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Oh definitely

Hadleigh is more a trail center (with one trail ?) than a bike park thats for sure, i was all excited about Hadleigh in the early days, then i realilsed the olympic course was a basically an XC race track, that put me off, but there were a few sections that were pretty scary to first look at so i was interested a bit again, then we heard they were to 'tame' it down for the general public, this put me right off, but I take i a lot of the trail there as a weekly ride and like Andyd have been over on coaching days (provided free by HMBC) and i'm beginng to get a feel for the place now as it develops, the horrible loose surfce is finally bedding it so it will be fast and flowing even in the wet like swinley, the entertaining obstacles are designed so you have to leave the main trail to hit them so no excuses of falling down a 6 foot vertical rock drop by accident, the rock garden and some of the drops are pretty gnarly and certainly make you think twice and there are some other bits that are just a hoot to fly down (oak tree drop has got to be 20ft or so and steeper than the entry transition to the large bomb hole at danbury at least ) My problem is that there are currently no purpose built jumps, anywhere apart from the skills section (also a good laugh) but i have a theory on that. The dual slalom bit is odd, its not burly enough for mad speed and its easy to get too fast on it to quick and wash out, plenty of bits to pump or hit them as doubles, but teh berms are way too small to continue with that LOL

If XC is your thing Hadleigh will be the tits, if free ride (call it what you want ) there will be sections that are ok, if you want downhill you're out of luck unfortunately., take a spade and dig something !

it will be free, apart from car parking. There is a bike hire / bike shop on site and a restraunt and a conference center (hence the size)

So my opinion of the place has totally changed, for the better i think adn i'm lokoing forward to it being finished eventually, andi dont even like XC !

I like that fact it will be a good very local spot to head for and link up with exsisting trails, whether it will hold peoples attention after a few months/years remains to be seen, i expect it will attarct a real mixture of riders though.

And hopefully some of the gravel\loose surface will wear in\bugger off

It's on our doorstep so it's all good !!