I’m thinking of moving to North London, Wood Green / Hatfield / Potters bar way. Is there any riding round there other than busy London commuting?

I currently spend my weekends riding in the Yorkshire dales or the Lake district with the Boggies. How will riding down south compare?

Views and opinions much appreciated.

– Si L

Prepare to be a tad disappointed! Nowt as good as that sort of stuff, certainly not for scenery, but you can still have fun. There’s Epping Forest, which is ok when it’s dry, a trudge when it’s wet and muddy; a place up beyond Broxbourne, can’t member what it’s called, and then there’s Aston Hill, the Surrey Hills, Thetford, Swinley and North Downs, all within easy reach by car or train. All good stuff.

Loads of amazing urban riding, though!

i was born in wood green.

potters bar and hatfield are in hertfordshire not north london.
nice singletrack in hertfordshire

There you go! You’ll have the famous Jedi to show you stuff! Result!

flat,and not yorkshire enough =(

The Chilterns are pretty good when its dry.

famous???
i can show ya round herts shore any time

and sunner singletrack otherwise im riding bmx 🙂

South = toss 🙁

you’ll be dissapointed. i live in hertfordshire, and can testify it wont be half as good as where you currently are. DOnt do it unless its really worthwhile. Oh and hatfield has rubbish riding around that area, if you have to move down south, then look at somewhere nearer to the chiltern hills, eg amersham or chesham, or even berkhamstead/ tring.

South = toss

Don’t start all that nonsense. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Granted, we lack the vast expanses of open moorland, and big hills, but we still have some pretty decent riding about, you just have to look for it.

BTW; anyone actually considered the possibility that badbod might want to move to London for reasons OTHER than MTBing? Like work, etc? There is more to life, you know…

Actually yes, it’s a work situation. An opportunity has arisen in Wood Green, I would plan to live in Hertfordshire and commute by bike (probably a retro pace converted single speed if you wondered).

I’ve seen a lot of the stuff Jedi has done, very cool. I actually ride with a local guy (in Skipton) who used to ride a lot around that area and would certainly like to give it a try.

I’m just holding off from accepting the position due to the riding (seems crazy but it’s a big part of my life). I think I’ll miss the big mountain adventures, lakeland scenery, and dales mud plugging 😉 Was sortof hoping I would hear something to the contrary.

– Si L

End of one chapter, the start of another.

Loads of wonderful, exciting things to discover down here, and the North isn’t a million miles away!

Do it.

Because if you don’t, one day, you might regret it.

who’d you ride with?
#do i know them?

“Granted, we lack the vast expanses of open moorland, and big hills…”

So what do we have, exactly? Oh yes, some tiny, insignificant, horse- and walker-populated, dog-turd covered, flat, muddy parks and woodlands. All swamped by urban sprawl.

Moving to the South (Sarf) will make you cry (and not just in MTB’ing terms either), if you’re used to Skipton, the Lakes, general “Oop North”ish places etc, etc. All very pleasent places, and all a world away from, well…here. I’m probably the opposite of you: living/stuck in the South, looking for the chance to leave and head North!

I live 2 mins away from Epping Forest.

It is not a spectacular scenic ride, but it does have some technical single tracks, right in the middle of the woods. You can easily do 20 miles on roots, with some old trees on the way and stuff. Believe me, is a good ride.Why don´t you come down and try? I can either pass you on a file for Edge or join you on the ride.

It gets too muddy during the winter but if you are up early the chances are the mud is frozen and you can have an awesome ride.

Give me a shout if you want more info.

I currently spend my weekends riding in the Yorkshire dales or the Lake district with the Boggies. How will riding down south compare?

You can rationalise it every which way you like, but the simple answer is that it’s not going to compare very favourably at all. Of course you can ride a bike pretty much anywhere and enjoy it, but you’re not going to find epic scenery and big hills close to London, at least nothing on Lakes / Dales scale. And I guess if just being on the bike is enough for you, then that’s manageable, but if big scenery and epic feel is a large part of the reason you ride, then maybe it’s not. And of course I all depends on how big a part of your life mountain biking is.

I moved up to the Peak from darn sarf around 18 years ago now and have never regretted it. The only thing I miss about London is ready and immediate access to good independent cinema. The overpriced beer, latent aggression that comes from too many people crammed into too small a space, the tube, art galleries etc, I can all manage without.

I go back sometimes, I wander around the Tate Modern and marvel at how many coffee shops central London can apparently support and I like the buzziness of it and I have friends there who I miss. But living there felt like being entombed in an endless layer of tarmac and concrete.

