Scartree Trail
Comments
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Was over there this morning. Seems to be continued trail building going in some areas (most noticably between 28 and 29) to bypass some of the less interesting sections. Obviously newly cut techy, niggly wooded trail section that still needs a fair amount of riding in was (crudely, with hand drawn signs pinned to trees) signed up but not sure how official it it all is.
slainte :?: rob0 -
yea its just had a new bit put in, still has that soft feeling tho due to the sawdust, which is a little annoying. nice to see plenty of work going into it tho0
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Big change on the Scartree trail today.
For those who have been before, no more fireroad!!!
Not sure when it opened as wasn't open 2 weeks ago but today there are 2 new sections which include some berms.
One very long section (is actually about 4 new sections) which bypasses the fireroad, currently a bit rough until it gets ridden in, a few small berms on it as well.
The second section is towards the end of the loop on the straight downhill bit just before the tight section right at the end, this includes some berms. (RHS of map below)
layout below, yellow bits are new (section at the top is the one discussed above in August this year)
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Rode the new sections last week and again today,
Going to be really some nice little sections once they get ridden in - still a bit bumpy for my super stiff hardtail liking at the moment.
Getting much busier now too it seems, although a lot of riders seem to be sticking to the old route.
http://vimeo.com/30990749
slainte
rob 0 -
Was down there this morning again. The new sections are starting to ride in a bit and are getting slightly less bumpy. Some sections were pretty muddy and slippy though - can't really tell from the video, but the first section here was horrible to ride -
www.vimeo.com/31334595
www.vimeo.com/31334884
Had an explore of some of the off-piste areas too. If you look around there are still some cracking (better than the built stuff) sections of trail that aren't (yet?) part of the official route - the second shot in the first little vid is from a REALLY sweet singletrack section out near the airfield end of things.
Took a drive out to Thetford on Thursday and apart from the bombholes to play in I reckon that Scartree (if you count in the off-piste stuff) now has more to offer us trail starved East Anglians than the bigger centre does.
slainte rob 0 -
Early days for this, but could be handy for hooking up rides etc.
http://www.wakerleywoods.co.uk/index.php
slainte rob 0 -
Not sure the new sections of trail (or even some of the older ones) will survive the winter in easily rideable condition. Sections aren't draining well and are getting cut up and muddy (Wakerley mud seems to be that odd type that is both slippy and sticky at the same time).
http://vimeo.com/33121362
slainte :oops: rob0 -
I have not been over for about a month now, have the new sections been surfaced yet or are they still just mud?0
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Still pretty much mud, but some sections are now riding in a bit and bedding down. Quite a few bits though are turning to slop (especially the bermed sections where the face of the berm seems to be turning to mud and slippping down to the bottom of the berm).
slainte :? rob0 -
I'll give it a wide berth for the time being in that case. Are they planning to surface it? Surely that would be a good idea before it gets trashed over the winter?0
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Not sure what the plans are. The official building seems to have stopped for now as far as I can see.
The older sections that were surfaced have also weathered a bit, but are all still pretty solid and actually getting more interesting to ride in some ways as the hardcore weathers out a little. The unsurfaced sections that were built in the summer are also still pretty solid. Just the very newest 'Autumn' sections seem to be suffering (except those in the bracken/pine needles areas where the carpet of dry vegetation is supporting the trail surface a bit).
slainte :arrow: rob0 -
Went to Wakerley Wood to do the red last Tuesday. Found markers 1, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 30 but no others. Had a great ride but couldn't help feeling rather lost in the absence of most of the way markers. I was following trail the whole time and came across many piles of stones intended for trail maintenance so I am guessing that I was on the right lines. any locals know if I got horribly lost or are most of the trail makers missing?0
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Many of the markers are gone at the moment, and most of the official Scartree/Wakerley Red route is too overgrown to ride.
The FC are currently building a new all-weather tail in Wakerley Great Wood - looks like it will be a Blue rather than Red though (not that the Scartree was a tough trail in the first place) and should be completed in a couple of weeks.
There is PLENTY of good riding off-piste in Wakerley and over the A43 in Fineshades too if you know where to look or keep your eyes/spidey-sense peeled. If you're relatively local you could always come and ride with the Wakerley Wheelers on a Monday and Wednesday evening - 6-30 from the Fineshades car park.0 -
Last time i tried here was back in January and it was so bad i gave up at the fireroad. So this morning i thought i'd have another look (before i'd seen this post)!! Theres a notice to say the entrance will be closed when the new trails finished. Noticed the lack of marker posts, although i came across a few that werent numbered, but looked relatively new. Managed to come across some sections of new surface and the piles of stones in other places though didnt see anyone working. Saw a couple of dog walkers but no other bikes.
Spent the best part of 45 minutes heading off down random tracks, plenty of them very overgrown with ferns and brambles, although they appeared to have been ridden recently. Going to try and get there once a week to get a feel for the place and see how the 'works' are progressing.
