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The return to this particular play spec proved a success ! Fantastic !! Read on ...... Its been 3 years plus since I've been here, and there was a rumour it was no more, so it was with a little trepidation (on my part) that we headed out, but PV and I had done Moel Famua recently, and Nu Pixie was up for anythin' !! The rumours proved to be ill-founded, so no contingency required, tho' there are far fewer trees than I remember, and evidence of their removal, this evidence also proved to be quite hazardous, with PV catching a stump and cartwheeling like a good 'un towards the first drop ! Anyway, I digress....... When we arrived, the guys, whom we later discovered where from 'The Edge' (yeah, didnt notice the shirts .......) said to Gray (PV), 'didnt you fall off at Innerleithen the other week ?' Wild, apparently he recognised the San An in the car as we pulled up ! Small world huh ? From the top fireroad, it starts with a neat bit of single track an' some little kickers to get you in the groove (tho' on the first run my tequila & guiness diet of the previous night upset some of the lines, causing a dismount an' some amusment !) then some tight switches an' bumps, into a rooty right turn before the fabled log jump, unfortunately a shadow of its former self, ( all the trees having gone, an' the log itself succumbing to decay .... ) but nevertheless a fun section, over the improved bridge, contour the the headland, then, if you remember, take the left before the hairpin to get the other log jump in.... lots o' potential air here (and where Mike, from 'The Edge' posse, tried to stick himself in the ground !!) Next, very small section of bridleway, potential equestrian - mtb interface here....) and down into the bottom section, coupla nice jinks around the trees, with a nice kicker before a shale section, leading into the BIG drops, the first, a 'little' one, with some root at the top, almost passes unoticed 'till you're over it, (it was just before this section that Pixie Vacant completed a number of cartwheels on his first descent, re-aligning his forks and handle bars....) then a wall, with some lovely roots to clear at the top, almost immediately after that, there's another drop, going right, into a big banked section, breaking out to the left, then from there into some tight single track coupla lil' leaps and down. It was here, at the bottom, that Nu Pixie took a detour into the brambles, for some inpromptu piercings !! There are numerous options for deviation from the route, with some fun jumps scattered around, the trail pixies have been busy...... So thats the 'Scouse' track, still there, still mega gnarly, and technical enough to keep the anaraks happy..... heh !!! Shout to the guys from 'the edge', drop us a line an' I'll pop a link in here !!
Re-visit .... take .... ??? ! Wet & Very misty on Moel Famua, so we decided to shelve the 'tour' and head straight out to Nannerch. Me & PV arrived at the car park (Nu P had had a rough night ..!) to find it empty, weather musta kept everyone away...... Ha ! By the time we'd sorted our rigs & kit, the place was jumpin'. The Edge posse had arrive en masse, in about 4 vehicles .. one of which was a pick up .... more later ..... and brought a bag full of demo Patriot's, one with shermans on. Cru from Wales, Prestatyn, I think... turned up too, parking at the bottom of the run, so as to end on a ride not a climb... Good call ! Good time was had by all, got a few pics, we were all swappin' rigs an' having a blast ! (One o' the guys from Abergele had a 'roost too, with shivers on it, taste !) By the end o' the day, we're gettin' a bit knackered, and we're offered a lift t' the top... I had a brain fart an' nearly said 'Narrrrr... yer OK...' PV sorted that ! Defo helps havin' a vehicle like the Hi Lux for rides back up, big shout t' Dave Turner (far right, pic below, others, L to R, Adam (Edge), PV, ?, Mike, ?.)! I really enjoyed the Patriot..... a top ride, if ya fancy one, give Adam a call at the Edge, Lancaster, he'll even let ya test one at play ! L8a !

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