Verderers Trail, Forest Of Dean

Rating          4/5

Length         11km

Climbing      Not a lot

Time            40mins - 1.5hrs

Difficulty      Blue with Red options

The Verderer's Trail was penned by reputed designer Rowan Sorrel. It achieves an interesting brief by being simultaneously accessible for beginners and veterans alike. There are no hidden obstacles that will spark horror in the minds of novices. The distinction that allows both to enjoy this route is the speed at which you attack it.

Newbies can pootle around at their leisure without getting in to any difficulty and the more highly skilled riders tend to attack the trail at much faster speeds.

The Cannop Pedal'a'bike away centre has an array of mountain biking on offer. There are blue and red way marked xc trails, an collection of downhill tracks all accessible from the new uplift service (Fly-up Downhill). There's also a green family ride. The car park is quite often very busy but don't be put off as the trail itself is not usually very busy.

The trail itself is almost completely man-made surface with very few 'natural feeling' sections. Sitting within forestry commission managed woodland (there's evidence of this quite recently with a large area of tree felling about half way round - made the section feel a bit weird). However neither the character of trail nor the setting does anything to lessen the quality of the ride. It rolls pretty quickly and consistently even in severe wet weather and the trail is littered with loads of berms and dips/jumps to rail and pump.

The berms themselves are generally pretty good. Their construction, size and camber are all pretty much spot on for full attack. The trail gradually gains elevation through relatively slight climbs followed by flat pump sections. There are only 2 actual descents throughout the ride. The elevation gained is generally saved for the latter of the two, the final descent.  This is super fast and has great flow, in parts that is.

The final descent actually comprises of 3 smaller, manageable, sections. Each is split from the last by a small fireroad link. The first section is in the woods and it flows like a silk ribbon through the trees at a good speed. There are some off camber sections, but nothing to worry about. This part retains the close singletrack feel of the preceding climbs with the towering pines all still in attendance.

This character continues through section 2, although the trail gets slightly quicker and more technical. The introduction of some large berms towards the end prepares you for the moonscape that is the final section.

Emerging on to the fireroad you are presented with a wallride to set yourself up square for the start of the final descent. This section is made up of a heavily surfaced, rocky rollercoaster of huge rollers jumps (depends how fast you go) and berms that simply beg for you to go faster.

The route overall has an engaging character and as a result riders tend to attack it most of the way round. At 11km this is a perfect length for that kind of approach. My only gripe is the climb stuck in the middle of the final section of the final descent. In my opinion it has no place here, it ruins the flow of the, saps any energy you had left and almost spoils the flat out final final bit.

The link is needed to traverse some ground until you reach the amphitheater that is the very end and is probable exacerbated by the limited altitude available but come on! Sticking an up bit right in the middle of the down bit is bad form if you ask me. And, the rollers introduced right at the beginning of this climb prevent you from being able to power through with the momentum you've gained which makes it even worse.

I'm sure the relatively small altitude available to the designers hasn't helped but I'm sure there's a better solution to this section. Or, is this the bit that separates the men from the boys. Perhaps I should do some more training?

With the above in mind, I would (and have) still go round again! Although If I do I generally complete a loop of an off piste red trail (which links to the top of the final descent of Verderer's) to mix it up a bit.

GoogleMaps - Forest Of Dean