Travelling to trails

handful

6 miles of road riding to 'poorer' end of the Mendips, around 15 to the best part so around 20 min drive. Within an hour's drive I can get to the Quantocks, Ashton Court and Leigh Woods easily, Cwmcarn and the forest of Dean just.

bjj.andy.w

South lakes ( stavley, Ambleside ) is 45 mins, same for gisburn. Keswick is 1 - 1 1/2 hrs

frankspencer1979

bjj.andy.w wrote:

South lakes ( stavley, Ambleside ) is 45 mins, same for gisburn. Keswick is 1 - 1 1/2 hrs

I see you're from Garstang, I'm nearer Blackpool. Are there any off road routes near you at all? All I have from my doorstep is the path round the De Vere golf course!

ilovedirt

If I ride out the door, it's about 40 mins to an hour to anything good, it's a good warm up though.

Usually we'll drive anything up to an hour for a decent ride, sometimes we'll drive further for something worth it though. Drove about 130 miles there and back yesterday for an uplift at moelfre. Well worth it!

grl

I am based near Warrington so there is a decent amount of riding within one hour's drive from me which is about as far as I want to go as i spend significant amount of time in the car during the week. You are right, fuel is an issue, but I love my biking

bjj.andy.w

frankspencer1979 wrote:

bjj.andy.w wrote:

South lakes ( stavley, Ambleside ) is 45 mins, same for gisburn. Keswick is 1 - 1 1/2 hrs

I see you're from Garstang, I'm nearer Blackpool. Are there any off road routes near you at all? All I have from my doorstep is the path round the De Vere golf course!

Tbh there isn't a lot of bridalways around here and need a lot of road work to link them up. Plus if there is any rain they get very boggy. IMHO there's a lot of time ( cleaning the bikes down) and effort for very little reward. Much rather throw the bike in the car and be in the lakes in 40 mins

mrmonkfinger

TwellySmat wrote:

perhaps the New Forest but I haven't heard of many riding spots there.. maybe someone could enlighten me?

Its a bit flat, but there are a lot of fire trails and paths you can head out on. Great "family" type riding / lycra endurance type stuff, if that's your thing.

Can't say I did too much MTB riding there and I lived right next door to it for a couple of years. I went there a lot on the roadie, either weekday evenings, or at weekends it was mega-early to beat the crowds.

QECP & the South Downs has more to offer MTBers, IME.

Blind Danny Johnson

ghostface wrote:

How far do you guys travel to get your weekly fix of MTB'ing. I live in north london and i'm not aware of any places around here. I have been to Surrey Hills several times but thats not very frequent, and costs me around £20 in petrol for a round trip (50 odd miles away). So how far are you willing to travel on a weekly basis to get some good riding in?

Swinley Forest is not too far, about 1hr on a good day, north circular to M3 and turn off to Bracknell and you're there. Check the London Calling thread for rides which happen pretty regularly at Swinley. I agree that Surrey Hills is quite far but it's always worth it in my opinion. Less than an hour away to the north is Aston Hill which is a down hill venue so that all depends on how much you want to ride DH, personally I really like the place. There's also Epping Forest which is really close, probably about 1/2hr away depending on traffic but I've never been so I can't vouch for it.

Look under 'rides, routes etc' and find the London Calling thread and join a Swinley ride. You won't regret it it's got loads of different types of riding, definitely something for everyone.

Anonymous

mrmonkfinger wrote:

TwellySmat wrote:

perhaps the New Forest but I haven't heard of many riding spots there.. maybe someone could enlighten me?

Its a bit flat, but there are a lot of fire trails and paths you can head out on. Great "family" type riding / lycra endurance type stuff, if that's your thing.

Most of the New Forest as a national park is covered by a strict "stick to the cycle paths" rule and the locals try to enforce it. It's basically very flat bridleway stuff and roads.

There are some secret spots I think and saw some pics of a jump area somewhere but not sure where that is and might be private.

.blitz

Approx 1 mile to the North side of Cannock Chase.

100 miles to the natural stuff south of C-y-B

Don't go anywhere else

lostboysaint

TwellySmat wrote:

20 mile ride to QE Country Park (near Petersfield) - takes about 2 hours (or 20 minute drive if I go with one of my wet flannel mates who have a car)

I know a back route through some woods then up Butser Hill so the ride up there is almost as fun as actually riding the red trail at QE. Plus the views by the windmill on Butser are pretty impressive.

Swinley Forest would probably be my next nearest spot or perhaps the New Forest but I haven't heard of many riding spots there.. maybe someone could enlighten me?

There's loads of stuff around. Tie up with Solent Cycles for their rides from Fareham or Geared in Chichester if you want to push further east. There's plenty of trails around Lordswood (N Southampton) and the Forest (that WON'T be spotted or reported, our last venture out got us into The Echo ) and plenty north of the M27.

