Combe Sydenham DH Track

This Sunday a whole bunch of Exeter Bikers headed upto Combe Sydenham, on the edge of Exmoor, to ride the Mountain bike Downhill Track. Some of us for fun, others as practice for the forth coming downhill competion.
As you might have noticed, the weather wasn't as its finest on Sunday. The whole day alternated between bright sunshine and snow showers! But when the sun was out it was wonderful and spring like, and even when the snow was falling it was still quite pleasant!

Sunshine and bikes at the carpark

Getting our breath back at the top of the hill

The Track at Combe Sydenham is broken up into roughly three sections. The top section features some great riding. Starting from right at the top of the hill, you cut through some berms in the wood land, before breifly poping out from under the trees over a roller, then you plunge back under the trees, along a rooty and rocky section, before being fired onto the large fire track, there then follows three 'Bus stop' style sections, where you shoot up off of the fire road into the trees breifly, before dropping back onto the fire road.
The second section currently starts badly, a water pipe had burst and water was running down the first few berms turning them into a quagmire, but you could sneek around it, then it was a series of berms to a step down jump, followed by more berms that lead to the 'BIG' jump, a large fire road gap, some 20ft (+?) The big jump fired you out of the woods and into a field that features another load of jumps, two tabletops, a double and then a very close pair of doubles.
The third section started with you being fired back into the trees. The route was a bit vauge at this point, the area having been used recently for a motorbike enduro event. But a series of lumpy turns and steep drops eventually lead you to the bottom of the hill!

Tom K hits the 'BIG' fire road gap

Mark H gets some air on the second tabletop

Ewart clocks some air on the tabletop

We spent more time riding the first top section, the riding was lovely and the push back up wasn't too hard! Although we tried all of the track at some point. The 'BIG' jump was just too much for me, especially on my hardtail, and that then meant you didn't have masses of speed for the tabletop jumps, even going fast they didn't jump that well.

But overall it was a great day out. Hopefully we'll head back there again some time soon. It's a shame I didn't get any more, or better pictures, but I was too busy enjoying riding to get the camera out much!