Any good trails near Swinley
Hi Guy's
Wanna go out tomorrow, would normally go over Swinley and hit the trails but as your aware it's out of action at the moment.
Anyone know of anything like Swinley near, or not to far from Reading?
Had a look through the mags and all the normal pucker trails are quite a drive from Reading.
Any ideas??
Wanna go out tomorrow, would normally go over Swinley and hit the trails but as your aware it's out of action at the moment.
Anyone know of anything like Swinley near, or not to far from Reading?
Had a look through the mags and all the normal pucker trails are quite a drive from Reading.
Any ideas??
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why's it out of action?0
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Cos of the fire, have you been out of the country lol.
Pretty sure that nobody is allowed around the trails, unless you know something I don't 0 -
See the news and/or the Swinley fire thread. Anyway, though Swinley trails are mostly unaffected and it's generally the Crowthorne side, the firefighters don't want hassle of the public getting in the way or having to rescue them on top of putting out the fires, so the advice is to keep away. The Look Out is also closed, as are many roads around the area.
As for stuff to ride nearby, there's Tunnel Hill near Mytchett, Caesar's Camp if you're up to going to Aldershot area, Yatley / Minley. All MOD areas mind. Can't publish trails and generally it's a case of going with someone who knows the area, or otherwise explore and hope to find stuff. Good stuff about though.
Check out MTB Britain forums also as they do a number of these on occasion, plus Tunnel Hill Trolls do rides round these. Otherwise look in the (big) London Calling thread. Plenty of us in the area. Further afield is Surrey Hills that plenty do.0 -
Heath Warren / Warren Heath (depending on which map/sign you look at) nr. Eversley has some good tracks.0
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I live near Swinley. I had no idea there had been a fire. But then I don't own a TV!
So you can still ride Swinley as long as you keep out of way of fire crews?0 -
Officially they'd prefer everyone stays out of the way. The news had a piece where some people riding had strolled into the area unaware and the firefighters had to tick them off.
They've also had problems with local chavs who are deliberately setting fires thinking it's a laugh!
Suspect you'd be okay if you're fairly out of the way. Though if you take a tumble and require rescue, they might not be happy having to try to get an ambulance in past closed roads and possibly closed car park, or try to land the air ambulance with smoke going past.0 -
Yeah I'm not going anywhere near the place until I get the all clear, not worth the risk.
Managed to get hold of a Minley Gorrick TorQ 12:12 gpx file from last year, going to have a couple of laps over there tomorrow, will make a nice change. Also might even enter this years event in August 0 -
What time you heading out? I need a few miles tomorrow?This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make. There is a 255 character limit.0
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BAsically you want to be heading over to Christmas common, Pangbourne, Goring, Fingest etc etc There are endless miles of great trails around Reading.Salsa Spearfish 29er
http://superdukeforum.forumatic.com/index.php0 -
weeksy59 wrote:BAsically you want to be heading over to Christmas common, Pangbourne, Goring, Fingest etc etc There are endless miles of great trails around Reading.
I was in Pangbourne yesterday by the Thames.. it's pretty, the hills where the rick people live and the sheep graze, i.e. the bits you cannot ride.. but grass and fields is not mountain biking is it? Unless I am or was in the wrong place, which is entirely possible cos I haven't lived here long...
I haven't heard of those other places. I shall have to try and find them. I heard someone tell me Sulham woods was ok for a potter about?
In some ways it illustrates to me just how pedestrian and tame mountain biking is in the UK.. I mean Swinley is about as good as it gets in the South East and it's hardly Big Sur is it?0 -
TickTockTick wrote:I haven't heard of those other places. I shall have to try and find them. I heard someone tell me Sulham woods was ok for a potter about?
Sulham wood is basic. Its a small little wooded area. There is an area called "death-drop" mtb'rs use which is a very large bomb hole you can get massive air from but thats about it. Bang Sulham Wood into YouTube and you can see people jumping to get an idea of what its like.
Worth a look but no more than an hours entertainment.
Snot green Canyon Nerve AM 8.0x0 -
Been over today, did a couple of laps, great little course, will defo be doing the event this year
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Be aware MOD is not happy about MTB use of their land and posting GPX files on an open forum is very much frowned apon and risks everyone losing access.0
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TickTockTick wrote:weeksy59 wrote:BAsically you want to be heading over to Christmas common, Pangbourne, Goring, Fingest etc etc There are endless miles of great trails around Reading.
I was in Pangbourne yesterday by the Thames.. it's pretty, the hills where the rick people live and the sheep graze, i.e. the bits you cannot ride.. but grass and fields is not mountain biking is it? Unless I am or was in the wrong place, which is entirely possible cos I haven't lived here long...
I haven't heard of those other places. I shall have to try and find them. I heard someone tell me Sulham woods was ok for a potter about?
In some ways it illustrates to me just how pedestrian and tame mountain biking is in the UK.. I mean Swinley is about as good as it gets in the South East and it's hardly Big Sur is it?
So, looking at the google map, head just over the river, turn right after the bridge and you'll go through a gate at end, then do a right and head towards the mansion... in the grounds and then a left after the horses up a small path..
takes you into the arrea of just down fro Whitchurch hill and Goring heath, there's LOTS of tracks and stuff there.Salsa Spearfish 29er
http://superdukeforum.forumatic.com/index.php0 -
anjs wrote:Be aware MOD is not happy about MTB use of their land and posting GPX files on an open forum is very much frowned apon and risks everyone losing access.
I can see where your coming from, but if it was an issue with Minley, then Gorrick wouldn't have the route map on their website. 8)~~~~~~Sustrans - Join the Movement~~~~~~0 -
If it's an established and officially used trail it's okay. They're not so keen on the less official trails becoming public. The army have even built some of them anyway but there's an unwritten agreement between them, MOD and local riders & groups that some of the stuff is not to be made public to avoid having huge amounts of bikers turn up and get in the way of army operations.
FYI they've been posting these up also due to more recent issues with riders (or maybe just a change in attitude from the MOD)...
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I live in reading and there is loads of great riding around - no need to drive.
Swinley is great but this book has lots of great routes right on your doorstep http://www.roughrideguide.co.uk/In-arou ... -size.html0
