Holmbury Hill - Control trial

diy

anyone know the name of the trail that is due North and then a right turn from the view point at Holmbury hill. It connects to "Telegraph". There is a small laminated card sign saying Hurtwood control new MTB trail.

Its coordinates are:
51°10'35.66"N
0°25'21.21"W

Is it park life/roller coaster?

its a very flowing easy ride with switchbacks and banks - really nice, but quite short

Anonymous

Yoghurt Pots or aka Park Life and apparently Rollercoaster, though most call it YP or PL.

The sign just refers to that they diverted the entrance a little while back to avoid damage to the hill fort.

A number of the names of trails are mentioned here:

http://www.diaryofamountainbiker.co.uk/ ... _downs.php

Or join us in the London Calling thread. We know loads of the routes (can't claim to know them all. The whole of Surrey Hills is riddled with a vast amount of trails), though don't always know the names, except some of the more local folk.

njee20

Yep, or you can turn left off that trail onto Doc at the Radar Station, which never seems to dry out anymore, making it a poor second to Yoghurt Pots IMO!

diy

thanks - its fun and very easy to ride fast. Did it yesterday 'cos the weather was so nice after doing SL and LH.

njee20

There's a nice steeper bombhole you can do too if that's your thing, look for the big puddle near the end (not the one with the roots to the left), turn left at the top of one of the little rises and there's an alternative route.

Certainly a great trail though, they've done really well with it, you never used to be able to get through it in winter for water.

surreyhillsmtber

This fella?



Yoghurt Pots indeed...happened to snap that on Sunday when I was up there taking a few photos rather than biking for once!

thel33ter

The main trail is Yog pots, then off to the left about half way along is splits into Parklife, which is basically a longish steep roll in, which then joins back onto Yogbots just before the end, going towards the berm at the bottom.

Anonymous

Roll or sometimes nasty small root drop into the roll depending on the conditions. The root is not much but can catch you out sometimes.

But Yog Pots is probably less than 1% of what Surrey Hills and North Downs has to offer, fun though it is, there's even better to be found

diy

surreyhillsmtber wrote:

This fella?



Yoghurt Pots indeed...happened to snap that on Sunday when I was up there taking a few photos rather than biking for once!

you don't have a carbon fibre tripod do you?

Richard2118

thel33ter wrote:

The main trail is Yog pots, then off to the left about half way along is splits into Parklife, which is basically a longish steep roll in, which then joins back onto Yogbots just before the end, going towards the berm at the bottom.

That is correct.

DK you are talking about the 2ft root drop, thei33ter is talking about a high left turn about 30 seconds further down the trail that takes you to a roll in and then a second smaller 1.

njee20

I've never heard of park life and yoghurt pots being differentiated between, always just heard them as alternative names for the same trail. Fairly irrelevant.

Anonymous

Richard2118 wrote:

DK you are talking about the 2ft root drop, thei33ter is talking about a high left turn about 30 seconds further down the trail that takes you to a roll in and then a second smaller 1.

Ah, I only know the one diversion from the trail. The root drop being the one I think you showed us a while back. More to explore then

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

I've never heard of park life and yoghurt pots being differentiated between, always just heard them as alternative names for the same trail. Fairly irrelevant.

I know but it is what it is

surreyhillsmtber

diy wrote:

surreyhillsmtber wrote:

This fella?



Yoghurt Pots indeed...happened to snap that on Sunday when I was up there taking a few photos rather than biking for once!

you don't have a carbon fibre tripod do you?

Nah, not me! I was up on Holmbury Sunday afternoon roughly 2.30ish for about an hour, mooching around the lookout area at the top and along Yoghurt Pots trying (and mostly failing!) to get some action shots.

I'm usually biking rather than taking photos though - this was a rarity!

njee20

I know but it is what it is

So says you, commander of the hills :-)

I imagine a fair few people would be confuddled by that.

On a more positive note, it's perfect up there at the moment, did a nice couple of hours earlier.

