We’re off to Centerparcs for a week later in the year..
The kids absolutely love it and it’s so easy, one of the rare holidays where you really feel like you’re getting a rest..

I’ve not bothered taking a bike before after hearing scaremongering on here about gangs of thieves, but after our last couple of visits I’m beginning to think that the stories are bollocks, and we tend to go out of season anyway..

So if I took the hardtail, could I find a half days worth of singletrack in the area..?

There are loads of bridleways round Whitesheet hill and its not far onto Salisbury plain so well worth taking a bike

Hi yunki.. Yes there is loads of riding to be had.. all around longleat forest. its great you just need to look for the trails.

there’s this lot… http://www.blackcanoncollective.co.uk/about/faqs/

There was a road from the Main Drive back up the slope to Lord Bath’s Ring & Heaven’s Gate. The gate got locked as part of Lord Weymouth’s Strop. Has it reopened? It used to be an alternative to the nasty narrow windingy H’sham road deathtrap.

I went out with a nice group round Longleat last autumn. Think it was a Wednesday or Thursday night.
Very nice trails, and some lovely bits of singletrack. Some very short, steep ups though.

I’ve not bothered taking a bike before after hearing scaremongering on here about gangs of thieves, but after our last couple of visits I’m beginning to think that the stories are bollocks, and we tend to go out of season anyway.

I put our bikes inside at night, and never left them anywhere unlocked or unattended. It is statistically unlikely to get knicked but a nice bike stands out a mile amoongst the Haro site bikes and there is effectively no security to rely on.

I think most of the lodges have a neat storage area inside the lodge, where the boiler/cleaning kit is kept, big enough to lob a bike in for overnight stays.

I have taken my hard tail to Centre Parcs at Longleat many times, decent cable and D lock combined (and lock to the logs, rather than the crappy front wheel stands) and I’ve never had a problem.

There was a problem with theft a few years back, but a mate of mine works there and we were recently chatting about security, and he informed me that all the bike parks now have full CCTV/security, and the rate of thefts have gone down significantly.

I always take them in the chalet overnight though.

Yunki – what you need is a friendly local to show you round (email in profile if you need a guide)

My green Cotic stood out there when we visited last month, so I just kept it in the lodge boiler room overnight, and didn’t let it out of my sight if out and about.

Went out exploring and you can ride around the perimeter if you follow your nose – mixture of bridleway and bits of single track. Found some cheeky easy DH trails within spitting distance of the Park too which were fun to session.

plus 1 the captain’s comments, friendly local here aswell if you need a guide!

I’m at Longleat Center Parcs as I type this, just had a great evening going down the rapids again…and again… And again.. I’ve been here about 4 or 5 times now and have always thought about bringing a bike but the stories of theft have always put me off. But to be honest I’m quite happy spending the 4 days with the family and don’t feel the need to wander off on the bike, but I get the feeling that if you did want to then you wouldn’t have to look too far