Yes, there’s more to life than mountain biking, but how much more and whether it’s enough is an individual thing and I’m not sure anyone can ever make that call for someone else. Not enough for me, but it might be for you. Londoners though 😉

Jimbo,

Once again you show yourself to be the worst kind of winger. Please, please, please just shut up and eff off oooop norf and leave everyone alone. Have the courage of your convictions get some spunk and courage and do what you want to do instead of making our lives a misery having to listen to your tosh!

Badbod, the sarf does have access to some of the best riding in the UK when you take in Herts shore, South/North Downs, Chilterns and further afield, South Wales, Quantocks etc.

Badbod, the sarf does have access to some of the best riding in the UK when you take in Herts shore, South/North Downs, Chilterns and further afield, South Wales, Quantocks etc.

😆

Really? Compared to The Lakes, Yorkshire Dales, N Wales, Peak District and Scottish Borders? OK then.

😛

I live in Hertfordshire,and am surrounded by open countryside,yet am able to commute by train into central London in 30 minutes.
Yes,there are no big,or epic views but I can still ride from my backdoor without needing to ride on the road,and searching out new routes locally is half the fun.

I KNEW this would turn into Norf v Sarf.

Grumm; fauxbyfour said SOME of the best riding, not ALL. Please, try to get a bit of perspective on this!

For my life,London gives me most of what I need. And I can jump on a train, or in a car, or even a plane, if I want some big outdoorsyness. Not an issue. For me, going to somewhere like the Lakes or Wales, is a real treat, I love it. I have a great time in places like that, and really appreciate the spectacular nature an’ ting.

But I, personally, couldn’t live there. Too quiet, too empty of many of the things I want and need.

Horses for courses, innit?

So, the OP was asking about riding around London. The answer is, there’s actually a surprising amount, and you can have loads of fun. And there’s loads of people you can meet to go riding with. So, a move to London might be quite good thing, actually.

As for some of you bleating on about Oop Norf; places like Afghanistan, Morocco, Pakistan, the Andes etc all offer far more spectacular riding speriences than our little hills! Why not live there?

Perspective, people. When I’m somewhere like the Lakes, I don’t bleat on about it being crap ‘cos there’s no cinemas, art galleries, museums, night clubs, job opportunities, restaraunts, markets, shops, wonderful architecture and a buzzing, diverse culture. No, I appreciate it for what it is. Nice.

Then, I come back to Civilisation. 😉

Jimbo; if it’s not for you, fine. You can always leave, and make more room for those of us that do appreciate it.

i love it down here in hertfordshire. not only do we have both hot and cold water but electricity too!

also for when i used to road ride i could train on winding country lanes.
singletrack winding through the woods
hertshore winding in the trees and about 15 skateparks withing 30mins from my house

🙂

not only do we have both hot and cold water but electricity too

LOL @ Jedi

I remember those days when I lived down London way – been too long since I had a hot bath with the lights on!!! 😆

This area does have alot of good riding. But i think the issue is winter mud not lack of trails.

North Downs, Woburn and Chick sands are all on the Green Sands. They drain much better and offer year round singletrack.

Its about 2 and a half hours to the peak district

As for some of you bleating on about Oop Norf; places like Afghanistan, Morocco, Pakistan, the Andes etc all offer far more spectacular riding speriences than our little hills! Why not live there?

You really are quite the best advert for not living in London that I’ve ever encountered. Shrill, paranoid, self-publicising and with all the incisive wit and intelligence of a dead vole. It’s hilarious that you accuse others of turning this thread into a North versus South thing, when in fact you’re the one who keeps harping on and on about it like a broken record.

The original poster, who currently rides in the Lakes and Dales, asked specifically about how the riding down south compares, the answer is that there’s decent riding down south, but nothing in the same sort of league. That’s it really. But you’ve got to turn it into some mentalist rant about how brilliant London is, how you can always go somewhere else if you want decent riding etc.

Thanks for your responses all, very useful indeed.

Suppose I was looking to know if I could still enjoy riding while living Herts / North London way, and thinking about it, I think I could, with the odd trip down to South Wales or the Quantocks, to get some scenery.

Jedi: I’ll drop you a line if I do take the plunge. P.s. I ride with a guy called Stuart Rider, I think you might know him?!

