I live in London and don’t have a car. What trail centres are near train stations ? Thinking some may be cycleable from Port Talbot in South Wales ? obviously Swinley Forest and Cannock are doable. Any other suggestions (within 2 1/2 hrs of London)

thanks

Cwmcarn.

Peak District

Well, someone had to say it!

You can get to the manmade stuff in bristol pretty easily from the train station. Not sure its quite enough for a day out, maybe if you add a bit of cheeky, but its an easy train ride.

Bike Park Wales is doable by train. Might be nearer 3 hours but its a cracking day out. Could make a weekend of it and do something else on south wales.

Not a trail centre but you could do a bit of the south downs way. In some ways better by train as you can do point to point.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is close to peters field. It’s on the SDW. So you could even extend it.

I second the CwmCarn vote, was there on Saturday and the trains tation is literally round the corner. Don’t expect the toilets to be unlocked this time of year though 👿

Fort William.

I wish that when I’d lived in London I’d taken the time to catch the sleeper up north for a weekend. Always struck me as a great trip to do, have a couple of days great riding, and let the train do all the work there and back while you sleep.

Port Talbot has a cycle path all the way to the trails from the centre of town,just go from train station and up station rd and locate path next to river by tesco/Tesco garage.

Betwys Y Coed has a train station, Marin (now called Gwydir Mawr and Bach Trails) are a 20 mins cycle along the road. If you’re there for the weekend, Penmachno is only a short ride away as well.

Not a trail centre as such but the Long Mynd has plenty of mapped routes and Church Stretton station is pretty much on the doorstep. Plenty of eating & drinking places in the area too.

Might be a bit of a hike from the London area on the train though

If you want obscure…..

Horton (Horton Heath)

Then link back and pick up Mortimer’s Forest then train back from Ludlow

You already ride in the Surrey Hills I assume OP?

Nearer to London, Aston Hill (and the rest of the Chilterns if you can do without the trail centre) is easily accessed by train, also Woburn.

Windermere or Staveley gets you straight onto to some of the best trails in the country.

Chicksands? Not been for a while but probably a couple of hours entertainment and very close to london

Parkwood Springs in Sheffield. Short but it fits the bill

Aviemore ..again not a trail centre ..but great trails from the town centre..
Also Newcastle ..take the cycle route along the Quayside and out to Chopwell Woods..

Delamere in Cheshire has a station pretty much on the door step.

Dalby is technically within cycle distance of a station. Only problem is that it’s the heritage steam railway at Pickering, so you’d have to get a normal train to Whitby or Grosmont then remortgage your home to get the tourist ticket the full length of the line 😕

Dorking has the Surrey Hills right there on the doorstep and is a 40/50 minute train journey. I get the train from Clapham Junction and can do a 40km loop pretty easily.

In Summer a train sounds great, but in Winter how would you manage with all your muddy gear and bike ? Some trail centres have a bike wash but I’ve never seen locker’s to store clean gear ect. I suppose you could carry it with you in a rucksack.

In Summer a train sounds great, but in Winter how would you manage with all your muddy gear and bike ?

I mainly do it by not sitting down and trying not to touch anyone or anything until I get home and into the shower. The road bike does have many appealing characteristics at this time of year though…

Dorking has the Surrey Hills right there on the doorstep and is a 40/50 minute train journey. I get the train from Clapham Junction and can do a 40km loop pretty easily.

Used to do that pretty regularly when I lived in London. That and trains from Waterloo / Clapham Junction to Martin’s Heron (for Swinley).

Wendover Station isn’t that far from Aston Hill Bike Park
http://astonhillbikepark.co.uk/

The sleeper up to Scotland mentioned by vinnie is a superb option for a weekend – I’ve done this from Manchester [actually for just a day – rode from Dalwhinnie to Fort William].

It’s an expensive train ticket nowadays, though, as you really want a berth. So more of a special occasion thing. You can refund the ticket v easily though, which is useful if you’ve bought in advance but the weather has turned.

I’ve done Afan a few times via train, leave on a Friday evening and stay get off in Port Talbot and use the Sustrans route to get to Afan lodge, it is gently uphill, ride all day Saturday, wash bike at lodge and spin back to station. Never done as a day trip but certainly doable using showers and bike wash at trail head. I’ve also gone to Neath which seems to be closer to one point on the trails but is a much steeper hill and brings you to the top of Y Wâl trail.

That and trains from Waterloo / Clapham Junction to Martin’s Heron (for Swinley).

I used to do that a lot until I pulled my finger out and started exploring the Surrey Hills. Haven’t been back to Swinley since!

Train to Hope or Edale in the Peaks. Sorted.

Pontymister train station 4 miles from Cwmcarn. You could probably take the canal towpath for most of that too.

ok no ones said it, kingsX to halifax (grand central trains from £11 single), then 10 mins to calderfornia.

hebden, tod or sowerby

Coconut whereabouts in the smoke do you live? I’m Croydon based and hopefully about to get my life together and get riding again so company is always appreciated. According to the forum there’s some local riding but I’m keen for training for train / car adventure

Great replies, much appreciated. Will do northern Scotland in summer. I live in Tooting so pretty near Croydon.