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Tilgate; Wheres the singletrack..?
Topic Started: Jan 4 2010, 12:44 PM (190 Views)
Freewheeler
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Fairly Muddied
Morning!

Happy New Year to you all.

We went down to Tilgate yesterday and followed the pylons as per the instructions on mudtrail.co.uk. We then bore to the left following a trail that crossed the fire road but, apart from a couple of old jumps that looked like they hadnt been used for a while we found jack.

After a couple of circuits we found the start of the downhill course and a tiny section of enduro track and some very claggy 4x4 tracks but nothing else.

So, where is the singletrack at Tilgate?

Nick
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Mark
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Muddy@rse'd
Buried under all of the felled trees! :(

The Forestry Commission have been gardening over the last few months and most of the singletrack has been blocked or churned up. There's still bits of it around, but it's quite hard to link it all together now into a nice circuit.

Hopefully once the FC have finished it'll be possible to make some new trails.
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Freewheeler
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Fairly Muddied
Cheers mate, same story up at Whiteways although only one sections (as far as I know) has been wrecked.

Nick
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woodsman
Bog Monster
I was at Tilgate Sunday, the forestry have felled a lot of pine trees, as scheduled. The west 'perimeter singletrack' seems the most affected (apart form the DH track), but I'm sure it could well be resurected easily, by just riding it from the bridge (right), and moving any branches to the side, as you go - bike width. This would leave the singletrack as I know it, those that have been on any of my rides - intact! It may not be as straight forward as that, but well worth a try and does look very do-able.

I'm free Saturday if anyone wants to ride and clear as we go?

It's there if you want it, but you've got to put a bit in to get what you want out of it!

Saturday...............................................................


unless you like fireroads of course! ;)
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Bazz
Slightly Splattered
Could be up for meeting you there for that, got to get some singletrack back in my life. What time are you likely to go, and could you do Sunday instead if i can't get away?
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woodsman
Bog Monster
I can't make Sunday unfortunately. I'm fairly flexible on times as long as it's not 'early'! ;)

Ideally 11 or midday, for a couple of hours or so - if there were to be a few volunteers ...
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Dave le Trek
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Mud Lover
Hi Woodsman, count me in for meeting up on Saturday to do some cleaning, i can meet at anytime, but midday sounds good to me, do we need to bring any gardening tools???
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woodsman
Bog Monster
Sounds good - we almost have a working party, just a couple more volunteers needed...............come on you Crawleyites! ;)

Dave - I guess something to cut wood would be good, in case we need to go round anything big. A sturdy rake would be usefull but that would be a pain to ride with...
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Freewheeler
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Fairly Muddied
Hi mate,

Have the FC finished there then? It would be a shame to spend a morning clearing out a trail for it to be unrecognisable a week or two later.

Nick
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woodsman
Bog Monster
You have a point, and it's difficult to say, as they leave it where it falls - no clearing, and obviously a bike track has no value or obligation to them to clear, unlike a footpath or bridleway. From what I've seen last weekend, it was a case of literally shifting small branches to the side, to enable a bike to get through without, getting caught up in anything.

I was thinking if we spent half the time clearing, and half riding, then it isn't a big investment of time, and we can always return - you can almost get a bike through in a lot of places as it is. And, if we have to go round anything, then try to get close to a deciduous tree, as these will be left by the forestry - don't worry I have the necessary geek tree knowledge if needed! ;)

If we had a group of four or more, then ride west from the bridge until we reach the obstacles, then clear them aside for an hour or so, ride for the same.

If you like the singletrack in St Leonards as mentioned in a previous thread, ever wondered how it got there - I and like minded others put it in, it didn't exist three of four years ago. I spent years riding boring fireroad mainly, and rarely saw another biker in there, now, as soon as I put in a new trail, I notice other riders using it. Tilgate has so much potential, but apart from the DH folk building jumps, no one has explored the natural deer track, or just by riding 'off piste' created any new singletrack, in ten years, that I can remember. PS: hope that doesn't come across as a rant, just trying to justify and answer your question.

Here is a pdf link to the forestry work http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/pdf.nsf...fdp-Tilgate.pdf
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Bazz
Slightly Splattered
Should be good for Saturday, midday would probably suit me too.
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belugabob
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Mudking
Which bridge were you thinking of meeting at (Left or right one, on the map that you linked to?)

I was thinking of driving down Parish Lane, with garden tools in the boot and bike on the rack, then distibuting tools amongst others before riding off to the single track.

This all depends on whether I'm free or not (And whether there's 2 foot of snow in the forest;-))
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Freewheeler
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Fairly Muddied
@woodsman,

A good point well made. I havent explored St Leonards - its on my list.

Ill see how the weather is for saturday, sounds like the whole country is coming to a standstill because of a bit of snow.

Nick
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woodsman
Bog Monster
I was thinking of driving to Parish lane too Bob! could all meet there if it suits others? It would be good to get started by 12 at the west bridge, so 11 meet to allow for faffing and getting there, with some clearing on the way no doubt - would be ideal. How does that suit others?

It doesn't look like there will be any improvement over today weather wise, so base that on whether you are up to it. No mud though! :)

We have four definately maybe's then - a couple more would be great...........


:rolleyes:
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