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~ What Are the Lemming Trails? ~

The South Downs trail ride offers a tougher test in the form of 100 miles of relentless ups and downs on fast flowing chalk tracks, you’ll enjoy the full Trail Break experience and attention to detail that makes the Lemming Trails the most complete events package of their kind.

LEMMING TRAILS are the original UK mountain bike endurance challenges. The first one ran in 1996 and the two day Lemming format is still unique and gives the events a much more epic feel than one day rides.

The Lemming format offers so much more than a single day enduro event. You get a full weekend of top class riding with an overnight stop that has camping and hostel accommodation right on the trail. You get a big evening meal and a Sunday morning cooked breakfast all in with the price of the event, you can book a packed lunch for the second days riding. All you need to pack is a bit of lunch for the first days ride. There are extra food and drink supplies available at the support stations on route.

The South Downs Way Trail

The organizers also carry all your gear for you. Anything you don’t need for the ride itself (clean clothes, wash kit, camping gear) can go in our truck to be transported to the overnight stop for you and then onto the finish. At the end of the ride, the organizers can even take you back to your car at the start. Just book a place on one of coaches and the organizers take you right back from the finish, with your bike following in the truck behind. On the ride itself, you get all the back up you could need. Waymarked trails to keep you on the straight and narrow, guides on route to help out if you get in any trouble, regular support stations stocked with food drink and bike spares, mechanical assistance and all the facilities at the overnight stop.

The South Downs <> Fitness Level <> High
You will need to be in good fitness and be used to strenuous day rides with a a lot of climbing. The trail surface is not too technical but there are a lot of fast steep descents so a reasonable level of bike handling experience is necessary.

Riding from Winchester to Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Miles covered 60
Miles covered from the start 60
Rammstein time including pit-stops 08:46:13
Treehugger time including pit-stops 08:48:30

This isn't to be taken lightly ...! its a long way 100 miles riding off-road up and chalk covered tracks (Believe us) The climbs did seem to hit us quite quickly, a total of 8 on the first day followed by another 6 on the second day. Rammstein & Treehugger reckon all the hills are climbable but there are one or two that will really test your metal.

The weather was way-to-hot for this event, so the pair were drinking themselves to the point of busting. One good thing about it
(Not the drinking - but the weather) the ground had dried up very nicely, so it made for fast rolling along the chalk tracks. The pair were able to push it on most sections to try and make up for lost time after Treehugger's bike played up at the start with cable trouble.

Riding from Queen Elizabeth Country Park to Beachy Head

Miles covered 40
Miles covered from the start 60
Miles covered in total 100
Rammstein time including pit-stops 04:59:37
Rammstein total time: 13:45:50
Treehugger time including pit-stops 05:03:38
Treehugger total time: 13:52:08

The whole route is very scenic, taking in fabulous views along the South Coast of the country. The route is quite easy to follow and well signed, but saying that it's recommended you take a map of the area just in case you do ride off the trail. The pair said "the event was very well organized with extra event marshal's put into place which made their life a lot easier on the day".

Rammstein & Treehugger enjoyed the events hospitality at the yha stop with hot showers and good meals. The atmosphere was great with all the riders drinking and talking the talk of the days events which had happened to them. About 200 odd hero's took part in the 2005 event.

To carry with you

Spare inner tube and puncture repair kit
Tyre levers
Pump
Portable toolkit (Cool Tool, Topek Alien or similar)
Pack-able waterproof jacket
Portable first aid kit
Two water bottles or hydration pack

For the South Downs Lemming, all riders must have access to a map.

To put in the van

Wash/Shower kit and towel
Change of clothes for the evening
Clean cycling clothes for second days riding

If you've booked the camping package, don't forget your tent and sleeping bag!

is Britain's best long distance trail offering mile upon mile
of uninterrupted off road cycling
plus hill after hill !

Rammstein
on the straight & narrow

I've lost count of all the hills
'You won't get a better day
than this ... you know'

Thumbnailed pictures
click-on
to
super-size

Precision organisation

on the trail

Taking in the views

Important Stuff.

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