Hill hunting - a five-point guide to finding a race/freeride

Hill hunting - a five-point guide to your next race/freeride  hill

So with everyone wanting more freerides, and with a scene in Europe and the States/Canada that are all a pile of sanctioned races ahead of us, I thought I'd share some insight as someone looking to put on events in the coming year.

Arguably the most difficult part of setting up an event is finding the perfect venue. The UK is short of these, simply due to the huge amount of effort it takes finding the perfect spot then making things happen there. So if you find yourself bored, take a few minutes out to scroll through Google Maps to scout a few new spots.
Here's what would make a good hill:

1) The hill itself.
If you've raced, you know what you want, but don't discredit slightly mellower hills: having mellow freerides is better than not having freerides, so include any slower/less steep hills as well.
Points include:

• width, 
• surface, 
• length, 
• shutdown zone, 
• alternate route to the top - so cars can be diverted and the uplift bus can gun it round quicker between runs
• how major the road is - smaller roads are narrower and have worse surfaces but are easier to close. Difficult balance!
• are there houses or farms on the route? They'll need access during the days the road is closed. It can be done but it becomes difficult. Less = better

2) Proximity to a pub/services.
Goes without saying: Beer, warmth, food, getting there and back. It doesn't have to be too close, but it really helps! When you find a hill, just check where the nearest things are. if you're 30 miles from the nearest shop, organisers have to put a lot more effort into filling the void left by the pub, and the cost of attending tends to go up

3) Camping & parking.
Is there space for 30+ tents and a load of cars right next to the hill on suitably flat ground, ideally with trees to serve as wind breaks? Ace. If not, is there some next to the pub or within a mile? Because that's just as good! Have a look around the area - a dedicated camp site nearby (within a mile) can be useful, but they don't like rowdy skaters disturbing people in the caravans.

4) Space beside the road.
Check for lay-bys, passing places, adjacent fields or areas of land that look unused or suitable for setting up a marquee on. Freeride/Race control will need a marquee at the top and the bottom - the main rider areas will ideally be beside each of these, so more space is better. You'll need to park an ambulance somewhere, and if the event is big or near a town, spectator areas and access may be needed.

5) Document your find!
Ideal tools include Google maps, where you can build your own map with lines markers etc. There' more pointers on this example - http://g.co/maps/h9338. I tried saving multiple hills on the same map but if you have more than 2 or 3 hills it gets messy and difficult to read.

Another tool is Youspots, but generally you need to have ridden the hill to post it! Also, it's a good idea to keep your find a little quiet otherwise people may go session a hill that you've never been to and hurt themselves because the description doesnt match the actual road - ie it may be a very busy road.

If you go out to the hill in person, be very careful - you'll be riding on open roads, with blind corners. The best thing is scout them in a car - it gives a good impression of the hill and reduces the risks associated with riding new hills without spotters.

I'll add pictures soon, promise!