Always get out during the day on week days if anyone wants to meet up.
Andy0 -
Ditto andyc, haven't tried this trail for over a year.
Lost the markers fairly early on but spent a couple of hours with my lad, just following our noses and riding what we found.
There's still some great single track in that wood, and the new bits of trail will make some good all weather sections. Found it quite boggy at the carpark end, but there seemed to be a lot of rock waiting to be laid.
If this is all joined back together as a coherent loop this will make an excellent blue/red trail.Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.0 -
Thanks all, it would be most helpful if any news of trail completion could be posted here.0
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Will try to remember to update this thread as work progresses.
TBH even we don't ride the Waverley side that much at the moment, but there is a LOT of good off piste stuff still rideable if you explore away from and in between the built trails.
ATM most of the really interesting fun stuff is happening over the Fineshades side (only 5 minutes ride over the A43 from Wakerley), but again you would need to explore and keep your eyes open or come and ride with us to find it - can't really post details or maps etc. up here for hopefully obvious reasons.0 -
Boris - I think there will be new markers going in when the new trails are finished. It's my understanding they will all link up (probably using some fire road sections) to create a full loop.0
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pHz wrote:Will try to remember to update this thread as work progresses.
TBH even we don't ride the Waverley side that much at the moment, but there is a LOT of good off piste stuff still rideable if you explore away from and in between the built trails.
ATM most of the really interesting fun stuff is happening over the Fineshades side (only 5 minutes ride over the A43 from Wakerley), but again you would need to explore and keep your eyes open or come and ride with us to find it - can't really post details or maps etc. up here for hopefully obvious reasons.
Everytime i take the kids to Fineshades im lookin out for signs of the unofficial stuff but havent found any of it yet
, apart from the extension to the 2nd 'skills loop'. 0 -
Update as promised.
Seems the new sections are now complete (according to the Fineshades bike shop) - the berms have been scooped out a bit and built up, and there are a few small technical-ish features dotted around. These sections are actually becoming good fun to ride as they bed down and get a bit faster - typical modern blue trail in that it's easy for everyone to ride, but still a blast for more experienced riders if you hit it flat out.
There are still no markers or signage, and the link trails between the new sections have not had much done to them other than the undergrowth being trimmed a bit - so the FC promise of 100% sustainable trails looks a bit iffy as the link sections as they stand could well turn to mush once we get some wet stuff.
As it stands, close but no cigar0 -
Through the mud and darkness, you can spot a few little bits of the new trail here -
http://vimeo.com/773355970 -
Hoping to pop over again at the weekend.
Does anyone know if the waymarkers are back in place? Is the new stuff intergrated?
The last time I went I did what I thought was most of the loop, but then realised there were bits I hadn't seen, like a tight corner up hill, round a tree.
Failing that does anyone have a decent GPS trace that I could load up.Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.0 -
Just had a look on the forrestry Commission website and it states the trail is closed and the waymarkers will be done in the next few weeks. Last time i called in to Wakerley there was a sign from July saying the trail would be closed for 6 weeks!!! think they must work to a different time frame to everyone else.0
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Boris - if you can find me on Strava (rob p), there are loads of uploads for Wakerley and Fineshades routes (both official and off-piste).0
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Just bumping the thread, haven't been over for a couple of months.
Any news on the state of the trails, appearance or other wise of waymarkers would be most welcome.
Phz - cheers, I did find your strava account, but wasn't prepared to pay for a membership in order to download your routes :oops: .Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.0 -
Waymarkers are up on the new blue trail, although there are a couple of junctions that are a little confusing.
The new armoured sections are holding up well, but some of the linking trail (and most of the off-piste stuff) is a bit of a quagmire and hard going at the moment - doesn't stop us riding it though.0 -
Went over yesterday morning with my lad before the wind and rain started. As pHz said there are still muddy sections although there was only one swamp like section he couldnt ride (he's 9) so we walked it. Managed to get in 3 laps before his legs gave up.
Guessing about 70 % of it is all weather surfaced, not the most challenging (its only a blue trail), but its all thats local. Its about 2.5 miles start to finish so good a few laps each time and the car parks free. Had a few dog walkers on the trail going the wrong way though.
Plan to get back there in the week on my own, hopefully ride it a bit faster and have a look t some of the 'off piste' stuff.
Andy0 -
Finally got back over. Hats off to the trail fairies, a great little loop.
The boggy bits weren't impossible, just a test of technique and line choice.
To paraphrase Arnie, We will be back.Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.0 -
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I've been a couple of times in the last few weeks. 95% dry and quick.
There is really only one muddy section, quite near the end, but this is drying out by the week. If you know the trail it's where you go straight on at a crossroads and over some rollers with a right turn across a small ditch after 75yds or so. Still quite gloopy, but if you pay attention on your first lap it's ride able once you've worked out you best line.
6 or 7 weeks ago my lad only managed 2 laps, last time we did 4. All due to the surface becoming easier.Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.0
