Long Mynd - the jury is out
danlightbulb
Posts: 701
Well I had a drive over to the Long Mynd today. Dont quite know what to make of it.
After leaving the car park at the Station Inn, I followed the road up the hill. The first sign of a marked trail was a blue circular arrow with Ride UK on it, pointing up a track. So up I went, got about 5 metres before it was too steep for me. So pushed my bike up that, through 2 gates, through a field of cows and onto the top of a hill seemingly in the middle of nowhere. After trekking across this for about 15 minutes I did eventually pick up the waymarked trails again.
Ended up at the Glider centre on the top. Great views I have to say. Following the map I headed for one of the numbered trails, number 3 on the map.
After all the effort getting to the top of the hills, I was down at the bottom again in what felt like only a couple of minutes. Then another long push back up a steep gravelly road to the top. After a ride around the top for a bit, I headed for trail 9, which according to the map was the longest trail, supposedly 3.55km long. However I was soon down the hill again at the bottom, back on a road, and no obvious route back up. So I rode back to the car park along the road and went home.
All in all was out for 2.5 hours riding, however half of that at least was probably pushing up the roads to the top.
The downhill trails were also shared by walkers, so it was impossible to get up any speed.
The whole place felt like there was an up, and a down, and nothing in between. No 'routes' as such. No switchback climbing anywhere that I could see. It could really benefit from some decent switchback climbing so that its not just a long push up a hill for 5 minutes of descending.
Not sure if i'll go back there again.
Anyone had any better experiences with this place?
After leaving the car park at the Station Inn, I followed the road up the hill. The first sign of a marked trail was a blue circular arrow with Ride UK on it, pointing up a track. So up I went, got about 5 metres before it was too steep for me. So pushed my bike up that, through 2 gates, through a field of cows and onto the top of a hill seemingly in the middle of nowhere. After trekking across this for about 15 minutes I did eventually pick up the waymarked trails again.
Ended up at the Glider centre on the top. Great views I have to say. Following the map I headed for one of the numbered trails, number 3 on the map.
After all the effort getting to the top of the hills, I was down at the bottom again in what felt like only a couple of minutes. Then another long push back up a steep gravelly road to the top. After a ride around the top for a bit, I headed for trail 9, which according to the map was the longest trail, supposedly 3.55km long. However I was soon down the hill again at the bottom, back on a road, and no obvious route back up. So I rode back to the car park along the road and went home.
All in all was out for 2.5 hours riding, however half of that at least was probably pushing up the roads to the top.
The downhill trails were also shared by walkers, so it was impossible to get up any speed.
The whole place felt like there was an up, and a down, and nothing in between. No 'routes' as such. No switchback climbing anywhere that I could see. It could really benefit from some decent switchback climbing so that its not just a long push up a hill for 5 minutes of descending.
Not sure if i'll go back there again.
Anyone had any better experiences with this place?
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Comments
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Having done a bit of work out that way a5 that runs out that way, it is a popular place with the local lads out there, so there must be somert better than your experiance, have you tried looking for/at http://www.northshropshirewheelers.co.uk/ for a bit of info.0
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It looks as though you've gone there without looking to see what there is before you went. 5-Ps Springs to mind here, Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Have a look in the Edge Cycleworks webpage.
http://www.theedgecycleworks.com/mtbroutes.
There are a few routes listed there for the Long Mynd. You'll still be pushing in places though.0 -
I really like the Long Mynd area, it's a bit different from your usual trail centres being more natural riding and is a lot quieter as a result.
The camping pods and biking shop at The Station Inn are really good and the pub itself is great for some steak/beers in the evening and breakfast in the morning. It's a nice location for a weekend with some mates.
From memory trail number 3 is the toboggan chute, fast and steep, I remember the sweet smell of brake pads flying down there. I know what you mean about being back down the bottom in a matter of minutes mind. Trail 7 is the best - Minton Batch, great fun
Commencal Meta AM
Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc0 -
Welcome to the real world where there are not 'dedicated' bike trails with nice direction posts AND you have to share with beings other than mountain bikers! AND, horror of horrors, it may have steep bits where you have to push :oops:
Don't know what 'map' you were using but better to get an OS 1:25K map, learn how to read it and work out your own routes - if you went for a route that was only 3.55km long what did you expect - it wasn't going to last forever? The landscape was there before mountain bikers - don't write off a beautiful area just because it isn't built like a trail centre.... :? Go explore and enjoy - it's more satisfying working out your own routes.0 -
lpretro1 wrote:Welcome to the real world where there are not 'dedicated' bike trails with nice direction posts AND you have to share with beings other than mountain bikers! AND, horror of horrors, it may have steep bits where you have to push :oops:
Don't know what 'map' you were using but better to get an OS 1:25K map, learn how to read it and work out your own routes - if you went for a route that was only 3.55km long what did you expect - it wasn't going to last forever? The landscape was there before mountain bikers - don't write off a beautiful area just because it isn't built like a trail centre.... :? Go explore and enjoy - it's more satisfying working out your own routes.
I was using the map that can be purchased from the bike shop for £1 with the numbered trails on it. The 3.55 km route is one of those leading from the top to the bottom, and is the longest one out of all of them. I think the idea is that you get to the top, then use a numbered route down, then repeat.
I liked the place itself. Kind of surprised to find a public road (i.e cars) running straight along the top of it though. All the trails led off this upper road pretty much, so there must be a shallower route up somewhere, but would just be road.
I guess the advantage of a trail centre is that you know you're gonna get a good route, whereas this was more natural exploration. It might have been more fun if i wasn't on my own.0
