Hi,
I am looking to make a gentle entry into MTBking with a family ride in the chilterns.
Kids ride competently but are inexperienced mountainbikers.
Any suggestions around Marlow area would be greatly appreciated.
cheers,
Steve
*possibly best to let it dry out a bit as it’s crepe just now In lots of places
Some hills but these weren’t technical when I last did them
Anyway this is nice imho But will be muddy (esp if horsed)
https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/downloads/file/224/leaflet_knowl_hill_bridleway_circuit
below is track boring but car free ( and if you’re cheeky you can go along the Thames path from Maidenhead, through Eton school and back on jubilee poss up to tap low and s to return better in summer as Thames is footpath thru some people’s gardens so will cut just now
You can lap reading, from e pangboune s on quiet yellow road direct into bridleway to theale, over foot bridge at IKEA theale, head e over to canal(road), canal to e side of reading, cross blue bridge to Thames left to caversham thru park over new bridge, then up to the warren (just n of Thames) then follow warren into obv bridleway to not goring sorry, to Whitchurch xxeditedxxxx oring then road s to pangbourne, this might be okish(*unless bridleway horsed)
See is map Maidenhead, follow cycle trail w from railway just n woodlands park Indus estate sw of Maidenhead, at knowl hill s on bridleway to Waltham st Lawrence , then can loop back on different bridleway or thin road to e to thick orange to n on bridleway (shottesbrooke park) then either loop back l to cycle track or r to white Waltham road but some pavement, this can be nice and it can be horsed in bits
Dont attempt it in the winter, Chilterns needs to be a bit dry (or completely frozen) otherwise it will be pants for the inexperienced.
Try off road to Hambleden, then a loop up through Woolleys and the Great Wood and back. Have a look at an OS map, or Bing Maps set to OS online. There is a nice shop in Hambleden village that will sell you cake.
Its hilly round there, so take that into consideration.
Grrr lost my post so heres a short version.
It will be atrocious character building mud from now till at least Easter.
Thames path and the kennet & avon cannal both hold up well. Out and back on one of those. Reading to the cafe at Aldermarston is a lovley beginners ride, as is Caversham to Gorring (bit further i think and a few short/steep hills).
Or Swinley.
As above a gentle pootle along the Kennet and avon to a pub and back or Swinley Blue.