Come and ride QE Park (Hants) - Trail review in June MBR

bartimaeus

The 'QECP Collective' - a group of volunteer trail builders - have been upgrading and extending the old 'Orange Trail' at Queen Elizabeth Country Park (just off the A3 south of Petersfield) for the best part of a year now. We've been rebuilding, improving and extending as well as adding new features: all to make the trail more fun and flowing.

We are now nearly ready for our official opening as the 'Red' trail at QE - so put 19th May in your diaries.

The launch is on the same weekend as Hargroves 'QE Cyclefest' (see BikeRadar), so consider yourselves invited. It should be a great weekend - with our Trail Launch and an Enduro on the Saturday, and a 'demo day' on the Sunday, amongst other events.

As a taster here's some video from last weekends Dig Day, showing some building and testing of our final 'new section'. I'm not riding in the video as I'm far too slow - but rest assured I will be 'testing' this bit for myself next Dig Day... just not for the cameras.

QE supported our volunteer 'collective' in building the sort of trail that we want to ride, and most of it is already fully open, so please come down and give it a try. The more riders we get the better it is for QE - and then they will let us open more trails! We've plans for a skills area, and an improved beginner trail... I for one would like somewhere to take my son riding.

If you'd like to get involved in trail building then please come on down and help... and bring your bike as 'testing' is all part of the fun. See our Facebook page for info. If you are local, then check us out on our KVMB and QE website. If you want that fancy all-weather surface the come help me dig up and crush some chalk... otherwise just bring some suitable tyres.

bartimaeus

As this is now in the Pics and Vids section I may as well add some pics:

spdpug98

Looks great, must get my butt into gear and get down there

scottfitz

The GT is look good it the winter sun

Please everyone spread the word!

bartimaeus

We had some volunteers from SSE come up and help us on Friday... so we have a new section of tables on the run in to the switchbacks.

Excellent work, and a big thank you to SSE for their support. Next full Dig Weekend is 24/25 March, after that we have one more on 21/22 April and then we should be ready for our 'grand opening' in May.

Team SSE, with a couple of 'the collective':

Digging out chalk for the tables:

Shaping up:

Finishing off:

And an alternate route for those that like speed but no air:

bartimaeus

A bit more video from our Dig Days on 25th & 26th Feb... to give people an idea of the type of trails we have at QE. I'm the very slow rider.

spdpug98

Going to head along to QECP tomorrow morning, looking forward to trying out the new sections

ETA: unless they're not open yet!!!

bartimaeus

The only bit that's not open is those final berms you see us building in the very first video... they are at the bottom of the 'Final Descent'.

We are be building an option to avoid that last bit of fire-road down to the very bottom, so there will be a big right-hander berm (it will have to be big as people often go pretty fast down that section) taking you into these new berms and then down to the SDW, so you end your loop with something fun.

Everything else is open, though we are still adding features here and there!

mikeysickalrigh

I am desperate to ride these after seeing the great work you have all done, WELL DONE!!!!

I have only been to QE a few times as I don't have a car to get there.

I normally ride the orange trail. I am not too familiar with the area so I was wondering where these new bits are for next time I come?

Cheers,

Eranu

They're all on the current Orange Trail. The new sections start after the first climb, then another after the fire road climb up from the A3. The other bits are tweaks rather than new, we've changed the berms on the snakebite section, added some tables (these need making bigger) and done some very minor tweaks to the final descent.

This video catches some of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLiR1kM ... SzNgPLzn4=

spdpug98

Made it to QECP this morning, great tweaks to the existing route :-)) We did miss the turn at the end of the final section into the new switchback section, went back up and found it

Great work and a big thanks to the team, if you need any help in the future I would be happy to help out

bartimaeus

spdpug98 wrote:

if you need any help in the future I would be happy to help out

We can always do with more hands, so feel free to come help... and bring a bike as 'testing' is mandatory .

Next full Dig Weekend is 24/25 March, after that we have one more on 21/22 April - the Facebook link is in my sig below, and if you are local why not sign up at 'Kingley Vale Mountain Bikers' and join us for some rides.

bartimaeus

For those of you new to QE - or who haven't been in recent months - here's a map of the trails as they are right now - with the 'new bits' highlighted.

