[Closed] FoD Verderers Trail

getting rough over there, shame it's not being maintained and from what I've heard the Forestry Commission are pulling all funding the volunteers get to maintain the Downhill Runs and FODCA/Freeminers Trail

Pulling the funding? ... where did you hear that?

Also, just a thought ... I'm sure the hardworking volunteers who do their level best to maintain the trails would welcome your presence on a maintenance day so that you could show them first hand where they're failing! 😛

I was there yesterday and it didn't seem too bad. Even tho the trail was frozen solid lol

I was up there the day the MBUK boys ran the Verderers. It was October time. The trail is fine. Ok it's a little rougher than it was when opened, but what are we riding? Mountain bikes or road bikes?

The wrecking crew... oh the irony! The Verderers opened in a blaze of publicity and is still getting a lot of magazine column inches. Result: it's getting a lot of use. A hell of a lot. I'm amazed at how busy the place has got 😯

BTW, just getting the first flurries of snow here today, very light on the wind at the moment.

EDIT: hi Widge, I rode it once on a road bike. Only once mind! 8)

Also, just a thought ... I'm sure the hardworking volunteers who do their level best to maintain the trails would welcome your presence on a maintenance day so that you could show them first hand where they're failing!

I didn't make any comments about the volunteers' work, they look after the DH runs and the FODCA/Freeminers, not the Verderers,

amt27 - Member
getting rough over there, shame it's not being maintained and from what I've heard the Forestry Commission are pulling all funding the volunteers get to maintain the Downhill Runs and FODCA/Freeminers Trail

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psling - Member
The wrecking crew... oh the irony! The Verderers opened in a blaze of publicity and is still getting a lot of magazine column inches. Result: it's getting a lot of use. A hell of a lot. I'm amazed at how busy the place has got

BTW, just getting the first flurries of snow here today, very light on the wind at the moment.

EDIT: hi Widge, I rode it once on a road bike. Only once mind!

I bet that was an interesting ride, Pete 😉

The Centre Parcs, sorry Verderers trail is just great on a CX bike. Nice easy hill for the SS CX bike actually.

Ridden it 4 times now and have to say i am bored of it. Braking bumps on the start of the final decent ruin it for me. I have found lots of GPS routes for the FOD so I think I will leave Verderers until the hard packed summer

Braking bumps....on the Verderers Trail...?! Dont remember noticing those, but maybe if I'd been attention seeking on a CX bike I might have felt them. Or do you mean the huge rollers?

IMO - these new style smooth, gravely trails are better when they break up a bit, this isnt BMX.

I think it's a good addition the the FoD, obviously pretty much weather proof and different to Lawnmower, Dowies, DH runs etc.

What does surprise me about that place is how poor the cafe has been to take advantage of the increased number of visitors. There's a killing to be made there if they just sorted out their logistics.

Yep, before some of the berms and kickers. Dowies was super wet last weekend

Maintenance is being carried out on Verders this week - so all the messy bits should be sorted out.

Not sure where you get your information - but this is just not true.

my source is a local charity who along with the local cycling club, put on the biggest mtb event in the area,

the charity have been asked to contribute a significant chunk of their revenue to the FC which will go to support the DTV, as the FC are pulling funding for the DTV,

I have tried to contact the FC and DTV to confirm this, no response, but if true it begs the question where does all the car park money go and why isn't their secured funding for trails which are actively advertised by the FC and 1SW,

amt27 - Member
the charity have been asked to contribute a significant chunk of their revenue to the FC which will go to support the DTV, as the FC are pulling funding for the DTV,
I have tried to contact the FC and DTV to confirm this, no response, but if true it begs the question where does all the car park money go and why isn't their secured funding for trails which are actively advertised by the FC and 1SW,

If you are local + are concerned about how things are done then please come + get involved.

He is local and he is involved locally (though not necessarily with DTV obviously!). Which reminds me, [b]I[/b] keep saying I'll come along to a DTV volunteer day but haven't made one yet... 😳

He is local and he is involved locally (though not necessarily with DTV obviously!). Which reminds me, I keep saying I'll come along to a DTV volunteer day but haven't made one yet...

Just a query how can amt27 be involved locally - when there is no other official digging/trail group in the FoD. Why not join forces - there is a heck of a lot of exciting stuff planned for this year.

Any FoD MTB event organiser has to pay a fee to the FC whether they are a charity or not.

I've ridden FoD twice in the past 6 weeks , including 3 laps of the Verderer. That is not a particularly worn trail at all. Many reckon that the "braking bumps 🙄 " on the Monkey at Cannock are bad, jeeeeez. Whatever next ? Tarmac ?
All trails are good, even the worn ones. Hats off to the builders.

rode the Verderers twice in the last couple of weeks, both times at night so obviously i can't see everything, but no recollection of braking bumps? a few muddy/icy puddles.

To me it is a giant BMX track, i wouldn't travel a long way to go ride it, but it makes a nice change and doesn't suffer the weather much

amt27 - Member
Not sure where you get your information - but this is just not true.
my source is a local charity who along with the local cycling club, put on the biggest mtb event in the area,

the charity have been asked to contribute a significant chunk of their revenue to the FC which will go to support the DTV, as the FC are pulling funding for the DTV,

I have tried to contact the FC and DTV to confirm this, no response, but if true it begs the question where does all the car park money go and why isn't their secured funding for trails which are actively advertised by the FC and 1SW,

POSTED 5 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

The car park belongs to the forestry commission, so the money goes to them. Pedalaway and the Forestry Commision are two separate companies.

