Tilgate, anyone go there?

buzz1

Hi, anyone here go to Tilgate forest?
If so where's the best place to park?
What bike to take, DH or XC?
so many questions, so little time, any advice would be great, cheers.

andyjayh

Yep I cycle over at Tilgate all the time. Great place with such varied terrain, it can pretty much cater for all types. There are big jumps and some real fast tracks for the DH guys but I mainly ride XC single-track stuff.

I park at my Brothers who lives next to the forest but I don't suppose he would like that to become a car park Look out for a road named Parish Lane which is just near the service station. Drive down there for a mile or so and you will come across a gate on the left and a lay-by for parking on the right. Not loads of space but there is normally some room.

mudslinger

Another option if you are coming from Essex then leave the M23 at junction 10A heading left to Haywards Heath on the B2036. After about a mile take the right turning to Handcross. After about 300 yards there is a small forestry car park on the right.

From the car park there are some tracks - you need to get the one heading in a north east direction. Follow the fire track & you will join a bridleway which takes you to Tilgate.

buzz1

Cheers guys, gonna check it out next week, if it doesn't rain.

andyjayh

Even in the rain its a good ride, most of it is under some form of canopy cover so the rain is light and makes it good fun

Hell below zero !

You could also try St Leonards Forest at Colgate, which is only a couple of miles away from Tilgate Forest.It has great riding as well, also Beacon hill on the other side of the road at Colgate and also Holmbush forest same location.There is lots of local off road to try around this area in addition to Tigate Forest just take a look at the OS MAP 187.

andyjayh

Cool, thanks for that as that's helpful to me also Have to try out a few of these soon. Must say Tilgate is very easy for me as my Bruv lives on the edge of the park so washing facilities are nice and handy 8)

SE_Rich

Checked it out yet? Just read your post - you can park at the leisure centre (K2) just off the Pease Pottage roundabout - it backs onto the forest and theres usually plenty of space as long as theres not an event going on.

I was out and about there the other day, very cold so the ground was hard and frozen for a change, rather than the boggy mess it usually is! On that note, I would probably try to avoid anything down the bottom end (closer to the railway tracks) - there is some very suspect slimey mud (a bit stinky too...).

Have fun!

buzz1

Made a date for tuesday, group of 3/4 at the mo. anyone wanna join us, let me know, the more the merrier.
happy new year

andyjayh

Back to work Tuesday

Really keep your eyes open once you get over to the forest as there is so much there it's easy to miss. Me and my Brother have been riding over there for months and the other day we found a great d/h section with burms all built up

As you cross over the motorway by the phone mast there is a nice single-track section off to the right. The motorcycle guys use it for the Enduro comps which is how my Bruv knows it. Good fun section that one, lots of ruts though.

buzz1

Change of plans, monday morning now, cant wait - been off the bike for two weeks!!

blades

Let us know how you got on, went for a ride yesterday morning in Tilgate, did the 1 1/2 hour loop that I normally do with broth (as above) but did it in more like an hour as the ground was so hard, good fun and no offs, but boy it was cold. Actually, thinking about it you would have had the snow this morning, so should have been fun.

Hell below zero, thanks for the tips about Colgate, know the area, but whereabouts in relation to the pub is best to start off etc

Cheers

Hell below zero !

The entry to St Leonards Forest (heading towards Horsham) is approximately 300 metres past the pub on the left .The entry road has 2 or 3 houses on it and then you come to the gated entry to the forest itself .The main bridle path is wide long and down hill.At the bottom go left and on the right there is a BW that goes to the right of Hawkins Lake,can be seriously MUDDY HERE :!: If you don't take this bottom BW you can use the top forest tracks which are on the whole much dryer.
Oh and there is a bridleway ,on the right hand side (hidden in the hedge/wood) at the end of the long straight stretch of road just before you get to Colgate.If you take this it takes you into Holmbush Forest.
I might as well tell you as well About Grouse lane.When you come out of Pease Pottage village heading for Colgate you go past the Golf Driving range on your right and a liittle further down on the left is Grouse Lane.If you go down there for say a mile or so there is a lane coming in from Colgate on the right.At this junction on the left is a little wood and a BW.Drop down to the bottom of this BW through the small gate up STEEP :shock: hill through farm, along the farm road.The farm road does a sharp left turn and here you can do a right off of it onto a BW which finds its way back in the end to Grouse Lane.
There are lots of BW's etc around this area so I have OS Map 187 on which I've highlighted them :idea: Hope this is helpful,have fun.

buzz1

So there I was all ready for my first proper ride of 2009, then it goes and f**king snows!!, aaargh!, I would've gone anyway, but my two riding buddies said, "it's too cold", whine, windge.
So it'll have to wait another day.

blades

Thanks for the great info on rides around Colgate, will be checking them out and the map

Buzz, shame you didn't make it, would have been fun :shock: , post up when you thinking of going again, perhaps me and broth can meet up with you guys on a Sunday, normally go out between 8 and 9 for about 1 1/2hours

Cheers Steve

citydreams

Hey peeps,

I've just discoverd Tilgate. Let us know when you're next up for a ride. Wold be good to out-number the sunday dog walkers

Cheers,

Ben

blades

Hi Ya

Won't be this weekend for me, as I'm doing an Enduro, but my broth may well be going out, I'll get him to post. We normally set out from my place as I'm right next door to the forest, so you guys can still meet up there
Cheers

citydreams

Cheers,

Am discovering the delights of Weston Supermare this weekend, and have planned an epic hangover for the following weekend.

Good to know there's some early riders. It takes me an hour to drive down from London so I can look out for your tracks Seriously though, when was the last time Tilgate was dry land?

Good luck for the Enduro. Where are you riding?

mudslinger

I was at Tilgate last Sat & it was pretty muddy. Was on the South Downs today & that was muddy & gloopy flint.

I am so p1ssed of with all this wet weather.

blades

The enduro was supose to be the FastEddy H&H near Rochester, glad we didn't pay up front, as when we got there and watched the youth race we was very disapointed with the course, was especting top notch, but looked a very small venue and just a complete mud bath, not very challenging and short lap times, so decided it wasn't worth getting the bikes out and went home.
So after that, was all prepped with engery food and drink so actually ended up doing a 1 1/2 blast round Tilgate, got totally soaked, but felt a lot better after a blast :-)
Cheers Steve