Calendar

May
14
Sun
Swinley Girls Who Ride – Bubbles at the Hub @ Swinley Bike Hub
May 14 @ 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

Whilst Adrian is doing his ‘Best Bits’ at Swinley, I’ll be joining the lovely Swinley ladies ride!

These are very well organised and friendly rides, with groups for all abilities at a great trail centre.

It’s friendly and fun and the best bit of our ride is we get a glass of prosseco after!! 🍾

The rides start from the Swinley Bike Hub at 10am – you’ll need to be there a little earlier to register.

Jun
25
Sun
Swinley Off the Piste @ Swinley Forest
Jun 25 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Swinley Off the Piste @ Swinley Forest | England | United Kingdom
NB – this ride is now on the Sunday, 25th June
This is somewhere between our Swinley Best Bits ride and a training event for the Swinley Enduro in September.
We will take in all the Stages from last year’s Enduro, which including the off-piste ones, the best of the Blue and Red and another off piste section we remembered recently (you’ll be amazed you missed it once you know it!).
 
The ride will be about 12 miles, with options to extend it further, either as we go, or as a nice short bonus lap after lunch.
 
Meet at the trails entrance at 10am and don’t forget your helmet.
Jul
22
Sat
Impromptu Swinley Hidden Gems @ Swinley Forest
Jul 22 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Impromptu Swinley Hidden Gems @ Swinley Forest | England | United Kingdom

Last minute rain dodging suggests Swinley tomorrow! Still a few showers forecast, but looks the driest option overall, so if anyone wants to join us, we’re going to do our “full off piste” route.

About 15 miles, taking in the best of the Blue & Red trails, some Swinley enduro off piste sections & some forgotten, but still good, sections of trail.

Good opportunity to check out of the less well known, but hidden gems of Swinley.

Meet by the trails entrance at 10am.

Make sure you bring a helmet & probably a coat, as showers are forecast.

Aug
19
Sat
Swinley Enduro Training @ Swinley Bike Hub
Aug 19 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Swinley Enduro Training @ Swinley Bike Hub | United Kingdom
Swinley Enduro is rapidly approaching, so we’re going to do a full on training event.
 
We will follow last years course fully, stopping to have a look at some of the trickier bits along the way. Although this year’s course is secret and will have an additional stage, we’re pretty sure some of last year’s stages will be included again.
 
Meet outside the Swinley Bike Hub at 10am (so we can bug Tristan and try and get him to spill more of this year’s course details!) 
Sep
7
Thu
Swinley Enduro Practice Thursday @ Swinley Bike Hub
Sep 7 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Swinley Enduro Practice Thursday @ Swinley Bike Hub | United Kingdom

Swinley Enduro is nearly upon us!! So I’m getting another sneaky practise in while the kids are at school!! We will be following as much of last year’s route as we have time for.

If you fancy joining me, then let me know as I can lift a couple of people.

Remember to bring pads and a helmet.

We will meet outside the Swinley Bike Hub for a 10am set off.

Oct
29
Sun
Swinley Monster Mash Up! @ Swinley Bike Hub
Oct 29 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Swinley Monster Mash Up! @ Swinley Bike Hub | United Kingdom

2 days before Halloween, so let’s go and play in the woods – always turned out well in films 😳
This will probably be one of our last trips to Swinley of the year, so we’re going out with a bang and will ride the best the forest has to offer, taking in as much of it as I can pack into 1 loop!
I’ll be keeping the distance to about 15 miles and we’ll be doing some old favourites, best of the regular trails and some bits you might not have seen before 😉 it will be an intermediate level ride, with some technical bits, but there are walk around options for anything you don’t fancy doing – it’s all friendly fun, promise!

