I normally ride the South Downs or head off to Wales, but have found Swinley to be great for family riding. What are the other trail centres in the South East like? I like the all-weather surface at Swinley. What’s Bedgebury like? Deer’s Leap is local to me but I didn’t rate it.

The main options for these kinds of places really are Swinley, Bedgebury and QECP. Otherwise it’s a trip.

QECP is okay, though careful in the wet as it’s chalk.

Deer’s Leap hasn’t even been on my radar so not sure what that’s like but no one seems to mention it.

There’s bucket loads of quality riding outside of trail centres though around the SE, but for all weathered family riding it’s a bit more limited. Other options are pootles around parks. Windsor Great Park even which has a lot of things of interest as well as riding round the park.

Alice Holt maybe. It’s dull for a proper MTB ride, though popular with families. It’s not a trail centre, but you get people riding around. Like Bedgebury, it’s expensive to park there.

Surrey Hills has one Swinley style all weather kind of trail over on Leith Hill, called Summer Lightning. Though take care if it’s gentle family ride as there are some technical bits, and it gets steep and very rooty once it hits the original section.

If you’re near Alice Holt you’re near Bordon. The training area there although small, does have some nice singletrack. It’s not signposted so does rely on a bit of exploration. You wouldn’t get a day out of it but it’s good for a couple of hours.

Cheers deadkenny. Trying to encourage the kids off their gadgets and back onto bikes. They’re not into getting muddy or slogging hours up mountains, so Swinley type places seem the idea solution. I’m sure after a while they’ll be up for some ‘natural’ trails.
Not ridden at QECP, might be our next place to try on a dry day.

Any other spots out there?

Cheers beaker, I remember going on walks at Alice Holt as a kid. Time for a revisit soon

Thetford is kind of South East – if you squint – it’s perfect for family fun.

Deers leap is small, not particularly technical. Not been for a number of years ago may have changed.

There’s lots of nice easy trails around the devils punchbowl but really most of the other riding SW of London is the stuff you normally ride.

Deer’s Leap is changing all the time and there are some great plans for it!

To add some interest to Alice Holt family riding you can buy the map of the permanent orienteering course (only £2) and try to do some of the orienteering routes by bike.

If it goes well, you could also try it at Swinley.

Moors Valley near Ringwood has a nice family bike trail, plus lots of off-piste singletrack. Lots of other stuff for kids too to make a proper day out. Parkings quite expensive but you’re paying for an ‘attraction’ rather than just a park or wood.

Woburn isn’t bad, local knowledge helps but I think they are kind of trying to get a way marked trail sorted

Chicksands has a short xc route as well as 4x & freeride areas

Rather than start at the Devil’s Punchbowl, you can use the bridleways across Frensham, Thursley and Hankley Commons and then ride up to the Punchbowl Cafe. There’s also a cafe at Frensham Big Pond. Lots of free parking too. Does get very sandy across the commons in the summer though.