24th September 2023
8 hour MTB race
Sunday 24th September 2023. Race 8am til 4pm. You can arrive from 4pm Sat night if you have booked camping in advance. For on the day arrivals we will open the gates form 5am.
The Nest, Hamsterley Forest, Durham. Grid reference: NZ 063 300. Pinpoint on a Google Map found here. There will be sign posts on the main roads leading to the forest. Please note that the event is not at the main forest car park/area.
W3W for the entrance location: https://w3w.co/ribs.next.hobbyists
Google pinpoint for the entrance location: https://maps.google.com/maps?z=12&t=h&q=loc:54.669327+-1.8596721
We will have markers out to guide you to the event HQ.
It looks like there is quite a bit of rain and the event takes place on grassy fields. We would recommend that you stop just before pulling off the forest track onto the grass to pick your spot and then once on the grass keep moving. Last year we had people stopping half way onto the field, pausing, then getting stuck. Pick a spot and go to it. There will be plenty of people about should you need to be pushed off – not many people did last time and the rain was torrential!
There is a single 7 mile lap. You need to do as many as you can in 8 hours.
A link to the route can be found here: https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NDIzMzkxMA==
It’s quite a technical course for a cross country race so make sure you bring your A game. Marshals will be positioned all along the race route for the safety of the riders. There will be a feed station to top up your water and get some nibbles. Apart from the mandatory kit it’s entirely up to you what you take round with you.
The course will be fully marked and there is a gpx available should any signs go missing.
The trails which are used in reverse within this race will be closed to the public for the duration of the race. The rest of the trails (the whole first half of the course) are open to the public so please be patient if you come across someone out for a jolly.
Let’s get this out the way straight away, the forestry fees have gone up significantly so the price to enter has had to go up from 2021 also. It’s not what we wanted to do but it’s either that or not do it, and we really want to do it!
Solo £60
Pairs £50
Entry includes safety team, marshals, sign posted route, comms cover, feed/water station, lots of prize categories for the race, buckets full of climbing.
Just to be clear and up front, we offer no refunds or deferrals after 14 days. If you can sell your place and update your entry details then feel free.
We are very clear when you sign up – no refunds or deferrals. You are welcome to sell your place on if you can’t make it. You can also switch riders within a team. You can edit your own team by logging into sientries and making the changes yourself. If you get stuck with changes then get in touch.
Sat:
Those people who have booked camping can turn up from 4pm. Your parking fee is included in the camping fee and is given to the Forestry.
Sun:
05:00 – Barrier opens for competitors
06:00 – Registration opens in Event HQ
07:30 – Registration closes
7:45 – Safety briefing
08:00 – Start of Hammers 8!
Finish 8 hours later. Any laps completed after this point do not count.
Due to restricted space there will be one vehicle allowed on the event site per team. Any pairs arriving in two vehicles will need to leave one of these vehicle in the Grove car park before proceeding to the site.
There is plenty of parking space available. Arrangements around forestry ANPR will be sorted nearer the time.
Those people who booked camping have this included in your fee which goes to the Forestry. You must have booked this in advance.
Registration will take place at the event HQ which will be a marquee in The Nest. You’ll get your number, cable ties and timing chip which will be in the form of a wrist band. This will be from 06:00 to 07:30 in the main event shelter.
There will be an option for camping available from the Forestry England. This is really helpful for those who need to travel from distance. You are able to book this via editing your sientries. You can turn up any time from 4pm onwards on the Saturday before the event takes place. There is no camping option for the night after the event.
Camping is suitable for vans, sleeping in your car or small tents. No large tents or caravans please.
We will have toilets on site for you to use. Bringing your own supply of refrigerated toilet roll is always a wise move for when the bog roll runs out.
Don’t get me started… One of the more curious rules of the Forestry is that we cannot provide catering. There is an “in-house” catering option at Hamsterley but we don’t know if they are coming along. In short, bring some food!
There are no water supplies on site so please be prepared.
Take your rubbish home with you. The last thing we want to do is take a van full of other peoples rubbish away with us.
We have a wide range of categories for people to aim for.
You are welcome to stop at your own vehicle any time you wish to eat, drink, change clothes, fix your bike or whatever. The only rule is that you rejoin the course at the same place your left it. People may be tempted to jump a fence and skip part of the route but this will result in not passing a timing beacon and a lap not being registered. Stick to the course!!
You can drop out any time you wish. You do not need to hand anything in but you are stuck on site until the race has finished. Our advice if you are struggling is to just take an extended break and see how you feel afterwards.
We will gave a medical team on site. If this team treat you then they need to fill out some paperwork so please allow them to do so. We strongly recommend that you follow their advice if it is given. If a rider is prone on the course then diversions may be put into place, the race may be paused or the race may be abandoned. The medical team may ask you to wear a face mask while close for treatment.