Woburn Sands MTB Trails....
Discussion
What are the arrangements for cycling here now? I only live five ish miles away so have been tempted to give the trails a try several times. I've cycled past the entry point on numerous occasions when I've been out on an evening bike ride but don't have a permit/pass for the area. I know you used to have to buy one from a local bike shop but I have a feeling the shop has gone now?
Up until now I've gone to Rowney Warren instead which is the same distance in the other direction and didn't need a pass for the XC trails (owned by the Forestry Commission rather than the Woburn Estate). I'm getting a bit bored of that area now so wouldn't mind giving Woburn a whirl this year!
Up until now I've gone to Rowney Warren instead which is the same distance in the other direction and didn't need a pass for the XC trails (owned by the Forestry Commission rather than the Woburn Estate). I'm getting a bit bored of that area now so wouldn't mind giving Woburn a whirl this year!
I went there for a skills course last summer, nice little venue but you need a local to show you the way! Lots of the tracks etc I rode were not obvious and I would have ridden right past them if it had not been for the instructor.
Also, watch out for the sand - sounds obvious but some of the singletrack I rode was a very fast descent directly onto very sandy paths and fireroads - almost stopping you dead and unsettling the front wheel!
Great jump/skills area in the middle somewhere, tbh the gap jumps were a tad on the big side for me but it was fun watching the kids on their jump bikes (nutters). . . . .
Also believe that the legendary 'Jedi' rides the sands from time to time, so keep your eye open for an extremely skilled middle aged bloke!
Also, watch out for the sand - sounds obvious but some of the singletrack I rode was a very fast descent directly onto very sandy paths and fireroads - almost stopping you dead and unsettling the front wheel!
Great jump/skills area in the middle somewhere, tbh the gap jumps were a tad on the big side for me but it was fun watching the kids on their jump bikes (nutters). . . . .
Also believe that the legendary 'Jedi' rides the sands from time to time, so keep your eye open for an extremely skilled middle aged bloke!
Matt106 said:
I go and ride the dirt jumps at Woburn and you pay the local warden to ride, think it's £2.50 a day. He hangs around the entrance to the woods and is a friendly bloke.
£3 now love it! this was filmed at woburn http://www.pinkbike.com/video/235571/ amazing to watch them.996 sps said:
Many thanks, will go there Saturday, don't suppose you have a link to where I should park etc? Are the routes marked or do I need a map?
head to Woburn Sands village, drive across both min roundabouts heading out of the village keep going out around the corner and park on the side of the road their will be loads of cars and van their.Sam the Mut said:
£3 now love it! this was filmed at woburn http://www.pinkbike.com/video/235571/ amazing to watch them.
Excellent video - iirc the jumps look a hell of a lot bigger in 'real life'!!The more XC stuff is on the other side from the jump arena, we usually start from Bow Brickhill. As you meander along, keep a good eye out left and right and you'll be amazed at the routes you can find. Even when you know it (and i've been going there for 4 years or so now) you will still find different routes and tracks to ride.
Winter time is a mixed blessing at Woburn. The sandy trails are actually easier to ride when damp, and they drain fast, but the more deciduous parts are really greasy at this time of year, with the fallen leaves starting to rot into a slimey mulch on top of the harder tracks underneath. I would recommend a pretty agressive front tyre, otherwise it's hard to get confidence in the front end and your pace drops right off. It's also a great place to push you limits a bit, compared to rockier harder places, at woburn most "offs" have a fairly soft landing (unless you collect one of the many thousands of trees on the site......;-)
The warden tends to mostly be around the jumps area, certainly i have actually never seen him during the week on the more backwoods trails. However, it's only £20 for a yearly pass, so if you're planning on going more than once, just coff up the cash (it works out as about the cheapest £perhr of anything i do over a year!) Also your money helps to guarentee a voice for us bikers who use and love the area.
Also being quite smooth in most places, it's a lot of fun on a properly riden hardtail, you certianly don't need an all singing all dancing full bouncer to have a great time there.
Oh, and it's brillant at night (but with failry decent lights!) brings out a whole new side to the place, especially if you do stuff like the Moat, where the drop offs suddenly look a LOT bigger ;-)
Winter time is a mixed blessing at Woburn. The sandy trails are actually easier to ride when damp, and they drain fast, but the more deciduous parts are really greasy at this time of year, with the fallen leaves starting to rot into a slimey mulch on top of the harder tracks underneath. I would recommend a pretty agressive front tyre, otherwise it's hard to get confidence in the front end and your pace drops right off. It's also a great place to push you limits a bit, compared to rockier harder places, at woburn most "offs" have a fairly soft landing (unless you collect one of the many thousands of trees on the site......;-)
The warden tends to mostly be around the jumps area, certainly i have actually never seen him during the week on the more backwoods trails. However, it's only £20 for a yearly pass, so if you're planning on going more than once, just coff up the cash (it works out as about the cheapest £perhr of anything i do over a year!) Also your money helps to guarentee a voice for us bikers who use and love the area.
Also being quite smooth in most places, it's a lot of fun on a properly riden hardtail, you certianly don't need an all singing all dancing full bouncer to have a great time there.
Oh, and it's brillant at night (but with failry decent lights!) brings out a whole new side to the place, especially if you do stuff like the Moat, where the drop offs suddenly look a LOT bigger ;-)
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 28th January 11:18
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