[Closed] Tell me about riding in High Weald AONB (Sussex and Kent)

mmm largely you cant... Much of it is another name for the Ashdown Forest where they have banned off road biking through local bylaws.

Great road riding though, i went down from Reigate a couple of weekends ago, a nice steep climb called The Wall and lots of beautiful rolling wooded countryside.

forget MTB though...
http://www.ashdownforestcycling.co.uk/cycling-in-the-ashdown-forest/

Yep, fantastic for road riding.

Ashdown forest. Forget it!

Is the whole area from Horsham to Tonbridge to Hastings called Ashdown forest and a complete no-go then?

I thought there might at least be some sneaky singletrack in Hundred Acre Wood. Even if you do have to watch out for the bear and the tiger.

There are a few little bits in St Leonard's Forest and Tilgate (near Crawley)but not much more than half a days riding. Most of the trails there are easily found on Strava. I would imagine it is a bit of a muckfest at the moment.

I have ridden a bit in Tilgate. I'll have a nosey on Strava Explore. Thanks!

I thought there might at least be some sneaky singletrack in Hundred Acre Wood. Even if you do have to watch out for the bear and the tiger.

Unfortunately those in charge of Ashdown Forest are as positive about MTBing as the donkey, as keen on red tape as the rabbit, as scared of anything new as the piglet and have as much common sense as the owl. If the bear and tiger were in charge we'd be fine!

There is some riding to be had east of Sevenoaks towards Igtham and Ivy Hatch. Ightam common, Raspit hill and Seal Chart have one or two bridleways and a few fun cheeky sections that have been cut in by folk. The small area of woodland north of Igtham, the other side of the A25 also has one or two sections of singletrack. There is a fun section of bridelway through Broadhoath wood near Igtham Mote.

It is possible to put a decent hour or two loop together around this general area. I lived in Tunbridge Wells for some time and this was the best area if you didn't fancy Bedgebury. Such a shame about the Ashdown Forest, although it is good on the road bike.

There is some riding to be had east of Sevenoaks towards Igtham and Ivy Hatch. Ightam common, Raspit hill and Seal Chart have one or two bridleways and a few fun cheeky sections that have been cut in by folk. The small area of woodland north of Igtham, the other side of the A25 also has one or two sections of singletrack. There is a fun section of bridelway through Broadhoath wood near Igtham Mote.

Many of those trails are 'cheeky' and there has been a number of incidents this year where local NIMBYs have been out photographing riders - particularly when loading/unloading from their vehicles. A while back I was talking to a couple of guys that had been *snapped by an angry old git who advised them they would be reported to the authorities etc. Nowt had been heard after several weeks but if the LA get enough of these complaints/reports/photos then they may react.

* This happened up at Crown Point/Styants Wood.

Some are certainly 'cheeky' although for sometime I just rode the bridelways and there was still some fun to be had. Tis a shame that people take the time out of their lives to go about trying to catch bikers but hey ho, that is the way it is.

The Ashdown Forest ain't too large (lies between-ish Crowborough/Forest Row/Maresfield), but it is governed by a 1974 Act of Parliament. I did read through it and I think it is section 2 that seems to ban bikes. Either way the local idiots have got it into their heads that mountain bikes are bad and that's pretty much it, which is a great shame because I have ridden quite a bit of it and it is very good mountain bike country. To give you some idea of the local psyche, they even challenge you when you are on legal trails!
There are quite a few legal trails going east out from Sevenoaks to Igtham etc, I ride there quite a bit.
Going out west from Sevenoaks is rather better for legal trails, along the Chart Hills through Ide Hill, Toys Hill, French Street, past Chartwell to Crockham Hill, but it is getting pretty muddied up now. I use the odd ? trail and have never been challenged, but to be fair they are tractor type tracks anyways.
I also ride the Dry Hill area to the South of Edenbridge where there are a web of legal trails leading right over to the Forest Way Disused Railway track. Once you go south of that you are into the Ashdown and either have to be blatant and give robust answer and run if the wardens see you. Fortunately I have yet to have an altercation when I have been in the technical wrong.

Weald of Kent is my old neck of the woods, lots of paths and bridleways, we used to either go north to Croakham HIll/Park, great loop on the Greensand Way and Limpsfield Chart, then up to North Downs along The Ridge near Woldingham, you're in Surrey then mind, you can follow the NDW all the way to Box Hill and Ranmore if you have the legs. We would also ride a bit further south at Abbots Wood near Hailsham and Friston Forest near Seaford, great old school XC if you're after a change of scene. It's so frustrating about Ashdown, been chucked off before even getting the bike out the car, must have someone on permenant look out.

Edit - someone mentioned Rotherfield, but I've not been, might be worth a venture.