I’m a northerner in excile in London, the only place that compares to the Lakes or Dales is the Surrey Hills IMHO which I personally rate below the Lakes and above the Dales for an allround riding experience,

Theres surprsingly loads of trails to be found in North London, Epping Forest already mentioned but the underlying clay means any rain and it remains muddy for ages. Lea Valley Regional park goes for miles with some well hidden singletrack, also Forty Hall and Whitewebbs, and theres a good loop in Trent Park too. I live in Enfield and did 35 miles offroad yesterday in the ice/slush/mud without having to drive anywhere beforehand. That said, not very hilly, and nothing jaw dropping.

You really are quite the best advert for not living in London that I’ve ever encountered. Shrill, paranoid, self-publicising and with all the incisive wit and intelligence of a dead vole

LOL! I like that.

Who pulled your chain, ffs?

I was responding to the negativity displayed by yourself, and Jimbo. Go and read my posts; you will discover that I’ve actually been pretty honest about riding around London. But the OP is considering a move to London, for work, so I thought I’d try and offer some good reasons for coming, unlike you and Jimbo, who just see fit to point out all it’s negative aspects, rather than be objective.

Seems like you just want to have a pop at me for promoting London. And your comments about me, considering you’ve never met me, are pretty amusing, tbh!

It’s my Home, and a fantastic place, imo. What’s so wrong with expressing my views?

Badbob- I hope you, at least, have found my comments helpful. Good luck with your plans.

BadlyWiredDog os typical of the kind of bitter middle aged man you’d find in a provincial northern town spending his time riding a custom made bicyle, probably copied from a marin, over doubletrack crossing barren featurless moorland.

ouch!

Made me spit me tea out, that one! LOL!

LOL @ some of the comments on here!
The South/London has a surprising amount of riding. I’m from Sarf London originally, my usual rides were out over the North Downs, Box Hill, or train out to Swinley or down to Penshurst or even Eastborne, do a bit of the SDW then head home from a different station. Sometimes rode out to Epping Forest. A lot of variety but not as much “big scenery”.
Still, think how much more you’ll enjoy being in the Lakes/Dales when you escape London for a weekend and head back North.

How will riding down south compare?

Simon, we once did a “Tour of the Sarf” weekend. This was about 10 years ago so I forget where we rode, but it was very uppy-downy as all the hills are so small. It’s best to find some locals to show you the best bits. You can still have plenty of fun, and the scenery has its own simple charm 🙂

I have a Pace RC301 coming up for sale shortly and I’m in Watford if it helps you.
There are various rides, clubs and 1/2 decent locations here-abouts but not what you’re used to.
The Chilterns are the best by far.
Either way, you’ll be eating off a plate with a knife and fork in no time at all, plus we have in-door loos and even gas in the homes here in the South (North London / Herts).
Tim

BadlyWiredDog os typical of the kind of bitter middle aged man

actually BWD is highly atypical, having a rare and incisive wit 🙂

Seriously, if you are going to do it, then i would look at somewhere closer to the Chiltern Hills… Like the places i mentioned previously… In reality, there is some fun, fast riding round where I live… I can’t really say much about where Herts shore is, but i believe it’s not as hilly. As for epping forest, i think there are places as close to london more or less, with more variety… if you head over wendover direction, the hills might not be too bg, but there are lots of them… You’re legs will definitely feel it if you try hard enough… And you can also descend for a good 3 or 4 minutes solid!!

I’m not trying to annoy anyone else by saying that, i just think that the chilterns would be your best bet…Plus

The original poster, who currently rides in the Lakes and Dales, asked specifically about how the riding down south compares, the answer is that there’s decent riding down south, but nothing in the same sort of league.

That’s not far off the truth, apart from “the same sort of league” bit.

It’s not better. It’s not worse. Just different.

I’ve ridden all over the country at one point or another in the last 18 years (Midlander by birth) and I really don’t subscribe to the “crap riding down south/grim oop north” rubbish. It’s only those that have some sort of axe to grind that do, for whatever reason.
Yes, you may prefer one or the other but that doesn’t make your view the gospel truth. Open your mind. 🙂
The South isn’t all overpopulated and muddy, the North isn’t all boring moorland and straight line descents.
But there are places in both areas that ARE, and I could flip those stereotypes round too!

😀

Hmmmmm…

Epping is good for a pootle without really having to travel but it’s by no means technical in any way shape or form, a couple of reasonable sets of bonmbholes built by kids which are fun when it’s not 6 inches deep in clay chod.

In winter you don’t need brakes or suspension….

any friend of stuey rider is a friend of mine and are most welcome at herts shore as he is a legend

From living in South London for 5 years I agree that there is good riding about (we used to ride the Chilterns quite a bit, good fun), but if you’re like me you’ll get hacked off with all the travelling to the trails. Driving in london is no fun!