You're right about the 2 diversions, I was talking about the second one with the steep bombhole, which I'd all but forgotten about until Popstar took us down there the other day, but there is that other earlier one with the little rooty step. That was the original line of the trail, there never used to be the 'chicken' run, although that certainly flows much better.

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

I know but it is what it is

So says you, commander of the hills :-)

I imagine a fair few people would be confuddled by that.

On a more positive note, it's perfect up there at the moment, did a nice couple of hours earlier.

You're right about the 2 diversions, I was talking about the second one with the steep bombhole, which I'd all but forgotten about until Popstar took us down there the other day, but there is that other earlier one with the little rooty step. That was the original line of the trail, there never used to be the 'chicken' run, although that certainly flows much better.

yes easy to get confused, i suppose it comes from how the trails develop, like you said the root drop was the original line and i suspect the roll ins were a seperate trail, it develops and the 2 names of the trails merge into one.

strange I always take the original line feels "right " and more techy.

Know what you mean about the trails they have been awesome this week

njee20

Yes certainly 10 years ago the rooty step was there, although not rooty, and the steeper roll in was a notable diversion! The whole thing had lost a lot of it's flow until recently, although I still think that first bit would benefit from a bit more work, but far be it from me to complain!

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

Yes certainly 10 years ago the rooty step was there, although not rooty, and the steeper roll in was a notable diversion! The whole thing had lost a lot of it's flow until recently, although I still think that first bit would benefit from a bit more work, but far be it from me to complain!

I agree, first section still needs a bit of work, initially ok and then the 3 turns just before it joins onto the original trail just aren't bermed enough.

That said you are right the flow is back now compared to how it had been for the past 5 years or so.
There are certainly a few other trails that could do with some work .

njee20

Telegraph seems to have changed a lot this year, more erosion, but at least being straight it's not got braking bumps like in places on BKB now.

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

Telegraph seems to have changed a lot this year, more erosion, but at least being straight it's not got braking bumps like in places on BKB now.

Yep, not as bad.
Don't get me started on BKB, i used to ride it as a destination , it now disapoints me, gte the breaking bumps but I just do not like the new end to it, not techy like the old end.

although I totally understand that this had to happen as the old end was unsustainable, bloody progress " i don't believe it "
This is also why i have been riding more on ranmore, boxhill , leith and winterfold more this year as been trying to mix it up . Had a habit last year of often routing Holmbury in somewhere. This year only if route is best over Holmbury have i gone there.

njee20

It's a good trail, I prefer the top half to the bottom, although I like how much longer the trail is. Wasn't a massive fan of the old ending, there's plenty of trails like that up on Pitch if you want steeper rooty stuff after all.

I'm guilty of doing the same trails every time I go out, went out with a friend yesterday and we did some of the other stuff on Pitch which I'd forgotten about, notably the bloody steep one down to the Windmill, there's much more up there than I ever tend to do!

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

It's a good trail, I prefer the top half to the bottom, although I like how much longer the trail is. Wasn't a massive fan of the old ending, there's plenty of trails like that up on Pitch if you want steeper rooty stuff after all.

I'm guilty of doing the same trails every time I go out, went out with a friend yesterday and we did some of the other stuff on Pitch which I'd forgotten about, notably the bloody steep one down to the Windmill, there's much more up there than I ever tend to do!

yes this is true, pitch is my favorite area and my winter riding spot. Some lovely technical trails up there.

By steep one off towards the windmill, do you mean the one that comes out by the pub?

I'm off up there tommorrow , found loads of stuff in winterfold so will be doing loads of pictch as well.

njee20

Yeah, goes from near the viewpoint, comes out on the little wooden bridge opposite the pub, hadn't done it in years, would love to say I made a good effort of it yesterday, but I'd by lying!

A lot of the stuff on Winterfold has gone, there were some great trails in McAllister's land, shame really.

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

Yeah, goes from near the viewpoint, comes out on the little wooden bridge opposite the pub, hadn't done it in years, would love to say I made a good effort of it yesterday, but I'd by lying!

A lot of the stuff on Winterfold has gone, there were some great trails in McAllister's land, shame really.