Meet outside the Swinley Bike Hub at 10am
(you’ll need a helmet and some knee pads are probably a good idea too)

Feb
17
Sat
Swinley Best Bits 2018 @ Swinley Forest
Feb 17 @ 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Swinley Best Bits 2018 @ Swinley Forest  | United Kingdom

The first “Swinley Best Bits” of 2018.
These are Red grade rides that take in some of the best best of the Blue, Red, old trails and downhill trails into 1 loop.

This is at the upper end of Red grading for its technicality, as although the distance will be under 20 miles, the terrain is challenging, with everything from fast flowing singletrack, jumps, to some loamy off camber roots and reasonable sized drops. If you are confident on Red trails, you will be fine.
You can read about a previous Best Bits route using the link below. The exact route on the day will depend on how we get on (adapted for the weather and riders in the group essentially), but this gives a good idea: http://swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk/wheretoride/routes/swinley-big-best-bits/

Please bring food with you, as we will be out over lunchtime and there are no facilities in the woods.

You must bring a helmet (no helmet, no ride) and knee and elbow pads are recommend too.

Meet outside the Swinley Bike Hub and 10.15 for a 10.30am set off.

Jun
9
Sat
Exmoor Explore – Lets go to the sea @ Porlock Weir
Jun 9 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Exmoor Explore - Lets go to the sea @ Porlock Weir | Porlock Weir | England | United Kingdom
This is a warm up for those coming for the weekend, and will have a choice of gentle or mental!
 
We will be starting from our base at the Sparkhayes Campsite in the centre of Porlock and making our way to Porlock Weir, the port to the west, where there is an excellent pub, refreshments and the sea!
 
The choice will be:
A gentle pootle out, relatively flat, just taking in the scenery to the pub essentially.
Or the mental option – making our way part way up Porlock Hill (which has the steepest A road in the country!) and making our way down through the technical bridleways in the woods to the weir.
 
The choice is yours 🙂
May
23
Sat
May Weekender 2020 – Exmoor @ Porlock
May 23 @ 10:00 am – May 25 @ 2:00 pm
May Weekender 2020 - Exmoor @ Porlock
Our annual May Bank holiday trip will be to the fabulous Exmoor in 2020.
We have 3 days riding planned and you can do all or just some of them.
 
Day 1 – the big day out. Starting from Porlock we will do a 28km loop of some of the best hills and scenery Exmoor has to offer, including Wootton Courtenay, Ranscombe and Horner. There will be amazing views of the hills, sea and Wales, epic descents and glorious woodland. There will be options on the route as well, including a cut off near the end to remove 300m of climbing, to enable more people to have a go at the route. For the “adventurous” there will also be a chance to take in one of the tracks from the Southern Enduro champs along the way (that is optional and the alternative is still a great descent, just firewood instead).
 
Day 2 – lazy Sunday. Well sort of! We will start with a considerably shorter ride (9km) to the top of Bossington Hill, for the epic view, on our way to Horner. After a lunch at the excellent tea rooms we will then do 3 uplifted descents. First we will take in a long run from the top of Dunkery Beacon, followed by an epic singletrack run from the top of Porlock Hill. Finally we will return to Porlock Hill and take a super fast fireroad route down to Porlock Weir for a pint by the sea. Up to you if you do all 3 descents or 2 or 1, but the final one is suitable for all and takes us home, so if you’re only going to do 1, it should be that 1!
 
Day 3 – Big trees. To finish off on Monday we will decamp to the outskirts of Minehead (about 15 minute drive) to Dunster Castle. Here we will ride a nice woodland route out to England’s tallest tree and back.
 
Accommodation is DIY, but I would strongly recommend Sparkhayes campsite (which I will be at). It has excellent facilities, and lovely relaxed atmosphere and great views of the hills and sea. It’s also on a few minutes walk from the pubs and shops.
There are many B&Bs in the town if you would prefer a solid roof though.
 
Outside of your accommodation and food, the only cost will be the uplift, which will be around £10 per person in total. Exact price will be confirmed nearer the time.
 
All routes will be led by qualified ride leaders, who are also first aid trained.