This was the ride I developed whilst on holiday in Thirimont. Part of it is posted, but much of it I figured out from subtle clues on the ground. Way, way harder than it reads from the map. The two main climbs are short but sharp with a very hard surface; lose slate or gneiss over mud and tree roots. Something like 800m of climbing in 12km. Imagine your short local ride involving two one-in-three climbs of 400m each over broken, rooty ground, and you'll get the idea. One night I tried to cut one climb out by doing a road section. Big mistake as this invovled a 1km climb of 1:3 gradient. I didn't manage it.
Far more remote than the map suggests; go out on this one and you are on your own. The hard climbs are rewarded by some excellent technical descents. Both descents are marked by large, clumped tree roots that bottomed out my 140mm forks with alarming regularity. I did this ride ten times in fourteen days, and I'd do it again tomorrow if I could. Lots more riding to be had in this forest, but I ran out of time to explore.
Note the distance again will you please; 12km. That's it. An evening blast that feels more like a complete Sunday morning ride. 800m of climbing is hard over that kind of distance. I would have done more, but I had to fit my riding in around the family holiday. To be honest these 12km had in them far more than one gets in a 50km rip around here, so I never felt short-changed.
Excellent stuff.
The only negative being the forestry gates - a scaffold pole strung across the track at 1m height. The locals have forged close paths around the sides so that you can ride them trials style. Unfortunately for me the undergrowth disguised a big rock on one side, which my front wheel caught and threw me sideways into the end of the pole. Bust a rib out in the middle of nowhere. I kept riding through the holiday, but it messed me up a bit.
If you like riding the Surrey Hills, then other than no cafe stops or other riders to chat with, you'll love this place. It's a lot like Ranmore in many ways, and I love Ranmore.
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