Downhill in Surrey
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There are made trails to the east around Westcott and Peaslake. The main ones aren't 'downhill' (altough they do go down hills), but there is a variety of stuff about. If you can get across further east by car there's penshurst off road club (http://www.ukdirt.com/porc/). I've not ridden Swinley forest. You could try the London Calling thread, they ride around there quite a lot.Rock Lobster 853, Trek 1200 and a very old, tired and loved Apollo Javelin.0
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There's very very little proper DH stuff frankly, it's all XC, with a few jump spots littered around. Literally a couple of trails on Pitch Hill, and even then most are tight and twisty, not really the sort of thing where a DH bike will excel.
Southern DH may be a better place to ask, Bernard Kerr lives in Peaslake, and he's a pretty handy DHer, so there must be some local stuff.0 -
cheers mates0
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What Njee said. However there are few trails on other peaks, but they are all secret you see. But if you really have to at least have some DH techy gallore, then head to Aston Hill.What could have been (Video)
I'll choose not put too much stake into someone's opinion who is admittingly terrible though0 -
The official rideable areas of Surrey Hills and North Downs is mostly XC / trail singletrack yes, but there definitely is some reasonable DH in the area, but as Popstar says, they're a bit secret. Best to go with people who know the trails. However the DH stuff is mostly in areas best left now until conditions are dryer.
Still, you can do the (in)famous Deliverance on Leith Hill, or off the top of any of the hills going south you'll find stuff.
But yeah, not really worth taking a DH bike, at least not until the good DH spots dry out and you were just going to session those areas.
There's no proper DH at Swinley. They call the Labyrinth area DH but's not really DH. Just narrow gullies with some jumps and not all that steep.
Otherwise, head up to Aston Hill for proper DH.0 -
Oh, and according to my MTB book (Mountain Biking Britain - worth a purchase), there's some DH around Normandy / Ash.
Never checked it out but the book says you go along the A323 between Ash and Normandy and up Pinewood Road, and then into the woods beyond. Looks like it's around the edge of the Ash ranges (south of Tunnel Hill). Note that the ranges themselves are a red flag area so you can't go in there when they're firing. Apparently has some dirt jumps and singletrack also. Must check it out as it's rideable from where I live.
I'm sure there must be potential DH bits over by Caesar's Camp round by Aldershot also, as there's a reasonable cliff drop from the top. Last time I was there, I saw some nasty steep shoots with big pebbles that you'd just slide down (similar to bits on Tunnel Hill). There's much to explore around Caesar's Camp area I think and plan to do so.0 -
There is some DH stuff off the south side of the devils punch bowl at Gibbet hill Hindhead
there are nearly always riders up there on a Saturday afternoon, its not long run but much longer than anything in the Surrey Hills.0 -
The main areas around Guildford are:
1: Devil's punch bowl: 4-5 good step runs with two being longer. Steep and Techie
2. Swinley Forest: lots of short downhill/trail nice fast runs but hard to find. Has more of a freeride element, good day out investigating
3. Rogate 4-5 good step runs proper downhill/freeride area lots of big jumps, great place
4. Normandy last time I was there it was down to 1 run and not that difficult
5. PORC or Penhurst. The main downhill area in the south with a monthly downhill comp called "Mr Blings" see last issue of Dirt mag
6. Leith Hill/Dorking excellent area more of an all mountain trail than downhill/freeride, probably has downhill but not found them myself. It would be a 2 mile push up with a downhill bike
I race at PORC and mostly use the Devil's punch bowl or Rogate for training as they are easy to get to and the most fun. Most of the other downhillers I speak to use these two areas.
If you need showing around always more than happy to hook up and have a laugh and a beer0 -
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I think you park in carpark and cross the road and then you just have to find them, thats the fun of them to discover the trails and runs.0
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I just bought a spec pitch pro so going to hindhead sunday hopefully, need to get fitter0
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for the devils punch bowl.
Park in the main car park then cross the main road passed the forestry buildings. Then follow the signs for the look out point. You will come to a flat area with a large stone cross. Follow the path next to the cross on down a small slop.
The you will start to see the trails on your right hand side.0
