Any recent Swinley experience?

big_southern_jesse
big_southern_jesse Posts: 729
edited May 2015 in Routes
Hi, checking if anyone has been along to Swinley recently?

It's an hour's drive and I've being trying to persuade some biking buddies to check it out sometime, and yet we've never quite made it. So thinking about buzzing up there on my own, either super early tomorrow morning, or late in the day today or tomorrow.

So either arrive at 8.30 am, or even before, or about 5pm end of day. Basically want to avoid the crowds for parking etc, - it is the bank holiday weekend after all.

So has anyone been along recently? What are the trail conditions like? Any closures at the moment?

Just thought I'd check the forum before I went...

Thanks,

Jess.
Proved by testing to be faster than a badger.
The world's ultimate marmite bike

Comments

  • wilberforce
    wilberforce Posts: 295
    Hi
    I was there a couple of weeks ago
    Trails were dry, Red sections 1 and 2 were closed
    Was a few other riders around but not very busy and easy to park
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    It'll still be like that now, it drains well. Just go. It does get busy, so getting there early is wise. Good for a couple of hours or so.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    It's OK if you're local. I wouldn't drive there again, it's only just over an hour but there's nothing interesting on any of the trails, just rather dull singletrack with nothing technical.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    That depends if you want something technical or not, the OP hasn't said... There's enough to keep Brendan Fairclough interested.

    It's fun for a couple of hours, but not much else IMO.
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 803
    Was there a couple of weeks ago - bone dry.

    I tend to make sure I'm there by around 8 in the morning to miss the weekend crowds - easy as I only live a 30 minute ride away. Leaving around 2 hours later I was hardly held up at all - Blue tends to be busier than red apart from by the clubhouse.

    Couple of bits are closed with the only real downer being Tank Traps which looks like it's been pretty much demolished at the bottom.

    I only go there a couple of times a year and only if I fancy a change from the natural trails in the area - the blue is fast and pedally - tests your fitness more than anything.
  • big_southern_jesse
    big_southern_jesse Posts: 729
    Hi folks, and thanks for all the replies.

    As it was, there was a group ride here so I didn't get over there last weekend. As with all these things, you never know how someone else's "gnarly" or "boring" compares to your own until you've ridden the same spots. (Riding a 1x9 with no suspension means quite a bit of stuff that is run of the mill up or down on a well geared full susser can be more challenging for me anyway.) So I'll probably still give it a try sometime soon, just as somewhere different.
    If it's great for me, then fantastic. If I find it a bit boring, well, I'll just value my local trails a lot more.

    Thanks for the feedback anyway, and the recommended times to try and get a quite-ish run round.

    Jess.
    Proved by testing to be faster than a badger.
    The world's ultimate marmite bike

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