Staying at Lelant near St Ives for 10 nights starting Saturday. I’ve been here before and I’ll be taking my bike!. Mostly riding will be done very early, 6am-10am ish with the options of a couple of longer rides if I’m good. Can drive somewhere but prefer somewhere within riding distance. I don’t mind nice scenic tracks or quiet roads as an alternative either, doesn’t have to be purely off-road. Previously I’ve had luck with Lelant Downs, Trencrom Hill, Godrevy point, along the front near St Michael’s Mount. Some of the bits I’d like to explore but didn’t get a chance last time is all the wild bits you can see from the road to the west of St Ives. Watch Croft? Trendrine Hill? Lady Downs and looks there’s a few bws there to keep it legal. Any recommendations around there?
Someone on another thread mentioned poldice valley, where exactly is that?
Also looking for cheeky recommendations for bits of the coast path which will prove fruitful for singletrack, lack of stiles would be ace!
Many thanks all.

Poldice, is between Redruth and Truro. Lots of DH trails, some big jumps, but also some nice singletrack.
Coastal path between Portreath and Porthtowan is a nightmare, but Porthtowan up towards St Agnes is worth a go, but get out early before the walkers as it can get quite busy.

Might be able to show you around a bit on the 5/6 August.

The problem with the coastal path round there is that it is always full of “serious” walkers. It’s hard enough to walk along in trainers without getting tutted at by red socked, rucksacked, pole carrying ramblers.
I’ve only ever seen one guy on it on a bike and he was getting a right earful from the walkers.

Fat bike from Hayle to Godrevy along the beach would be a blast though.

I was sat on my balcony during the week looking across the bay and idly considering taking the fat bike with me next year.

yeah, was hoping to avoid serious walkers at 7am!! old(er) people on holiday like to enjoy their breakfast ime. I’m always super nice to folk I meet on cheeky paths though. Thanks for your offer longmover might ping you nearer the time. ta

Fat bike from Hayle to Godrevy along the beach would be a blast though.

I’ve done it on a chubby bike, Godrevy – Hayle – Godrevy was a blast got some cracking looks.

Hayle cycles used to rent out a fat bike just for that job.

I’ve got a nice XC ride from north of Penzance across Penwith Moor to Witch croft, down on the SW Coastal path along to Cape Cornwall & back about 25 miles.

Can send you a GPX file if you like, email in profile 🙂

Cycled most of the coast path between Lands End to St Agnes (if you exclude the bits where you have to scramble up the cliffs) – never encountered the bobble-hat brigade, but then it wasn’t peak season, in the middle of the day. My favourite bit of riding is between Porthtowan and St Agnes Head – there’s so many mine-working tracks that there’s plenty of room for everyone. Also Cot Valley around to Cape Cornwall and Botallack is nice.

I’m down near Marazion next week and then the Roseland the week after – but think I’ll just take the road bike. On a previous trip I found some nice but fairly short stuff out onto the coast path to the south and SW of Trethewey, which is next to the Porthcurno road junction.

On the actual coast path there is proper steep death cliff stuff, a bit inland can have lovely old mine type tracks. Best riding in St Ives is the Steps between the tate and the cemetery, whilst drunk. There used to be a DH track on the hill past some old nightclub on the way out to penzance visit the coastish Road.

not sure about the coast path but defo worth taking time to do Poldice valley – loads of tracks and paths. Can access it from the Truro Falmouth Road at Bissoe, or at the North end via the old tramway from Portreath.

Yup, you can do the ‘coast to coast’ from Portreath to Bissoe along the Old Tramway in less than an hour

There’s grogley and cardinham near Bodmin too…

I’m struggling to identify this old tram road on bing OS maps. There’s a sustrans track no 3 running out of Bissoe through a place called ‘Goon Gumpass’ – is that it? maybe it’s one of those things that’s much clearer on the ground.
Looks like there’s many byways coming out of a village called Crofthandy, would that be a good place to park to ride Poldice?
Great names for places in Cornwall!

There is a layby at Twelveheads which you can park in, or in the Bissoe cycle hire/cafe car park.

The tramway is the Devoran to Porthreath cycle route – the shortest coast to coast in the UK!

If you go down Poldice shout here, no doubt there’s plenty of people – including me 0 who will happily drop in for an hour.

wicked, cheers lads.

If you have kids with you that ride then ‘the track’ is good fun as well.

http://the-track.co.uk/%5D

Is there any LBSs with weekly rides in the area at all?

Cornwall MTB Club are doing a Porthtowan ride on the 6th

[/quote]If you have kids with you that ride then ‘the track’ is good fun as well.

http://the-track.co.uk/

Gutted 🙁
I was in Cornwall last week with my eldest and didn’t know this place existed…

For local rides check out the Penwith MTB page on Facebook, normally 2-3 rides a week.

I didn’t find much good off-road near Falmouth in the months we were there last year, though the roads were Ok; a few BPs and quiet FPs to link. Coast path would have have been good in places but mostly too busy, narrow or not easily rideable.
The Falmouth 4x dirt park at Goldenbank was handy once you find the way in through the Pennance Mill caravan park, turn right and up the hill.

I’m having a blast so far, out round Hayle today searching out singletrack. There was a lot of hike down these steps at the back of this caravan park, woops the path is way too overgrown with nettles or there’s no path at all and there’s just really soft sand leading up a dune bigger than a house! hike back up to caravan park. It was still fun though, the sun was shining. Gonna try out to Godrevy next ride. I also rode on the beach, surprised at how busy it was, loadsa people jogging at 8am!

I also rode on the beach, surprised at how busy it was, loadsa people jogging at 8am!

Pre 9 – locals
9-6 grockles
Post 6 – locals

Didn’t you see the timetable?

jekkyl – Member 
I’m having a blast so far, out round Hayle today searching out singletrack

Pop into Philps for a decent pasty while you’re there.

jam bo – Member 
9-6 grockles

😀

Though isn’t it technically more of a Devon term?

Tried being a grockle one year. Didn’t like it.

Went back to being an emmet.

#emmetlife

Philps for a decent pasty

As a local I don’t rate Philps….. prefer Horse and Jockey over in Helston… but I did move from the south coast to the north….