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I've only been once, 10 years ago, and it was OK but I didn't find a huge amount of technical interest. Minton Batch was fun though.
Now it looks like there are loads of trails on Trailforks, which would make navigation much easier.
So would it be a good spot to call in for 3-4hrs of exploring on my short travel full-sus?
If you've not been for ten years there's some newish stuff in the woods behind the glider club that's fun.
A few different runs all roughly in the same area that's easy to find and pedal back up the fire road.
There's also some very cheeky stuff that you might get away with mid week but not on a weekend...
Whatever you do don't ride down from here to Small Batch Camp Site.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mrky3kv4soaubZFG9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VX2w42TW8fjGZKiN7
That'd be very naughty and the camp site owners will moan at you if they catch you.
Unless you happen to be staying there then they don't seem to mind.
It's very tech in couple of places and walkers will moan at you if you see any.
Some might say worth it though. ;o)
Whatever you do don’t ride down from here to Small Batch Camp Site.
You also shouldn't ride down town brook hollow just to the north of that either.
Indeed^^^
That would also be frowned upon.
There's also a lovely little valley you could walk down while sat on your bike here.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8gTT9FyPgJfdXraE6
^^^^
^^^^
I'm really hoping that no one, even were I to PM them, would have these 'frowned upon' trails that should certainly not be ridden on, contained in, for example, a Strava activity ... No siree!
There's some excellent cake to be found in church stretton
Town Brook is an excellent walk. I’d advise going very early in the morning to avoid meeting other ‘walkers’
The Mott's Road down to Cardingmill Valley is fast and furious if you can get it at a quiet time, it's often crowded with walkers. A couple of fords at the bottom too if you like water splashes like I do.
At the northern end I always really enjoy the Jinlye descent into The Batch and then back up the lanes to ride in the opposite direction down Gogsbatch. There's also a lovely route from Plush Hill via The Hollies and then north of Castle Hill that pops you out by the church.
Jonathan's Hollow is always quiet and has some interest.
Is Jinlye the one with the rooty bit around a tree? That's pretty vague I know. It's like a small drop off/ roller after riding parallel to the fence for a while. After that bit, it traverse around the grassy bit before it drops down to main track?
I'd completely missed the Gogs Batch off the map. I'll add that to my next route.
Definitely don't ride down Ashes Hollow. Footpath only see. There's absolutely nothing interesting about it on a bike. Definitely not.
If you don't ride down it, you'll be spared the awful rocky bits and the steps down to the brook. Terrible idea riding a bike down there.
To be fair, the bottom is a bit hairy and IF you did ride down there, which you shouldn't, you'd have to lift over a stile and then not ride a bike through the middle of the campsite.
Jinlye starts from between the last two houses as you go up the lane from All Stretton to Plush Hill. Rutted grassy and boardwalks to start then a rocky zig zag to the right. A very narrow path on the edge of a big drop and then down through the trees to The Batch valley.
It's an accepted trail where the zig zag deviates from the RoW. It's tricky enough for me, nicely avoiding the horror that is the bridleway.
As above, most of the formal stuff is meh except minton bach, though the tracks in stretton woods are very good, all starting along the top fireroad going off left, and there's several paths which totally shouldnt be ridden on a bike but won't see a police chopper coming after you.
Inspired by this thread I'm going to be in The Batch car park in All Stretton, just past the hostel on Saturday for some old skool riding if anyone cares to join in. Postcode for hostel is SY6 6JW. Carpark is just up the road on the left.
Has Minton Batch been resurfaced in the last couple of years?
First time I rode it a few ywars ago, it was basically a 12" wide, 6" deep rut all the way down and I didn't enjoy it at all.
Last month though, I had such a good time, I rode it twice. The rut was gone and I'm sure there used to be another board walk section over a boggy bit? That seems to have gone too.
I remember that bit because I used to mess it up every time. It was a very short, sharp up just after a tight corner and I was either in the wrong gear and stalled or ran wide and missed the boardwalk. Every bloomin time.
I'd love to join on Saturday but alas, no riding for me this weekend.
Might be able to meet you Ambrose, depends on timings as there is a Scouts thing I probably need to do something for. When were you thinking?
I'm probably at the other end of the skill set to most of you guys. I road there a couple of weeks ago, camped at Brow Farm which meant a massive climb (again for me!) at the start. 'Think' I came down the other side on Minton Batch - which I found quite challenging! Is there a more free flowing route I could take down - ideally one that ends up at Church Stretton or somewhere like that so I could get food/drink (pint?) before starting the climb back up?
Carding Mill takes you straight into Church Stretton but it's a bit rocky at the bottom.
Minton Batch is about as free flowing as it gets. I'd have no problem taking my missus down there and she's got zero technical ability on a bike and no desire to ride anything difficult. There isn't really anything sketchy.
From the bottom, you can take the road north to Church Stretton and then take the road back up to the top
Have you got a gpx or a screen shot of your ride?
Is there a more free flowing route I could take down
As a rough rule of thumb to the east anything on top of a ridge line tends to be open double track, things in a valley tend to be singletrack. Tracks to the west are loose rocky double track.
The ridgeline which eventually drops down towards the campsite at Little Stretton is nice and mellow. As is most of the stuff on the north end of the Mynd circling back towards Church Stretton. The easiest way back up if you want to do more than one is probably the forest track which goes through Priors Halt at the far south end. A few of the road climbs from the west are the worst option (eg Asterton Bank).
I'm planning to be in the carpark at 10.30. I'm totally happy with a mellow day. I've heard Minton Batch described as the best bit of single-track in Britain or something like that. It's nice but certainly not the best, that's somewhere in Swindon I think.
As above, either of the ridges (Minton Hill and Round Hill) north of Minton Batch will take you down to the bottom nicely. There's two good pubs in Little Stretton, loads in Church Stretton and another in All Stretton.
Ah balls I'll be fixing up the scout hut then.
I’ve heard Minton Batch described as the best bit of single-track in Britain or something like that
Yep, which is odd as it's not even the best singletrack on the Mynd.
Hey folks
Unless the weather forecast improves I'm going to cancel. It's a 2 1/2 hr. drive for me so I want it to be worthwhile TBH.
Thanks for all the replies.
I ended up going elsewhere last week, but will definitely head there for a big ride in future based on this.