Anyone ridden at Deers Leap Park?

andyjayh

Found a dedicated MTB park right on my doorstep the other day! Didn't know it was there until my Bruv sent me a link :oops:

Thinking about going there over the break but wanted to know if anyone had been and what it was like?

http://www.deersleappark.co.uk/

mudslinger

I've ridden through it on a loop from Haywards Heath. It costs £2 so is cheap but there is much more in Tilgate. I probably wouldn't go again but as it's cheap & on your doorstep then give it a go.

Where do you normally ride?

andyjayh

Ta for that, going to give it a go tomorrow if I can breath through this damn cold

Normally ride over Tilgate as there is so much there to explore and my Brother lives right on the edge of the park. Gate in his garden fence and straight out on the trail, no messing 8) Warm up through the park and then hit the forest.

mudslinger

Post back what you think.

Tilgate & St. Leonards forest are both great.

andyjayh

Had a good ride over at Deers Leap today but I have to agree Tilgate offers far more. It suited me today as I still have this pesky cold so I didn't want a long ride. A lot of it is around the farm land but there are a few good routes through the wood sections which they have obviously put in a fair effort to mark up. Also there are some interesting obstacle sections which I was not brave enough to try :oops:

The facilities are good with an on-site shop that seemed well stocked and bike cleaning area with good water pressure.

Not somewhere I would chose to ride over Tilgate but if I was on my own and needed somewhere to clean my bike after then it would be a good place. As it's on my doorstep it might use it more in the summer months after work.

Overall enjoyable with some fun sections and good facilities, oh and cheap too but I think more is on offer from Tilgate as far as pure riding opportunities. As a self contained riding area though they have done a good job plus you can also hire bikes there.

LingfieldXC

i found out about this place recently too, was wondering what it was like, have you been to PORC in penshurst? i'm sort of in between the two in Lingfield. Not been to Tilgate so might try that soon.

TonyS

Can get muddy in the park but it's cheap and safe parking plus shop/bike wash.

If you go to the very south of the park then you can access a bridleway which heads west into Gravlye which has some good permissive forest trails. These connect to West Hoathly, Ardingly and Balcombe alllowing a largely off road loop which takes in Tilgate Forest and returns via the Worth Way, cannot remember the actual distance but it's over 50km depending upon how much of the singetrack in Tilgate you include.

andyjayh

Cool, nice info Tony. I'll have a look out for that next time I'm over there

phearnde

Had a great time at Deer's Leap, yesterday

Thought it was excellent.

I'm an out and out roadie, so this was quite an experience!

The routes are well marked, the guy in the shop gave us a good briefing before we started.

Thought the siging out and back in at the end of the ride, gave it a professional feel.

oh and the bike wash - saved the car getting too dirty on the way home.

Just can't understand why it isn't more popular!