Proposed changes to Swinley Forest

paul.skibum

Just rode the blue and red at Swinley having not been there for over two years.

On the one hand I missed the old routes and rambling style of the place - I used to head out on a loop and do a random selection of tracks as the mood and fitness suited. The new marked route is fine and dandy in many ways as it broadly followed my standard run but it definitely left me heading the wrong way along a few loops and missed off some of the stuff I enjoyed.

The armoured trail looks like it should last well and was definitely in great shape after recent weather but definitely hid the old charatcer of the trail. The odd sections on the red where the armouring had been left off and the roots and holes reappeared were a bit of a shock to the system almost! But were welcome.

Bets bit for me would be the down hill up at the freeride zone and the labyrinth after. Missed riding out at Ceasars Camp but I was always dubious about the legality of those trails.

Are there any additional trails not part of the marked that can be legitimately ridden - Cooldad has mentioned the Crowthorne trails but not sure where and what he means by those.

Will definitely go again and will bring some less skilled rider friends to enjoy the trails but am a little unsure how to react overall to the changes.

cooldad

Most of the old trails in Swinley are still there, just not marked and getting overgrown, but you can still ride them.
By Crowthorne I mean the bits from Ceasars to the Corkscrew/Bombholes area and beyond. (Which are in Crowthorne Woods - the new trails are in Swinley Woods, all being parts of Swinley Forest (I think)). The Crowthorne bits and Sandhurst are not part of the Crown Estate (MOD land as far as I know), and all of the trails are rideable and legal.
Nice and quiet over that side as well, the new trails resemble the M25 at times. Although parts are getting hard to recognise - which is good.
The new stuff is OK but large chunks (like the red on the return from Labyrinth) are just pointless and as I don't try and monster everything I find it a bit boring. I prefer more natural and slightly technical stuff with roots and things.

paul.skibum

cooldad wrote:

Most of the old trails in Swinley are still there, just not marked and getting overgrown, but you can still ride them.
By Crowthorne I mean the bits from Ceasars to the Corkscrew/Bombholes area and beyond. (Which are in Crowthorne Woods - the new trails are in Swinley Woods, all being parts of Swinley Forest (I think)). The Crowthorne bits and Sandhurst are not part of the Crown Estate (MOD land as far as I know), and all of the trails are rideable and legal.
Nice and quiet over that side as well, the new trails resemble the M25 at times. Although parts are getting hard to recognise - which is good.
The new stuff is OK but large chunks (like the red on the return from Labyrinth) are just pointless and as I don't try and monster everything I find it a bit boring. I prefer more natural and slightly technical stuff with roots and things.

That was my main thinking with the new trails - the loss of the natural technical stuff to the hardpack gravel - completely get why they have done it that way but its a loss to those of us who liked it the old way. Will check out Ceasars again next time I am out that way - I guess you get to it off the blue on the outward bound leg?

cooldad

You can, when you get to Satans Grotto, just turn right to Pips Seat (where Watsons Wander used to come out), do a loop of Crowthorne, back to Pips and back on the new trails up Seagull. although I tend to avoid it totally as that tends to be the busiest bit of blue.
I start on the green with the kiddies, cut out halfway through onto the fireroad, first right and then head along random trails.
If you are going to be in the area give me a shout and I'll show you the off piste stuff, as long as you don't mind going slowly.

BloggingFit

Beware of the Segway!