STAINBURN

Jim, Jase, Dazzler, this is the place JP and Aidy were talking about !!

Check out:

The Slab


The Spine


and the blooooomin hairy Northshore !!!

Check it out !!! HARDCORE aint the word !!
http://www.singletraction.org.uk/stainburn_pics.htm

Jees. Jim, where do you get the full facers from

There's a post running on mtb britain about the knarliest man made track in there were alot of people saying how hard Stainburn was.

When we going to have a look?

Good work boyz from all the media, it certainly looks hard but extremely rewarding.

Cooler than cool. When are we going ?

Now can you see why I want to buy a full face lid!!!!!



Yeah,when are we going there then?

Would love to come but am busy that weekend

My folks live only a few miles from here in Harrogate, so when I there over Easter, I thought I'd take a butchers. I remember coming across this place before on STW but it was the recent article in MBR that galvanized me into action (of sorts). The article strongly recommends body armour so ignoring my track record I thought I'd give it a go anyway.

There are allegedly numerous trails in the woods to the east but the main course starts next to the carpark. There are three way-marked trails - none long but all technical.

The red trail is the easier option - down through post-apocalyptic forestry clearing with numerous rocky obstacles then steep switchbacks up to the top corner of the wood. After this catch breath before swoopy, bermy, jumpy (not me!) bit back to the clearing and a tricky climb back to carpark. This was a challenge to clear, there are lots of places to get caught out and the rocks are not forgiving - I would agree with MBR take knee/elbow pads and flats.

The next trail is Black - this contains the spine (took a few attempts to clear + I wish I'd taken flats) and the slab (I am not ashamed to say I walked - steep approach (lower left of rider in photo) hard right and down then hard left at bottom - sprinkling of rocks in bale-out zones - quite intimidating ). Plenty more technical up and down. Most stone obstacles across the path show chainring scratches!!

There is also a double black run with some "York-shore" woodwork but I didn't make over to that section.

My recommendation - if a trip is planned hook up with the guys at SingleTraction and see if they'd show you around.

Pete