Any trails in Hertfordshire?

Smiler15

After coming back from the dark peak, I'm rather depressed by the local rides I do. Wondered if anyone knows of any good rides in Hertfordshire or the surrounding area?
Cheers

mtbikerboy

I might also be moving down to hertfordshire (hatfield) from the peaks for a while and would like to know if there are any good trails there. So far i've thought of chicksands and aston hill which are atleast 30mins drive from where i will be staying

nonnac85

there is also woburn but again thats a short drive away (just off J13 of M1).

where exactly in Herts are you?

Smiler15

I'm in Hertford. Just had a quick look around Sacombe Green on my road bike as I saw some fairly serious looking mountain bikers around there recently and it looks okay, going to investigate off road there soon, anyone know anywhere good there?

ahmustard

Smiler15 any luck with Sacombe Green? I live just outside Ware and mainly ride around the Hadhams during the week. all pretty tame but there is about 500m of good singletrack in woods on the right of much hadham

gergusmcbergus

i speak from experience when i say hertfordshire is pretty poor for MTBing

Smiler15

Well theres a fair amount of woodland around there and the land goes up and down a fair amount, still haven't been out on my mountain bike yet, but it looks fairly promising considering where we live. I expect with a bit of exploring there could be some short and (hopefully) sweet rides to do. Most likely be able to go out in the next few weekends so will let you know what happens

jmaccyd

Smiler, I also live in Hertford and have MTB a fair bit in the area. The best MTB is to be found in Broxbourne Woods that is criss-crossed with a great variety of trails including plenty of 'smile-a-minute' single track. Can get very wet and bogy when wet but is fast and furious in the dry! I would meet up and show you round but sadly my serious MTB days are behind me as old age and dodgy back restrict me to a bit of lighter stuff and more road riding. There is a bike shop in Stanstead Abbots (not sure of their name) that mostly do heavy duty downhill bikes but are also a Genesis dealer (you can get their detail off their website) that do some mid-week rides - they might be able to show you round? Epping Forest is reputed to also have lots of good MTB and is not too far away but I never did much over that way - hope that helps John

blablablacksheep

im in hoddesdon and there a quite a nice "trail" in hoddesdon woods area, with a nice rocky/single trail route.

broxbourne woods you have to be careful as it isn't allowed for biking now and there a lot of wooden planks being laid for the old people so they can do the butterfly woods ect so makes it hard to ride around there.

still if you want some info i can give you some and also would like som info as well for any trails or good places near hoddesdon/broxbourne

Smiler15

I have already done quite alot in broxbourne woods and it is still a pretty good place to nip around, going to go out now with a mate who's just got a new bike. Still trying to find time to explore sacombe green area...

tmg

Smiler

I used to live in Stanstead Abbotts but now live in the peaks. I used to do a couple of routes of about 19-25 miles coming through Hertford and then out into the countryside, majority off road but nothing to contrast the peaks, but then again you'll never find that in Hertfordshire !!

If you want the route I did then I'll plot it onto Bikely and you can have a look at it on there?

Let me know

Smiler15

That would be great thanks, it would be really good to get to know a few more routes around where i live as its basically just broxbourne woods and the surrounding other woods I am very jealous of you moving up to the peaks!

tmg

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

Have loaded the route onto Bike Hike, link above will take you there, you can then do a search on location, put in stanstead abbotts and it will come up with the loop, didn't realise I'd already put it on there a while ago so it will come up twice.

I'd also suggest getting an ordanance survey map of the area, you can then plan some routes out, bike hike is also useful as you can plot routes on road and ordanance survey maps at the same time so it makes it easy to join bridleways etc up by road if need be

Good luck and enjoy

Skid Solo

TMG, part of that route is via a footpath (round Sawtrees Wood and Barwick Ford).

I have always wanted to try that part as I normally take the route opposite along the bridleway which is actually not bad.

I would however be careful on the footpath as I have had dirty looks from walkers even when I was on the bridleway coming down towards Barwick Manor

Smiler15

Did a couple of hours exploring in sacombe green area, up to barwick etc. Lot much luck really, found one or two okay bits but it was all so spread out (a mile or so) so not that enthused

tmg

Skid - I used to do that loop around 4 times a week, never had any issues with people at all, well apart from on the toe path next to the River Lee, which your allowed to cycle on yet people seem to think your not! Your not missing much by not going through it, its just a footpath through the woods then it opens out into a field back up towards the road. It's usually very quiet, most times no-one is around, just go past the house and turn left as the guy who owns the house got arsey once when I went up the track

doogalong

If you get your hands on the OS pathfinder maps 1096 1097 1073 and 1074 you can pick out whats available as there are some reasonable little rides around ,good enough for a couple of hours in the evening...nothing like up north or for downhill demons though,but thats herts for you...flat !!

dagzin

are you guys still looking for places to ride in hoddesdon, broxbourne?.i just starting out riding again and getting to downhill,but there afew places that are ok,not like chicksands or anything..there are a few small dirt jumps and a big bomb hole etc wooooohooo its not hardcore or anything and there is alot of road riding between them ( hell on a d/h bike lol )but i spose you got to make the most of what you got

geoff93

ahmustard - if you mean the woods with the 'no unathorised shooting' sign, i agree. They are not bad, but they are quite small. nice to go down the 50m very very steep hill though, on a hardtail cross country bike

Jedi

there's some sweet singletrack all through bencrfot woods,deerrys wood,hoodesdon wood, essendon, in fact all over.
i live in hertford too btw ::::::::)

nonnac85

If you have a car there is some good riding around great missenden. Look on Evans website as they do an event there and there are some routes up on the "ride it" section of their website.

dwclay99

there are very few rides in the st albans area that get the adrenalin pumping hard but you do get the occasional fun trail section!

malc101

Jedi wrote:

there's some sweet singletrack all through bencrfot woods,deerrys wood,hoodesdon wood, essendon, in fact all over.
i live in hertford too btw ::::::::)

Where are these places? I can not seem to find them on google maps?

I am in Bishops Stortford but work in Hatfield so now summer is here will be looking for evening rides after work.

CharlesM505

Wendover woods seem to be a good place to ride, also whippendell woods near Watford are worth checking out (canal makes a good route too). However, if anyone knows any good rides around the rickmansworth area please let me know, thanks