I have a couple of days for a last minute riding trip, we usually go to the Peak District or North Wales but thinking of somewhere new. Travelling from Herts it's only a couple of hours to the Surrey hills, is there enough riding there to keep us entertained for 2 days and are the trails easy enough to find using Strava or Komoot?
Same question from me. I'd like to visit but I don't know the area.
Is there a greatest hits tour? And where is a good base?
Last time I rode around there I used a combination of Strava heatmaps and Trailforks to put together something, but I only ever ended up scratching the surface.
I'm also based in Hertfordshire though so if you come up with a greatest hits route or two I'd be very interested!
A few years ago, but we spent a long weekend there based at a pub (The Plough Inn) in Coldharbour, a few miles south of Dorking. Plenty of riding kept us entertained over the 3 days. We like a mix of riding XC with some singletrack and downhill thrown in and the area definitely offered that. We made up our routes from OS maps using the bridleways as well as the "locals" trails around Leith Hill. Some nice views as well across to the London skyline and southwards to South Downs. Definitely worth referring to Komoot/Stava hot spots to identify where the locals ride.
It does depend on what sort of riding you want to do. If it's more bridleway and byway stuff you're after, there is also plenty of that in the western part of the Surrey Hills AONB in the Guildford/Farnham/Haslemere triangle. There was a route around Peaslake in Issue 153 of the magazine, if you are able to access that.
Ok, well that sounds promising, I'll look at booking a campsite and have a good look at Strava.
Happy to do anything but prefer flowing single-track to bridleways.
I've recently done a 34miler around Peaslake to tick off some of the classic runs, and there's still plenty more to discover too!
Happy to send you the GPX if you want to have a look at it?
Interesting - I was half expecting the wisdom of STW to guffaw at the idea of a weekend riding round Surrey. Peaslake, Box Hill, Leith Hill have various routes around and over them.
You're also near enough to get to Swinley; and I don't know if Tunnel Hill is still viable, but it's out that way too.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/farnborough-tunnel-hill-mytchett-etc/
This starts & finishes near the Hurtwood Inn carpark (near Peaslake stores) rather than the Walking Bottom carpark. There's plenty more fun to be had, but I need to explore when I have a bit more time!
https://www.strava.com/activities/18532525590
If the link doesn't work, send me a DM and I'll try a different way.
You could look up a guide? bike_hike_guides on insta does guiding in that area.
there's loads of locals that im sure will show you round (i might depending on day) - when you looking at? There's a few shops that do organised un-paid "guiding", but normally on weekends -Nirvana, TheRidersHub, Clunkerz and the hoards of folk that go out of Peaslake
Long Mynd/Stiperstones/Minton Batch/Eastridge far better riding than Surrey Hills imho
Perhaps I missed the best of Shropshire, but I thought Eastridge was comparable to Redlands but with a fraction of the number of trails. Can't recall any of the Long Mynd riding being particularly interesting. I'd say Surrey is significantly better.
I was half expecting the wisdom of STW to guffaw at the idea of a weekend riding round Surrey. Peaslake, Box Hill, Leith Hill have various routes around and over them.
You're also near enough to get to Swinley; and I don't know if Tunnel Hill is still viable, but it's out that way too.
I wouldn't push anyone towards Swinley or Tunnel Hill, but Peaslake / Leith / Ranmore is well worth a visit if you are able to link the good bits.
This starts & finishes near the Hurtwood Inn carpark (near Peaslake stores) rather than the Walking Bottom carpark
That is a good selection of trails but on a regular bike I'd be fading at the 2/3 mark. Easy enough to cut short if you are as unfit as me though.
I'm sure I saw a Rob Warner video going around some familiar bits recently too, I thought it showed what the trails were like quite well. No epic elevation but I think epic fun regardless.
they're not going to be that secret if people stick GoPro footage of them on the internet
Some great trails over Ranmore, Tomahawk and Wire in the Blood are ace.
https://strava.app.link/Bs5oQov2t3b
Thanks all for the replies, sorry I've been busy at work and packing.... We're leaving tomorrow and camping near Ockley for 2 nights. I know Swinley fairly well so I thought that if it doesn't work out we can spend a day there, but armed with some routes I think we'll be ok. Thanks for your Strava links, they do work.
