[Closed] Biking Norfolk

Woburn isn't that far away, with Chicksands just down the road from Woburn. Both are easily within 2~3 hours drive.

Where abouts are you in the fine county?!

Woburn isn't that far away, with Chicksands just down the road from Woburn. Both are easily within 2~3 hours drive.

Isn't chicksands like for better riders? I haven't been riding too long, want to like build up gradually haha. But if not then I will def be going 🙂

I live about 20-30 minutes away from Thetford. Towards Norwich way

If you don't mind heading down into Suffolk have a look on the [url= http://www.trogmtb.com ]TROG[/url] forum, I'm sure they'd be happy to show you around Tunstall.

TROG occasionally have group rides up at Dunwich Forest and the surprisingly non-flat north Norfolk coast too, so those're worth a look although they rely a little on local knowledge.

[i]I live about 20-30 minutes away from Thetford. Towards Norwich way [/i]

So that'll be around Attleborough / Wymondham area then.
🙄

Thanks verses and yeah solo I live in Great Ellingham which is like 3 miles away from Attleborough

Unfortunately, you'll mostly be looking at driving to ride.

Some interesting topology West of Cromer, depends what your bag is.

The one thing about Thetford is its fast, or can be.
And there are a million cheeky, but good trails on the Brandon side.

Are you from the local area? And yeah I have been biking there for a while but I don't know many of the routes which aren't marked. And I have been with a mate before and he knows loads of routes on Brandon and Thetford that aren't actually part of a trail. But sadly I don't know where they are

I'm moving to Norfolk myself in 4 weeks time, from Surrey where i've been spoilt with quality riding. I've ridden the red and black at Thetford which are a bit of fun for an afternoon when dry, but are the cheeky trails on the other side of the road easy to find? or are they a case of needing local knowledge?

[i]Are you from the local area[/i]

Sort of.

I was Norfolk for... 38 years.

Just moved to Cov.
🙁

GIve Jerry a call at JT cycles, se if he still rides TF.
Think its Tuesday nights.

Otherwise, tie up with the local build and ride scene there.
Can't remember their title.
Might be 'TIMBER'

Erm well there are some signs up on Brandon but I think it does help if you have a bit of knowledge. There are quite a lot of trails both sides which aren't marked and unless you actually know quite a bit about the area then some are harder to find haha. Well I have only been riding there like a few months though

Oh, or just park in the Brandon Country Park, CP, and head off to see what you can find.

Yeah I have been parking there and then there is a little bit I know there which then comes back out at the top of the beast. That's alright, just wondered if there are any other places though. And yeah timber, I have joined but not many people really talk on their facebook page :s is Tunstall quite good? I heard there was a place near Sheringham somewhere but I don't know where exactly :s

Yeah I have been parking there and then there is a little bit I know there which then comes back out at the top of the beast. That's alright, just wondered if there are any other places though. And yeah timber, I have joined but not many people really talk on their facebook page :s is Tunstall quite good? I heard there was a place near Sheringham somewhere but I don't know where exactly :s

I have ridden (only once) Lowestoft way with a couple who post on here. Riding was very similar to Brandon/Thetford but interesting none the less.

Oh right, do you know roughly where abouts it was? Just looking for some people to ride with to be honest as well. I'm pretty new really and just think I could learn a few things from other people

For coastal stuff.

Get your OS maps out.
I made up a nice little 10 mile loop out of Cromer for me and the Ex.

For TF cheeky stuff.
I've had folk from TImber on here telling me they [i]know[/i] but won't post on forums and the like for fear of the FC or Elveden Estate finding out.
Of course it use to be accepted, but asses use to ignore the shooting signs and ride anyway, and I use to find litter, deep in the forest, way away from [i]the tourist[/i] trails.
So some gits have cocked it up for the rest of us.

So I guess you'll just have to infiltrate

Tunstall's not way-marked so you either need a guide or to just explore and see what you can find. It's fairly similar to Thetford/Brandon.

Oh I see 🙁 that is such a shame that people can't just take their litter with them. If people keep leaving litter about then eventually the FC will just say no and close it. Would be a real shame, would then have to convince my girlfriend to move to the Peaks :p but that would take me years to persuade her haha. But yeah I will get the map out and have a look, also my tutor I think knows a few places so I will ask him when he is back to college

Verses, is it easy to find your way round there? Like to just find the singletrack?

[i]Verses, is it easy to find your way round there? Like to just find the singletrack? [/i]

Ride the fire roads of TF.
When you spot ST leading off into the trees.
Try it, see what you find.
Take food and water, maybe some friends.
Make a morning of it.

You should put Wakerley Great Wood/Fineshade Abbey on your list of possibles. The trails there are quite fun. The Fineshade side is very odd thoght sought of a teaser trail, a family fire road route with short teaser reds (which are very fun especially one bermed section)

Oh, and at this time of year, beware the ticks.

To get the best of it you really need a guide - post on the TROG forum, there's usually a willing person about, the Sunday mornings regular rides are probably the best time.

Or do like Solo suggests and just turn up and see what you can find. The forest is surrounded by roads so if you get lost just follow a fire-road to a road and pick either clockwise or anti-clockwise, you'll get back to the car park eventually 🙂

Hi Brad93,

As above i'll be moving to Norfolk next month, i've recently joined TIMBER as well and belong to a few other clubs and go on about 9-10 away rides a year to the Alps, Wales, Peaks etc, so if you keep in touch i'll let you know when i'm off in the van for an away fixture.

