South Downs / Surrey Hills

FunkMaster007

Hey guys,

I just moved down to Surrey, bout time I tell you ...

Anyhow, been trying to find some XC routes to ride and have heard of Surrey Downs and Surrey Hills ...

Are they the same thing / same place ... or are they different?

If they are different, which is better for a long XC ride, like 4 hours, but nothing hectic in terms of technicality, as my wife will be tagging along.

Also, where would be a good place for either, to park the car and start riding?

Thanks
Rob

anjs

South Downs run approx from Winchester to Eastbourne. Surrey hills (north downs) run Guildford to Dorki

clanton

Long non techy and easy navigation - South Downs Way - start at Queen Elizabeth Country Park is a good option.

Surrey Hills - start at Peaslake. Get a map though.

popstar

Check around here. Some weekends group rides go easy -technical wise- and some days they go full bonkers, even though in Surrey Hills I wouldnt' say its so technical it's unrideable, there are many chicken runs around for that matter. Most weekends group rides set off from Peaslake. Kind of casual chatty banter +riding/climbing at slow pace.

Anonymous

Surrey Hills is more North Downs, or the edge of it.

As well as the London Calling thread Popstar posted, there's this older thread with some discussion on where things are too:

Surrey Hills - where to start?

Best place to start off in SH is as said, Peaslake. From there you can go up Pitch and Holmbury hills (sorry it's a bit of a climb!). Free parking in any of the many car parks around there. Walking Bottom car park in particular is good as it's a decent size, though can get busy in the summer at weekends.

Peaslake is a nice pretty village with pub, village shop and a bike shop. The place exists purely to serve cyclists I think.

After Pitch and Holmbury you can explore Winterfold, Leith, Redlands, and beyond. It's a big area, and you can spend an entire day easily linking it all together.

If you get stuck, pop into the bike shop and they'll be only too happy to give directions to the trails (and sell you a map of course ).

Also worth a look is Swinley Forest. It's over by Bracknell and is a self contained area with loads of singletrack, though mostly short sections. Not too technical, and generally flat compared to Surrey Hills.

And when you've done all that there's yet more about around the county and nearby (e.g. Tunnel Hill, Aldershot/Fleet MOD areas, and a lot of common land in general has little bits and pieces). Surprising how much there is around here.

And *then*... remember the M4 is nearby and it's just a few hours drive to South Wales

Beardface

Great advice above, Surrey Hills are amazing when you find all of the right trails!

If your wife will be joining you, possibly consider a ride around Newlands corner too, just to start things off.. it's nothing technical, but plenty of relatively flat riding to be had, if thats your thing.

I'll usually ride from Godalming to Peaslake, have a brew and a cheese straw, then up and around the Hills (Pitch & Holmbury mostly). Depending on the route, I either go via Newlands Corner, or up through Winterfold Forest (through Shamley Green way). Both routes are great fun though.

Also, as DK says, Tunnel Hill.. I've been living Aldershot way for a year and a half, and only just started riding there.. I'm very impressed! I know I've got plenty of trails to find yet too (and it's only 20 mins ride away from my house!)

Swinley is alright, but I will admit, I was kinda disappointed when I went there, as most of the runs were waaaay too short for my liking (labyrinth area, gulley etc). Still, not knocking the trails, they are great, I just prefer my runs to last a little while longer! (I think I've been spoilt by riding Surrey Hills for years!)

Popstar, DK - shall have to come out on a spin with you guys at some point, once the 456 is running sweetly!

njee20

Swinley's a lot flatter, there's not really any hills there, so it may be more appropriate for riding with the wife, depending on her penchant for climbing!

The Surrey Hills and the North Downs are two separate ranges of hills, although often used synonymously. The North Downs are a clay range of hills running from Farnham-ish over right through Kent. Newlands Corner, Ranmore, Coombe Bottom, White Down etc are all on the North Downs. They can be a bit sandy in summer, and a bit claggy in winter, although there are some decent trails.

The Surrey Hills are south of the North Downs, they're greensand, and are much more 'all weather'. Holmbury and Leith are usually the busiest, although Winterfold and Pitch both have decent trails. Agree that Peaslake is a good central location to start. It's reasonably hilly round there though, so to be avoided if she doesn't like climbing!

popstar

As posters above said, if your wife not too confident ... Swinley forest is the place to go to start with. Surrey Hills have many hills/peaks ... and will suit from novice to a more hardcore style of rider and of course you will have to climb.

I am about to invest a lot of time into exploring or be guided around by others in Boxhill-Redlands-Ranmore for RadStyle* type of trails ... and if you chose to ride in SH would recommend you to start with Holmbury+Pitch hill trails, aka start from Peaslake towards YogPots-Telegraph Road, climb back to BKB, break, then ride some T-Trails in Pitch ... all could be done under 3 hours including teabreak at Peaslake.

Buying a map (£3 or so) from bike-shop would give you a clear idea on what I meant.

Enjoy!

** and Stav83 ... you are more than welcome!**

surreyxc

where you based, all the above mentioned places are good, but with so much MOD and national trust land I would just head out the door and explore. there are some gems but you will have to find them.

Beardface

popstar wrote:

** and Stav83 ... you are more than welcome!**

Cheers mate, shall sort something out soon! In the process of moving house etc at the moment, but shall PM you/DK or join in the London Calling thread

fredy

i just got back from holmbury hill; great place. I just went out my door for a ride, spent most of my time off road and ended up there.