[Closed] Roads leading to Peaslake

I wouldn't bother coming anywhere near Guildford at all if I were you. I've spoken to/heard of half a dozen or so cars smashed up on black ice this morning in the last hour or so an the A31 the other side of town. And I'm takling main roads which are technically 'clear' here. Guildford council has no salt left either, so it's not going to improve.

It's not worth it, really it's not.

^^As PP said^^

Quite a few on my estate have returned home after setting out to work earlier this morning. I drove to Peaslake a week before Xmas and it was a little slippery then, the weather is colder now so I wouldn't even bother trying just yet.

Could park at the Chantries and ride from there.

I might train into Dorking and ride up to coldharbour from there then or just do a local round Esher.

Bah.

What about Newlands Corner can I get there from the A3 do you reckon?

Just spoke to Nirvana cycles in Westcott - they recommend parking in Dorking as there is 6 inches of snow and the side roads and all iced up.

I just phoned Peaslake village store and she was very specific that only old style landrovers with chunky tyres are getting anywhere!

Don't bother was her advice.

my folks live up there and say keep well away by car it is a nightmare. you could ride but to be honest even that is tricky.

If you live in Esher it'll take less than an hour to ride there.

I just fancied a bit of Holmbury in the snow I bet it's beautiful.

It'll still only take you about an hour to cycle there from Esher.

You can drive to Newlands Corner, the A25 is not too bad. South of the A25 into Surrey Hills is not good. I can just about get up to Abinger Common in a regular car, but it makes it much more difficult if you meet traffic. There will be cars parked all through Peaslake and stopping and passing will be very tricky. You could park down at Gomshall Station and ride up to Holmbury - that would be my recommendation.

I'm planning to head up there tomorrow, see what it's like! I certainly wouldn't drive to Peaslake though, go with any of the above recommendations!

I drove into Guildford this morning from the South and the roads aren't that bad, but I wouldn't want to venture onto the side roads.

does anyone know how long it will take to cycle there form Esher?

I'm headed up there on Sunday. Rode last Sunday and while BKB was fine, Pitch Hill side was very icy - particularly immediately out of Peaslake. Yoghurt Pots also had some patches of black ice and was super sketchy in some of the corners. The climby bit on Telegraph was also not much fun.

That's without this weeks deluge 🙂

as said above - about an hour to ride from Esher - depending on your route

I do not cycle on roads for I am not a roadie.

I couldn't care less if it took 20 minutes from Esher.

I will remove my bike from the car when it is within spitting distace of some off road trails. Gomshall looks like a good idea or I might go via Dorking and see how far up Coldharbour lane I can get as I'm tole that may not be impassable by a resident I work with.

Ride from Esher, my god man next you'll be suggesting I get a team jersey and leave my baggies at home.

FFS.

Also I live in East Molesey and it takes me 40 minutes by car in the summer to get to Peaslake. I can't see how I'd do it in an hour by bike in the snow.

40 minutes by car? It only takes 50 minutes to drive from Brentford.
Why not cycle to the Cafe Rouge at the foot of the hill up to Esher, go into the woods, come out in Claygate, over to Oxshott, over to Stoke D'Abernon - the majority of this is off road. Then out through Great Bookham, Ranmore Common then down through Wotton and up to Coldharbour.
Its only about 10 miles.

I do not cycle on roads for I am not a roadie.

I couldn't care less if it took 20 minutes from Esher.

I will remove my bike from the car when it is within spitting distace of some off road trails.

What a moron.

I'd like to get to know that route as it could be nice in the summer.

Great sense of humour Njee 🙄

To be honest if you cant be aresed to ride for 20 mins on the road whats the point in going out.

I live in the middle of all the tracks up here (bottom of Christmas pud). Theres alot of snow around went out and did BKB on Tuesday. I was the first person on it but if more people have ridden it , it should be quick and slidey.

Planning on heading out later on today, will let you know what the trails are like.

Road wise its fine as long as you dont drive like a dick.

Touchy buggers aren't you. Jesus.

I'm driving up to Gomshall and riding from there which will be fine I'm sure.

Dont want to road ride because it's bloody dangerous!

Yeah A25 is clear now,

Riding the road from Gomshall should be relatively safe, mainly because there is very little traffic. Bear in mind that most cars will be better off not stopping, and even if they must stop it might be pretty dicey and take a while.

I drove up to Holmbury via Abinger on Sunday and it was treacherous. I expect it's impassable right now.

AP can you show me that route one day if you're about, I'm with you up to Oxshott but have no idea after that..

