Cwm Down Uplift

Away from the delights of lift access in the Alps and shuttle buses in Spain, much of UK downhilling (bar Fort Bill) is used to sporadic uplift days and a lot of pushing up hills. All this is fine for local tracks but means runs on the hill in a day are somewhat limited if you want to tackle longer more challenging tracks. Recently the moredirt crew tried the pushup at Innerleithen and while doable it would severely limit the number of runs you get in a day. Add to that the fact that a lot of uplifts involve not much protection for your bike and fairly soon you valued bike can start looking a bit worse for wear. It is a running joke in the alps, that you can spot the British bikes as they are battered and scratched. Cwm Carn has been around as a trail centre for some time and has in its possession is an excellent downhill track nurtured by none other than Rowan Sorrell. The great thing about the track is that it is challenging for those with experience of downhill but also offers an excellent starting point for beginners with all of it rollable safely. The track has a healthy mix of everything from jumps and drops to switchbacks, off camber and a flat out bottom section and will appeal to most tastes. The general vibe of those who hang out at the track is friendly and helpful and there is none of the scorn and disdain for beginners or non-locals that sadly exists in pockets elsewhere in the UK. Add to that its easy location close to the M4 near Newport and it has rapidly become a bit of a mecca for Southern downhillers looking for some decent riding. For a few years now, Cwm Down have been running an uplift service from the site which has very rapidly grown in popularity. Darrell who runs Cwm Down lives and rides locally and saw the gap in the market for a new approach to uplifts. Clearly working on the premise of 'if I provide an uplift, DH riders will come' he has set up an efficient shuttle bus service which for the princely sum of less than £30 will give you a good 10-12 runs at the track in a day. Unlike many other uplifts, Cwm Down's trailers are perfectly engineered to prevent any damage to you bike and you have enough time at the bottom to catch your breath before the bus turns up for another lift. Weekends are busy and often well booked up (especially in the summer) but Cwm Down runs two uplifts on these days to deal with the crush. Weekdays are quieter and thus only one van runs on these days. Cwm Down have a great website full of information and a really simple online booking service which allows you to see what availability exists for particular days so it is recommended you check it out. For beginners to DH this is one of the best places to start, the atmosphere is good, the uplift is easy and the track is one you can progress on and you can get a solid days worth of riding for what is a bargain price considering the service on offer. If you are further North, the track is definitely worth the visit with a campsite next door, trail centre and also an excellent XC track and freeride park. Making it part of a long weekend or a week to the excellent trail centres in Wales is a highly recommended way to burn some annual leave. If you are there over the summer months you'll see the moredirt crew there on a regular basis. All we need now is for a few more people to copy Cwm Down's model of how to run an uplift service elsewhere and the DH scene will surely flourish further. Pictures courtesy of Andy Lloyd and Cwm Down. Book your uplift today: www.cwmdown.co.uk Have you used the Cwm Down Uplift service? Let us know you comments and thoughts below.