Heading up there tomorrow and usually do the same old Holmbury and pitch loops.

Firstly, what’s riding reasonably at the moment?

Secondly, looking for a bit of route inspiration if anyone has any suggestions or routes I can download.

Got about 3-4 hours ride time.

Thanks!

There’s stuff about but 99% of the trails are not legit. Most official route maps will be bridleway and fireroad routes, and maybe taking in the only legit trails (BKB, Yog Pots & Summer Lightning).

I don’t have something to hand, but if you don’t mind a longer loop, going from Peaslake, up Holmbury, down to Holmbury St Mary via a fun trail (e.g. Crackpipe or via Telegraph and some random trail to the road), then up High Ashes climb and up to Leith tower. Snack. Then Summer Lightning all the way to Wolvens Lane and along the bank side of the lane, then down to Westcott. Loop back via Abinger Roughs, pop out at Abinger and wind your way back to Peaslake (various options).

Usual loop round Peaslake for me is up Pitch, play on various trails, across to Winterfold via Evian, to Northern Monkey, over to Charlie Bronson, and make my way back via whatever trails I fancy aiming for Supernova to Peaslake, or via Graveyard on Pitch. Optional add in loop up to Holmbury and back depending on time and botheredness.

Conditions – on Sunday, Pitch & Winterfold – *very* sloppy

I thoug we weren’t to ride in winterfold any more?

Only north part of Winterfold Wood that is private. The parts that are Hurtwood are fine.

The ranger has updated the maps to show the areas. Colour coded by owner now, but he’s doesn’t have permission to show who owns what, but the coloured bits are generally open access.

https://friendsofthehurtwood.co.uk/things-to-do/map

Thanks. So in winterfold is Northern Monkey Ok or off limits? Assume Evian is of limits too? I don’t know winterfold that well so don’t want to get lost and upset Jim!

Could do Leith/ high ashes route but usually the route from there to tower is boggy at this time of year. Can anyone confirm?

Sloppy and slippy but not boggy. Bit of rain today but been pretty dry recently.

Northern Monkey is okay. That’s the south end on the map. Top of Evian is okay. Bottom end is into his private land, hence the keep out signs half way down. If you end up down there just head south.

And yeah, the nice routes to the tower are typically boggy, though can be even in summer 😀

Is Secret Santa also not to be ridden? Sorry i’m a little confused with the boundary, as its not in a shaded area?

Secret Santa is blocked/off limits. 😥

Slight hijack. But is there only the one exit from N monkey ie the track to the RHS of the drive?

The steep gully?

There are a couple of other trails that come out on it too.

Yes. It puts me off NM a bit as I am not a jumper. So I like the main part and the rooty boy after the sharp early corner is always a good test of how I am feeling on a ride. But the slog back up always seems a bit of a bore if you are not into jumps

AFAIK it’s the only way out. I tend not to ride NM these days because its been battered for years. The trail after it that pops out into the gully is better IMO.

Still the same fairly unpleasant climb out though.

Right at the end of NM just before you climb out, there is a path through the bushes on the left. That’ll take you down to Cranleigh. I think you can take a right on it also and up Jellys Hollow, but not tried. Still going to be a slog up I’m sure.

Taking a look last weekend after a couple of months staying away (as I thought everyone was doing) it would appear that the ‘off limits’ trails are still being heavily ridden. There’s even been new digging on Area 51. So much for trying to get along with the landowner then…

A51 isn’t in Jim’s off limits land. It’s on Hurtwood land. Though the digging is still illegal and the owner of that bit did flatten A51 and the parts of Evian on that owner’s land before, but has come back. He seems more tolerant though. It was milestone jumps that took the piss a bit and got him the hump.

A51 needs a rest though in current weather, especially the step up line.