Swinley any good?

[RustyMTB]

It's about an hour away from me, I quite fancy a change of scene, especially while the trails here are knackered but never been & don't know much about the place. Worth a day out?

 

[irie]

From here to Swinley is an hour and a half and was thinking exactly the same - could do with a change of scenery. Everything here is slowly drying out but still a mess, but maybe Swinley is also a mud bath?

 

[James_C]

Yes its worth a visit. A lot of the blue stuff is very tame and flat though. Head to the downhill area where babymaker etc is.
There is also the new jump line.

I would have thought its pretty dry. Peaslake was soft but mostly dry on sunday.

 

[RoJo]

Swinley does extremely well in the Winter in terms of resistance to slop. Sandy soil and some hard surfaces provide good drainage.
4 good, but short (45sec) downhill trails near the babymaker end.

 

[RustyMTB]

Cheers guys - is the boring stuff ok too? Parking, cafe, all that sort of thing?

 

[RoJo]

Cheers guys - is the boring stuff ok too? Parking, cafe, all that sort of thing?

Yep, there is parking at "the lookout" but can get busy on the weekends. Cafe, food, bike shop all available here. Also loads for young kids to do there as there is a "discovery centre".

 

[VWsurfbum]

From Saturday just gone.

 

[MasterDabber]

I've got mixed views about it. I ride in from the Camberley/Bagshot direction off of the Maultway North. Apart from a very brief foray on a borrowed e-mtb hardtail I've only really ridden it on my Kona Hei Hei and found it a bit too "pedally" but now I've recently got my Cube e-mtb I think I'll enjoy it a lot more - in fact I may ride over there tomorrow, A lot of it drains pretty well but there are some bits that still get waterlogged eg Tanktraps. Personally, I prefer loamy type surfaces but a lot of Swinley is compacted gravelly type stuff... but it'sOK. As already said, a lot of the more interesting stuff is over at area sometimes referred to as "the clubhouse... with runs like Babymaker, Bermastic, Bikini Carwash.

 

[Dax]

I’ve not ridden Swinley in a few years, but I thought they had done a good job building a fun trail with very little vertical to play with. It was quite blown out when I last rode it, I think swinley suffers from being the closest trail center to London, so gets a lot of use.

It would depend on where you’re coming from. If it’s an hour to Fod/wales and an hour to swinley, I’d go to Fod. If it’s an hour to swinley and two hours to Fod/wales, I’d definitely ride swinley from time to time.

 

[RustyMTB]

South coast, so FoD is a trek whereas Swinley's a day out.

 

[Dax]

Definitely worth a run up to Swinley then.

 

[Tubby G]

South coast, so FoD is a trek whereas Swinley's a day out.

Wouldn’t the Surrey Hills be your closest day out if you’re driving ?

 

[RustyMTB]

Yeah, occasionally go to Peaslake, not for a fair while though. Swinley would be new to me, so there's that. Matter of fact Rogate's nearer than both but I'm not much of a park rat tbh.

 

[Weeksy]

Rogate isn't a park kind of place in terms of trails, it's fairly dedicated as a jump zone. There's not a lot of tech as such or indeed trails, but if you want to send it, it's ace.
My lad loves it there but races high level DH. I'd take Swinley or QECP over it any day.

 

[RustyMTB]

Rogate I know. This way,, we have Steyning trails if I want to get airborne & they're ten minutes away, so we never bother with anywhere else & anyway, the older I get, the less all that appeals.

 

[VWsurfbum]

I've got mixed views about it. I ride in from the Camberley/Bagshot direction off of the Maultway North. Apart from a very brief foray on a borrowed e-mtb hardtail I've only really ridden it on my Kona Hei Hei and found it a bit too "pedally" but now I've recently got my Cube e-mtb I think I'll enjoy it a lot more - in fact I may ride over there tomorrow, A lot of it drains pretty well but there are some bits that still get waterlogged eg Tanktraps. Personally, I prefer loamy type surfaces but a lot of Swinley is compacted gravelly type stuff... but it'sOK. As already said, a lot of the more interesting stuff is over at area sometimes referred to as "the clubhouse... with runs like Babymaker, Bermastic, Bikini Carwash.

Its changed a hell of a lot in the last year, watch my video above, Tank traps on its own is 90% different.

 

[RustyMTB]

I did, cheers Surfy & some other guy on YT sessioning the red trails. I feel like the layout makes sense to me, can see you have to bash the pedally blues to get over to the red stuff. Looks like a fun day out, so might well get over soon. Has to be better than here at the moment, it's like the Somme up the locals right now.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Well If I can make it, I'll come and hold your hand if you like?

 

[MasterDabber]

Its changed a hell of a lot in the last year, watch my video above, Tank traps on its own is 90% different.

I said I might ride over to Swinley today. I wasn't sure with all the frost about but I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it.... hardly anyone about, not much soggy stuff, and it was riding well. I just did a lap of Blue and Red... it was very helpful to get used to my new (first) e-mtb.

 

[VWsurfbum]

I said I might ride over to Swinley today. I wasn't sure with all the frost about but I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it.... hardly anyone about, not much soggy stuff, and it was riding well. I just did a lap of Blue and Red... it was very helpful to get used to my new (first) e-mtb. View attachment 132634

That is a good looking steed (apart from the rear mudguard )

 

[RustyMTB]

Well If I can make it, I'll come and hold your hand if you like?

Might be a date, you tease.

 

[MasterDabber]

That is a good looking steed (apart from the rear mudguard )

Yeh, I know what you mean but a bit of protection this year helps keep both me and the bike a bit cleaner and the new style Mudhugger seems pretty good (if not pretty).

 

[Pickle1970]

Haven't been there for a few years now but would honestly say I would rather stay in bed than go back again.
Boring doesn't come close but loads of people love it.