Here's my take on the lap.
From the start line you headed left on a short rise across a field before turning back on yourself, down and parallel with the solo camping area. On worn grass, this was a nice burst with some undulations to pull a few wheelies and jumps, just to warm things up.
After a tight gravel right hairpin, you started the climb out of the arena and camping section for good on a compacted dirt side track to the crop field on your left. An easy gradient steadily steepened to a cheeky S-bend and a shorter flat section before the first dip into the woods on the right. At the start this resembled the M25 on a Monday morning: 20-30 riders deep, inching forward, funnelling into a narrow, single lane.
Mostly loam, this section became increasingly bumpy on entry thanks to over-zealous braking. Formed in a small valley, you swung left, then right, with a steep, short climb followed by a blast down, the last of which popped out of the wood back onto another field track although this one was the steepest so far. It levelled off quickly before a less steep grind to the bottom right part of the map.
You continued to traverse in and out of fields tracks and small copses before finally heading back in the direction of the main site. This was a great stretch, running on the ridge on the hill with great views in every direction, it was quick and swooped into 2 copses, the second of which was great fun with a nice drop in and bank to the left before popping out down into a field.
A tight right hander started the WD40 Buttery Smooth section which if you hadn’t of guessed was very much tongue in cheek. Potentially speed killing, this was freshly cut with stumps and roots everywhere, combined with holes and ruts just that bit too big for a 26” wheel. It was a good spot to practice keeping momentum and balance, in and out of the saddle, to try and keep as smooth as possible. Also running on a ridge, the next section dropped steeply on your left where you could hear other riders but first you swung left picking up speed and had to choose the A (left) or B (right) line.
I stuck to the B line all weekend which whilst longer was still a lot of fun. If you came in with speed you had to carefully pick your line to avoid 3 big stumps and a nasty root before it dropped right down, running parallel above the run into the campsite. As the hours passed you could hear the retrobike section clearly which was always fun.
At the end of the B line you had a cheeky drop and a 90-degree left turn to join up with the end of the A line in front of the pond. This was the only notable sticky stretch, thankfully short with some awkward holes before popping out onto the first proper fire road.
A quick chance to get your breath back you climbed a little, dropped a little, in a cleared valley with a small man-made dam. This section was wide and a great spot to over-take before the road bore right with a short kicker climb.
Another nice wooded section, with plenty of roots and multiple lines was fun before you swung right onto field track. You could get into the big ring and get some speed; a sign of things to come. But before that, you had a lovely gravel drop, a right hander and the wall.
The wall – the first of three proper climbs – was for sadists. Very technical, very, very steep, easily 20%+ (the Strava report said 167%) but luckily very short. The easiest way was to get off and walk. For me, there was no point killing myself trying to get up with half a lap still to go.
At the top was the ill-named section Fibrax Flowtrail. It wasn’t smooth or flowing at all since it was going up or flat and covered in roots. It was a lot of fun though! A little swoop down and up, you were into another grass field track and like the previous one, it was into the big ring time before my favourite part of the course, the Cycle Surgery Tree-age.
In a thicker wood, this was classic technical single-track with sweeping rights and lefts, a few hairpins, lots of roots and divots. The vibe was great, concentration was high so not to stack it, before you dropped down, quickly sweeping left into a cheeky exit between two trees (I saw 2 folks almost wallop them).
Still in the woods but now in a small valley, you steadily climbed, getting into a nice rhythm before you exited into a cleared area onto a lumpy track. A mixture of square stones and grass, this was the second notable climb. Very short, the challenge was getting the right line since it was super-easy to lose grip and slip. After 2 failed attempts, watching the successful riders, the hard-right line was the winner. Hitting the climb with speed to “skip” over the stones, you had enough grip on the grass and with an even steeper kicker at the end, swinging left to traverse the gradient, then right, the climb was totally doable. I made a lot of time here.
The pay-off was a longer, sweeping section of grass field track. This was top-gear, big ring, whizz past all the modern machines when they span out territory.
Next-up was the Soar Like An Osprey decent. Easier than I expected, it was straight and needed attention to keep an eye on the best line (for me the smoother right-hand side) before judging the hard right correctly, saying thanks to the excellent, encouraging marshals at the bottom before getting back into the big ring and caning it on a fire road into the third and last serious climb, the Continental Killer Climb.
Again, this was incorrectly named: the wall was the killer climb! This was simply getting it into the smallest gear possible, shifting your weight to the front and grinding. The only tricky bit was navigating past all the walkers. I still don’t understand why anyone would own a mountain bike that doesn’t go up mountains (hills). You got a lot of encouragement here which was great, about getting to the top or about the bike.
At the top, another chance to get your breath back with some undulating track before a short wood section with, initially at least, some interesting loamy-earthy berms. As the track evolved, especially for the night-riders, this became less twisty and straighter. With a short kicker climb done it was onto my second favourite part of the track: Nite Rider Redwood Return.
The final wooded section was all downhill, starting twisty with 2 tight sections, you dropped down twice; the first short and steep, the second longer and faster – proper “whoop” material. Watch-out for the gravel exit by the road (into the campsite area) and the small copse that had a dangerous muddy section which at speed, was very easy to hit wrong and end up in the shadow realm judging by some of the damage around there.
If you’re still following me and were there, you know what came next. A short chance to adjust yourself across a field with the earlier B line section up to your right, you dropped right into the campsite and a short, gentle climb into the retrobike gallery. Good times, although that siren noise still keeps me awake at night…
You turned left, got into the big ring and gave it full-beans past the other campers and if you felt brave went off the jump of doom (survived it this time). In the afternoon heat you were guaranteed a welcome soaking from multiple water guns.
Beware the dodgy gravel/stone right hairpin before the final rise behind the arena tents and looping back onto the start/finish section avoiding the cow pats, listen to the bustle, the music and of course revel in the glory of another lap!
Can I go back and do it again? What was your favourite and least favourite section?
