My 4 year old is pretty confident riding laps of local park – but does anyone know a good off road location kids (and adults) can ride where safe and relatively flat? Based in north london.

Local park?

Trent Park, start at Cockfosters entrance and explore. You could head straight down the long straight (closed) road and loop back on the blind trail, or drop down to the lakes (but this will involve hills).

at that age, my kids enjoyed cycling at dorney lake (Eton’s training lake). Its’ about 6km around, dead flat, and slightly more scenic than a lot of other places.

I used to run around Eton Dorney, a nice location.
Or if you prefer to head east, Epping Forrest. Often see Grayson Perry riding his mtb there. Loads of good trails and mainly flat.

Or potentially Virginia Water near Wentworth/Ascot – mainly pathways but incredibly scenic and can be easily extended into windsor great park.

Swinley Forest.

Do you mean off-road as in non paved? If so, Swinley for fire trails. If not, I’d highly second Dorney Lake – completely flat (can be windy), tarmac, and no race training allowed 😉 . Don’t go if there is a regatta!

North London could also take you to Redbridge Cycle Centre, a closed circuit that is flat at the bottom with a hill for the keen. Don’t go if there is a race!

Personally, I’d avoid Virginia Water and The Great Park, there are no good circuits, there are thousands of walkers on a nice day, and it’s expensive to park (I’m local and have a permit, but never cycle there). Better suited to a scooter.

North London could also take you to Redbridge Cycle Centre, a closed circuit that is flat at the bottom with a hill for the keen. Don’t go if there is a race!

This, there is a road circuit, tame MTB circuit and a cafe/centre

Alternatively Epping Forest is as dry as a bone atm, you’ll be able to find a few trails & double track paths meandering around the High beech car park for jnr.

Thanks – will try epping and trent park!

Black Park near Pinewood studios?

I’d also suggest Trent Park and Epping. Epping is slightly hillier than Trent Park.

TP has free parking and a cafe, plus a play area near Go Ape

Personally, I’d avoid Virginia Water and The Great Park, there are no good circuits, there are thousands of walkers on a nice day

It does get busy at peak times around the main entrance off the A30, But generally not if you venture further into the park than 99% of walkers are willing to walk, which is generally about 500 meters.. I’ve had literally dozens of wonderful rides there, particularly if you arrive in the afternoon and catch twilight, which is when the deer, owls, pheasants and even kingfishers tend to venture out to the path/lake edges.
Heading north into Windsor Great Park also takes you onto nice wide relatively secluded paths with often few other users. I’ve ran a half marathon literally within the park itself so would say there are several good circuits available via a mixture off on-off road paths.
You can escape parking fees at the main entrance by parking on Wick Lane at the extreme lower east gated entrance (which would start you off on the best wooded off road section) or there’s other entrances to the North east (saville garden) and north west where you can usually find a pace to park on the public road.

If you like good views and things to stop and look at it’s one of the best parks in the London area IMO, a man made waterfall, woodlands, gardens, huge totem pole, ancient roman ruins, royal polo, Windsor castle (via the long walk) and even an adventure playground. Not to mention the stunning lake itself.
Great place to hang out for a few hours.
If you get up to the horse statue at the far end of the long walk, the view to Windsor castle is fantastic, and you can look across to the London skyline, and on a good day make out the Wembley arch.

For a 4yo rider, there’s plenty of scope for fun.

If you’re going to drive anyway then Swinley is fantastic. (It really depends where in N. London I suppose) but if your as far as Virginia water or Windsor then the extra is worth it) if you make a day of it.

We messed about trying to find other places for a while (though about a year older)…. but it’s got everything including the kids playground.

We VERY quickly went from riding the canal towpath to riding Swinley Reds … when he was 5 this meant a lot of stops and sometimes “Dad Assist” on firetrails (he wasn’t fit in anyway… his exersize was just playing) … he’s now 7 and can easily ride the whole blue/red loop without stopping .. have lunch then do the loop again

I found keeping them fuelled up really critical (once they blow their energy the fun stops)…. so when we started off we had lots of combined food/rest stops