[Closed] BPW with no uplift pass :'(

Yup - just buy PAYG passes form the main cafe/shop bit. People with passes get priority, though, so you'll have to queue in a different line to your friends.

Start on the blue trails to get your confidence up, fitness is only really needed for the climbing back up bit.

Install full face on head. Stick on bars if you get too hot winching back up.

I was there last Wednesday on a day pass, one of the guys with us bought a 4-ride uplift pass on the day.

Although all the day tickets were sold, we never had to wait more than a few minutes for the bus. There were generally 3 or 4 people in the lucky dip queue, and the bus drivers were pretty good about fitting them on if they'd been waiting a bit - he got plenty of riding in.

May be a bit of a risk on a busy weekend, but if you cant get a day pass I'm sure you'll still get a good few uplifts

Will I be ok?

Possibly. As burchill said you can still get passes for uplift on the day, but the fact that it is Good Friday tomorrow may mean it could be busy and you could be queueing for a while. I'm not afraid of climbing but I found the climb a drag and only did (some of it) once before returning to uplift.

Yeah you'll be fine, it's a bit of a lottery getting on the bus without a pass, but doable if you don't mind missing the odd one - the lads who drive them are pretty fair about it. Buy passes from the center though rather than paying cash - it's cheaper and giving change etc slows the whole process.

If you can get there early there will be a scrum of people outside the center waiting for it to open - it's not unusual to be able to buy day passes from friends of people who can't make it - you have to book so far in advance to get one!

My Camleback will take my FF so I use that, not you won't be able riding with an XC lid - it's up to you, I like a FF because 1) I've got one 2) it gives a bit of tunnel vision which helps me go a tiny bit faster 3) all the tech stuff is downhill anyway.

As for trails, DO NOT IGNORE THE BLUE TRAILS - I speak to so many people who are down for the day from all over the place and they say "Blue? are you calling me a wimp?!?!?" or words to that effect, the Blue Trail are brilliant fun. Start your day with a Sixapod, Terrys Belly or Melted Welly and you'll be grinning - if you want more rocks, roots and stuff move onto Reds/Black from there.

Getting up is easy, there's an XC climb called Beast of Burden, but both people prefer to follow the steep fireroad that runs along the side of it - quicker up, more time and energy for going down - you can push from the center the point where Terry's Belly really gets going in 15mins - 10-15mins more the the trail head for everything else.

Yeah you'll be fine, it's a bit of a lottery getting on the bus without a pass, but doable if you don't mind missing the odd one - the lads who drive them are pretty fair about it. Buy passes from the center though rather than paying cash - it's cheaper and giving change etc slows the whole process.

If you can get there early there will be a scrum of people outside the center waiting for it to open - it's not unusual to be able to buy day passes from friends of people who can't make it - you have to book so far in advance to get one!

My Camleback will take my FF so I use that, not you won't be able riding with an XC lid - it's up to you, I like a FF because 1) I've got one 2) it gives a bit of tunnel vision which helps me go a tiny bit faster 3) all the tech stuff is downhill anyway.

As for trails, DO NOT IGNORE THE BLUE TRAILS - I speak to so many people who are down for the day from all over the place and they say "Blue? are you calling me a wimp?!?!?" or words to that effect, the Blue Trail are brilliant fun. Start your day with a Sixapod, Terrys Belly or Melted Welly and you'll be grinning - if you want more rocks, roots and stuff move onto Reds/Black from there.

Getting up is easy, there's an XC climb called Beast of Burden, but both people prefer to follow the steep fireroad that runs along the side of it - quicker up, more time and energy for going down - you can push from the center the point where Terry's Belly really gets going in 15mins - 10-15mins more the the trail head for everything else.

I heard someone say that you can just ride the top half of most of the trails to the fire road halfway down, then ride back up from there, as its less of a chore than going all the way down and all the way back up (riding/pushing).

Best run we had was the 2nd to last of the day, having done a mix of reds and blues - chasing each other full blast down Sixtapod (blue) - absolute blast!

I'd be surprised if you felt you needed a FF helmet there.

I'll take my full face then. Should have washed the liner from its last outing 2 years ago!

Damn, can't believe it's been 2 years since my last uplift day. What is my world coming to?

Thanks folks!

I'm pretty unfit at the mo and after two climbs up (from the cafe level each time) and blue descents I was knackered, didn't do a third as I wanted to do a red but was worried my arms/legs wouldn't cooperate enough to keep me upright.

I'm mainly looking forward to the blues and a few gos on the A470!

How unfit are we talking Fuzzywuzzy? Can you put a number in vertical metres on the climb?

A fit young man like you shouldn't have any worries curious, there were bigger hills in Spain 🙂

Agree on not ignoring the Blues. Not technical (obviously) but very fast and a lot of fun. Great for a warm-up before hitting the rocky stuff.

I was there yesterday without an uplift pass, but I'm one of those XC weirdos who likes riding uphill. Did eight runs over the course of the day, all blue barring one outing on Viscious Valley. Sixtapod is closed at the moment.

Wouldn't fancy riding uphill on a big bike, but on mine it was fine.

Take your open face helmet as well if you're driving, you may decide to swap after one run.

The blues are just smooth trail centre style descents.

@Rubber_Buccaneer fewer rare butterflies too!

Managed to do a turtle impression in the car park and had to be saved by a kind stranger who I think was riding up with his son all day. Unfortunately, I also managed to pop my shoulder in that stack. Put me on the back foot all day.

Rode the blues, a few reds (A470 squashing almost all the jumps, Vicious Valley, Bonneyville - walked most of the switchbacks 🙁 ) and some black sections.

Will definitely be back soon! And this time with a bit more skill and fitness, and definitely an uplift pass! If I had my own car I'd have taken both helmets, rode the blues and reds in the morning to get my eye in and then moved to the blacks in the afternoon with the FF on.

Incredible weather and a great day out!

What's a turtle impression? Is it anything like this?

[img] [/img]

Exactly like that, but with a full face helmet and goggles!

Lord knows why you hung on to that photo. Are you going to Spain again this year?

Once I've taken pic on my phone it's in the ether forever, I just had to remember it was there 🙂

No Spain for me this year unfortunately, all I'm getting is a week in the Forest of Dean with my other half. FoD will be great I'm sure but I need to get back to Ciclo to see whether Jedi has improved my rather limited switchback skillz

You could go to Bike Park Wales instead! A couple of the trails are almost reminiscent of Spain, except chalky, wet terrain instead of rocky and dusty!

Give the uplift at FoD a go too. It's really good fun.

Oh, you are a one curious. Glad you had fun at BPW. Disappointed you didn't come and say hi whilst you were over. 🙄

Also, that terrace has seen some distinctly dubious manoeuvres before. Middle aged MTB doesn't get more radical than this...
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I fancied it until you said

chalky, wet

I get plenty of slippy chalk on the South Downs 🙁 FoD uplift sounds good once I've knackered Michelle out with an easier trail or two.

As for that pick above....I'm thinking care in the community is going well 🙂

Disappointed you didn't come and say hi whilst you were over.

I did call Mr Harris. Wasn't driving anyway, so couldn't have even if I'd wanted to! Am back in the Shire this weekend. Not sure if I'll get any time on the bike though 🙁

It's OK, I figured. I also remember what it was like 11 years ago with my first. I didn't ride for about the first 9 months, broken only by a few short trips to the local woods. It does get better!

My lack of riding is mainly through illness, holiday and having to study for exams! Normal-ish service should resume soon though.