Hi all,
I am new to the forum and new to singletrack/mountainbiking as well - but I love it! I am going cycling next weekend with two friends over the day.
We live in London, we don't have a car and we'll need to rent bikes. Does anyone have a tip about where, within, say 2 hours of London, would be a good pace to go? That has a train station and a rental place reasonably close to each other? We have all downhill cycled a bit in both Wales and the North Downs, so we are not complete amateurs (but almost...) and it would be so fun to have some challenging, fun tracks to cycle.
Any advice will be so appreciated!
Matilda
How about these guys in Surrey Hills (disclaimer: I used to guide for them, only stopped because I don't time these days):
[url= http://singletrackschool.co.uk/courses/guided-rides-and-adventures/index.php ]http://singletrackschool.co.uk/courses/guided-rides-and-adventures/index.php[/url]
Or you can hire from Swinley Forest, but it's not easily accessible without a car or bike to get there.
The Purbecks are reachable by train:
http://singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/south-west/the-isle-of-purbeck/
Either get off the train in Poole and hire a bike from here: http://www.thebicycleco.com/ or stay on the train to Wareham and cycle to Corfe Castle and start join the route their by hiring a bike from here: http://www.purbeckcyclehire.co.uk/ which is actually at the train station.
I've never had to hire a bike so far but maybe it's worth checking out Dorking MTB shops like Head for the Hills? They deffo might have something, not too far from the Dorking train station and are a good place to start the ride.
In two hours you could pretty much get to Glentress of course 😉
Thank you all so much! I have been close to Dorking before and that is a good nearby option. Purbeckcyclehire on the Jurassic Coast sounds amazing as well! I have put both options to my friends so we shall see...