steve_sordy
Wedding Crasher
Meet at 10:00 am ready-to-ride, Sat 15th Jun by the right side of the cafe veranda, overlooking the big field.
The postcode for Sherwood Pines is NG21 9JL, but ignore the sat nav when you turn off the public road and just follow the signs for the car park. Your reg no will be scanned on the way in and you pay £11 at the pay station before you leave. Don't forget or you will get stopped at the barrier, get blocked in and have to walk all the way back to pay! (And then back again).
Expect about 20 miles if we do all that I have planned (plus any sessioning). That distance can be shortened by popular request on the day.
The route is different to previous rides although some sections will be common. The majority of the worst obstacles are avoidable, the jumps are all roll-able if you prefer. If you don't fancy even the alternative route then do what I did at first, walk the bike down (or up) the worst bits! Usually, the camaraderie of supportive riding buddies gives everyone a skills boost! If you are comfortable with a red trail anywhere then you will be OK.
Expect some of the best parts of the red & blue trails, plus the WW1 trenches area and many of the off-piste trails in the area. We will also be heading over to the NCB land for some single-track trails over there. In amongst that lot, we will be riding over the biggest hill in the area to visit Vicar Water park and the cafe, which will be about half way around. We won't be doing the desert this time.
For those of you who have already been to Pines and done the regular trails, you won't see much you recognise. Anything that is tricky has a way around it. Nobody will have to ride outside what they are comfortable with just to stay with the group.
Because it is that time of year there is a lot of brambles, nettles and bracken. Most of the really bad stuff has been cleared, but it does grow quickly! If you bring bare legs, expect to collect some scars.
Eyewear is strongly recommended, helmets mandatory; there are a lot of low hanging branches. If you have ridden the red at Pines before but are nervous about the thought of "going off-piste" then don't be. I usually stop at the trickier sections to let riders have a look at it first, until I get the feeling for the skill level of the individuals. But in the end the choice is yours whether you tackle any particular feature. I am not professional guide and I am not charging for my time, this is meant to be a fun day out.
There is a lot of shattered wood about, plus the brambles. Those without tubeless tyres and sealant, come prepared.
I have done quite a few of these rideouts in the Pines and surrounding area and judging by the feedback, they have always been good fun. Allow 3.5 - 4 hours as there is always a lot of piss-taking and general chit- chat taking place. Search in the Rideouts section or check the bottom of this page for links to previous outings.
There is a full-service bike shop on site, plus café and a very good toilet block, loads of parking available.
If more than 6 riders turn up, there will be frequent headcounts.
Please trust me on this; if you get lost in the off-piste areas, there is a good chance that you will have to find your own way back. Those who are not lost will have to decide how long to spend looking for you. So follow the trail instructions, and be nice to everyone you meet!
Here was the last one, there are others, look under Rideouts and "Sherwood Pines".
www.emtbforums.com
The postcode for Sherwood Pines is NG21 9JL, but ignore the sat nav when you turn off the public road and just follow the signs for the car park. Your reg no will be scanned on the way in and you pay £11 at the pay station before you leave. Don't forget or you will get stopped at the barrier, get blocked in and have to walk all the way back to pay! (And then back again).
Expect about 20 miles if we do all that I have planned (plus any sessioning). That distance can be shortened by popular request on the day.
The route is different to previous rides although some sections will be common. The majority of the worst obstacles are avoidable, the jumps are all roll-able if you prefer. If you don't fancy even the alternative route then do what I did at first, walk the bike down (or up) the worst bits! Usually, the camaraderie of supportive riding buddies gives everyone a skills boost! If you are comfortable with a red trail anywhere then you will be OK.
Expect some of the best parts of the red & blue trails, plus the WW1 trenches area and many of the off-piste trails in the area. We will also be heading over to the NCB land for some single-track trails over there. In amongst that lot, we will be riding over the biggest hill in the area to visit Vicar Water park and the cafe, which will be about half way around. We won't be doing the desert this time.
For those of you who have already been to Pines and done the regular trails, you won't see much you recognise. Anything that is tricky has a way around it. Nobody will have to ride outside what they are comfortable with just to stay with the group.
Because it is that time of year there is a lot of brambles, nettles and bracken. Most of the really bad stuff has been cleared, but it does grow quickly! If you bring bare legs, expect to collect some scars.
Eyewear is strongly recommended, helmets mandatory; there are a lot of low hanging branches. If you have ridden the red at Pines before but are nervous about the thought of "going off-piste" then don't be. I usually stop at the trickier sections to let riders have a look at it first, until I get the feeling for the skill level of the individuals. But in the end the choice is yours whether you tackle any particular feature. I am not professional guide and I am not charging for my time, this is meant to be a fun day out.
There is a lot of shattered wood about, plus the brambles. Those without tubeless tyres and sealant, come prepared.
I have done quite a few of these rideouts in the Pines and surrounding area and judging by the feedback, they have always been good fun. Allow 3.5 - 4 hours as there is always a lot of piss-taking and general chit- chat taking place. Search in the Rideouts section or check the bottom of this page for links to previous outings.
There is a full-service bike shop on site, plus café and a very good toilet block, loads of parking available.
If more than 6 riders turn up, there will be frequent headcounts.
Please trust me on this; if you get lost in the off-piste areas, there is a good chance that you will have to find your own way back. Those who are not lost will have to decide how long to spend looking for you. So follow the trail instructions, and be nice to everyone you meet!
Here was the last one, there are others, look under Rideouts and "Sherwood Pines".
Sherwood Pines/NCB off-piste Guided Ride Sun 30th Jul'23
Meet at 10:00 am ready-to-ride, Sun 30th Jul by the side of the cafe veranda, overlooking the big field. Edit: The start time has been brought forward 30 mins to 10am. The postcode for Sherwood Pines is NG21 9JL, but ignore the sat nav when you turn off the public road and just follow the signs...
www.emtbforums.com