Oh and there's loads on and off the South Downs to the West of Butser, including your "back route" and it can be linked up pretty much all the way to Portsdown Hill.

So the answer to the OP is that living RIGHT on the coast where I do I need to ride about 3 miles to get to trails, then there's loads. But QECP/SDW is less than 30 minutes (car) away, Surrey Hills is 1hr 15 mins, the Purbecks are similar, the Quantocks are 3 hrs as is Afan/Cwmcarn etc. I'll do all of those this year, same as I did last year. Variety is the spice of life.

Twelly

lostboysaint wrote:

TwellySmat wrote:

20 mile ride to QE Country Park (near Petersfield) - takes about 2 hours (or 20 minute drive if I go with one of my wet flannel mates who have a car)

I know a back route through some woods then up Butser Hill so the ride up there is almost as fun as actually riding the red trail at QE. Plus the views by the windmill on Butser are pretty impressive.

Swinley Forest would probably be my next nearest spot or perhaps the New Forest but I haven't heard of many riding spots there.. maybe someone could enlighten me?

There's loads of stuff around. Tie up with Solent Cycles for their rides from Fareham or Geared in Chichester if you want to push further east. There's plenty of trails around Lordswood (N Southampton) and the Forest (that WON'T be spotted or reported, our last venture out got us into The Echo ) and plenty north of the M27.

Oh and there's loads on and off the South Downs to the West of Butser, including your "back route" and it can be linked up pretty much all the way to Portsdown Hill.

So the answer to the OP is that living RIGHT on the coast where I do I need to ride about 3 miles to get to trails, then there's loads. But QECP/SDW is less than 30 minutes (car) away, Surrey Hills is 1hr 15 mins, the Purbecks are similar, the Quantocks are 3 hrs as is Afan/Cwmcarn etc. I'll do all of those this year, same as I did last year. Variety is the spice of life.

Yeah me and my lil riding group are well aware of the South Downs, actually doing the whole distance from Winch to wherever it ends (somewhere in E Sussex, can't remember where) in August so should be fun.

I have heard mumblings about stuff just north of Soton, may check it out this Summer.

My back route starts in Waterlooville (Mum lives there so I like to pop in first and then set off) and goes through the woods out the back of Cherry Tree Ave then links with the South Downs just past Horndean.

Also nice rides around Southbourne and Emsworth. Much more sober but good for pootling round with the girlfriend.

ghostface

Blind Danny Johnson wrote:

ghostface wrote:

How far do you guys travel to get your weekly fix of MTB'ing. I live in north london and i'm not aware of any places around here. I have been to Surrey Hills several times but thats not very frequent, and costs me around £20 in petrol for a round trip (50 odd miles away). So how far are you willing to travel on a weekly basis to get some good riding in?

Swinley Forest is not too far, about 1hr on a good day, north circular to M3 and turn off to Bracknell and you're there. Check the London Calling thread for rides which happen pretty regularly at Swinley. I agree that Surrey Hills is quite far but it's always worth it in my opinion. Less than an hour away to the north is Aston Hill which is a down hill venue so that all depends on how much you want to ride DH, personally I really like the place. There's also Epping Forest which is really close, probably about 1/2hr away depending on traffic but I've never been so I can't vouch for it.

Look under 'rides, routes etc' and find the London Calling thread and join a Swinley ride. You won't regret it it's got loads of different types of riding, definitely something for everyone.

Does Aston hill have trails suitable for newbies? It's about half hour from me.

Majski

Yep start on the red run its pretty flat and easy. Go when its dry though. That place is carnage in the wet

Anonymous

It's a DH place really. There is red XC loop but the end of it is a DH trail. Depends what you mean by newbie. Newbie to DH then easy. Newbie to MTB it's not ideal.

And yeah - wet - NO!

rebel_brown

I live in Cardiff but don't have a car with me at Uni, so the closest spot I ride is Castle Coch, about 7 miles from the front door.

Rigga

The furthest iv'e been is Dalby forest which is just over an hours drive away. I tend to stay local other than that.

Majski

I'll travel as far as I need to for what I feel like riding. Normally I ride shropshire way at the weekends so its an hour to my 'rents in Shrewsbury then 45 mins or so from there to wherever I want to ride both days. Bringewood, Bucknell, Hopton, Llandegla, Foel, Moelfre, Revolution, Llangollen etc. Lots of good stuff for DH.

Furthest I regularly go for a day is Coed Y Brenin which is about 2.5hrs I think from mine, but it's awesome there so it's worth it. Normally get a b&b and do a weekend of it though.

