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I've got a likely meet at the youth hostel car park. I'd not normally park there myself (if I've driven there). I can't imagine Telegraph road is fun heading south, especially as the predominant traffic will be coming the other way!
From the youth hostel I'd probably be inclined to take the steep descent through the woods into the bottom car park and then back up the fire road. However there will be several "other halves" who are all getting pretty damn good on their bikes but might not appreciate that descent straight off the bat.
So any sensible options for heading from the youth hostel to the top of Holmbury?
From my recollection, bear rightish at the car park and follow yer nose - there's a kinda bit of uphill singletrack imbetween Telegraph and the big fat fire road. It cuts through the woodland and eventually gets you to the top. Let's face it, Holmbuy hill isn't really very big! Go explore.
I would do exactly the same as you Sam - I only found those two short trails recently but they are nice warm ups. The one nearest the X-roads will also test people's confidence on off-camber roots!! Its a straightforward ride to the top from there. The alternative would be simply to follow the trail down to the X-roads and up the other side, but shame to miss those short little pipe openers!! Better route than merely turning right from the CP.
Cheers, nice to know there's an option. I'll aim for that and wing it.
I guess most people turn R and then straight up the forest trail. I haven't found the bit that Jambon refers to but there are several tracks coming out onto the trail from the LHS as you are going up. There can't be much in either I guess.
I'd go up the big fireroad (turn right out of the car park, then bear left). Look for an entrance LH side after a minute or so (it's the first trail IIRC), follow that for 100m or so, and you'll come to a junction, take a sharp right onto a much more interesting wooded trail which takes you right to the viewpoint. Possibly the trail Jambon means...
Or take the trail heading south from the south-east corner of the car park. It runs parallel to telegraph road. It's an ok bridleway, with a couple of interesting roots near the start and a pretty easy way to plod up the hill. Only a bike to two wide in most places, so less tedious than the fireroad.
lovely. Thanks all, sounds like there's plenty of options there, and it's probably impossible to get lost for more than 5 seconds up there anyway. It's amazing I know some bits really well up there, and then simply needing to go from one particular point to another means I'm all flummoxed.
I use the big fireroad usually (right out of car park, then left on big track) - couple of reasons: it is a very even gradient all the way up, which makes it a nice warm up; and there is a good view and a chance of nice sunshine!
By the way, if you start off right and then don't turn left up the track but just go straight (narrow gulley through the bracken) you go past a pond... just keep going, bearing left rather than right... that short-cuts you to Barrys if you want.
Bear right with the youth hostel behind you, then leftish after a bit. Since you're wanting the summit, keep going uphill, it's not rocket science ...
I wouldn't go up Tele the 'wrong' way, a head-on wouldn't be pleasant.
T_i_m has it spot-on - best way to the top imho.