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Hey all.
I'm going to Basingstoke for the weekend for a family get together and was thinking of swinging by swinley forest on the way back home on the Sunday. Does any body know if its any good? heard its ok with a few dh runs, drops ect..
Vids on YouTube look ok but just wondered if any one had any experience there?

Thanks Brad

Been to swinley a few times now, its a good place to ride, lots of different stuff over there. 3 Dh runs, but there not really that hardcore, the "jump gulley" has about 4/5 jumps carved down in a large trench over about 100m in length, loads of sc singletrack sections and some long berm runs.
Its really dry over there aswell at the moment too.

Thanks for the reply jim. Is there any where to park? Was told to head for the look out and I should be fine?! Hope this is true coz it's gunna be a long day wondering around if not lol.

Yep, parking is at "the look out centre" its a go ape place, its free to park but you need a a permit to ride. £2 from the onsite shop.

Sweet. Il look forward to hitting this place up Tomo then. Thanks jim

I can second it being a good day out, aswell as jump gulley and the downhill runs (baby maker,labrynth and deerstalker i think.. ) tank traps and stickler are also pretty good. Parking is easy at the look out and its pretty easy to find.

Just got back. Had a really good day. The single track is good and the dh runs are even better. Had a lot of fun in that jump canyon and got extremely muddy so all in all a good day out!

How'd you get on finding your way around?
been there once with some guys of here and chris knew his way round so didnt really pay attention but thinking of heading back on sunday on my todd but heard its a mission finding the trails.

Well at first I had no idea where to go. lucky the guys at the hire shop at the look out pointed me in the right direction and also told me to download an app called 'openmaps' it was very handy.

It was quite busy so was bumping into people when ever I got lost and just asked. I only got around 4-5 hours there so i didnt get to do alot. was on the dh runs quite a bit and some single track. Theres also a "gully run" with a few table tops which was cool.

Hope you have a good day.

Openmaps is a good source. Trail maps are £1,50 from the look out centre. The fun stuff is marked Expert mtb area.
Its a maze over there and not signposted so you will get lost, took me 10 or so rides over there to get it sorted including tagging along with the locals and some friends showed me some jumpy runs hidden away. Still get lost though.

Best route is to ride fireroad it to the stickler (all 3 parts are now one long trail.) then turn left and 30m or so is the enterance to tank traps, ride down this and through the gulley to the fireroad, head about 200m on the right theres a trail (this maybe a bit muddy) if you miss this enterance or dont fancy the mud carry on up the fireroad until you see a raised metal drain then turn right. Either one of these will lead you to the jump gulley which is 4 jumps. After playing here, if you are at the start of the run, youll see a hill on your left. Head up and over at which point you'll hit a fireroad, follow this to the left and youll pass a resevoir. Take the main fireroad past the resevoir youll go downhill then through a long straight section of fireroad, this leads to a small climb and then a descent and a huge steep climb (the wall). Once at the top, youll see a fireroad to your left and straight on. Take the path in the middle and this will lead you to the labyrinth, the deer stalker and baby maker. Start with the one on your left. When you reach the clearing there is a crossroads. If you carry on there is as much climbing as descending. Right is a no go at this junctions, its the exit of another trail. Left, and left again, push up, left and your back at the enterance to the labyrinth / deer stalker and babymaker. The second trail is a lovely trail, tables and berms. Ends up in the clearing. Third path is a push up trail. Forth is the babymaker, some quite large doubles, take it easy first time down here! At the end take a right and follow the fireroad right and back to the start.

Theres some nice jumpy trails to the right when pushing up form the start.

Enjoy

Knew you wouldnt let me down chris, thanks alot for that mate, will follow this on sunday.

No problems Keith, wish i could join you.

Serach for swinley on here, has all the trail names on etc.
http://www.openstreetmap.org

Useful little thread perhaps worth a sticky for info purposes?

Free map: http://www.gorrick.com/swinley/map.php

Cool idea - I'm going to build out the MTB trails section to include other locations which get ridden outside essex n herts

N Downs, Porc, Swinley, Bull Track etc.. throw me any other locations that should be on the list

So i can link to this thread from there