Mountain Biking in Swinley Forest - suitable for beginners
4 people attending
14 places left
Come and enjoy some great mountain biking in Swinley Forest - The area has dedicated trails for biking so you can really enjoy yourself and your bike to the full. The trails are fast and flowing and is ideal for beginners and more advanced riders alike. The day will be fun and relaxed and is not meant to be a test of endurance or a time-trial so all abilities welcome.
Two trails are available totalling 22km, we will start with the blue trail which has some wide sweeping berms and some easy rollable trail features. We will then move onto the red trail, which has more features including some small drop-offs (which can avoided or walked if required), fast flowy berms and some larger rollable jumps. The route can be found here.
A fully working hardtail or full suspension mounain bike is essential - bike rental is available at the Swinley Bike Hub but book in advance as they get very busy - http://www.swinleybikehub.com/
If you have any concerns about what to bring or want to find out if this event is right for you please don't hesitate to contact the event leader.
By nature mountain biking is unpredicatable so timings are very approximate and depend on the group/weather/punctures etc..
Situated in more than 1,000 hectares of Crown Estate woodland. Swinley Forest is designated as a Special Protection Area (an SPA). It is internationally important for its rare and threatened birds particularly Nightjar, Dartford Warbler and Woodlark, as well as its heaths, grassland, lakes, ponds and woods. These habitats are home to an amazingly rich array of species.
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IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete the Cycling Participation Statement in addition to booking your event space before attending a cycling event.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild, or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, is asked not to attend.
What to bring
ESSENTIAL:
- A working mountain bike - hard tail or full suspension (or pre-book one at the on-site cycle centre in advance here)
- A Helmet!
- Spare inner tube
- Any tools specific to your bike
- Snacks & Water
- Appropriate clothing for cycling & the forecasted weather
NON-ESSENTIAL
- Elbow & Knee guards/protection
- Sunscreen
- Bike Lock
- Eye-protection & gloves
A mountain bike with suspension is essential. Hard tail or Full Suspension are suitable. Hybrids or Road Bikes cannot be used on this event.
Appropriate clothing for the expected weather - synthetic or man-made materials are recommended as they dry quickly - avoid cottons/denim. Shoes should provide good grip of your pedals. Keep in mind that you'll be warm when cycling but you cool down quickly when you stop.
Consider a change of clothes & shoes for afterwards as you may be muddy and wet.
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch and plenty of snacks you can eat on the trail.
Water is essential, at least 1L
There is a cafe at the Look Out Discovery Centre for buying snacks/lunch pre-ride and post ride those who want to can grab a drink/snack