Reading Rides

Sicknote64

hey everyone
im looking to organise a ride in Reading, i dont know many places to go off roading in or around Reading so thats where im hoping you can help me.

If anyone is looking for a partner to go cycling with, im a beginner who is very keen to learn tricks and to do some interesting rides,

so anyone interested get in touch

Thanks
Si

billysan

Hi Si,

Im in Reading, try to get out at least twice a week, with one of those times being at Swinley Forest down near Bracknell.

I havnt found very much to ride in and around Reading though thats worth riding unfortunately mind.

Drop us a pm if you like.

Bennyboy76

Sicknote64 wrote:

hey everyone
im looking to organise a ride in Reading, i dont know many places to go off roading in or around Reading so thats where im hoping you can help me.

If anyone is looking for a partner to go cycling with, im a beginner who is very keen to learn tricks and to do some interesting rides,

so anyone interested get in touch

Thanks
Si

Hi Si, i'm out every weekend round these little wooded areas i know just outside Reading and you're welcome to hook up with me if you like. I try to get to Swinley now and then too.

scotto

sulham woods is readings best ride, I always get lost in there though.

Vespa1871

Hi - Ride the bridleways around Woodcote, Pangbourne , Goring & Mapledurhum some very good stuff up there. I'd be happy to show you around too, but due to other commitments I'll not be riding local until mid October.

Another shout for Swinley too - the best around here.

KonaKurt

Vespa1871 wrote:

Hi - Ride the bridleways around Woodcote, Pangbourne , Goring & Mapledurhum some very good stuff up there. I'd be happy to show you around too, but due to other commitments I'll not be riding local until mid October.

Another shout for Swinley too - the best around here.

I recommend that area too. Some great rides around there, and not too difficult either. As with most places, it's the minor roads that will lead to the most fun trails and woods.

KK.

weeksy59

Looks like he disappeared lads LOL.

We've found a lot of cool stuff around Aldworth/Ashampstead and Hampstead Norrys lately. Well worth a looky.

scotto

am thinking of trying ashampstead had a look at a map online seems a fair bit of potential, where's a good place to start off at?

weeksy59

scotto wrote:

am thinking of trying ashampstead had a look at a map online seems a fair bit of potential, where's a good place to start off at?

Assuming you know Ashampstead, have the village green on your left hand side (the main road through village) seems to be on map as Dogs Ln, and the road to Vicars game stright ahead, follow the edge of the green and it goes into a path, this path takes you onto the 'Yattendon estates' which gives miles after miles of cracking terrain, ups downs, trails, singles, etc etc.

If you head also to the bottom of hill at Noakes hill, there's a cracking forest section at the junction (as you come down Noakes hill look sharp right at the bottom) just behind wehre they chop down trees. That route takes you back onto Aldworth. But it also splits at a sign about half way up, take that and it brings you onto Holly lane. Either of the singposted lanes down Holly lane take you into the same woodlands.

We do all of this area most weekends. If you want more ideas drop me a PM and i'll point out some more cracking tracks. We found most of these by using "oh, lets see where this one goes then".


Google maps has location as

51.488532,-1.183112

scotto

nice, thanks for the reply, looks to have saved me a bit of work there !

will give it a go sometime soon.

Anonymous

Also recommend Swinley. Big mix of stuff there from beginner to whatever and you can make whatever you want out of it. Leisurely day to more serious stuff. It's not Wales, but there's just so much there. Plenty of well managed singletrack, a jump gully if your into that stuff and a more expert area with some downhills.

£2 to ride there by the way (yeah I know most people can't be bothered to get the pass, but please do to support the place), or £18 for an annual pass. Free parking.

If there's a group going I might be interested in coming along. Though I'm getting addicted to the Surrey Hills at the moment. That's just another level really compared to Swinley. More technical, at least as many trails as Swinley, if not more. Great fun and well worth it, but there are long hills to climb! Do it a few times and it really boosts your fitness (or shows how unfit you really are. At least it did with me ).

ruckus202001

hi all =]

sulham is still a fun place to ride in reading! lil bit of downhill some doubles and a few drops around.also i went to swinley the other day and got lost,... in the dark thanks to a work mate full of **** claiming he knew the way to the gully, if any1 can pin point the gully and downhill section i would be very greatful [=
looking to ride there tomorrow afternoon if any1 is up for a ride [=


James

apreading

scotto wrote:

sulham woods is readings best ride, I always get lost in there though.

