I’m travelling down from Midlands to London on thursday to drop something off in the morning, so I’d like to take the opportunity to find a trail on the way back. Anyone know of a good trail either off the M40 or alternatively I could also come back either via M1 or M4?

Jct 5 (Stokenchurch) A40 west then take the first left (on the county border) to Christmas Common. Loads of great trails around there.

There’s good riding if you head to Watlington or Christmas Common.

As above there’s loads to ride in the Chilterns, albeit a bit boggy at the moment, and depending on what sort of riding you’re looking for there’s always Aston Hill, not too far from M40/M1.

Shed loads, print out a copy of the OS map of the area and start in Christmass Common, just near Stokenchurch. Any of the bridleways / footpaths will be fun.

PS Contact my boss as well and convince him that it is vital to the future of my company that I guide you round on Thursday.

christmas common it is then. thanks all. any gpx files gladly welcomed.

Watlington (next Junction to Stokenchurch) is a regular ride for me as is Princes Risborough which isn’t a million miles away. Also a good ride starting from the garden centre car park at West Wycombe (where there is a great cafe too!).

Park at Crowell, just past the old pub on the Bridleway towards the Ridgeway. Take a look at the map there are lots of trails inwards from there.

This is my route it is a bit long but you could shorten.

Suggested parking at Watlington hill/Christmas common.

GENERAL + GPX

MAP

The best bit is round the back of Hanger wood so I would make sure you get that in.

The most muddy bit is in penley wood so I would avoid that and drop down at ibstone house or alternative just ride the road round to hanger wood.

I’d miss out the long souther section to hambleden as thats normally where I park instead head north from skirmet to fingest and then tack the bridleway though great wood and to kimble farm.

The other good down is on the footpath on watlington hill although that might be muddy.

scu98rkr you’re a star! that map trail guide you sent me is awesome. def gonna start at xmas common and do as much of that route as the weather and conditions allow. gonna take the five cos I mashed up the anthem at mayhem this weekend, ffs.

is there a way to get that map guide onto your iPhone? is there a matching app?

I dunno I dont have an iPhone. The GPS/GPX/googleKML or whatever you want is on the main page. Button says Download GPS not always obvious.

I use viewranger myself but obviously it costs £.

Shame about the bike I think the Giant would be better suited. my boardman made it though MM alive ! 🙂

Really try and miss out Penley wood (north of Ibstone) it will be a bog. The bit of bridleway in the valley between Ibstone and Manor farm can be nice in the summer but havent been for a while so Im not sure. It was actually runniny dry in January though.

Aston Hill. That is all.

It’s a shame I don’t have a car at the moment, or Thursday off work for that matter otherwise I could take you for a fun sort of 20 mile loop around Christmas Commons 🙁

I dunno I dont have an iPhone. The GPS/GPX/googleKML or whatever you want is on the main page. Button says Download GPS not always obvious.

again thanks for all the useful tips all.

Used the button and sussed out how to get your GPX files onto maymyride webpage and them onto the iPhone app. so I have the route on my smartphone, overkill bike but never mind, and a big grin on my face, compared to the weekend!

cheers!!!

bradley+others if anyone has any suggestions how to improve that route they would be welcome.

Obviously the southern loop is because I normally park at Hambleden.

Personally I’m not keen on the Stonor Downhill as its too direct and doesnt make use of the height gained any other suggestions ?

I tried lifting my bike+mates and going on the footpath through stonor park once. Actually is quite a nice DH and lasted much longer but I met the head gardener + the owner and think that is a cheeky trail too far !

PS Contact my boss as well and convince him that it is vital to the future of my company that I guide you round on Thursday.

Would you perhaps be willing to act as guide on a weekend?..

Bradley, if you can get to the centre of Oxford you can stick your bike on the Oxford Tube and get off at Lewknor Turn. It’s only a couple of miles from Watlington. So work on that day off 😉

I’d take something clean to wear on the way back mind you!

On scu98rkr’s route, I’d maybe think about, instead of Watlington Hill/Ickfield way, going east from Christmas Common to Northend, then taking the BW north to John Paul Getty’s (Wormsley Park), then up the BW north-east to the minor road, north over the M40, and pick up the BW descent off the side of the A40 down to the ridgway. South-east on the ridgeway from there, then pick up the route again for the climb past hill farm.

Aston Hill. That is all.

Very funny.

CW I’ve tried that bridleway down from NorthEnd and I dont remember it being that good. I think it was mainly a farmtrack.

I’d much rather do the decent off watlington hill.

I assuming the DH the other by the A40 your describing is very good ?

Your suggesting going up the bridleway from wellground farm to the M40 bridge ? this might be a good idea as its quite a boring DH.

What Im thinking now is the best route, might be to avoid the Stonor DH and try and head north to ibstone common through turville heath somehow.

This would enable you to run the UpHill (on my map) by ibstone common as a DH. This part of the trail makes a very challenging UH but might be better as a DH.

you could then head up to the M40 as you suggest and choose one of the DH routes off the fall end of the chilterns down to the ridgeway.

Going on from this post slight thread hi-jack, my bad, anyone on this thread want to meet this coming Sunday for a ride? 😀

Slimjim – yes I would, not out every weekend but can do with a bit of notice. I am guiding some virtual newbies round there in a couple of weeks. I can get away with being a cr@p rider with them, though….!

Will drop you an email.

I can’t open the route, but that descent at turville is fun, if brief. not many alternatives, legally.

Going the other way, there is the excellent descent from Northend to Turville. ‘Baint on none of them maps though!

