Anyone ridden Haldon Forest near Exeter?

mobilekat

Cycling to Haldon from Exeter is easy- just ride up the bloody great hill!!!
If you go via Shillingford Abbot, Shillingford St Gearge and Clapham you will get there on the road.-it is up hill nearly the whole way. (have a look on Google maps)- you really dont want to take the A38, as you will die! Others may know of some tracks.

You will only need full face if you ride like a mad thing, as the trails are not hard- just the odd bit that gets trickier if you push it to the limit (trees and stumps in 'interesting places' that will catch you if you over push)- and watch out for the grave- it always makes me smile!

Coffee shop there is not too bad!

mmmcheese

thanks. at least it means a dowhill ride home might head up there this week

Herbie The Dog

mmmcheese wrote:

is there an easy way to ride to haldon from exeter? whats the best/easiest route?
also is a full face helmet overkill or needed?

There are some trails on the Kenn side of the hill that take you up to Haldon....never tried to find them though so no iea what they are like.

Eyon

Herbie,

If i get my new bike in time I'll drop you a PM to take you up on that offer. Thanks! I'm not particularly fit, is it a hard ride? What are the hills like?

Ian

Herbie The Dog

Eyon wrote:

Herbie,

If i get my new bike in time I'll drop you a PM to take you up on that offer. Thanks! I'm not particularly fit, is it a hard ride? What are the hills like?

Ian

Both Woodbury and Haldon are fairly tame....no massive hills to worry about.

We do our skills coaching up Woodbury as there's plenty for all abilities. Depending on the weather happy to guide you on either.

This bike is far too good

mobilekat wrote:

Cycling to Haldon from Exeter is easy- just ride up the bloody great hill!!!
If you go via Shillingford Abbot, Shillingford St Gearge and Clapham you will get there on the road.-it is up hill nearly the whole way. (have a look on Google maps)- you really dont want to take the A38, as you will die! Others may know of some tracks.

You will only need full face if you ride like a mad thing, as the trails are not hard- just the odd bit that gets trickier if you push it to the limit (trees and stumps in 'interesting places' that will catch you if you over push)- and watch out for the grave- it always makes me smile!

Coffee shop there is not too bad!

Cyclists have been known to frequent the A38 - wouldn't recommend it, though!

Ridden up there a few times from Exeter (when I lost my car keys), over Ide and Dunchideock. Pretty straightforward, but I prefer taking the car and do the riding on the trails

mobilekat

I regularly drive over Haldon hill on the A38, and this year have encountered some amazing sights, the best being 2 blokes with a giant crucifix heading west on the east bound carriageway...
Thankfully most cyclists have the sense not to try to cycle over the hill on the A38 as its a big enough hill that you will be travelling very slowly, so back roads much safer!

We keep meaning to head over to Woodbury as a change from Dartmoor and Haldon.

And as was said Haldon is on the top of the hill, so once you are there its pretty flat- and ruddy cold in winter! but drains well so very useful!

Herbie The Dog

Woodbury is great but can get pretty mucky when it's been raining. The mud, mixed with the sand in certain areas makes a very nice grinding paste!

Some great routes though and some nice challenges like Sheep Dip.

Eyon

Well I'm down in Exeter at the moment.

Left the house yesterday with no bike, no bike gear and no cycle clothing. Only a helmet in the boot which i forgot to take out before i left.

Now i am sitting in my travelodge room with some cycle gear in my bag and an Anthem X2 across the other side of the room. Ideal. So after a quick job interview I am going to be heading to Haldon Forest.

Basically I popped into Pedalon cycles interested in getting an Anthem X3 and was offered an overnight test ride of a X2. Great, but no cycle gear. Anyway, a quick trip down to Lidl got me some super cheap sets of Lycra for my legs and i got a tshirt from Pedalon.

Cant wait to try the bike out + try a new trail i havent been to.

Anyone going to be there tomorrow, around 12:30?

