I have a four month work placement in Swindon over the summer, (from about July onwards). However, I’ll probably only realistically be able to bring one bike, and I’m not sure what the riding is like around there for both road and MTB, and which bike would be best to bring if I’ll only be bringing over one? I know there is decent offroad around South Wales and Bristol, but not sure of other areas about the place. Wouldn’t be a fan of road biking on overly busy roads either. Any advice or help would be great!

Plenty of quiet country lanes around Swindon for the road biking.

Not really anything other than bridleways off road.

I’d be willing to drive to trails on days off if they aren’t too far.

Not far from The Ridgeway, believed to be the oldest road in Europe!

Cwmcarn and FOD are an hours drive away and there is supposed to be some decent riding towards Cheltenham at Leckhampton but not been there personally.

Depends what sort of thing you’re looking for? I can spend all day mooching about off road on the Ridgeway and it’s stunning. Not exactly gnar or anything though!

Roadying – loads of nice lanes in Wilts and up into Glos.

MTBing – if you want to shred the gnarr, you’re looking at a drive to S.Wales or up to Leckhampton Hill in Cheltenham. If you’re into XC (or, as we used to call it, just riding along), then there’s stuff South of Swindon (Ridgeway as has been said, Marlborough downs etc) or a half hour drive will have you into the Cotswolds.

Depends what sort of thing you’re looking for?

I’d be happy to ride along bridleways or the Ridgeway etc for a workout, but I don’t they would fulfill my mountain bike fix! I like fast flowy singletrack, either natural or manmade, as long as its fun I don’t mind. Small portions of gnar also welcome!

Yes but you don’t have to stay on the Ridgeway all the time! For example, Fyfield Down, drop down into Avebury, cross over the A4 for West Woods etc.

*define trails ?

there are LOTS of tracks (see S and SW of Swindon) see E of Swindon (above Newbury) but they coughpaths, bridleways etc not custom bike trails *excluding the custom bike trail

I can spend all day mooching about off road on around the Ridgeway and surrounding areas, and it’s stunning.

a very good way of saying what I wanted

see alos FYI: http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/

417 project could be up and running by then. 35mins from Swindon.
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/flyup-417-project

So it looks like either or would be a good option, maybe it just depends on which I want to do more of?!

Woods behind nationwide?

Woods behind nationwide?

Not familiar with those 😀 .

The road biking around Newbury, Malborough etc is excellent really excellent the mtb ok so if I had to choose it would be the road bike

Right, see the big area south of Swindon, down to Marlborough, across to Avebury in the west and Chilton Foliat in the east?

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Here’s a detail of part of it, all those dotted red lines are rideable, pretty much, and you can play in West Woods, and ride around in Savernake Forest as well.
Then there’s the Sustrans route that takes you from Marlborough over to Calne, Chippenham, Bath, the Kennet & Avon Canal will take you up to Reading and down to Bath, then Bristol…

[/url] Untitled by CountZero1, on Flickr[/img]

eskimonumber1 – Member
Plenty of quiet country lanes around Swindon for the road biking.

Not really anything other than bridleways offroad

There is the Croft trail in the woods behind the nationwide
Only short but packed with interesting stuff I rode it once when down that way with work, loved it
Will be ideal for an after work blast
Very active mtb scene too check out MBSwindon on Facebook, they seem to arrange lots of local and further away rides every weekend

http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/croft-trail/croft-photo-gallery/

http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/croft-trail/croft-trail-maps/

You could also try Spirt Hill when its open http://www.spirthilltrail.uk.com/

There’s also Badbury Clump near Highworth and some trails at South Cerney.

As others have mentioned get in touch with mbswindon and I’m sure that you’ll have a blast.

Alternatively contact Swindon Road Club, Swindon Wheelers or Swindon CTC for lots of road rides………… 🙁

CountZero thats really helpful thanks! I’ll have to investigate those clubs too. So sounds like it would be good for a 29er 😉 . I like the road biking too, leaning more on the side of bringing the mtb though.

the way I would look at it is you can still ride an MTB on the road but you cant really take a road bike off road

Name this hill:

The Wansdyke earthworks that runs for around 14 miles:

Fyfield Down, largest collection in England of sarsen stones:

Depends what sort of mtb you like. If you like to pootle along bridleways exploring the countryside then there’s plenty of that (it’s good CX bike riding.) If you like to shred the gnar then you’re going to be sticking the bike in the back of the car and driving somewhere.

I’m not too far from Swindon and IMO the road riding is a lot better (I do a lot of my road miles in there area covered by CountZero’s first map.) There’s loads of nice quiet country lanes on your doorstep. If I could take one bike it’d be the road bike.

CG Silbury (obvs 😉 )

Had a year placement as a warden for the National trust based out of Avebury