The trail you are talking about is called wedgy. Love it always diffrent every time you ride it and its bridleway ( at the bottom anyway)
Well looks as if somone has been building again as now have 5 trails that way ( although some need pushing up from ) all fairly good if slightly on the mini Dh side for some people.

njee20

Aye that's about my limit on an XC race bike with my saddle up to my armpits!

cooldad

Richard2118 wrote:

njee20 wrote:

It's a good trail, I prefer the top half to the bottom, although I like how much longer the trail is. Wasn't a massive fan of the old ending, there's plenty of trails like that up on Pitch if you want steeper rooty stuff after all.

I'm guilty of doing the same trails every time I go out, went out with a friend yesterday and we did some of the other stuff on Pitch which I'd forgotten about, notably the bloody steep one down to the Windmill, there's much more up there than I ever tend to do!

yes this is true, pitch is my favorite area and my winter riding spot. Some lovely technical trails up there.

By steep one off towards the windmill, do you mean the one that comes out by the pub?

I'm off up there tommorrow , found loads of stuff in winterfold so will be doing loads of pictch as well.

Hi Richard hopefully popstar can learn those tomorrow and maybe we can have a go at them on Sunday.

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

Aye that's about my limit on an XC race bike with my saddle up to my armpits!

The joy of my bike , with a dropable seat post means that is no issues at all

Richard2118

cooldad wrote:

Richard2118 wrote:

njee20 wrote:

It's a good trail, I prefer the top half to the bottom, although I like how much longer the trail is. Wasn't a massive fan of the old ending, there's plenty of trails like that up on Pitch if you want steeper rooty stuff after all.

I'm guilty of doing the same trails every time I go out, went out with a friend yesterday and we did some of the other stuff on Pitch which I'd forgotten about, notably the bloody steep one down to the Windmill, there's much more up there than I ever tend to do!

yes this is true, pitch is my favorite area and my winter riding spot. Some lovely technical trails up there.

By steep one off towards the windmill, do you mean the one that comes out by the pub?

I'm off up there tommorrow , found loads of stuff in winterfold so will be doing loads of pictch as well.

Hi Richard hopefully popstar can learn those tomorrow and maybe we can have a go at them on Sunday.

dont think he is coming saturday, will show you all next week maybe

Anonymous

Richard2118 wrote:

Don't get me started on BKB, i used to ride it as a destination , it now disapoints me, gte the breaking bumps but I just do not like the new end to it, not techy like the old end.

Though I didn't get to ride it more than 6 months or so, I did really like the old ending. Was a great way to finish the day by going down a nasty technical descent that would scare the crap out of me

The new ending has nice berms, but I do miss the old one. Obviously understand the reasoning about the erosion, although I don't buy the argument of bringing it out further back from the village because it's a safer drop onto the road. The drop onto the road is virtually the same and just as dangerous with passing traffic, it's just it's not so close to the residents.

Anyway, yeah Pitch / Winterfold I think I much prefer to Holmbury. Love the whole place really. So much variety all over the hills, and still so much more I have to discover.

njee20

The joy of my bike , with a dropable seat post means that is no issues at all

Yes that's definitely one trail I would be happier riding with the saddle down! There aren't that many, but I seem to get into that discussion a lot lately!

They've blocked the logical drop onto the road at the bottom of BKB, so you now use the old one anyway, so that excuse is definitely out!

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

The joy of my bike , with a dropable seat post means that is no issues at all

Yes that's definitely one trail I would be happier riding with the saddle down! There aren't that many, but I seem to get into that discussion a lot lately!

They've blocked the logical drop onto the road at the bottom of BKB, so you now use the old one anyway, so that excuse is definitely out!

Its that way i have always ridden, before the dropable and before the Nomad I would always drop saddle for the steep stuff, more stability for me simples. tried fixed saddle and hated it, but ups for me a are something you have to ride where as for others they are their reason for riding , so I get why people have the saddle high all the time.

The rason for blocking the old route was simply that the new route was sustainable and that the house nearby had complained about noise etc os easier to move the exit away from them..