Thetford Forest

T4 Mark

As the weather is going to be top notch on Friday , i would normally want to go climbing :P . But I’m going over to Holt in Norfolk on Friday for a retirement bash, and there is mostly nothing but flat stuff. So i am considering going to Thetford Forest for a ride.
Now i see that it is listed as a Black, and i'm only used to Red runs, these however have been in the Lakes (Grizdale - North Face, Whinlatter - Altura - North & South), North Wales (Marin and Panmachno) or at Cannock (Chase the Dog). How does Thetford fair to these and is it any Good?

DC01

I did the black for the first time yesterday, which was my first visit to Thetford. Compared to other trail centres i ve ridden it is just about a red route. A few sections were fast and flowing and the beast was good, but a lot easier than what i was lead to believe. The rest i found quite fustrating. Where Thetford is an established man made forest, alot of the surface is compacted plough ruts. Im all up for a rough surface and a challenge with roots, stones and drops etc. but the constant dips of the ruts due to the old plough lines were enough to make you sea sick. They kill your speed no matter how much or many of them you manual through or just try and carry your speed through. i tried all ways but just couldn t get into the flowing rythm i was hoping for. Which is a shame because the first quarter and last third of the route were good. I was with my brother who is a relative newbie and he made it round fine, but the plough ruts ruined it for him before he got to the better sections at the end of the route. Ill still go back there and try the red and i think theres probably plenty to explore in Brandon country park across the road. And lookind at the list of the red routes you ve done i think you ll find it quite under whelming.

davidmiller

it's easy. I did all four Thetford runs on my first ever MTB outing.

Have fun!

DM

T4 Mark

Thanks guys for the replies.
I'll be tackling Thetford on me own, so i think that it will be all about just getting out and trying the place.
I heard that it was more 'XC' than anything, so i will expecting to pedel a bit more. :roll:

rbrettell

The black run is relatively easy especially after what you have done already - The signs are more scary than Glentress and Afan forest though

Other than the beast at the end The red run is way more fun as it flows better

taz3611

I Took my 12 year old boy, who rides a bike but only for 'normal' round the village riding. He managed the black route fine, including the Beast. There are a couple of tight turns but nothing serious. He enjoyed it and wanted to do the ride again but faster. We compromised and did the Beast section a few times more. There are a couple of ways through it and what I would suggest is to follow the marked trail the first time. At the end of the section, when onto the fire road, turn off right up a grassed hill back to the start. This time, just before the 'official' start of the Beast section, turn off right. This will bring you out at nearly the same point as previous but will take a different line throuogh the forest. Enjoy.

davidmiller

.......as I said it was my first trail outing. I did all runs in a long morning session. The closest I got to taking a tumble was on the blur run when I came fast down a short hill and it was very sandy at the bottom. Watch out for that.

Apart from that the "furniture" on the red run is interesting if you are not used to it.

DM

T4 Mark

Thank again for all the advice.
Regarding Trail furniture, not really bothered about that, as a lot of Grizdale is made up of Board Walk.
The only incident that i've had with Trail furniture was on a Third Run of the day around Chase the Dog. There is one Section that goes across small section of Board Walk and then goes onto a Plank Ride across this Stinking Bog.
You Guessed it!!!!!!! on the Third run the front wheel dropped of digging the fork into the wood and sending me over the bars and head first into the pond of doom :oops:

mattfefc

What actually is the beast. Always here it mentioned, what does it consist of ?

fenboy369

Red Route, RED ROUTE! The Black is pants imho. But the red plus eastern loop is a nice ride. Nothing mental, and when you get to the squirel scamper pit turn left and head for the beast and have alay on there for an hour.

pte1643

mattfefc wrote:

What actually is the beast. Always here it mentioned, what does it consist of ?

The Beast (at Thetford) is just a short section of the Black Route.
So called because it's the most technical section in the whole forest.
The name is kinda overkill though... It makes it sound like you're gonna die if you dare ride it... Which, of course, you won't.

pte1643

fenboy369 wrote:

Red Route, RED ROUTE! The Black is pants imho.

I gotta agree.

The Red flows quite nicely.
There's no mega technical sections, but it's a nice workout.
The hard surface sections that have been laid (specifically to preserve the track, but also encourage the vegitation to grow back around it) will keep it this way for years hopefully.
Once it's matured and weathered a bit, it'll be a great trail.

The Black is far too bumpy/rutty and doesn't flow as nice.

T4 Mark

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the input regarding the Red and Black routes at Thetford. I rode these back to back on Friday. 8)

Here’s my take on it.

To start with both routes are pedalfests.

The Red Route. Nice and flowing, and some sections of the trail have been relayed, this however is still quite loose in places and can make the front occasionally skittish, this will improve with time, and also if it was a bit damper, as on Friday it was bone dry. The trail furniture is a nice touch on the red, as it will help to improve on some of the skills required for more technical challenges, the only down side however is that you really have to push it hard to maintain enough momentum to happily clear the drop-offs.

The Black Route. I was not looking forward to trying this as it has got such a bad report. However on reflection, i quite enjoyed it, more than i did the red. I would say that the black is potted, rather than rutted, as you are riding over rather than along. This certainly helps improve pedalling technique, corner stability and pumping the bike. The bomb holes (pits), and a nice little twist, steep drop-ins, sandy bottoms and one near vertical exit. The end of the black finishes on ‘The Beast’ a short section of sweet downhill, that puts the finish to the smile on yer face , just watch-out for the two sand traps near the end.