This weekend i'm at the BMX worlds on Saturday then i'll do Bringewood on Sunday. Then next weekend we've got a long one so i'm off up to Inners / Ae for the weekend

mrmonkfinger

lostboysaint wrote:

There's plenty of trails around Lordswood (N Southampton)

they're a bit patchy in places but pretty cool if you're close by

http://www.tomrand.ukfsn.org/lordswood/

lostboysaint wrote:

and the Forest (that WON'T be spotted or reported, our last venture out got us into The Echo ) and plenty north of the M27.

what areas are you talking about being north of the M27?

Majski

deadkenny wrote:

It's a DH place really. There is red XC loop but the end of it is a DH trail. Depends what you mean by newbie. Newbie to DH then easy. Newbie to MTB it's not ideal.

And yeah - wet - NO!

Well, the end of the XC is 'marked' as the beginners downhill run. I'd hardly call it a downhill track though. It goes uphill half way through and the down bits are pretty flat. I think there's some good stuff for a beginner rider to play on there as it's so easy to session stuff.

Tony__B

I'm fortunate to live 10 mins cycle from Swinley. I occasionally put the bike in the car when working somewhere near the South Downs or the Ridgeway and do a 'lunchtime' ride on the way home. Sometimes take it to Brecon Beacons.

timpop

I've recently moved to Blandford Forum in Dorset and can go for a number of XC rides out the back door. Puddletown forest and the UK Bike Park at Okeford are 20 mins drive away. (Although I could ride a short cut up the hill to the Park) Purbeck is about 40 mins away and there's plenty to do in between. New forest is about 30 mins+ drive away. Wales is 3 hours+ depending where of course.

lostboysaint

mrmonkfinger wrote:

lostboysaint wrote:

There's plenty of trails around Lordswood (N Southampton)

they're a bit patchy in places but pretty cool if you're close by

http://www.tomrand.ukfsn.org/lordswood/

lostboysaint wrote:

and the Forest (that WON'T be spotted or reported, our last venture out got us into The Echo ) and plenty north of the M27.

what areas are you talking about being north of the M27?

Pretty much anywhere between Fareham and Cadnam. Takes a bit of imagination to link some of it up and the odd few hundred yards on tarmac but lots of riding. If you go up to Alton you've also got Chawton and Bowleaze woods and Blackdown as well, forgot those in my previous post.

Was in Lordswood last night, drying out nicely and trails wearing well, except right down the bottom by the streams/river which is as muddy as you'd expect.

Chinley Churner

1 km sod of a road climb with a 25% section and then I'm on wonderful Dark Peak trails....

compo

Its amazing what you can do without a car.

In Newcastle its just 30 mins ride to Chopwell Woods and we often jump in the university cycling club van to trails around the North East/Borders

In Bolton its half an hour ride up to Rivington and then about an hour on the train to the peaks/Hebden Bridge and then on to Lee Quarry. Its also an hour on the train to Windermere/Staveley area

In the Isle of Man (Port Erin) its about 100m to the start of coastal trails

mrmonkfinger

lostboysaint wrote:

Pretty much anywhere between Fareham and Cadnam. Takes a bit of imagination to link some of it up and the odd few hundred yards on tarmac but lots of riding

you've lost me a bit, fareham near portsmouth and cadnam in the forest?

lostboysaint wrote:

Was in Lordswood last night, drying out nicely and trails wearing well, except right down the bottom by the streams/river which is as muddy as you'd expect.

if you spotted any blood on a tree about halfway down the "DH" track, that was me earlier... :oops:

the trails are in good nick right now

jairaj

Ghostface where abouts in North London are you?

You have Epping forest directly north of London. Not been my self but there are a few groups who ride round regularly that you could show you the routes around it.

You also have a few cheeky trails in Watford. There is also a group you can join for that, here's a link.
http://www.watfordmtb.co.uk/

There is also much more riding if you follow the a41 into the Chilterns and surrounding areas. Most of it is nice easy flowy single track suitable for a beginner but also still fun for experienced riders too.

Aston Hill is good fun has an XC route but its mainly a DH place so not sure I'd recommend it to a beginner. and only go when the ground is nice and dry.

You can also pop along the M1 for a bit and head over to Woburn and Chicksands for more riding.

Greer_

A 20 minute cycle along the roads from my house brings me to my first trail

roger_merriman

I can ride out to box hill via esher woods from my door, rather tame to put it mildly!

Swinley is 30 mins by car.

Surrey hills is 45 mins by car park in newlands corner

If I go back to see my folks it's about 3hrs to the breacon beacons.

Rockhopper_tm

40 mins by car to Cannock Chase for my local rides.
Sometimes venture around woods near my door.
Quite often drive to other trail centres to meet up with my brother (from the NE), Hamsterley & the stanes.
But do will admit, the cost of fuel does matter these days when the riding is as good as it is on the Chase. FTD has changes loads in the past 5 years, getting better and better.