@bradley/ononeorange We do rides regularly between Pangbourne up to Stokenchurch area, if anyone is organising anything let me know, and vice versa!

I assuming the DH the other by the A40 your describing is very good ?

Yep! ime of course.

Your suggesting going up the bridleway from wellground farm to the M40 bridge ? this might be a good idea as its quite a boring DH.

Yes. I did it once as a DH, didn’t think much of it. It’s a really nice climb though, just nice and steady.

I’ve tried that bridleway down from NorthEnd and I dont remember it being that good. I think it was mainly a farmtrack.

Yes, the first section is a fairly dull farmtrack, but the second half is pretty nice.

Great work on putting the covent downhill to skimmett in there btw – i love that trail!

Ibstone, Hanger Wood, Hatchet Wood – all fantastic descents. Lord knows how I didn’t kill myself on my stoopid FS.

Oh yes and Turville Heath too.

Did the route today. Really really enjoyed it. Parked in watlington and climbed to Xmas common then went counter clockwise. Guess that’s the best way? Tbh I started off disappointed by the descent to stonor and road but from that point it all went good. Some really good solid chalky singletrack and some not too hard climbs. Loved it. Saw millionaires, Kites, ferraris, Choc box England and opera goers. Did it in 3.5hrs. Not too muddy but loads of nettles. Got slightly lost near ibstone but with lots of stops for maps and drinks I was pleased with my time. Thanks for the tip. Gonna put photos and map on my blog and will hyperlink here. Cheers!

you didnt go down on the small closed road from christmas common to stonor ?

What was meant to be an uP hence on the road.

How are the trails riding around there right now? Got to be better than the swamps around Woodcote?

in fact that would take out all the good downs. excet by ibstone where as i mentioned i had what is Probably a good down as an uP.

its meant to be clockwise.

from hanger wood did u go down a muddy field into a bit of wood. (counterclockwise]

or did you go down a rock descent towards fingest. [clockwise]

in fact did you droP off the bit by the m40 on an old road too !! This is meant to be an uP hence old road again !!!

i suPPose if you like technical climbing the route this way would be good.

again between Frieth and fingest u must of done the climb off road and the decent on the road !!!!!

I’ll get the map out and laptop tonorrow morning and give you the full low down.

Very funny.

What? I don’t know what your on about! Aston Hill is brilliant in the wet

I miss the Chilts. 🙁

You missed out Kimble Farm, that’s always fun!

I parked in watlington car park and rode up the road incline to christmas common. theres a y junction there and the map shows going straight forward and entering a 4×4 road. rode that for a long descent and was guessing there may be a nice trail running adjacent but wasn’t sure. Guessed I was heading in the right direction as I wouldn’t fancy hauling the bike up the long distance up this road. Popped out at stoner and joined the B road. past the pub and deer park entrance then went up immediately next to the farm on the lhs and climbed what I guess you know as stoner DH. tough but short climb thankfully. probably too short a descent to enjoy. got to top of there and followed farmers trails. again joined the road for a short distance and got to the head of Gussets Wood. tempted to enter there but stuck to the route and rode down the road to a lhs turn which leads to the start of what was a fun track through Great wood which then opened out onto fire roads. bottom of that valley (guys on quads) turn left at the farm house and up then flat along a nice strack to hambleton. up the road then to skirmett, a right and climbed a bw, passed the convent and building site then road again to Frieth. Long downhill road to Fingest then climb a chalky technical and hard ascent through Hanger wood which would be fun in the other direction :-(. When I popped out of Hanger wood, tempted to turn left to follow the tyre marks and guess now that I should have, but instead straight on into Cadmore end then main road, turning left and on past chequers manor farm and down to hare cramp farm and rejoined your route in nice woodland struck at the base of the valley. took your advice and missed penley wood as it did look boggy and rode up the fire road past a millionaires new house and rolls royce and up the steepest concrete drive I’ve ever seen. onto the oxford road, through the wood at Ibstone common and down long strack chalk which was fun to john paul gettys place (opera goers driving in). then up the BW to the M40 bridge and instead of following your route carried on along the road back to xmas common and the fast road descent back to watlington. really enjoyed it but next time I’ll try clockwise and let you know if I think is any better

guessing there may be a nice trail running adjacent but wasn’t sure

yeah there is but I’d gone on the road as this is normally my up !

climbed what I guess you know as stoner DH. tough but short climb thankfully

True this is a bit of a rubbish down still looking for a better alternative.

a right and climbed a bw, passed the convent and building site then road again to Frieth.

This is the really good down through hachett wood me and cinamon girl mentioned !

passed the convent and building site then road again to Frieth

again on the road because its an UP !

climb a chalky technical and hard ascent through Hanger wood which would be fun in the other direction

This is the best down on the route !

Ibstone common and down long strack chalk which was fun

Yeah this is a good down I need to reroute my trail so It goes down here not up. Although it is a challenge as an up.

All I can say is Im gald you like technical climbing. You must of been cursing me at the convent when you wasted the asscent on a road down ???

You could of headed off the the left and down a DH through the woods.

posted by blog here: @biketourette

cool blog !

If anyone’s interested I took scu98rkr’s original route and incorporated the changes he made in his subsequent post (http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/who-knows-of-good-trails-between-london-and-oxford-off-the-m40#post-3921647) into an updated route. It’s now 19 miles instead of 28.

You can get it here: click for gpx

I think the startpoint is messed up.

Thanks scu98rkr, I’m hoping to try this in the rain on Sunday…

Jeez, was boggy today. Not much fun.

Obv it’s been raining for a while, I was just wondering if it does ever dry out?!

We started at the Carrier Arms which was a good call – delicious lunch!