Chocolate Log: Tilgate Roundup

Location

Pease Pottage, West Sussex.

Come off the M23 at Junction 11 and take the exit for Pease Pottage and the Services. Drive past the services to the next junction and take the first left down a dead end road. Go down the road for about a mile and park in a gravel lay-by on the left hand side of the road with a green gate on the right. You should have just passed under some electricity pylons.

Distance:	Not Much
Grade:	Varied Some drops, jumps and very short DH trails linked by fireroads and singletrack.
Time taken:	Worth a few hours of anyone's time
Summary:	Although there is no large hill at Tilgate Forest, there are two small valleys which does add to the undulation of the trails. The climbs range from long and gradual to short and steep (relatively speaking of course). The geology of the area is quite varied, with the open top section being sandy, the wooded areas being loamy and the lower open sections being clay, which can be quite boggy in winter.
Pics:	See www.werenearlythere.co.uk.

What’s there?

There is a surprising amount of riding to be had in this compact area. As motorcycle enduro events are held here, the motorbikes have carved some really sweet singletrack through the woods, with the corners being bermed and the going generally hard packed and fast. As the singletrack has been created in this way, it is pretty twisty and goes on for a long way without any junctions, sometimes almost doubling back on itself so that it’s possible to see your riding buddies coming towards you even though you are following them. The singletrack covers the whole area and by turning off any of the main tracks, you’re guaranteed to find some. To find it all may take a while, but you’ll have fun looking.

Gravity Slaves

In addition to the singletrack, there is plenty to keep the gravity crew happy. As said, the descents aren’t massive, but make up for it in the build quality.

The first one starts off on twisty singletrack before hitting the first launch-drop, throwing you into a tightish corner and the second log drop. This is bigger than the first, but the landing is really smooth and enables you to build up enough speed for the biggie – a large step-down over a trench, followed by a series of bermed corners. A little further on there is a tight left hand berm and a fast section through some closely packed trees before you cross over a fireroad and more corners. At present, the run finishes with a large drop-to-flat, but expect this to change to something more interesting and easier very soon.

The second course is more flowing and doesn’t have anywhere near as many drops and jumps, although it does have a few rideable ones. It starts once again with some twisty singletrack. These lead into a more open section with switchbacks, one being a long corner with a huge berm and a small drop-off at the end of it. There is then a choice of lines; one over a rideable speed jump and the other through a ditch which it’s possible to rail. After a few stutter bumps, there is a very tight left hander, a long right hander and a rolling double before a narrow jump and a fireroad crossing. There are a few more corners and you reach the bottom.

There are also quite a few drops, jumps and doubles in the area, including a really lovely set of doubles ranging from short and steep to long and fast. On the second course there is a jump known as the Berm Jump which launches you over the large berm and down the hill behind it, as well as a couple of small step-downs just over from it. Further round the hillside to the right, there is the Leap of Faith which is a nice rolling drop-off into a down slope, and further still to the right is another short run with a nice double and a fast drop-to-flat.

More Besides

There is plenty more besides in the forest, and a bit of exploring will not go unrewarded.

Comments

I'm going tomorrow if anyone fancies it be there around 12 ish

Posted by: Jamie AKA Dorkingdoughnut at October 28, 2003 10:39 PM

Check out the forum mate, there might be a few of us heading down there of Friday if you're around.

Posted by: wa at October 28, 2003 11:06 PM

please remove this information from the site as theis is an illegal trail and will be distoried in the near future

Posted by: ian at April 29, 2004 08:32 AM

Yeah, funny.

Posted by: wa at April 29, 2004 02:25 PM

i was there when you were at tillgate last time and rode with you for a while, i was there when the guy on the big hit crashed and got that tree stump in his chest (OUCH!!!). i go nearly every weakend, so next time you are going to come down to tillgate you need to e-mail me and i will come down. (them you can take some pictures of me doing the berm jump, doubles and everything else at tillgate so you can put me on your web site!!)

Posted by: Jon stringer at July 4, 2004 06:41 AM

oh, dear lord, why oh why- i have seen the vids. what were you thinking, was the 90 angle make the 'bump' look big? the answer is no. anyway cool site, shame about those pitiful vids. (big bike, no skills). me and jon can do all of the doubles berm gaps etc on our hardtails- let that be a lesson to you. anyway hope the bloke who came up short heals to full recovery, he bailed on the tremch gap last time i saw him too. anyway cool site- next time you come to tilgate drop me or jon a mail.

Posted by: Graham at July 4, 2004 09:33 AM

i agree with graham on that note and when r u next going to tillgate?

Posted by: Jon stringer at July 6, 2004 03:54 PM

by the way, can u tell me were the north shore is in tillgate if u no were its is. because me, graham, brendan and lucas realy wont to know.

Posted by: Jon at July 6, 2004 03:59 PM

hey ive seen you gies before your not to shaby but ive only been riding since cristmas and i can do every thing at tilgate so if you want to ride some time ile be there with brendon and some of my free riding friends like jon stringer will be there every weekend more eles in the morning until 2.00 ish
ps do you know were the north soure is if you do email back pleace

Posted by: lucas mann at July 6, 2004 04:39 PM

ive seen the vids me jon and griam think they suck pleace learn to ride your an imbarisment to free riders no efence

ps were is the north sure

Posted by: lucas mann at July 7, 2004 06:17 PM

ime sory i take back what i said you gies are all right maby we could meat some were in tilgate to ride

Posted by: lucas mann at July 7, 2004 06:21 PM

ive seen yor spein me and my matez think that it sucks pleace learn to rite your an imbarisment to inglish sosiety no efence

Posted by: wa at July 12, 2004 10:54 PM

nice come back but ine am a lot beter now i can do every thing in tilgate apart from the road gap and ive bean on your north sure its rather beasty but the other dobbles there nead work o yer i was only joking that your crap you gies are good riders

Posted by: lucasmann at July 17, 2004 08:46 PM

i think you should extend your coures and have a nother part of northsure.
ps wats chicksands like these day and i can do the road gap rather beasty

Posted by: lucas at July 21, 2004 07:39 PM

sounds like you lot do alot of talking, if you lot have only been up there a few times then you have not and will not be able to DO IT ALL, get up there and ride rather than sitting on your computer being sad. t***s. looking at your coments it seems to me you dont go up there any more so thats good for the rest of us...laters.

Posted by: dan at June 27, 2005 07:54 PM

Just been to Tillgate today. Really flowing trail. Brilliant fun : ) Love those berms!

Posted by: Tom at April 8, 2006 08:18 PM

you guys need to get back to the gate (tilgate) asap there are some fat gaps to be done from 20ft to 31ft and also a rather amazing set of jumps that would really rather suit bmx but they have been busted out on a hardtail yet to be done on a full suss yet but there is alays time....g has not only tail whipped the 3rd but also back flipped it many times...bmx though,,,see you soon guys tilgate is getting better all the time the summer is going to be sa weeeet.

Posted by: dan at April 16, 2006 10:21 PM

tilgate is not made for bmx at
all !
those trails we built and mtb 4eva but bmx's can ride them
come down and ride !!!!!!!!!!
we are gonna have a comp soon
check www.theflow.photosite.com!!!!!

Posted by: ben at April 22, 2006 10:19 AM

sounds cool i need somewhere new 2 ride anychance of directions from the m3 please?

Posted by: hughsx at February 13, 2008 11:40 PM