Forest Of Dean

rocketman76
rocketman76 Posts: 195
edited October 2012 in Routes
I'm off to the Forest Of Dean tomorrow (Sunday) for the first time to try ou the Verderers Trail.

Anyone been there recently, what sort of condition are the trails in (will I need my crud catcher!)..

Any bits to look out for, good, bad or indifferent!

Cheers

Comments

  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    I rode it last Monday, it'd holding up well, there's some surface water and some of the fire road bits are a bit boggy but in general its good. But yes, take your crud catcher.

    No bits to look out for really, it's all nice and swoopy and you can see most things well in advance of hitting them :-)
  • cheers.
    I'm really looking forward to it. Most of my riding is done either at LLandegla or on the Long Mynd, so I can't wait to test myself on something different. Looks to my like there is less climbing but possibly more flowing stuff..

    fingers crossed the weather plays ball!
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    cheers.
    I'm really looking forward to it. Most of my riding is done either at LLandegla or on the Long Mynd, so I can't wait to test myself on something different. Looks to my like there is less climbing but possibly more flowing stuff..

    fingers crossed the weather plays ball!


    Yeah it doesn't feel like a lot of climbing but according to me endomondo there's still about 400m so it still wears you out :-) its easier than llandegla IMO, but still great fun, nothing to test you. But I would reccomend trying out the new dh trail if you want a test. You can see the end of it about 200m into the ride as you hit the first fire road . I did the blue then rode back up and did the lower section of the dh trail :-)

    EDIT: I've just checked endomondo and it's 512m of climbing :-)
  • nice one.. sounds like a lot of fun. I've got a couple of other lads with me, one of whom is a newbie, so we'll just do a couple of loops of the Verderers, but I may try and add in the red if possible. Can you link the red into the blue? Looking at the trail map it doen't look like you can.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    nice one.. sounds like a lot of fun. I've got a couple of other lads with me, one of whom is a newbie, so we'll just do a couple of loops of the Verderers, but I may try and add in the red if possible. Can you link the red into the blue? Looking at the trail map it doen't look like you can.

    The red trail starts where the blue ends. So just finish the trail and the newbies can bail and you can do the red :-) just use it as an extension to the blue.
  • now that sounds like a plan!.. final question... anywhere decent locally to get a pint afterwards?
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    now that sounds like a plan!.. final question... anywhere decent locally to get a pint afterwards?

    That's one thing I don't know sorry mate, I'm sure there is. Ask in the shop/cafe they're a nice bunch of people :-)

    Oh and don't forget your £3.50 for parking :-)
  • appreciate your input. Hoping for a good day of weather, and that my mates get as much out of it as I intend to.
  • Cracking day down at the Forest of Dean today. We did the Verderers trail twice, but didn't bother with the red in the end.

    Trails are in good condition, a little boggy at the bottom, but thats to be expected this time of year. I must admit the first time around I was thinking is this it, UNTIL, we got to the final descent, and that made it all worth while, what a superb finish to the trail Turned an average trail into a seriously fun one!

    All in all a top day out.

    I'll be posting some footage on my youtube channel.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/davidrichards1301?feature=mhee