The first three trailbuilding sessions have seen a huge amount of earth moved and trail cut and while the basic principles of drainage seem to be understood by most builders refining building technique should make the trail much more durable and fun to ride. For the first stage of Ian's building masterclass we walked the length of the trail while Ian pointed out areas he thought were successful and sections that might benefit from a little corrective surgery.

Ian was especially impressed with the opening section of Summer Lightning with its twisting, lightly bermed corners. The varying grade should ensure water is channelled into the drainage areas and the corners flow well and enable riders to carry plenty of speed through the section without needing to brake heavily. Heavy braking tears up the tread's surface and causes braking ruts to appear, another reason for considering the flow of the trail at the initial marking out stage. Ian was confident this section should drain well too, as long as drainage channels are kept free of obstruction.

Ian was also impressed with the all-important flow towards the end of Summer Lightning's opening section. When plotting a path for the trail Ian stressed the importance of focussing riders' attention on the trail ahead rather than on obstacles. The open, well-sighted fast section successfully draws riders' eyeline to where they're going rather causing them to be distracted. Experienced riders can carry a lot of speed through this section while novices can go at their own pace and still have fun - the holy grail of all trail building!

Following the contour of the hill makes it easier to encourage the water to sheet off the tread and Ian was full of praise for the work done on the second section of Summer Lighting. The first session of building saw much of this section simply cut as a path through the leaf mulch resulting in an unpleasant muddy trench. The more time intensive method used on the second building day has resulted in a far better trail. Clearing bracken and leaf mulch on the downhill side of the tread took a lot of work but the results speak for themselves. For a fuller explanation of how to build the various types of bench-cut trails check the IMBA website. A more pleasant alternative is to simply ride this section of Summer Lightning and apply what has been done here to any future building!

Walking the length of Summer Lightning reveals a big difference in the type and size of drainage channels that have been used. The amount of silt building up in the channels is testament to their effectiveness but Ian suggested that some could be improved by giving the water somewhere to disperse to rather than collecting in large pools. To this end the sharp edged, narrow drainage channels were deemed less effective as they block more easily and the sharp edges can cave in. Ian's preferred method is to follow the IMBA approved shallow cut which rounds the corners of the channel and blends it into a gentle, spoon shaped cut out of the tread. Water flows more effectively and evaporates faster from this design and it's easier on the eye too. Ian admits that doing things by the book like this can take more time initially, the pay off being less maintenance later and more time riding.

Roots have proved one of the major problem areas once the leaf mulch has been cleared and Ian pointed out a couple of areas, especially at the start of Summer Lightning's second section, where exposed chopped off roots have appeared that could snare passing riders. Not only that, they can distract riders and send them off line, causing more problems as the path widens, a scenario known as 'tread creep.' A watchful eye on newly exposed roots and ruthless approach to removing them when cutting the initial tread seems to be the approved method. When it came to bigger roots Ian suggested these can be incorporated into the trail to add technical spice and this is where routing the tread on the uphill side of larger trees is helpful as the camber tends to be more helpful.

Ongoing maintenance is important if the trail is to remain in tip top condition and Ian pointed out a miniature berm building up on the edge of a drainage channel as an example of a potential water trap forming. Built up from displaced material from riders' tyres this loose earth could easily build up if not caught early. Simply scraping the material into the drainage cutaway is enough to keep water sheeting off the tread and Ian stressed the importance of catching potential problems like this early. Put simply, if you're riding Summer Lightning and notice blockages building up on the entrance to drainage areas hop off your bike for a moment and flatten it with your foot. Easy!

Summer Lightning seems to be standing up well to the intense rain of the last few months and the work put in so far seems to be paying off well. Ian was keen to point out that there's no such thing as getting it wrong in trail building as problem areas have the positive effect of teaching you how to make things better in the future. Every location is different and learning what works and what doesn't is simply a matter of watching how the trail reacts to the demands of the weather and the traffic on it.
In summary Ian's suggestions for areas to concentrate on in the next building day are as follows;

· Drainage channels should be larger and smoother. Gradual spoon shaped cut-outs are more effective than narrow, trench-like channels.

· Intensive clearing of mulch and vegetation on the downhill side of contour trails is hard work but very effective when it comes to drainage.

· Laying logs by the side of the trail can be dangerous and cause water to dam and puddle. Varying the grade with effective draingage manages riders' speed and keeps the tread dry.

· Berms should be only placed where they are really needed and construction needs to be carefully considered to avoid puddling. Berms themselves should be sturdily built from good soil and foundations need to be solid and not based on leaf mulch or logs.

· Routing the trail on the uphill side of trees means any exposed roots that can't be removed can be used to keep riders on course rather than sending them skidding off to the side.

· Managing the flow of the trail to focus sightlines on where the trail is going rather than on obstacles under wheel means experienced riders can carry more speed and novice riders don't get distracted and bogged down. Managing speed with gradual grade changes and corners avoids heavy braking and preventing braking bumps and damage to the tread surface.

· Varying the grade is the most effective way to promote drainage on areas with no natural gradient. If thisrequires the digging of a mine for building material the mine should be sited away from the trail so riders can't fall into it.

Watching the way different riders tackle the trail means you can spot potential troublespots and design them out of future trails. Common problems like tread creep, heavy braking and riders short-cutting turns can be prevented with proper consideration of the trail flow and careful management of natural and artificial obstacles.

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