Cornwall may be more famous for beaches and ice cream than bikes, but with the opening of Woody’s Bike Park, is it now a riding destination that should be on your radar? We went there to find out.
Woody’s is a farm with a difference – you won’t find sheep or cows, but rather, fields of jumps, berms and singletrack. The landscape and trails are very different to your usual Forestry Commission trail centre, so don’t come here expecting epic cross-country adventures in the hills. But, if you want to rip around some berms, boost off some jumps, eat a Cornish pasty and go home with a grin on your face, then this is the place. You can read our full Wrecking Crew report on Woody’s in Issue 345, but here are the essentials you need to know before you go.
The Trails
Click HERE for a map of the trails.
Most of the trails are 1km to 2km long and take two to five minutes to ride. There's a push-up track, or an uplift service that runs every Friday to Sunday (check website for availability) that’ll whip you back up to the top for another run in no time. The trails are graded blue through to black, and this is what you can expect from each grade:
Blue – Es Ol & Blue Jump: Both these trails have fully rollable features, with mellow tabletop jumps and bermed corners. They’re great for beginners or anyone wanting to get to grips with jumping.
Red – Dirt Wave, Red DH & Granite Garden: The red-graded trails definitely take a step-up in difficulty. While all the jumps on ‘Dirt Wave’ are rollable, they're a fair bit bigger than those on the blue trails, and speeds in general are a bit faster. The other two red trails are more natural in style and take a more direct line down the hill, with off-camber corners, steep dusty gullys and a couple of burly granite rock gardens.
Black – Twisted Sister & Valley of the Bones: Although still fast and flowy, things get a bit more serious on Twisted Sister. Many of the jumps aren’t rollable and one of the doubles measures a beefy 45ft! Valley of the Bones is the closest thing Woody’s has to a DH track. A road gap and some big, rough manmade rock gardens will definitely rattle your bones.
Double Black – Digger: The main trail builder at Woody’s, Jasper Flashman, is an ex-motocrosser and it shows in this jump trail. You’ve got to strap on your gnarly boots for this one, as the jumps are all tall and long and require you to carry lots of speed. Get them right and you’re in for some serious airtime and adrenaline.
Essential Information
Getting There
Woody’s Bike Park is based at Higher Lampetho farm, just off the A3082 between Par and Fowey. The postcode PL23 1JU will get bring you to a nearby Texaco garage and the bike park is located just half a mile up the A3082, on the right.
Facilities
A cafe is currently under construction. Once up and running, you’ll be able to put in your pasty order in the morning for a proper Cornish lunch!
Contact
Closest Bike Shops
The cafe will stock a limited range of spares, but for a bigger selection and bike servicing, try Cranked Bikes in Bodmin.
What else is nearby?
Cardinham Woods: 20mins up the road from Woody’s is Cardinham Woods, a Forestry Commission trail centre with a 12km route named ‘The Bodmin Beast’. It’s blue graded but with some optional red-graded sections. Click here for more info.
Gawton Gravity Hub: Over the border into Devon is one of the UK’s best downhill venues, boasting five downhill tracks of varying difficulty and a year-round uplift service. Click here for more info.
MBUK’s Verdict
Why ride here?
Flowing manmade trails, with more jumps and berms than you can shake a stick at
Rad:
- There are lines here suitable for absolute beginners through to balls-to-the wall pro freeriders.
- The progressively bigger features and predictable trail surface make it a great place to hone your skills.
- With trails, camping facilities and other activities, it’s the perfect spot for a weekend getaway.
Bad:
- Located near the Cornish Coast, it’s a long ol’ way here, unless you live in the South West.
- There aren’t many natural features, but the manmade rock sections on the DH track are pretty cool.
The Bottom Line
Woody’s Bike Park is like a bicycle playground. It’s a far cry from your usual Forestry Commission trail centre, so don’t come expecting that sort of riding, but if you like railing berms and hitting jumps, you’ll have a blast. The hill is short, so with the help of the uplift you can hammer out runs all day. Don’t be put off by all the photos of big jumps, there are easy flow trails too and it’s a great spot for building confidence and skills.
Check out our video of Woody's Bike Park featuring MBUK team rider Alex Bond here:
To read our full report on Woody’s Bike Park, check back to Issue 345 or pick up a copy of the latest mag to keep up with our monthly Wrecking Crew reports.
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