We’re going back to the Forest of Dean, with a twist.
A few people have asked us about bringing their teenagers with them on rides and so we’ve put this together with you mind.
Verderers is rightly the showcase trail at FoD and is perfect for showing a competent rider what a great mountain bike trail has to offer (in a controlled manner!).
So the ride is open to all, including your children – we just ask that you accompany your kids on the ride. Verderers does have some reasonable climbs in it & is 7 miles long, so we would suggest a minimum age of 13, unless your child is particular fit and experienced (although ultimately it’s a public trail and your decision & responsibility).
We will have 2 ride leaders on the day (including our Welfare Officer Davinia), to show what you should do to check your bikes before you set off and show you the trail itself, as well as some of the slightly off route features along the way (such as the great little skills practice areas).
We will meet at the Pedalabikeaway cycle centre in Cannop Valley, which has excellent facilities and a great atmosphere – you’ll need £3.50 for parking for the day.
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.
There are some great spots of riding at Swinley, but if you stick strictly to the Blue and Red trails you’ll a) miss some great off-piste stuff and b) have to churn through some really dull miles to get to the good bits!
So this ride is to show you the best bits – starting on the Blue trail, but then picking up some of the off-piste used on the recent Enduro race to connect up to the best of Red. That will take us to the bottom far east corner, where the downhill trials are as well and after a play in that area, we will take a more leisurely ride to pick up the fabulous Tank Traps section, before ending with the best of Blue to take us back to the hub. Should be 20 miles in total.
This ride contains blue and red graded trails, so bare that in mind – it’s Swinley not the Alps, but the bits of red we will be doing are definitely red grade.
See you at the entrance to the Blue trail at 10am.