There will be a couple of new sections to finish things off in time for the official 'Red Trail' launch... and there will be some better signage!


The 'new climb' section is easy as follow - the trail just keeps going up to the T-junction on the fire-road at the top, where before there was a long section on the road.

'Electric Avenue' is easily missed - so as you turn left down the fire-road keep an eye out for a path up the bank on your right about 25m along.

Once you've done the leg North parallel with the A3 you double back and climb 400m South along a fire-road (pretty much the only road/fire-road left on the trail). Look out for the entrance to 'Lair of the Dog' on your right - drops into a left-hander berm and looks like this:

365punter

Great work on the digging everyone! The trails have been transformed over the last year. Gone are the boring descents and the climb section on the road. Loads more fantastic singletrack, swoopy corners, drops and technical climbs too
Do you know where Hargrove's will be racing - or is that a closely guarded secret to stop the locals getting an unfair advantage?!

mozzy10

http://youtu.be/33qUai_DMwg

Bit of footage of cycling near by to QECP

bartimaeus

Ha, if that's where I think it is (200m) then it's a 'cheeky trail'.

We are hoping that at some point we'll get permission to dig in that zone - but for now no digging there, please!

mozzy10

Yeah, I know it's cheeky, that's why I didn't want to name it. I won't be digging, just enjoying. I've come and helped out on the orange route a couple of times. I've got a video of the new route, but i'm pretty shocking at editing and most of it was shot in the dark, which doesn't pick up very well even with bright lights on.

Eranu

Just watch out for archers whilst riding that

mozzy10

Yeah, maybe the Robin Hood theme tune would have been a more fitting backing track? I don't tend to ride there when there is anything on, only in the evenings when there won't be any people out.

There used to be a time when the only worth while tracks around QE were all 'cheeky', however, with all the good work you guys have been doing I find myself riding more and more just on the official trails. I guess this has to be good news for QECP, as the quality of the new tracks will be removing riders from fire roads and sensitive nature conservation areas. And of course MTB visitors to the park get to ride in the knowledge that they are on the best trails without the temptation to go 'off piste'.

Eranu

New final section now ridable. We will be finishing it off over the next few weeks.





A huge thanks to everyone who helped over the weekend, giving up such a great weekend to dig holes, barrow dirt around etc.

rups

Yeah was a big dig this weekend! The new section at the end of the final descent is ridable but still closed today to settle a bit. A couple of us are popping up there this evening to pack down the new berms a little more then open it up for all and sundry to ride! The berms are still a little soft so be careful, one of the testers was getting a little loose but he was doing about Mach 15. They will be getting made a bit bigger, probably on the next dig weekend ( 21st / 22nd April ) so come and lend a hand if you can

rups

Update, the final section is now open! Check it out here http://www.pinkbike.com/video/248587/

bartimaeus

I'll be up to give it a test over the next few days

scottfitz

A couple of us rode the trail last night, so fast and dry, had a great time. Did the new finish twice

bartimaeus

scottfitz wrote:

Did the new finish twice

Lightweight... I did that section 4 times yesterday

miss notax

Think we are heading over to take a look at this on Sunday.... Some of our buddies have been helping with the build, so about time we had a look at everyone's handywork!!

bartimaeus

We are in MBR! Page 22 - "QECP Redux - A volunteer army is reviving an old Hampshire fave."

bartimaeus

A bit of new video to give you an idea of what sort of Trail we have. It's been a fantastic few days with the good weather - but I think we'd now appreciate some light rain to bed everything in a bit!

miss notax

Great trail, thoroughly enjoyed it Well worth a visit if anyone is thinking about it!!

Topped it off with a bit of a longer route around the South Downs Way (to get the miles in) before coming back to QE - all in fantastic sunshine 8)

Can you guarentee the weather all the time at QE now please?

scottfitz

"Can you guarentee the weather all the time at QE now please? "

Yes we can unless is raining

Glad you like it, see you back soon.

chris.d.w

How long is the complete red trail now?

Rode it the other day. Top job everyone who has been building it!