stumpie wrote:
It's an XC course with bits to test riders and keep it interesting for the Olympic crowds... is it more challenging that somewhere like Bedgebury - not sure to be honest - try sprinting round Bedgebury and when you come close to the KOM's give me a shout
![Wink ;)](http://www.essexhertsmtb.co.uk/php/forum/images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
I think my point is that you can rock-up to Bedgebury and cycle around the routes without any drama. There is nothing at Bedgebury that comes close to the challenges posed at Hadleigh with it's various steep and often badly signed rock descents. In fact, at Hadleigh, if you do not look closely at the route, you will likely choose the wrong option and come a cropper. The very first rock descent we did yesterday is a great example, if you did not inspect it first, and chose the right hand drop, you could well have a massive off. There is no such choice to go wrong at Bedgebury. The technical skill levels required to cycle around Bedgebury (irrespective of the time you do it in) are, IMO, much lower than to do the same at Hadleigh.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as pleased as anyone else to have such a facility within half an hours drive, but I'm not sure it caters for all experience levels. If it was better signed, then maybe, but there is too much room for error for inexperienced riders (such as myself).