Ian

Eyon

Had a great day at Haldon yesterday. Got there at around 12.30 and left about 4 or so. Did the red route by my self first time, and its the first time ive ridden on hills really and its awesome fun. My fatness really showed on the climbs but the "downhill" parts were awesome. Got talking to another rider there and went out again but had to cut the route short to go home, but it was brilliant. I agree with what others have said, i wouldnt travel the 300 miles i did to go to this trail, but if you're relatively local its brilliant fun. Also met with another local half way round, real friendly guys!

Had a good fall too on the black section at the beginning, the demo bikes rear brakes had loads of air in them and were useless when i really needed them, so i tapped the fronts with obvious consequences, but it happens! Sadly my Lidl lycra got ripped a bit but im sure ill survive loosing out on £7!

Ian

bannedbiker

Sure I read somewhere that the skills section was opening Sunday just gone, anybody ridden it? Whats it like?
I also hear that part of the plans had a space for coaching, is that right, is skills coaching going to be available?

Herbie The Dog

bannedbiker - the skills area and pump track opened on Sunday.

It was a bit diffilcult to gage how good they are as they were sooooo busy. I'm heading up there tomorrow evening (Wednesday) to check them out properly. If they are good for training we'll pay our dues to the FC and use them for skills coaching (we're nothing to do with Haldon or the FC).

Feel free to join us!

bannedbiker

Herbie The Dog wrote:

bannedbiker - the skills area and pump track opened on Sunday.

It was a bit diffilcult to gage how good they are as they were sooooo busy. I'm heading up there tomorrow evening (Wednesday) to check them out properly. If they are good for training we'll pay our dues to the FC and use them for skills coaching (we're nothing to do with Haldon or the FC).

Feel free to join us!

Ha, well being that busy is a good sign!
I'd love to join you, but I'm away on a course for work from tomorrow untill friday evening. I may pop in and have a walk round them to break up the drive home friday eve (nothing to do with the fact I'll be gatting paid travelling time... )

Cool, I'll PM you about some coaching stuff.

kenan

The pump track and skills park are basic but no challenge.

I can see what they have tried to do, make something that "normal" people can ride. But the doubles for example don't have enough run up to get the speed needed.

I'm sure family's will enjoy playing on it and that's who it's for.

Herbie The Dog

kenan wrote:

The pump track and skills park are basic but no challenge.

I can see what they have tried to do, make something that "normal" people can ride. But the doubles for example don't have enough run up to get the speed needed.

I'm sure family's will enjoy playing on it and that's who it's for.

Managed to get it all to myself last night and have to agree. It'll be good for teaching beginners some basics but anyone beyond that level will be bored within 5 mins. Same for the pump track...and no way can you get around that without pedalling without a good run in.

As for the doubles....they need to remove the first one so you can get some speed up. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't clear them properly.

But as you said...probably more for kids and families to test their metal!

One thing with the new trails is it has made it easier to find the unofficial black run (OK..being generous there). The FC seem to be ok with leaving it there so hopefully more people will use it.

kenan

The FC are happy with the runs there. As you know the blue trail cuts thought some nice lines and I asked if they planned to restore them after the new trail was built. They said all would be put back as it was and from what I have seen they have been good to their word. Just hope the lines don't get ruined, but winter should scare most of the beginners off

Herbie The Dog

I think it needs winter and a good dollop of rain to make the 'black' run more interesting!

So much potential for Haldon...too many health & safety fears.

kenan

You ever been over to Woodbury common? some good routes there. Went for a wet one this morning on the new bike

slowslowslow

this is useful. torquay boy origianally but in Brum. Looking for rides when I go home. Have done the classic dartmoor and mendips on way down but did not know about Haldon.

1) What lavel is it? I normally ride Cannock or places like coed y Brennin, Llandegla, Arfan. assume it will do for a blast round.

2) How do you get to it? I knowTelegraph hill, Kenn, Partridge cycles and the services at the top of telegraph hill. Is it easy to find from there?

