The rather good looking 417 Project opens this March at Birdlip, near Cheltenham, so we’re going on Thursday 24th to check it out!
You can book your uplift/admission tickets here – currently £33 for the uplift and outdoor activities (indoor jumps and pump track are extra).
They’ve even got one of these – looks ace!
Something a bit different this week, we will be doing a short (6 mile), gentle loop using the excellent cyclepath along the old railway line round Old Town, back to Waitrose via Croft.
The ride is aimed at all, but beginners in particular. We will be able to help people check over their bikes before we begin and we will go at the pace of the whole group (so no-one gets left behind or feels uncomfortable)
Meet out the front of Waitrose at 6.30pm
Please remember to bring your helmet
Weather looks good this week, so come along to Croft and have a cycle with us.
As well as doing a few laps, there is a nice beginners loop we can do from Croft, with only gentle uphill and 3.5 and 7 mile options which we’re happy to do if there’s demand for it.
Davinia will also be there if anyone wants to do Ladies only groups.
For the next Tuesday evening ride, we are going Urban 😉
Starting from Coate water cafe (next to the diving board), we will head to lydiard park via the cycle route 45 and do a lap once there. After that we will head to shaw forest and again do a lap around there! Then move onto moulden hill country park, do a lap and then head back to the Sun inn pub next to coate water for a nice refreshing beverage 🙂
Approx 20miles.
Please bring a helmet, NO HELMET, NO RIDE! Please also bring some lights and wrap up nice and warm.
Look forward to seeing you there folks 🙂
Something a little bit different this week – a lap of Croft followed by a ride out to Shaw Forest on route 45 for a lap of there, before heading back to Croft.
This is a perfect ride for beginners, with a well surfaced, largely flat route, with optional fun bits! It’s 10 miles to Shaw and back, so that’s the minimum, plus how every many laps of Croft / Shaw Forest you want to do.
It will be dark obviously, but the route to Shaw is well surfaced and lit in places – lights are essential though, as it’s very dark in other places.
Meet in the Croft car park for a 6pm set off.
This weeks Thursday ride will be lead by me and going from the Tawny Owl.
Will be heading out towards Coate Water before looping back via Lydiard Park. Route will be about 20 miles and will be riding at leisurely pace.
Lights and helmet required.
Its been 3 years since i was last there and now its time to visit again. This is an awesome place to visit with some serious trails worth riding. Some tough hill climbs, but with rewarding descents.
Current weather forecast is for showers, but this is Wales, so make sure you bring waterproofs! A helmet is also essential.
It’s September, so we are legally allowed to talk about Christmas now! Believe it or not everywhere is booking up fast, but we have managed to book the White Hart’s function room and skittle alley for a Christmas Club Celebration.
We’ve had a fantastic year and gained lots of great new members and friends, so this is a chance to get as many of us together as we can to celebrate everything we’ve achieved this year.
This is a social event for everyone including partners and families.
On the night we will have an optional hot festive buffet, drinks, a skittles challenge and our annual club awards!
If you would like the festive buffet, the cost is £14.95 each (£7.50 for children) and we need a £5 deposit by Friday 22nd September. Alternatively you can just come for drinks and watch us eat 🙂
If you would like to come, please email us at admin@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk with how many of you will be coming and whether you want the buffet or are just coming for a drink. The buffet will include a selection of festive hot and cold buffet food, including vegetarian and gluten free options.
You can give your £5 deposit to us on the next 2 wednesdays at Croft, or this weekend at Swinley. If you’re not going to any of those, please let us know in your comment and we will get in touch with payment details.
We hope you can join us and we look forward to celebrating Christmas with you all.
The big ride.
Whites Level up. Over the top to Ywal and return via Blade descent. This is an all day’r with in excess of 50km and well over 1000m of Climb.
This is an advanced level ride, being both technical and strenuous terrain. Strongly advise knee and elbow pads.
Helmet and waterproof jacket a must. Pack lights.
Would expect to be back at the ponds by 4pm
Following on from the success of the previous Get Into Mountain Biking events we’re heading to Afan in Wales!
This will still be aimed at improvers/intermediate riders but will be a progression from the previous trail centres we’ve visited.
Meeting at Afan Lodge at 11am we will take a short ride to the start of the trails and begin our day on the blue-graded Blue Scar. At the top of the Blue Scar climb we can then decide whether to climb a bit more and do the first part of the red-graded trail Penhydd or continue straight to the Blue Scar descent. There is a fair amount of climbing at Afan but most of it is on fire roads and there will be plenty of opportunity to stop and admire the stunning views.
After lunch those with the energy can climb back up and do more of Penhydd or Blue Scar again, and there is also a small skills area and lovely scenic route with short section of blue-graded trail along the valley.
Those that are really feeling energetic and brave may be tempted to give the red-graded trail Y-Wal a go, but be warned, Wales trail gradings are harder than English ones.
Afan is roughly two hours drive away from Swindon so we will meet at Afan Lodge at 11am. Afan Lodge is further up the road past Afan trail centre, you’ll see the trail centre on your right and Afan Lodge is on the left. There is plenty of free parking here and a lovely cafe, and an old railway line cycle path links the two.
Since we’ll be in Wales it would seem rude not to stay a bit longer and go to Bike Park Wales on the Sunday! This won’t be an official club trip as such but there is a bike-friendly Premier Inn 5 minutes away from BPW which I may well find myself in that night 😀