Also. If you visit Pedalaway often you would be better buying a yearly car parking pass from the Forestry Commision, £20 for the year. Seven trips and you have your money back.

Car park ticket is a bargin.The trail has brought alot more people down there got to be good for the cafe and forest.You can soon get away from the crowd if you want.Its a big forest ask the BOARS 😆

Car park ticket is a bargin.The trail has brought alot more people down there got to be good for the cafe and forest.You can soon get away from the crowd if you want.Its a big forest ask the BOARS 😆

Good shout widge. Mum just moved over that way so will be making regular visits to Verderers.

Must catch up sometime Psling.

Yeah good shout on the parking - will look into that.

Did a night ride the other weekend - only complaint I had was it was bloody freezing

@chubby_monk

complaint noted...will sort for next time 😆

Rode there on Saturday. Nice stuff. Frozen ground may have helped make it super-fast!

Ok People this is rumour control

Since DTV formed roughly 2 years ago I am sure you have all noticed changes for the better and that has been managed with only an average of 4 people turning up to dig so lets see "a little less talk and a little more action" by riders mucking in on the trails they ride 🙂
Our relationship with the Forestry is better than I think any MTB Group has ever enjoyed in the past
The Forestry Commissions attitude to DH and XC MTB has improved tenfold and they are really making an effort to support us even when they themselves are buried in redtape
Don't get me wrong its not all rosy we have are fair share of problems with the Forestry but that's life everywhere and we work it out
The Verderers is being maintained by the Forestry and repairs started on Monday
DH tracks are maintained by DTV and we are about to add 3 new tracks and improve all existing ones with funding from the Forestry and Flyupdownhill so any help from riders would be appreciated as this is a big project
The Freeminers track is to short and has a few worn out sections so we are in the middle of re routing and extending this trail this is being funded by the Forestry and DTV, again this is a big project and we need volunteers to design and dig
All MTB Events in Sallow Vallets will from now on be expected to discuss routes and make a contribution to DTV who will in turn help plan routes and maintain all the Tracks such as repairing the damage winter DH races cause
This year DTV hope to be running 3 Summer DH races to raise funds for building and maintaining NEW and existing Trails if this goes well who knows what the future holds but it could be awesome
So come and join us on Sundays at 9am at Pedalabikeaway and get involved designing and building you know it makes sense 🙂
Any Questions just post on Facebook at Dean Trail Volunteers or email me at dtvchairman@hotmail.co.uk
Thus ends rumour control
Alan (DTV Chairman)

Oh and if you join DTV for the bargain price of £5 then attend 5 digs you get a Discovery Parking Permit for the year
+ when you dig you get a voucher for a free drink and staff prices on food at the end of dig 🙂

All MTB Events in Sallow Vallets will from now on be expected to discuss routes and make a contribution to DTV

i spent 8 weeks, with a few other guys, digging trails for a race last year,

not entirely sure I agree with a tax being imposed on future races on those trails, when they weren't built by the DTV

i spent 8 weeks, with a few other guys, digging trails for a race last year,

Interested to know which trails you built over an 8 week period?

new sections, off the fireroad on the first climb and the off camber/downhill section around wimberry

or was it just marking out last year's Enduro route over the tracks that have always been there?

maybe i am taking this the wrong way, but i sense a little anger towards the Enduro in your tone,

the Enduro was developed by a group who have been activity putting on mtb events for 20+ years, without which there would probably be no mtbing in the forest like we see it today,

No anger at all.
Enduro is a good event + well organised.
The sections you mentioned were already there - maybe needed a little clearing in places.

Why don't you come + dig with the DTV if you feel so strongly about how things are being done. I am sure that your input + help would be much appreciated.

The sections you mentioned were already there - maybe needed a little clearing in places.

Love the place.
I think the shop and cafe could be a gold mine with small changes, but no complaints from me ! 😉

amt27 - Member
ha ha, is that right, pretty sure they were just pig tracks when we started digging

I think the shop and cafe could be a gold mine with small changes

DONT DO IT.

FOD is loveley, its like Canock Chase was 10 years ago, all smailes ands not many Audis nor Angry Muppits.

Hey, both the DTV [and the FoDCA before them] and the RDFCC do a lot of good work in the FoD; it's not a contest to see who does most / best!
ALL work done in the area is appreciated by a LOT of people (well MTBers anyway, not sure about the vurreners with their dogs!)

I really want to go to the FoD for a weekend, not sure where to stay though. Most of the self catering places are a minimum of 3 nights, and the B&Bs that welcome dogs welcome "Well behaved dogs". Not sure whether Benny will be well behaved or not, he's lovely at home, and lovely at the in-laws, but he was a bit shouty the night we stayed at my mother's.

Are those Wigwam/Pods warm in winter? I know they [i]say [/i]they are, but I'm a precious flower!

Maybe look at Whitemead park, the CSMA place in Parkend. As well as camping they have chalets and other things. Fountain Pub in next door has a bunkhouse and better beer.cant comment on details as I live 1/2 miles though the woods.

Mrs BigJohn and I stayed at the pub B&B next door to Psling a few years ago and Peter was kind enough to take us round some of the lovely trails.

That was an excellent couple of days

:Waves to Peter:

Those Wigwams are not cheap.Very warm though.

Problem with digging and setting up the trails you do all the work and get nothing but criticism from Knob heads with all the gear and no idea.
hay Ho.

If any of you Guys visit the FOD I'm happy to show you some local trails.