Haddon Hill Freer Trail Options

[allerstud]

Has anyone done this route? I am wanting to do this route- can ride red routes confidently (Cwm Carn, Afan, Marin etc) so was wondering if I would be able to do this. I am not a DHer and generally like to keep both wheels on the ground but have heard this route is classed as a black route with big drop offs etc. Any advise please?

[snaps]

Has anyone done this route? I am wanting to do this route- can ride red routes confidently (Cwm Carn, Afan, Marin etc) so was wondering if I would be able to do this. I am not a DHer and generally like to keep both wheels on the ground but have heard this route is classed as a black route with big drop offs etc. Any advise please?

You don't mean Haldon near Exeter do you? WEB

[deadkenny]

A bump on this. I did it the once and it was not bad. Not a patch on the centres in Wales but it had rock paths and some technical stuff. However only the red route was open by the time I did it middle of last year. The black run was shut. That had the big drops, but I never got a chance to try it. There used to be a big northshore area with a helter skelter and stuff but that was demolished by weather and I suspect wouldn't have lasted due to insurance purposes anyway.

They've since reworked the old red Freer into a new trail called the Ridge Run. I get the impression it's been tamed though they call it a very technical red with rock garden, berms and steep descents. From the few photos I saw it's just a wide flat gravel run that even families could ride in my opinion! Sadly the trend now for managed trails is to make them pretty much safe enough for anyone to ride and limit the number of injury lawyers heading their way.

Anyway, I've yet to try the new one, but I'm not convinced it's worth it. Don't get much chance to go there. South Devon is where I grew up, but I only visit a few times a year to see family.

There's other stuff nearby I think around Ashcombe but I'm not sure if it's a public area. I think they do DH races around there. Nice hills there so I'd expect some good stuff, but there's not so much land you can get a bike on compared to where I live now in Surrey (mainly thanks to the large amount of common land).

[snaps]

Tis true - the red has been sanitised & reduced in length to less than 6 miles
Its OK if you're in the area but I'd be miffed if I'd driven a couple of hours to ride it (like I do to get to South Wales trail centers most months)
But they've just opened a pump track & skills area next to the car park - not tried it myself but not getting my hopes up based on the existing stuff.
What we usually do is ride up from the pub in Kenn (The Ley arms, very bike friendly) then ride a couple of laps of the red, then return via some of the unofficial trails to the east side of the A380

[Ian]

Red route=gash
Pump track=gash
Skills area=gash
The place is a complete balls up, such a waste of a potetialy brilliant location. Could easily be an xc/am gold mine!

Cafe side at Haldon is another matter, top notch freeride and downhill stuff there i can tell you.
Definatly not for the faint hearted!!

[snaps]

Well I've just got back from Haldon & managed 34 miles by riding up from Kenn, doing the red, long blue, red, long blue then back via the cafe side stuff.
I went early in the morning so I could hoon around the blue & ridden at speed, its a good crack, not on a par with Welsh trails but then its less than an hour from me, but as I've said before riding the red & long blue from the car park will leave you a little disapointed @ 13 miles its hardly taxing & don't get excited by the 'black' run (its just the half mile bermy bit at the end of the old red route)

[deadkenny]

Since my previous reply I've been back and done the full Ridge Run.

Red - hah!

It's like a gentle blue you'd find in most other trail centres, certainly Wales. It's an okay trail for a bit of a leisurely run out if you happen to be in the area or live there with an hour to kill, but it's not worth making a trip for. The blue is actually okay for a blast round, though watch out for walkers, joggers and anyone pushing buggies! (though came across runners on the red also).

The end black is basically a red. It's better as it's the old end of the old red, but just too short and gives you an additional annoying climb back up.

What I did find however was a load of the unofficial stuff which was a lot more interesting. I just did the official stuff for a bit then headed round where the blue run is and took the side paths, looking for potential trails. Found quite a few dotted around. Mainly short sections, but just more interesting. I expect you could devise a nice loop to link it all up.

May check it out again next time I'm down there and look further afield.

[deadkenny]

Did it again last week whilst down there again. At a bit of speed it's more reasonable. Ignoring snapping a chain it wasn't too bad. However it's over way too quick. Blast round it you could be done in 30 mins I bet!

It's still also a trail you could easily take toddlers on bikes fairly safely!

Aside from the black at the bottom. So called "extreme" black is perhaps the only bit that demands reasonable MTB skills, but it's no worse than most of the basic Welsh trails. Few rocks and steeper first entry that's all. Loads of trails in the Surrey Hills match it or are worse and are the kind of places they send beginners down!

[brader5]

It's not to bad! From where i live i would choose the Quantock first though!
Here's a clip of one of my best sections at Haldon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANZ5mzfIjPE