South-East Winter Rides - Any suggestions?

Schobiedoo

Hi all, I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for a while reading and learning lots.

Not that we had much of a summer this year, but now that winter has set in the weekend rides have turned into a mudbath and the wheel-turning slog through the mud is not nearly as fun as a fast dry trail.

So, to the question - where in the South East does everyone ride when it's wet? I've been to Swinley and Leith Hill and so far Leith Hill seems to be the driest but are there any better locations? I'm willing to chuck the bike in the car to find good trails, so distance is not a major issue.

How about Watership Down near Andover, Queen Elizabeth park in Petersfield? Any good in the wet?

RussAlf

Holmbury and Pitch hill the hills to the west of Leith hill are always noticeably drier than leith hill. Swinley and surrey hills are your best bet really as they are sandstone.

I think QEP and andover are either chalk or clay based and become ice rings when its wet, i know qep was super slippery when i rode there and it was only midly wet.

batch78

Yep stay on the North Downs any further south into the Weald or South Downs and your looking at clay, chalk etc.

Look at page 5 here http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisureand ... eGuide.pdf

This is of course a generalisation though, plenty of mud to be found in the north!

Schobiedoo

Thanks for the information, it's really appreciated.

Quickmarch

I ride at Queen Elizabeth Country Park fairly often, the easy (purple) route is pretty rideable whatever the conditions, there isn't anything particularly technical on it. The harder (orange) route can be treacherous in the wet, alot of exposed tree routes and chalky up and downhill sections. I was there yesterday morning and things were fairly dry though. The routes are both around 3-3.5 miles. Plus the cafe at the visitors centre is very good.

Many of the routes in the surrounding area are very challenging if there has been much rainfall, due to (as has been mentioned) the chalky ground, and the use of these trails by tractors and 4 wheel drives.

nonnac85

if you dont mind travelling up the M1 a bit there is Woburn which is very sandy so drains quickly. Woburn is not waymarked but there are loads of bridleways - get an OS map of the area and make your own route. There is also a DJ / mini-downhill area there too.
Also chicksands and aston hill are not far from woburn although aston hill is chalky.
See link in my signature for more info.