It isn't imapassable, but could do without non-essential traffic. Mind you, the pubs will be glad to see you if you make the trip and pop in for a warm.

Is that new ending to BKB open yet?

If I can get from Abinger tea rooms to the bottom of Holmbury Hill I will obviously stop in at the Royal Oak for beer and food!!
Just don't want to attempt driving up Hoe Lane to Peaslake as I don't think I'll make the hill.

Do you think Horsham Road is drivable?

joolsburger - ok, once the ice has gone. Need to get some miles in before Polaris. We ride out past Hampton Court then along Ember Lane.
You could drive over and meet us at Cafe Rouge. 😛

I live in East Molsey so Ember Court is Fine.

I often ride along Walton Road and along Ember Lane to get to Littleworth commmon and hence to Oxshott etc but it makes me feel dirty!!

we are braving it tomorrow and heading for Holmbury now. I have just borrowed a L200 with off road tyres for the trip, hooray for brothers in law, espeically Kiwi ones with a 4 X 4 fetish!

Agree about Ember Lane. It's on my road loop (Walton, Cobham, Esher, Molesey, Sunbury and Walton again) and it's more or less the least favourite part. Not sure why, it just seems like it never ends.

Yea, you'll get up Horsham Rd. Hoe Lane would obviously be silly - just get to Holmbury and go over the hill from there by bike.

Earlier comment - yes, BKB ending has been open for a while.

BKB is open and rideable but nothing else around here is !!! I tried a few others today and they were just far too much effort.I.E getting on for 8 inchs of snow.

However the more people who come up and ride then the better, the snow on BKB is packing down now (did 4 runs on it today). If the more popular trails get ridden then they should all be like that. Il up load some photos of the conditions.

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Last ones looking up BKB taken on Tuesday other are from today

[i]atlaz - Member
Agree about Ember Lane. It's on my road loop (Walton, Cobham, Esher, Molesey, Sunbury and Walton again) and it's more or less the least favourite part. Not sure why, it just seems like it never ends.[/i]

Same here. I hate that stretch from Hampton Court to Esher, even more so on an MTB trying to get to Littleworth Common. Could it be that it is a false flat, certainly always seems better on the way back than the way out?

Turn off left at the first bend and go past the Marnie arms, over the golf course and past Esher station cuts out loads of Ember Lane. That's what we do.

Thanks for the pics looks bloody great to me I cant wait..

What do you reckon to Hound House Road & Ride Way, going from Shere? For a bike that is, not car. Park up somewhere round Shere and just straight along the road up to the top of Pitch Hill.

Or if going from Gomshall, what's a good route on the bike to Peaslake?

Want to get out somewhere, but access is the main problem. Other options for me are Tunnel Hill and Swinley (car park was closed on Wednesday). Not sure Swinley would be much good in the snow. Pitch/Holmbury were great before Christmas in the snow, but far more snow now.

christ there are some nazis on here! ride how you flipin' want jools, have a good one

Bits of the A25 were shut this afternoon and I went past the western Kent section at 6pm and I wouldn't have bothered.
On New year's day the roads around Peaslake were pretty hostile without all this snow.

What were all the trails like over the weekend? Is it thawing on the Downs etc?

It was unrideable at Holmbury. I'm prepared to accept I'm not the best climber in the world but my mate is and even he gave it up as a bad job after 300 yards!

Snow was deep and heavy so it was a case of pushing and we decided that pushing them all the way up Holmbury hill was a waste of effort for a slow fally off downhill on the other side.

I'd wait for the thaw

I'm near Esher and we had a few inches, in the Surrey hills it was a good foot deep and more in the drifts.

Yesterday there was a prolonged period of very fine sleet, almost invisibly fine. All the snow is now quite wet and sticky as well as laying just as deep (ie between eight and twelve inches). I haven't even bothered getting the bike out, but just dog walking in the woods is pretty slow going.

Roads are much better though, so you can probably get here ok. If I were you I'd bring wellies and leave the bike at home though!

Weather looks like snow mid-week but the temp will have picked up so its more likely to be sleet- plus 5degrees so should be a mudfest worsecase Im guessing.

did dorking, westcott, wotton, tower, greensand way dorking yesterday - fine if you stick to stuff that has been compacted by walkers 4*4 etc - off trail was unrideable in places.

Long may the thaw continue!

Rode Ranmore, White Downs, Holmbury, Peaslake and returned via Leith Hill and Westcott. Took a lot longer than a typical ride but was 90% rideable if you stayed on the beaten tracks. More difficult over towards White Downs where less people had been.