Yeah I think I may just do that solo, thanks for the replies 🙂
And Klunk, is there like any campsites or anything that you know of near there? Then I could go for like the weekend or something. Not too far away either, well like 2 hours drive but still not too far compared to others

Thanks scud, I'll give you my email. Then you can email me or something, also have to get to thetford and brandon when you move here. Where abouts will you be moving too?

[i]And Klunk, is there like any campsites or anything that you know of near there? [/i]

sorry don't know as it only a 20 min drive for me or an additional 20 miles on top of my 50 miler.

Oh also solo, I don't mind about ticks haha. Doesn't bother me too much :p If I get one then I get one hah, will get that bad boy out

[i]Oh also solo, I don't mind about ticks haha. Doesn't bother me too much :p If I get one then I get one hah, will get that bad boy out [/i]

Just saying like.

I have a friend who is a hunter and has recieved Lymes disease warnings for Norfolk now.

I use Tom-O-Tick twisters, should I be unfortunate to get one.
But at this time of year I'll save myself the hassle of checking for them after every ride, just by wearing longs under my shorts.

ime, by June / July, the ticks are gone as they've all found a [i]ride[/i] for the summer, by then.

Yeah we got told about it at college, I do outdoor adventure. It's a pretty shit thing to get but I do check after rides, yeah that's an idea 🙂 although they can still sometimes manage to get through things apparently haha

Klunk - Member
You should put Wakerley Great Wood/Fineshade Abbey on your list of possibles. The trails there are quite fun. The Fineshade side is very odd thoght sought of a teaser trail, a family fire road route with short teaser reds (which are very fun especially one bermed section)

Having said that, the Wakerley/Scartree side is PRETTY similar to Thetford in style (sandy, rooty wooded singletrack) and only has a little bit (at the minute) of off-piste stuff (but this is developing all the time now). If you're passing this way with a bike in tow it's worth a look in, but not sure I'd drive an hour and a half past Thetford to ride it.

slainte 😳 rob

There's good riding out between Cromer and Sheringham on the coast, but also a lot of fun to be had in Backton woods at North Walsham. I'd suggest chatting to the guys in Streetlife in Norwich, who can hook you up with some good local riding too.

One assumes Thetford has already been mentioned... 😉

I used to ride at Tunstall Forest near Ipswich when living in Colchester. Like a hillier, rawer version of Thetford.

hi mate! give us a pm if you fancy a riding partner. i usually ride at brandon/thetford during the week because im on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern.ive found most of the off piste singletrack by exploring..with still, lots to find.so if you would like someone to show you around let us know dude

I'm another Norfolk local...

Ride Thetford a fair bit, but also getting out and linking up a whole lot of the local trails and droves.
We're also sorting some local bivvying.

Email me if you fancy riding with me and the Fenland Fat Lads Velo Club

Cheers guys, and yeah I heard there was some in bacton woods but couldn't find much on it. Yeah I will have to go in there sometime soon and see what they say.

barty81 & tommid, yeah that would be cool. I will pm you both now, thanks 🙂

There is a surprising amount of singletrack in Bacton Woods considering its size but much of it is hard to spot though. Get in touch if you are in the area.

Cheers, I will do 🙂 thanks for the reply

Only very new to mountain biking but I've been having a lot of fun in and around Bacton woods up near North Walsham.

Some great single tracks weaving in and out of the trees and ditches. It's certainly not flat either!

I know a group of bikers meet up there on Sunday morning (at about 10am I think). I go with two friends usually on Sunday evenings and sometimes on Wednesday or Thursday evenings too (depending on work etc).

Say hi if you find yourself there! (I'm the very unfit lardy one who needs to buy a new bike!) 🙂

Thetford - well known (but personally find the marked trails a little dull).

Bacton - mainly trails, a few small dirt jumps and a tiny pieces of wood work tucked away.

Sheringham - not ridden yet.

Mousehold Heath (Norwich) - lots of tracks and little bits to ride, nothing too gnar. Be careful of where you ride though as alot of it is used by families and dog walkers. There's a car park up by the bandstand/football pitch, you can ride in there.

Sloughbottom bmx track (Norwich) - in Sloughbottom park. Good fun for an afternoon to practise. We do gate practise up there on Sundays if you're interested in racing.

To be honest, I think it's worth the 2hr drive over to Chicksands/Woburn for something more interesting. But if you're only just starting out then there's plenty to progress yourself with over at Thetford. Just mix in some other bits to keep it interesting.

As mentioned a few of us are heading to Chicksands on the 28th if you (or anyone else) fancies it.

I live in Norwich and been racing MTB for about 3 years. Recently, I have done most of my training in Bacton Woods, and I absolutely love it. On initial riding, there doesn't seem like a lot in there. There certainly isn't a long marked loop, like Thetford. But it contains examples of most of the types of terrain you are going to encounter anywhere around the country and gives you a really good place to "session" skills. I have been spending 3-4 hour sessions over there most Saturday mornings recently, and my technique has improved more in a few months than it ever did in 2 years of riding Thetford.

Sadly, it doesn't have any significant rocky sections, but it contains enough roots and drops to get used to riding them. Probably will be over there on Saturday morning sessioning bits and pieces.

I wouldn't worry crafty, I'm a bit unfit too haha :Land prezet, I didn't think mountain biking was allowed at mousehold?

And readikus, I think I will have to try it out sometime when I get the time. Maybe have to go when I finish college one evening 🙂