Quantocks Top Ten Downhills
(well 9 really),
in no particular order, see map at bottom for locations:
Weacombe - Long, long, long - badly eroded
near the top in 2001 due to heavy rain
Smith's Combe - Starts off grassy and
tame, then steep and rocky, then singletrack with water splashes, a real
hint of the Alps in SW England
Hodder's Combe 1 - Nice singletrack
that's steep and narrow - if you go really fast down here and loose it,
you'll know about it
Hodder's Combe 2 - Andy's favourite
Quantock downhill is narrow at the top (read gorse wipped), then fast and
furious with a couple of nice bends and a log jump
Quantock Combe 1 - Stand in the car park
in Quantock Combe and look up to the right (north) - the big rock strewn
downhill you see coming down the hillside. Mental as anything!
Quantock Combe 2 - A steep and technical
shoot through the trees that dumps you in Quantock Combe, similar
to the big downhill on the Karimorr Trail at Coed Y Brenin
Quantock Combe 3 - Opposite side of the
valley to 5. Start fast on the firetrack then drop in to the
singletrack. Brings you out on the water crossing at the bottom
Triscombe Stone- Another fast and
furious one, watch out for the bend half way down, not too dangerous, but
I've overshot it on more than one occasion!
Will's Neck/Bagborough - Just ride off
the top of Will's Neck - steep. steep and gets steeper! Loose near the
bottom, I've only done this in dry and dusty conditions and it was hard to
control your speed then!
The Slades - bollocks - don't bother -
probably the most criminal waste of height on the Quantocks -
put here as a warning!
There's so many excellent trails there, I'm
sure you disagree with my choices - hell I think I disagree! If you want
to comment, or suggest your own top ten, let
me know.
A word of warning..... The Quantocks can
bite and some of these downhills should not be attempted by novices as they can
be very steep and have some of those nasty big rock thingies on them. Even
the relatively flat bit along the top has caused injury in the past, last time
we were there one of our party when over the bars, and previously we've had
someone take off the skin (down to the bone) on one elbow just by not fully
concentrating. Ouch!