BKB rode pretty well considering but Yoghurt Pots was pretty much unrideable. Didn't bother with Telegraph as we figured it would be much the same. Quite a lot of people out considering 🙂

Btw, did I spy Jody Crawford in full National Champ regalia at Peaslake?

JamesP- was thinking for next Sat/temperature is picking up during the week so fingers crossed..

when it all melts its going to be awful....

Depends- Peaslake end should be alright? Leith will be claggier?

Hora - it certainly wasn't that cold there...the big concern will be how much of muddy mess it becomes once all the snow melts. I wouldn't fancy the end of yoghurt pots much...and I suspect Ranmore will be unrideable as is want after heavy periods of rain.

Agreed though - fingers crossed for a return to normalty 🙂

Yesterday we rode down White Down to Abinger Hammer then up Rad Lane to Peaslake. Then up Holmbury on the road to the reservoir and up to the top, then down Yoghurt Pots and Telegraph Road and back to Abinger Roughs. Telegraph was fine except for the 1st section but Yoghurt Pots a bit tricky.

Btw, did I spy Jody Crawford in full National Champ regalia at Peaslake?

Probably, he's a local boy and often rides up there.

I hopped on the turbo instead, probably a sensible decision from talking a few folk!

Yep. I knew it was him really. Can't be many people with a Artic-Premier RT kit with National Champs stripes can there 😉 I guess with the CX Nationals cancelled that was his ride. Apparently back in the day he used to ride for WDMBC. Way before my time though.

It was actually quite a laugh and on SS hard work. You didn't miss much though.

Well, you might see the pork pie eating champion around Peaslake next week if your lucky. You'll spot 'him' by the look of his shirt. 8)

How much snow has Dorking etc had?

3 inches and still snowing hard.....roads are utter chaos!

FFS.

Apparently back in the day he used to ride for WDMBC

Yeah he did, late 90s, then he got on the WCPP, that was when it was still Heffs sponsored.

Sats a non-starter with this snow isnt it? It wont have started to thaw properly now will it by then?

I haven't even been out in the car yet, but I wouldn't expect it to be great by the weekend - we are forecast slightly warmer days and below freezing nights, so expect ice! I'm considering giving it a go in the car in a short while, but I've heard that a bus spun and blocked the A25 at Coast Hill and that Newlands Corner is not moving.

Even if the roads clear the riding is similar to going through deep sand - not the most exciting!

Will keep you posted from the sunny Surrey Hills!

Glen You're not the chap I met on Saturday snowboarding at the bottom of Homlbury are you?

glenp, yes please. The plan was to come down for my mateys birthday in Brighton and ride Peaslake/Leith hill etc on sat and sun. Its now looking like just Sundays best.

joolsburger - that was probably Richard.

hora - its only Wednesday, so lets see what happens. Just off out in the car now. If I'm back online in half an hour the news is not good!

Yes he made us feel inadequate by saying you guys all rode what we gave up on last Wednesday night!!

I'm back - but now I'm in Guildford! Hurray.

Back lanes quite lively, and much easier if nothing is coming the other way. Can only get better, surely?

joolsburger - don't forget, he may have been lying. Never trust a mountain bike guide. We've got a big group on Saturday - here's hoping that its still on. Maybe see you out there!

glenp- ta. Would be interested to see hear how it develops.

this weekend i suspect be horrible - a warm slushy mess. Better to sit in the pub and drink ale/eat...

Why not be truly radical and go for a walk? Trudging in wellies, snowball fights, go and get warm and glowing in the Kings Head, take a hip flask and a camera etc.

glenp - well of course walk to the Kings Head. some fine ales in there.

Next drop off I find will be christened Shere Drop.

LOL! We went up and got a Barrel of it from the brewery for a NYE house party - wonderful stuff 8)

Ranmore Ale makes a nice summer tipple.

Walking is not an option soldier.

going down to peaslake this sunday with a group in tow-keep us updated fella!

Ping

Roads are good now, except be sure not to get two wheels in the piled up snow, because it is now very wet and claggy.

Cycling won't be much fun though - very heavy going.

any update on riding conditions around leith/holmbury/pitch?

I'm interested to know this has the snow melted yet?

Rads are all good now - you'll find big piles of dense slush in remote car parks but otherwise ok. I can only call the riding from my dog walking (between Abinger Common and Holmbury) - deep slush and wet snow due to go very muddy when the rain comes.

We've got a group out tomorrow, so I'll see then!