Riding in Bath and surrounding areas

catherine13

Hi, I've been riding the canal paths for sometime now but recently bought a new bike and would like to venture out to pastures new.
I'm 41 and fairly fit but a relative beginner to the world of mountain biking so could probably do with some hints and tips.
Sundays are good for me, don't mind travelling and it'd be great to meet some new likeminded friends.

Anonymous

Hello, I dont think there is any off road tracks/trails in Bath area, but there is a few in Somerset with Aston Court in Bristol but it's a bit small or Burrington Combe which it's worth having a go if you are passing the area.

For MTB heaven fun, you should try the Afan (Port Talbot) and Cwmcarn (Newport) in south Wales, there is various trails to choose from these centres, you need a good bike and good level fitness for these trails

Forest of Dean have one and there is one in Minehead aswell.

Hope this helps

catherine13

Hey, thanks for the tips, had already looked at Ashton Court and Afan on the internet but will check the others out too. Think the bike will cope with it, as for my fitness, only time will tell!!
Anyone up for it or not minding another one tagging along give me a shout.

joec1

Hi,
Im in Corsham (East of You)

Give Box woods a Try and Spirthill Trail in Calne.

Both good for beginners in Mtb Riding (like me)

joec1

PS.

www.settingascene.com is a few locals to us who go out weekly

Setting a Scene

Thewaylander

I'm by Cwm, and travel to Afan a fair bit, so im in the area if needed across the waters

theblender

There are decent off-road tracks all around Bath.
Go up to the Uni, and explore around there and around Sham Castle golf course.
On Both sides of the valley between Bath and Bradford on Avon there are various paths which link up creating a 25 mile round trip.
Go up Lansdown Hill and there are tracks up there where you can do a decent loop through Upton Cheyney/Swineford/Hamswell
Box woods also good for a play.
Head south to Midford and Wellow for more.

Worth getting the 1:25000 OS map for the area.

Many routes are on footpaths, which you're not supposed to ride on, however, having ridden these routes myself since 1988, I can say you rarely get any issues, I've had probably no more than 6 complaints since then. (In fact, I get more whingers on the Bridleways up at Lansdown, than the forbidden footpaths elsewhere!)

Some of the tracks are steep and technical, and slippy in the wet (roots!), but, my 7 year old son copes with all of 'em, so for a beginner the tracks on your doorstep will be fine.

The nice thing about the routes around Bath, is that you can always drop down to the canal/river/railway paths if you need too, you're never that far from a train staion or a pub, and it's usually downhill back into Bath...good times!

jacob2910

where about in bath do you live because me and my mate never run out of trails to do in the sham castle monkton and near freshford the trails are shortish but there are not really big hills hear

wheezee

How big d'you need these hills to be? There's more than enough climbing round here for the likes of me (50, averagely fit for my age, all my own teeth).

wheezee

joec1 wrote:

PS.

www.madbiking.tk is a few locals to us who go out weekly

This link doesn't seem to be working (anymore)...

joec1

Sorry... it changed to www.settingascene.com we decided to make things a little more formal