muni_where_to_ride.yaml

# vim: set ts=2 sw=2 softtabstop=2 expandtab:
#
# Schema
# name : <string> Name of location
# latitude: <float> Latitude co-ordinate
# longitude: <float> Longitude co-ordinate
# postcode: <string> UK Postcode
# address: <string> [Optional] Address of location (not containing postcode)
# tags: <List of strings> [Optional]. Currently accepted values "muni", "flatland", "street", "trials", "xc"
# text: <string> Markdown text describing location

- name: "Alton Water Reservoir"
  latitude: 51.973629
  longitude: 1.137686
  postcode: "IP9 2RY"
  address: "Holbrook Road, Ipswich, Suffolk"
  tags: ["xc"]
  text: |
    Alton Water Reservoir is the largest reservoir in Suffolk. It is surrounded
    by an eight mile cycle/pedestrian track making for a very nice non-technical
    ride for beginners who want to start to build up distance, although at busy
    times it can be crowded with children (some on foot, some on wheels)
    families and dog walkers. One ideally could get there on a weekday early in
    the morning or late in the evening to avoid most of the crowds.
    
    The map icon points to Stutton car park, the largest one with a café and
    [cycle hire facilities](http://www.altoncyclehire.co.uk/) in case any
    non-unicyclists want to join in. At the time of writing the car park charge
    is £3 per day peak and £2 per day off-peak, but there are some smaller car
    parks on the route which might be free.
    
    [An online map of the route.](http://www.altoncyclehire.co.uk/Maps.html)
    
    Since this is a distance route at least a 24“ wheel is recommended, with a
    knobbly-tyred 29er probably being the best for this one.
    
    Most people start the route at the Stutton car park and go round clockwise.
    The first three miles are good quality level tarmac in wide open spaces
    leading to Lemons Hill Bridge, but after this you enter the woods and a sign
    at this point shows an “easier” route to the left and a “challenging” route
    to the right; the easier route will take you straight onto a public road so
    it's advised to stay on the “challenging” route.
    
    The challenge is that the track changes to a very thin line in the grass
    which is a little uneven and can get runny here and there in damp
    conditions. There are sandy sections and a few short steep hills to contend
    with, but if you have to walk these it won't be a minute or two before you
    can remount. Once the trees open out and you see the car park on the other
    side it returns to even terrain (although still on grass) and the dam
    crossing awaits, giving a grand straight finish to the ride albeit slightly
    bumpy due to the concrete grid surface.

- name: "Aspley Woods"
  latitude: 51.998618
  longitude: -0.648312
  postcode: "MK17 9HZ"
  address: "Woburn Sands, Bedfordshire"
  tags: ["xc", "muni"]
  text: |
    Aspley woods is an area of pine woodland near Woburn Sands. There is a
    large area of dirt jumps and downhill tracks that are mostly unsuitable for
    unicycles but the rest of the woods are great! Quite a lot of cross country
    tracks if thats your thing, but there are also hidden gems of single track
    dotted about everywhere. You could get lost for hours without going down
    the same path twice.

    [Heres a video made entirely at Aspley Woods](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1rrwP3IAPY)

- name: "Bedgebury"
  latitude: 51.072276
  longitude: 0.44930
  postcode: "TN17 2SJ"
  address: "Bedgebury Road, Goudhurst, Nr Cranbrook, Kent"
  tags: ["muni"]
  text: |
    Bedgebury Forestry has

    * 10km sign posted family trail,
    * 13km of man made single track, graded red,
    * one short section single track graded black, (I'm yet to try this on a Muni!)
    * a freeride area, which has a jumps section (In the past there was two
      sections of North Shore at Bedgebury, but this has been removed, with no
      indication of if it will be replaced).

    There is no cost to use the cycle track, but parking is £8.50! (Jan 2012),
    so car sharing is definitely recommended. At the car park there is Cafe,
    which is quite reasonably priced, and is quite nice.
  
    More information can be found [here](http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6LJHU5)