Proposed changes to Swinley Forest

BloggingFit

natrix wrote:

As of 5pm tonight Whole 9 Yards, Stickler, Tank traps and Deer Stalker will be open for riding.

Nice. Shall see tomorrow.

Not familiar with names of the trails as the last time I rode in swinley regulary we were just clearing the first lot of trails past The Wall. Stickler and Deer Stalker I know. Is H9Y the one that had yellow fencing when closed leading up into Stickler?

cooldad

KInd of is, now.
Gentle pootle along the new (open bits only obviously) bits today. My initial thoughts
W9Y smooth and swoopy, but too smooth and rather short (at this point anyway). You could do it on a road bike easily.
Stickler - improved - like the built up berms/bombholes, also seems to be less pedally. Fun.
Tanktraps - seemed the same to me, which is good, still my favourite bit I think.
Deerstalker - silly hairpin berm at new start - very soft - why bother? The rest seemed same as before, including all braking bumps.
Overall - looking forward to it all being finished.

gregwari

Heading up on Sunday, are the open trails now sign posted or is it as before?? Which of the trails are still shut??

Cheers all

cooldad

Everything's still closed except the ones I mentioned. There are signs at the beginning of the trails. But you do them as one run
New W9Y (starts same place as before, next to the beginning of Monaco) runs down to the fireroad, turn right when you get to it and Stickler runs off on the left a 100 yards or so up the hill, and then finishes at the beginning of Tanktraps as before.

theblarney

gregwari wrote:

Heading up on Sunday, are the open trails now sign posted or is it as before?? Which of the trails are still shut??

Cheers all

Please post back your findings, I'm hoping to head over there one evening for a night ride!

steve17

Visited Swinley for the first time in a month and tried out the improved trails.

Whole 9 Yards - first bit shorter than it was and it brings you out part way down the fireroad. Liked the old one route better.
Stickler - definately improved you can take the corners faster now as the berms are built up.
Tank traps - No change?

What's happening to the Whole 9 yards all the way to the gulley, when you turn off to Sticker? That trail was long and great it will be a shame if it disappears?

For me the new stuff is looking great, but with increased speed I expect there will be more accidents. Use to take the family up as well but not so sure they would be comfortable on the blue now. As for the rest of the forest it will be a real shame if the non official trails are definately off limits. (2nd part whole 9 yards , Monaco etc) Also rode the downhill rollercoaster, not the bit next to the reservoir but the long straight downhill bit with rollers in the open area, then straight up the telegrath road to lower star point. I have never ridden that before in the dry it was great.

Overall love the new stuff but please can the locals use some of the non official stuff if it doesn't interfere with the nesting birds!

cooldad

Most of the new stuff should be opened by the end of the month (28 March is the anticipated date), and a giant train is planned for the first ride.

theblarney

Not been to swinley for a while but what's it riding like is it pretty dry or just a mudfest?

steve17

As for Riding conditions after the last few cold days the ground is much harder. The man made tracks are great - W9Y , Stickler , Tank Traps and the downhill routes are sheltered anyway i.e. New Deerstalker open , labyrinth , baby maker great.

Seagul is closed and all the other routes have been pretty much destroyed by forestry work or the new trail building. Crowthorne woods is ok, natural but probably a little wet.

perkins360

Just reading your updates as I am looking to head to Swinley in the near future for the first time ever.

Am I likely to end up following the correct trails or will I more than likely end up lost?

If it's the lost option I may head back to Cannock until the rebuild is complete

Thanks, Dave

brindlescoops

I have booked the 28th off work and will be there ready to go at 08:00 Woo Hoo cant wait!

natrix

perkins360 wrote:

Just reading your updates as I am looking to head to Swinley in the near future for the first time ever.

Am I likely to end up following the correct trails or will I more than likely end up lost?

If it's the lost option I may head back to Cannock until the rebuild is complete

Thanks, Dave

I wouldn't bother coming until after the 28th

perkins360

natrix wrote:

perkins360 wrote:

Just reading your updates as I am looking to head to Swinley in the near future for the first time ever.

Am I likely to end up following the correct trails or will I more than likely end up lost?

If it's the lost option I may head back to Cannock until the rebuild is complete

Thanks, Dave

I wouldn't bother coming until after the 28th

Ok no worries, Is that when they are planning to have the new routes done?

benpinnick

Yes, the new routes shouldbe open 28th. Or put another way enough will be open to justify the trip, but I think at least one small (400m) section will be diverted.

gregwari

BrindleScoops wrote:

I have booked the 28th off work and will be there ready to go at 08:00 Woo Hoo cant wait!

few of us planning a night ride on the 28th, then off to Afan on the weekend - likewise can't wait!

cooldad

Slow mob ride around Swinley at 10 tomorrow to christen the new trails. The open ones anyway, so basically the blue route.

gregwari

I take it they've fallen a bit behind (weather related no doubt)? Is there a revised date for the red trail to be open?

