Swinley Forest Options

[bobosola]

Well I dare not post them in albums given the current purge on non award-winning photos, so here's DrBike & Marcliam, and here's the group shot of SinfulHedgehog, OrangeAl, DrBike & Marcliam. I fluffed the pic of Orange Al's impressive double drop-off while working out how to actually take a pic on my cheapo phone.

[SinfulHedgehog]

haha, caught having a nice little sit down.

This looks like an interesting bit of track and the tabletops would be a good bit to practice jumping on. Next time perhaps? (Directions are in the comments.)

[BillyB]

Sin.. That track is one of the two that are shown in the video that was posted before. The start to both tracks is right next to the reservoir. I have marked the start with a red cross (with an arrow pointing to it)



The map also shows the "Whole 9 yards" - which is the main track in black running bottom to top.

[SinfulHedgehog]

Sin.. That track is one of the two that are shown in the video that was posted before. The start to both tracks is right next to the reservoir. I have marked the start with a red cross (with an arrow pointing to it)



The map also shows the "Whole 9 yards" - which is the main track in black running bottom to top.

Thanks, Billy.

I think we rode near to that last time, but I couldn't be sure because I had no idea where we were.

[BillyB]

Thanks, Billy.

I think we rode near to that last time, but I couldn't be sure because I had no idea where we were.

Swinley is a lot easier to learn when you have someone else showing you the way - there is LOADS of stuff that I have no idea where it is!

[DrBike]

We went very close to the red X on Sunday, but poor old Hedgehog had already got intimate with the undergrowth a few times and I didn't want to see him hugging too many more trees.

I'm hoping to go back over Easter weekend for some more exploring around Surrey Hill and I'm also intrigued by the bit marked (on another map) as the 'corkscrew' in Crowthorne Woods.

[DrBike]

From the post ride discussions on Sunday it seems that most people have commitments over Easter weekend so can I have some suggestions for a date for the next ride? Preference would be for Saturday mornings (so that Phipsy can come along too).

[marcliam]

From the post ride discussions on Sunday it seems that most people have commitments over Easter weekend so can I have some suggestions for a date for the next ride? Preference would be for Saturday mornings (so that Phipsy can come along too).

I'm back!

DrBike - I might be able to squeeze a ride in over the Easter Weekend, let me know which day your heading up there if you are.

Other than that i'm free on the Saturdays 19th and 26th April.

[bobosola]

..so can I have some suggestions for a date for the next ride? Preference would be for Saturday mornings (so that Phipsy can come along too).

All of April bar 3/4 is good for me.

[phipsy]

From the post ride discussions on Sunday it seems that most people have commitments over Easter weekend so can I have some suggestions for a date for the next ride? Preference would be for Saturday mornings (so that Phipsy can come along too).

Saturdays are better for me.

Phipsy

[SinfulHedgehog]

I'm free for pretty much the next three weeks bar next Friday to Sunday and a couple of other days mid-week. (Hoping to get out on my bike plenty over that time.) If you can bear having a tree-dweller with you once again, that is...

[marcliam]

Many thanks for the guiding Andy, I've just finished clening the bike and have just uploaded the route onto Bikely

Al, Just took a look at the uploaded route, it always amazes me the vast difference in ascent/decent depending on what package you are using. Bikely is giving ascent at about 717m, but when I've uploaded data from my GPS into the SportsTracker software I use I think it was sub 500m. Unless you did a few sneaky climbs and drop-offs when we weren't looking?!

I'm free for pretty much the next three weeks bar next Friday to Sunday and a couple of other days mid-week. (Hoping to get out on my bike plenty over that time.) If you can bear having a tree-dweller with you once again, that is...

No worries, Hedgehog - Once you get your head round those gear changes you'll be well away!!!! I will make no comments about the couple of tree/bush incidents though because if I do there is no doubt the same will happen to me next time! I believe it's called Karma.

[DrBike]

Sin.. That track is one of the two that are shown in the video that was posted before. The start to both tracks is right next to the reservoir. I have marked the start with a red cross (with an arrow pointing to it)

The map also shows the "Whole 9 yards" - which is the main track in black running bottom to top.

Billy,

Are there definitive names for the singletrack sections? I've looked at your map plus I've seen this and a couple of others on the mtbuk forum, but even there I see different names for the same bits of track. Your map shows a section called 'Tank Run' (I can understand why) and on another map (scan of an OS map) this is marked as 'Whoops'. I think that I've found/ridden most of the sections you have marked (including the bit out towards Mill Pond) but I've yet to explore up towards Hut Hill and the Corkscrew.

[DrBike]

For those who are interested the new Annual Permits for Swinley (valid up to end of March 2009) are available now online

Mine is ordered already.

Currently it's £1.50 for a day and £16 for the year, although I read somewhere that the day permits are going up to £2 and yearly to £18 (but this could equally be a ruse to encourage people to buy their annual permits early).

[Edit] - Just found this on the Gorrick Site

Annual Permit = £16 if renewed before 14/04/08
or £18 thereafter. Permits valid from 1st April - 31st March.

Day Permit = £1.50
from the Lookout Discovery Centre or online.

Your Permit money helps to pay for

The £5 million Public Liability insurance cover.

The Crown Estate for general forest upkeep.

Scheme administration.

Signage in the forest.

Materials for trail maintenance

For those who have been to Swinley they will know that 'Signage in the forest' does not feature high on the budget.

[marcliam]

I've gone for an annual permit.

[phipsy]

Ive got mine

Phipsy

[BillyB]

There are loads of different names for every track at Swinley. The map I posted isn't actually mine - I just "borrowed" it and added the cross to show the start of the trails that were in the video. I wouldn't worry about names too much!

By the way, Corkscrew is a good, fun trail too, although the "corkscrew" section is pretty short. The trails around it are also good though.

[phipsy]

im thinking about another visit to swinley on saturday april 5th anyone else free that day?

[DrBike]

There are loads of different names for every track at Swinley. The map I posted isn't actually mine - I just "borrowed" it and added the cross to show the start of the trails that were in the video. I wouldn't worry about names too much!

True - but giving them names is so much better than saying, 'the bit after the twisty bit past the big tree'. I guess the alternative is to give starting and ending grid references but that would be waaay too complicated.

By the way, Corkscrew is a good, fun trail too, although the "corkscrew" section is pretty short. The trails around it are also good though.

Didn't find it in the end, but we'll get it next time.

[SinfulHedgehog]

im thinking about another visit to swinley on saturday april 5th anyone else free that day?

Can't personally. I'm away to the Isle of Wight for a week of Kung Fu, activities and drinking. If anyone's around between the Monday 31st March and Thursday 3rd April let me know because I should be up for a ride. Unfortunately, they are weekdays though...