Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • Dartmoor riders advice please.
  • oldfart
    Full Member

    Looking at the Classic route in the latest WMB .Looks a good day out takes in the Widowmaker that i’ve heard mentioned before .Thing is it’s a fair way from deepest darkest Somerset and a bit of a faff to boot .Would it be worthwhile though?

    trailmonkey
    Full Member

    I guided them on that route. Yes it’s worth a trip down. A little bit different from stuff that you’ll find in Somerset and a little bit different from most of the stuff on Dartmoor.

    oldfart
    Full Member

    Thanks T.M.

    azarat
    Free Member

    Oldfart. Keep me updated as to when you intend to ride the route as I’ll try to join you.

    AverageMark
    Free Member

    I’m visiting Dartmoor mid april and staying at Rattery, been looking for some routes to ride. I have Aprils issue of WMB, is the route your talking about in the May issue?

    Failing that (sry about the Hi-Jack :oops:) can someone point me in the direction of a good ride around that area?

    oldfart
    Full Member

    azarat got the 1st week of May off sometime that week.AM yes it’s the May issue.

    mikey74
    Free Member

    Oooo I fancy a trip to Dartmoor too. Is it worth it from deepest, darkest West Sussex?

    knottie8
    Free Member

    Dartmoor is ace and worthy of a trip down from anywhere.

    mikey74
    Free Member

    Is it easy to find your way around?

    eviljoe
    Free Member

    got a couple for you-

    This

    and this

    Plenty of riding up there.

    I feel another STW mob coming on. Are we setting a date?

    trailmonkey
    Full Member

    no

    trailmonkey
    Full Member

    Sorry, that seems a little abrupt. Let me explain my feelings.
    Our trails are a little different to the Q’s. 40-50 riders, riding on the same peaty trails after a few days rain or a prolonged dry spell would cause massive damage that would not reflect favourably upon our sport. Also, we do not have the same density of trails that the Q’s has and as a result, we cannot spread ourselves out and huge groups only lead to conflict and frustration. We have a difficult relationship with the NPA and we try to do what we can to limit the amount that we antogonise them. The Dartmoor forum regulars have long since avoided mass group rides on here and as a result we have often been accused of being secretive, unfriendly, not welcoming etc. This is not the case. We’re rightly proud of the riding here and welcome folks that wish to try the area. We just can’t sustain huge groups in the way that the Q’s can.

    Just a few thoughts to consider.

    xc-steve
    Free Member

    Trailmonkey, although I agree totally with you, however do you think starting a ride down in Plym Vally area and nipping onto the Moors from there would sustain a mass ride? Obviously wouldn’t be quite as Epic as your neck of the woods but would still be a SouthWest ride?!

    trailmonkey
    Full Member

    xc-steve, I don’t really know the Plym valley but I’m guessing that you’re going to pop up onto the moor around Burrator ? The trails there are probably best equipped to handle large numbers as they’re rocky rather than peaty. However, the main Princetown/Eyelsbarrow ridge is peaty and is busy narrow singletrack and Burrator is probably the busiest corner of Dartmoor. Worth bearing in mind also that it’s a long way to the start for anyone travelling from up country.

    End of the day, if people want to organise a mass group ride, good luck, I hope everyone has a nice time. I’ve just tried to point out a few reasons why it’s not been done before.

    xc-steve
    Free Member

    Yeah that’s fair point!

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