Cheers

cooldad

They're coming back mid month I think to finish off. So should be mid late April
Bloody idiots riding the closed trails before they were finished, in stupidily wet conditions didn't help.

theblarney

cooldad wrote:

They're coming back mid month I think to finish off. So should be mid late April
Bloody idiots riding the closed trails before they were finished, in stupidily wet conditions didn't help.

Maybe we need to start the SFVG, Swinley Forest Vigilante Group with it's very own Facebook page!

perkins360

Hey guys & girls,

Is there any update on when they think they may complete the trails?

I was going to head to Swinley this weekend but I'm going to FoD instead. Would like to get to Swinley though and I'm off out again on the 22nd

cooldad

The blue is a bit of fun, and you can still add in bits of the old trails/blue bits that are open to make a decent loop.
Worth a trip if it's not too much of a drive.

perkins360

cooldad wrote:

The blue is a bit of fun, and you can still add in bits of the old trails/blue bits that are open to make a decent loop.
Worth a trip if it's not too much of a drive.

It's about 2 hours from me so I may wait until they have finished and everything is open

othello

The new blue trail is certainly lots of fun and fast and will only get faster. Not traditional Swinley in character, but I think better than I expected. Makes good use of the gradients, and the last few sections are great. BUT potential for plenty of accidents for inexperienced riders, and there have been a few already.

Looking forward to seeing how the red pans out. Having Seagull on the red is odd, but I can see why (being used to get you from the West side across to the East). Looks like a fair bit of fire road on the red too. But I'll withhold judgement until I've ridden it.

apreading

I think the plan is for that fireroad to be gradually replaced, but this would have been too much to complete within the initial build as they wanted something open by now/soon. I think Trail Team Swinley will probably look at the freeride area first and then focus on new stuff.

othello

apreading wrote:

I think the plan is for that fireroad to be gradually replaced, but this would have been too much to complete within the initial build as they wanted something open by now/soon. I think Trail Team Swinley will probably look at the freeride area first and then focus on new stuff.

Indeed, and the current logging work doesn't help.

gregwari

othello wrote:

....the last few sections are great. BUT potential for plenty of accidents for inexperienced riders, and there have been a few already.

Defeats the point of the exercise somewhat! Whats the issue?? I take it there's just potential to carry speed through some of the new bits? Seen some videos on youtube, it looks ok. As you said it'll be interesting to see how the red sections are done...

othello

gregwari wrote:

othello wrote:

....the last few sections are great. BUT potential for plenty of accidents for inexperienced riders, and there have been a few already.

Defeats the point of the exercise somewhat! Whats the issue?? I take it there's just potential to carry speed through some of the new bits? Seen some videos on youtube, it looks ok. As you said it'll be interesting to see how the red sections are done...

You mean the whole insurance issue? For CE it works fine. If someone crashes on marked trails which have warning signs up, then they can't be sued (or not as easily). Whereas before, people were suing because 'they were not warned it could be dangerous'. Ridiculous I know, but that was the way it was.

It is all around speed on some of the new sections. The surface is fairly hard, there are a lot of berms, you build speed as you go and pick it up pretty quickly. For anyone with any reasonable bike handling skills it is fine, especially if you take it easy on your first run to learn the trail a little. But riders are flying down outside their limits, in particular people of £50 halfords specials with no helmets, thinking the blue is a trail for anyone.

Simon Notley

I enjoyed the new blue run and found it easily within my ability as a very occasional dabbler in XC riding. It's easy but in a really fun way. To be honest I find it more appealing that the older 'characterful' Swinley trails which have largely turned to mud despite the excellent efforts of the volunteer builders. Yes, it's a bit sterile, but it has genuine ups and downs and a sensation of openness and speed that was missing before.

Concerning accidents, I did encounter a couple looking every inch like they were on a tourist jolly around Westminster complete with folding bikes looking well out of their depth. Fortunately they backed out before attempting a steeper section. I have to admit to being a little surprised at the trail descriptions. The green (as yet unfinished) is described as being suitable for 'absolutely anyone' but I wouldn't send my mum around it from what I've seen. The blue is described as requiring only 'basic off-road skills', which may be accurate if you readership is, say, the inhabitants of bikeradar, but to your average punter I think this may create the wrong impression.

cooldad

Red officially opens on Saturday. Train planned again probably in the morning.

gregwari

Excellent, thanks for the update