[Closed] Hampshire Rides

Hampshire County Council have a seelction of routes up on their [url= http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling-route-finder.htm ]web site[/url]. They're not the gnarliest of rad-fests, but at least it gives you some options.

If you head a far south as Southampton there are a couple of hours of fun to be had in Lordswood that I can show you.

If you come to the Big Bike Bash in the New Forest in August you will meet loads of people from around the area who can give you hints and tips

Where abouts in hampshire are you as there's quite a spread between the names you mentioned and hampshire is quite a big county, I'm in Andover, not far from Hurstbourne but a little further from Kngsclere and miles from Haslemere

Depending on where you live in Hampshire, you may not be far away from certain areas.

1) Swinley Forest - A large, busy riding area near Bracknell, Berkshire.
2) Caesers Camp - in between Aldershot and Fleet
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/47816930
http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/trails-around-the-world/europe-trails/trails-europe-united-kingdom/trail/PRD_167216_4539crx.aspx
3) The Hampshire trail maps (posted in a previous comment) are good but make sure you take an OS map, as their maps are hand drawn. I tend to ride the ones in the Basingstoke/Alton area (Basingstoke, Oxdrove, Cheesefoot Head, Abbotstone Down, Ellisfield, Candovers) http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling/cycling-maps-leaflets.htm
4) Queen Elizabeth Country Park - Near Waterlooville/Petersfield
5) New Forest - Various byways and bridleways to explore
6) Surrey Hills - May be a little too far, but a large riding area near Dorking.
7) Black Wood - Inbetween Winchester, Andover and Basingstoke. Fairly small wood with a 12 mile singletrack loop (with some fireroads). Although it is under used, so over time the leaves can cover the trail. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/see-micheldever-and-black-wood.pdf/$FILE/see-micheldever-and-black-wood.pdf
8 ) Tunnel Hill and Porridge Pot Hill - Inbetween Mytchett and Deepcut - Google Tunnel Hill Trolls for more info.

Conespanner -I live in Fleet, Moved from Redhill so have done a bit around surrey. I've got one of those mtb guide books for Hampshire/Bershire area although good. I've not found much single track.

Shotsaway - Cheers for the list.Caesers Camp & Swinley forest are excellent.I've not been to numbers 3,4, 5, 7 & 8 so will give them a go.

Woldclassiccident - Will look out for the Big Bike Bash.

Cheers,
Claire

On the 16th April, UK Cycling Events have an organised MTB ride in the New Forest

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/new-forest-spring-mtb-cyclocross-ride/

I ride a lot around Petersfield, in the somewhat ambitiously named Little Switzerland. Nothing especially gnarly but at least there are hills and wooded singletrack. There are some fun 2-3hr loops once the trails dry out, plus a couple of good pubs. [url= http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling/cycling-route-finder/cycling-petersfield.htm ]http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling/cycling-route-finder/cycling-petersfield.htm[/url]

Otherwise, South Downs and Queen Elizabeth offer longer, leg-stretching rides or North Downs around Dorking.

Caesers Camp has lots of variety. Lots of fire roads, hilly in places, with some hidden sections of singletrack. Just explore the place.

From Caesers Camp, you can also cross over Bourley Road (I think this area is the Rushmoor Arena). It is a flatter area with lots of sandy fireroads but an area worth exploring.

From Fleet, Swinley is probably only a 20 minute drive.

Join the Tunnel Hill Trolls forum. Plenty of people who will ride the area you live in. http://tunnelhilltrolls.get-forum.net/login

Another recommendation for the Trolls, really nice bunch of people!

Otherwise, there's masses of ROW's in Hampshire and, as mentioned, the Hampshire County Council ones give a good introduction (but don't depend on the waymarking) and you can adjust as you wish.

If you're interested in being shown around Swinley in daylight by a slow old girl, my e-mail is in my profile. 🙂

Have a look at [url= http://www.newforce.org.uk ]New Forest Mountain Bike Club[/url], we're quite often up your way, although there's quite a few clubs nearer as well - the Trolls and Berks on Bikes (BoB) are all good guys.

[If you're interested in being shown around Swinley in daylight by a slow old girl, my e-mail is in my profile]

On the two rides I've been on with on with you CG you easily out paced me!!

Clairec, if you are in Fleet, then Swinley is the obvious place to start, although it's not in Hampshire! Test Valley Tour gives a good overview of north-west hampshire

I'm also in Fleet, there's loads of really good stuff within riding distance but not gonna broadcast them on here!! Can send an OS extract with locations if reqd....

PB

Im on the Isle of Wight, well worth a trip over here. Have organised a couple of forum rides on here the last couple of years, generally blessed with cracking weather, dry trails and generally good banter.

Plenty of riding round Fleet, straight from the door or bike in the car for 10/15 minute drive. The Gorrick race series run their races in the area and you can follow the routes easily enough. Check their website out for idea's.
Lots of riding south of Farnham too (can be sandy though), have a look here = http://www.vcgh.co.uk/routes/offRoadRoutes. Some really good routes round Haslemere way on there.

swinley 😀

i grew up in fleet, well... church crookham

piha, i dont suppose you have any gpx of any of the vcgh routes do you?

bit far from fleet but the purbecks are not mentioned and have some great trails, there must be some great stuff in your area though

Another from fleet here, Minley Manor and Gorrick 12:12 course is good, Caesars too... I have a few GPX routes I can pass on but not here at work so not exactly sure of what, typical local ride here though :-
[url= http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=101396533816535698801.000454d594830546d8982&t=h&source=embed&ll=51.260411,-0.802689&spn=0.04834,0.055704&z=14 ]local ride[/url]

Drop me a mail and I can forward any GPX's I have , am happy to recieve any from The Purbecks too 🙂

Can anyone give any further info on where to find the trails in Swinley? I did a Gorrick Spring Series race there not so long ago and it looks like the area has many trails. Is the best thing to do just to park up by where the Gorrick races are held and explore, or are there any particular trails worth checking out? I'm based in west London so it's about an hour away from me.

EDIT: After a quick browse on YouTube, most of the riding seems to be based around an area called 'the lookout', does anyone know where this is?

Alejandro - Swinley Forest and The Look Out are one and the same. The easiest thing to do is explore! Just ride along a fire road and when you see singletrack, head off into the unknown.

The trails aren't marked as such and are spread out. The map that you can buy from the Visitor Centre really isn't of much help. You could always ask other riders if you can tag along with them. I've had folk ask me and I've happily given them a slow guided tour.

Be cautious around Caesars Camp at the moment, lots of anti mountainbike signs have been popping up. The local lads have built some big ish jumps that are right in the middles of the footpath, so not very subtle. Not sure if thats why the signs went up, but I am getting a fair bit of abuse from dog walkers all ofa sudden.

I'm also from Fleet.
Loads of local areas and some a little further away.
A great area for MTBing

but I am getting a fair bit of abuse from dog walkers all ofa sudden.

That's rich bearing in mind all the dog-eggs littering the army areas. What were they having a pop about in particular ?

Oh, and was over on Ash Ranges today and see that there are now goats up there 🙂 And a big sign reminding dog walkers to keep control of their mutts as on Christmas Day a dog off the lead had attacked and killed one of the goats 🙄