A friend of mine lives in Guildford, not far from the common(?) at the top of the hill.

He rides a mix of road and off-road around the immediate vacinity but looking to head further out.

I’m heading down in a few weeks and it would be nice to do either a decent circular off road ride or a one way ride that we could get a train back from.

Distance ….. TBC. Maybe half a day time wise.

All suggestions, flagging of way marked routes much appreciated.

Common? You have a street name.

Pewley Down presumably ?

edit ….. yes Pewley. He is a couple of minutes from there.

North Downs Way to Ranmore Common then drop down to Wescott, Wolvens Lane to Coldharbour and Leith Hill. Lots of trails around Leith then down High Ashes descent to Holmbury St Mary and move on to Holmbury Hill, again lots of trails. Then down to Peaslake (don’t take the road! 🙂 ) for refuelling and on to Pitch Hill. Through Winterfold (via legit ROWs) and on to Blackheath, pick up Downs link back to St Marthas and along NDW again back to Guildford.

Without someone who knows those trails you’ll miss loads though.

There is a reservoir by the semaphore tower at the top of the hill before Pewley Down starts. Endless possibilities for off road riding.

One option is to ride E from Pewley Down to Newlands then do the 35 mile “Nirvana Killer Loop” taking in Leith, Holmbury and Pitch Hills. Total about 40 miles or so nearly all off road.

Cheers Guys.

Are we talking waymarked stuff or time to break out the maps stuff?

You’ll probably need a map or a native (natives wear “Surrey Red” trousers!). Nirvana cycles killer loop….
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/535711

Basically on the edge of the Surrey Hills vastness of trails there.

Big crazy loop: Newlands Corner -> North Downs Way all the way along to Ranmore -> Dorking -> as far as Box Hill and surrounds if you like and/or south to Leith, west to Holmbury -> Pitch -> Winterfold, north to Farley Heath -> Blackheath, and up St Martha’s and/or Chantries.

Or vice versa and variations of. And then along the way of all of that are loads of trails. Majority of the singletrack stuff though is around Holmbury/Pitch/Winterfold.

A struggle to cram it into half a day, more so if you mess about on all the fun singletrack you find on the way 😀

Shorter is North Downs Way and drop to Gomshall and make your way towards Peaslake, then up a hill there and whatever, then back via Winterfold & Blackheath etc.

Or quick is NDW loop around Albury to Blackheath and back via St Martha’s and Chantries. Mostly an XC spin that as not much in trails, though nice scenery.

No waymarking. XC wise the only signs are North Downs Way and Downs Link really. Singletrack the only one signed is Summer Lightning over on Leith. Nothing else is (and only two other trails are official-ish).

I did the Nirvana Killer Loop years ago and it was very XC-based, i.e loads of fire roads and barely any ST. The loop above looks similar although I’ve not examined it in detail.

“Common” how very dare you 🙂

Long and short loops possible from there (I lived just off Pewley Down for 20 years), everything from singletrack to all weather xc. Will send you a route (YGM) which starts from Newlands Corner but that is only a 20-ish min pedel from Pewley Down.

@spacemonkey the Nirvana Killer loop is all legal bridleways type riding rather than singletrack built trails most of which are unofficial

Excellent suggestions ^ but perhaps a little ambitious for a first time.

What type of riding to you like – XC, singletrack, gnarrrrr?

The big loops above mainly XC and might be tricky to follow first time out.

Realistically? I would get in a car and drive to Peaslake and muck about on Pitch and Holmbury. Your can just explore keeping your eyes open or use strava and have a great day out with a good feel for the Surrey Hills.

Without a car you can do this easily although slightly complicate by the fact that the direct route after Blackheath takes you through Winterfold were there are currently high levels of sensitivity v-a-v MTB and would be easy to get lost up there.

DKs route starting “shorter…” Makes a lot of sense to me for a first attempt with a map. Quite varied too

Have fun!!

My suggestion as per email to the OP. Pewley, Newlands, NDW then fast descent to Abinger via foot crossing of raikway, Peaslake, top of Holmbury, Yogurt Pots, “Twigg”, Barry, Pitch for John the Baptist and reclimb for Super Nova, Winterfold “rocky” bridleway descent to Ponds Farm Road, then via woods to Albury, Water Lane, Newlands, Pewley

Probably 4hrs at a decent pace or 5 more leisurely. This was a longer ride for me.

I think we need a STW SH’s ride in the near future.. away tomo onwards back 1st Sept might get a thread going on that.

OP all great routes as mentioned above

OP if you want a shorter but still 2.5-3hr xc ride (still has some good fast natural descents) then when crossing A25 at Abinger Hammer follow sign posted cycle route 22 into Shere then follow Spinning Walk / Pathfinders Rd (or go through the pretty village – Church used in Bridget Jones / The Holiday films) to pickup singletrack climb which joins my ride. Don’t miss bridleway right turn down lovely fast gully descent to Albury village. This was my typical Sunday am ride with bacon roll at Newlands. Some cheeky singletrack with jumps available off this route if you contact me. Also fun storm drain near Hollisters farm for joke “wall of death” fun

Staple Lane cark park near the “wall of death” seems to have a regular burger/bacon roll type van now. If I ride over that way it’s tempting. Loads of roadies hanging out there.

Also, saw a family trying to extract their kid from the pit of the wall of death recently 😀