Any ideas, advice or other rides in the area would be usefull.
Ched

Herbie The Dog

Hi Slow

Haldon is fine for a quick blast or a ride after/before work. We normally just go night riding up there to be honest. Couple of hours max I'd say, especially if you ride the mentioned trail centres.

Finding Haldon....when the A38 splits just after Partridge Cycles you need to be in the right hand lane (Plymouth). Near the top of the hill you'll see signs for Haldon Forest Park on the left. It's quite a sharp bend....just after this is a roundabout. Turn right which will take you past the racecourse. Carry on for a good 1.5 miles until you come to the car park.

As Kenan has mentioned above Woodbury is also good fun. Plenty of routes to explore and some surprisingly technical stuff. We do a lot of our skills coaching up Woodbury for that reason.

bannedbiker

I stopped in on my way home from a work trip and had a walk around. The pump track looks interesting! There was only a couple people there but like Herbie said it looks nearly impossible to get around without pedaling!
Watched a kid jumping the doubles, the only way he could get enough speed was to start on the green line using the first tabletop as a pump-bump, then jump the middle tabletop, then the final double.
Got chatting to a guy who was saying the ground was just sapping all his speed. Bloody nice bloke! Let me have a blast on his Marin over the little drops. what exactly are the point in them?

slowslowslow

cheers Herbie,
Not sure when I am down again but will look it up. Assume I will be able to find a route to follow? Is it marked?

Ched

Herbie The Dog

All the official routes are marked Slow...there is an unofficial black run that the FC are leaving alone.

The new blue trail does criss-cross it but to be honest it'll be easier if you ask someone when you are there.

Just find someone who's overbiked and over-armoured as they'll probably be heading for the black run!

Beanhead Bucko

I went up there today, first time I've ridden in a month due to a fractured rib. The new pump track was a bit water logged so impossible to go around without pedaling. The skills track is as basic as described, the gravel saps all your speed so I could only manage the medium doubles.

I tried out the new blue 'challenge trail' just to see what it's all about, it's actually pretty fast flowing and manages to pretty much avoid any up hill, it's not too different from the red 'ridge trail'

I really want to try out these unofficial trails but I don't know anyone else who rides so don't have a clue where they are

camerauk

you should have seen them when riding on the Blue trail
we were up there on sat and my mate came off and dislocated his collar bone :shock:
was a good ride till then

Beanhead Bucko

Yeah I realise now after reading on here tonight that I shouldn't seen them but ibwasn't looking for them as I didn't know they existed. Are they really that obvious?

You mate will be out of action for a while then? I fell down the stairs in a pub when I was drunk to do my ribs, not quite as cool

camerauk

Yeah they are easy to spot I am not sure where they all go or connect up we just tried a few runs down the bottom part an then mate slipped on some roots at a slow speed an hit the deck bad luck really as he was going at walking speed

delaxm

I ride there most months & I'm not aware of any black runs since they demolished the helterskelter run & the northshore stuff oposite a few years back.
The only good unofficial stuff I know is South of Bullers hill (about half a mile after you cross back over the road on the original blue) & the steep stuff east of the top of telegraph hill, near St Andrews lane.

mobilekat

Just been up in Haldon and tried out the new blue 'challenge route', as well as the normal red route. It was quite good fun, as its starting to bed in and fall apart in places there are some bits that are 'interesting' if you hit them with a bit of speed.

Add this to the fun of the people going the wrong way down the tracks found a kid riding up the red to see where their dad had got too...... :shock:

As well as a bunch of kids who when asked if they knew it was one way reply
'Yeah, so what...'
Was quite good fun redoing that bit and scaring one of the cocky little dears off the track into a puddle :twisted:


I found that some sections of the blue are actually trickier than the red depending upon the speed you are going (bloody trees!), am intrigued by the numbers written on some of the trees and have concluded its a score system, you add up the total for the trees you hit and the person with the highest score wins!

Herbie The Dog

mobilekat wrote:

you add up the total for the trees you hit and the person with the highest score wins!

Or lowest score...riding into to trees is easy!