 G'day all.
I'm off to visit a friend of mine near Chepstow at the weekend and thought it'd be a good time to take advantage of the potential delights of the Forest of Dean, so the bike's being slung in the car. The thing is, Mrs. Hobbit's coming too with her bike but she's not the nimbliest of MTBers (think bridleways, towpaths, disused railway lines, etc)... So the question is: what are the trails like in the forest, are they "beginner / wife-friendly", and if so, will I have fun too or will it all be a bit "flat"?
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 Lots of beginner/wife friendly stuff and a nice singletrack route that will keep you interested for an hourish too.
Start from the cycle centre near Coleford where you can also get information on where you can cycle
The cycle centre/shop is Padalbikeaway I think
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Thanks Sunny, sounds like a plan!
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 Yup, there is a family loop which is quite scenic (some old railway tracks) which we (wife+7yr old daughter) have gone round, then I usually desert them at the Pedalabikeaway centre (which has maps) to go off and do a couple of laps of the FODCA trail (red graded). Clever trail built on a very small footprint of land. Takes me about 25 minutes a lap. It gives new meaning to the term "rooty"... best avoided if it's been wet, but I bet it's going great at the moment, weather here (Malvern) has been spot on for a couple of weeks.
Now you've reminded me I may just have to go this w/e!
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 Not ridden there yet, need to setup a rock climbing in the AM at simons yacht rock, then a longish ride into the evening.
It's been discussed a few times, but never yet happened. :(
( Can't climb for long, before Arms DIE, so combines my 2 things )
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"simons yacht"?!! Arf arf. I'm assuming Symons Yat!
Limestone choss, gimme good ol' grit/granite anyday.
Hope your pootle on th eMalverns went well, I've only just wrapped that report so just as well I didn't go out!
ZZzzz...
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Cheers all!
Just found out that there's some sort of bike festival on at the FoD this weekend so it may be a touch busy there. We'll see.
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Yep thats the place, was tired :)
Interesting ride, 45mins to the Main Top your route with no stops, killer on the top realised I'd left the helmet in the car LOL
Then a Puncture, then the valve ripped off arse
Then, my Stem to steerer came loose
Then, almost over the bars from a dog
Then actually got bit by a dog, hand gloves stopped the skin breaking, bla bla
And found that really technical single track, it's to technical LOL
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Well, the Forest of Dean was very good for a gentle bimble. Not much inteh way of decent technical stuff apart from a dedicated MTB area to the west of teh cycle centre, but it suited Mrs. Hobbit down to the ground. She had a cracking time and with a bit of luck will be getting more into MTBing.
One thing I would say about the FoD though - it's all rather "Deliverence" there, isn't it?
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Haven't you heard about the FoD?
Don't go there alone especially around full-moon
Seen 'The Wickerman'?
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LOL!
Well my wife and I were just bimbling along the fire roads and single track, but there were definately moments when I was glad to be on a bike and not on foot!
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Pad, what state was the FoDCA trail in (assuming that's the "dedicated area" you went on)? Dry or still boggy? Just thinking about popping down there soon and it helps to know if it's a mudfest.
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Well Cannock Plain is so Dry it's slipperer than in the mud, well kinda my woods almost as dry so I'd expect bone dry to.
Ofcourse this can change in no time, but I was hearing heatwave expected this week
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PD: It's fairly dry, but the upper areas are still fairly claggy.
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Ta muchly Pad. DT, you're right about the dry, there's 'k all traction on the steep climbs on the Malverns at the moment.
And the descents are pretty fishtail-y too.
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 Where abouts in Malvern do you cycle? Is it good for a beginner (unfit)?
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The Forest of Dean has some of the best Mountain Biking trails in England. There are a couple of waymarked routes, and a downhill, at the Cycle Centre, but to find the best stuff you really need access to local knowledge. Dowies (Doughies) and Dr John's are two first rate singletracks, both near Parkend and there dirt Jumps and downhills (better than the one at the cycle centre) not too far away as well - but as I said; you probably wont find them without local help.
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 after a few years, i think he's already checked it out
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