate goal. Worcester Beacon
The view from the top of the first hill
The previous climb burned me out a little so took the side track along the next hill...
... which has its own small descent at the end of it. Buzzed a few walkers (safely) along the way. One of them wasn't sure where she was, so stopped to chat for five minutes. Very friendly.
The steed
My ugly mug
After a short jaunt along a road, took a right through a small car park up to a direction dial sat right between Worcester Beacon and North Hill. Theres a sweet single track climb before this which I should of photographed. Here you can see the start of the climb to the beacon.
Top of the beacon. Great views and very clear. Also very windy!
Me again. Knackered!
The long descent all the way back to where I came from.
Near the end. A slight alternate route to get back.
Hope that didn't bore you too much
Like I said, sorry for the quality but that camera is pretty usefull for stuff like this.
I wanted a camera to take with me, I have a nice SLR type jobby but its too bulky so I went to tesco and bought a £25 digital camera. To be fair, you get what you pay for, its not that great but for camera that I don't mind getting broken or lost it does the job for the trails. Heres the results, no better than a mobile phone camera really but its cheap and it weights next to nothing and fits in your pocket nicely.
Anyway here goes, this might be boring to some, but just though I'd share my local ride with you guys.
The start of the ride. Its a short sharp climb leading to a very short but quick down hill to a carpark. Good for waking yourself up and getting the legs going
Coming out of the car park, another quick burst uphill which opens out on the hills proper.
From then on theres a choice of trails, all leading the same direction but you can choose how difficult you want it. I was feeling quite energetic so I decided to climb to the top of one of the bigger hills as a warm up. You can then cash in your efforts with this neat and fast down hill leading to another uphill. See a pattern forming? In the distance, the ultimate goal. Worcester Beacon
The view from the top of the first hill
The previous climb burned me out a little so took the side track along the next hill...
... which has its own small descent at the end of it. Buzzed a few walkers (safely) along the way. One of them wasn't sure where she was, so stopped to chat for five minutes. Very friendly.
The steed
My ugly mug
After a short jaunt along a road, took a right through a small car park up to a direction dial sat right between Worcester Beacon and North Hill. Theres a sweet single track climb before this which I should of photographed. Here you can see the start of the climb to the beacon.
Top of the beacon. Great views and very clear. Also very windy!
Me again. Knackered!
The long descent all the way back to where I came from.
Near the end. A slight alternate route to get back.
Hope that didn't bore you too much
Like I said, sorry for the quality but that camera is pretty usefull for stuff like this.
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Comments
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Looks like a nice, scenic XC route, good for relaxing or fitness training. Not many obstacles!0
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Well the recent rain had made some of the trails a bit technical since it has washed quite a lof of it away leaving expose rocks and gravel berms. So theres enough there for a short ride to keep you on your toes. Especially coming back down.0
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that looks like a really nice ride out, i wish i had a local loop like that. If anyone knows of one in the darlington/newton aycliffe area let me know!! Seriously though great views and the camera is not bad either.2019 Ribble CGR SL
2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4
2014 Specialized Allez Sport0 -
Nice local route
Pics aren't that bad for £25, nice place to ride too.Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:10 -
Looks like a nice place to ride. The camera looks spot, i would of said its worth more than £25. Maybe your photography skills are better than you think!
That hill looks like a leg burner :x0 -
Can be a killer if you're not in the right mind for it. 0
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Looks a nice relaxing route, good for fitness, and great views!Why has my sig been removed by the admins???0
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Great stuff, really interesting to see other peoples routes.
Seeing countryside like that makes me wish I didn't live in such a geographically dull location myself.Less internal organs, same supertwisted great taste.0 -
Looks great. I've been to the Malverns a few times (on foot) and that view across the plain is magnificent. Great to have something like that on your doorstep.0
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That's brilliant mate. We should do this as a feature thread - post up pics from your local loop! Mine would be boring as fook though as Norfolk/Suffolk is pretty flat. I never appreciated that until the 3 days i spent cycling through the lakes from Whitehaven to Newcastle last week 8)0
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Thanks for the comments. I do count myself lucky to be living in the area. Brecon is only an hours drive away too.
I'm not sure how our city dwelling mtb brethren cope with having to travel everywhere.0 -
I hate you with every fibre of my being...
I've walked in the malverns with friends, and I couldn't stop thinking about how much better it would be with a bike. Very very very jealous if you have that on your doorstep!!!!!
Tracy Mosley trains in the malverns doesn't she!
p.s. don't actually hate you, just very very green with envy!
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I think she does.
I've not met her though. Theres usually plenty of bikers around at the weekends and all are friendly. Infact Im up there so often I do see the same people around a fair bit.
The Malverns are a great ride but could be a little short for some, but that depends where you start. If you start right at the foothills near Eastnor and ride all the way to West Malvern and back it'll take around 3 hours. But theres also plenty of trails to explore. If you descend too much they will punish you with a massive climb. St Anns well to the Beacon is a bitch!0