Another vote for Sulham woods - went up there last Thursday for the first time and it was excellent. Never been proper mountain biking before so I dont know how it compares to other places but loved some of the downhill sections - both North and South of the car park. The best bit was South of the car park - I rode downhill and came out at some fields below the woods and then followed a track which rose and fell just inside the tree line south to the Pigeon Tower overlooking the M4.

Word of warning though - the last section to the south there is some tree felling going on at the moment and you should not go anywhere near the vehicles - some of the tree stumps lying around made it even more interesting though!

apreading

Just found this: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/in ... cleid=7128

Links to loads of maps here: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/in ... cleid=7125

and here: http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13201 although these are further West.

Of particular interest is perhaps Sulham Woods: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/CH ... d=8739&p=0

and Ashampstead: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/CH ... d=8749&p=0

scotto

apreading wrote:

Just found this: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/in ... cleid=7128

Links to loads of maps here: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/in ... cleid=7125

and here: http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13201 although these are further West.

Of particular interest is perhaps Sulham Woods: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/CH ... d=8739&p=0

and Ashampstead: http://www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk/CH ... d=8749&p=0

Well handy links there, always get lost in sulham unless with local mates, (who don't come out much any more that grew up in reading) so may have to get back out there with the map !

We used to start off at the entrance where the school is then go through the woods and drop onto the road that takes you to pangbourne, then turn right uder the bridge, up whitchurch hill (killer hill) and turn right going through mapledurham at the top and onto the warren, then back down the river on the other side into scours lane then tilehurst again, decent ride but a bit of road involved.

Definately going to try ashampstead as well soon.

apreading

Try this route through the woods: www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=23940

Incorporates both north of the car park on Sulham Road where there are some fast downhill sections, bomb holes and jumps, plus south of the car park where there is some fantastic up & downhill sections tiwsting and turning in the trees.

I am going again as soon as I can!

billysan

Thanks for the bikehike link there ap.

I'll give it a go as soon as my bike is running again Its only about 5 minutes ride away from me, and Ive never been!!

jez_clarke

billysan wrote:

Hi Si,

Im in Reading, try to get out at least twice a week, with one of those times being at Swinley Forest down near Bracknell.

I havnt found very much to ride in and around Reading though thats worth riding unfortunately mind.

Drop us a pm if you like.

Swinley Forest i would call very much worth riding.....

billysan

jez_clarke wrote:

billysan wrote:

Hi Si,

Im in Reading, try to get out at least twice a week, with one of those times being at Swinley Forest down near Bracknell.

I havnt found very much to ride in and around Reading though thats worth riding unfortunately mind.

Drop us a pm if you like.

Swinley Forest i would call very much worth riding.....

Hence saying I go there every week!!

When I say in and around Reading I mean that I can ride to from home. I drive to Swinley as otherwise it would just take up too much time once you've had a good run around there.

weeksy59

billysan wrote:

jez_clarke wrote:

billysan wrote:

Hi Si,

Im in Reading, try to get out at least twice a week, with one of those times being at Swinley Forest down near Bracknell.

I havnt found very much to ride in and around Reading though thats worth riding unfortunately mind.

Drop us a pm if you like.

Swinley Forest i would call very much worth riding.....

Hence saying I go there every week!!

When I say in and around Reading I mean that I can ride to from home. I drive to Swinley as otherwise it would just take up too much time once you've had a good run around there.

So basically you want to live in a City with downhill tracks and mountains

Anonymous

weeksy59 wrote:

So basically you want to live in a City with downhill tracks and mountains

That would be my ideal place to live. So long as it also had huge amounts of snow in the winter

Would be where I worked as well, with the "office" being at the top so I can do downhill to get home

scotto

posted this in the crunch that credit thread as well but though of local interest:

=======================================================================

anyone living in berkshire, new evans store opening monday and with this voucher you get 20% or 10% off certain stuff:

http://www.evanscycles.com/news-and-eve ... es-reading


===================================================================

billysan

weeksy59 wrote:

billysan wrote:

jez_clarke wrote:

billysan wrote:

Hi Si,

Im in Reading, try to get out at least twice a week, with one of those times being at Swinley Forest down near Bracknell.

I havnt found very much to ride in and around Reading though thats worth riding unfortunately mind.

Drop us a pm if you like.

Swinley Forest i would call very much worth riding.....

Hence saying I go there every week!!

When I say in and around Reading I mean that I can ride to from home. I drive to Swinley as otherwise it would just take up too much time once you've had a good run around there.

So basically you want to live in a City with downhill tracks and mountains

Yes please!!! In fact I used to, but due to redundancy and a location change I find myself here in topologically challenged Berkshire!!!