Long Mynd Trails

biker1984

Hi folks.

Me and a mate are heading up to Church Stretton tomorrow for the first time.. Ive been looking at the map, and not really sure what trails to do... Do any of you guys have any recomendations?

Also any advice on what to expect up there? Terrain, general differculty etc...

Our fitness levels are not amazing, but do want to be feeling the burn so to speak, mainly just do XC riding.. No vertical drops etc lol...

So yeah if anyone has any info and advice on the Mynd then i'd love to hear it..

Thanks



Oh yeah heres the link to the map i have been looking at..

http://www.mtb-shropshire.co.uk/trails/

thistle_

That MTB map is fantastic. All the paths are numbered (a lot of them on the ground too) and it gives you a description of what it's like and which way to ride it.

Minton Batch (7) is the descent that everyone raves about but I thought it was a bit pants, 8 is pretty good but gets steep towards the gate at the end. Cardingmill valley (10) is a good descent or climb. Descent number 2 was good this weekend, number 3 was a bit steep and slippery for me. 5 is a hard climb but probably better as a descent as the map says.

Basically you can just pick some sections and join them up using the trails/roads at the top and along either side of the bottom.

_jon_

This is the only loop I've done over there (although I've been over there a few times to do it). I've not been since 2010 though, would like to go back again at some point.

http://www.theedgecycleworks.com/mtbroutes/long-mynd-loop

I did it following the detailed descrition and a print-out from an OS map when I first did it but found it easier with the GPS. If you haven't got a GPS device, you can download the GPX file and load it into something like the "Where's the Path" website and print out a copy of the route on a OS map.

The initial climb is tough but it's on a good surface so not too bad. Once you're at the top, you head up to the trig point (just follow the woolly hat brigade) and then on to the glider station via the road. You can get there via a second downhill secion if you want to (turn right through a small car park/layby just off the road on the way to the glider station) which has great views but there are gates all the way down which ruins the flow a bit.

The climb up from there to the glider station (continue straight on at the bottom towards some farm type buildings and then head left up the hill) is tough and probably a bit muddy at the moment. You can skip this bit out though if you want to and just continue up the road to the glider station.

Once you get to the glider station, there is a piece of singletrack (a bit hard to spot the start of it) that takes you down along a stream (the minton batch descent). It's fun and has some great views but you have to concentrate if you take it fast as it gets quite close to the stream in places.

The rest is quite easy, a windy climb back up to the glider station (more great views as you go though the glider field), back along the road, back past the trig point and then a nice fast descent down a hill back to the road. You can then either decide to do the final section (it's a bit more technical/steep from what I remember) or you can take the road back to the car park.


Here are some blog posts I created from my previous trips up there back in 2010. Might give you a good indication of what it's like.

http://mybikeroutes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/first-time-to-long-mynd.html
http://mybikeroutes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/long-mynd-round-2.html
http://mybikeroutes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/long-mynd-round-3.html

biker1984

Brilliant, thanks for the replies guys... I cant wait to get up there, must remember to take my camera and capture the views (though gonna be overcast)...

What are the chances of getting lost up there, and bare in mind my map reading skills are almost non existent.. haha, Though unless i end up getting uber lost, i tend to see it as all part of the fun really..

_Jon_, that route sounds like good fun.. Just had a look on wheres the path, what a great site that is, never knew about that... Will see what my mate is feeling, but hopefully do that route you mention..

_jon_

I got a bit lost the first time (mainly due to missing th entrance to the gliding airfiled) but then I don't have the best sense of direction and my map reading skills are also almost non-existant. Managed to find my way in the end though and as you say, makes it a bit more of an adventure if you get lost.

I'd offer to meet you up there and show you the way (I'm on leave this week) but I'm not sure if my hip would cope with the climbs over there (took a bit of a tumble at Llangedla on Wednesday).

biker1984

Ah bummer about the fall man. I'm sure we will find our way around... Perhaps next time we decide to go up, will give you a shout see if your about..

You based in Shropshire then?

_jon_

Yes, feel free to give me a shout the next time you go up. Would be good to have some company for a change.

You based in Shropshire then?

No, but I'm not too far away. I'm based in Stafford so it's only just over an hours drive away.

Let us know how you get on tomorrow.

biker1984

Right o, yeah will give you a shout next time.. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow..