Crawley! Any decent, easy to navigate riding near by?

May have to be heading there for a day fairly soon. As I expect only to actually be there for a few hours it seems like a good excuse to go for a spin in the area – Google Maps shows lots of green space around. Anywhere specific I should be looking?

Tilgate Forest has some decent Singletrack. The locals will be along in a minute with pointers.

Only 40 mins from Peaslake/Surrey Hills

As Ming said, somebody will be along in a minute – and here I am.

Tilgate park/forest is good for a couple of hours of fun. The trails aren’t marked in anyway, and some of them are easy to overlook. If you’re not around at a convenient time for somebody to show you around, you could wing it and still have fun on the more obvious bridleways and paths.
The best parking spot is down the lane which you’ll see on your right as you turn into the entrance to the K2 sports centre.
Use the first parking area on the left, then head back along the lane and turn left just before you get to the section of Armco barriers.
If you follow your nose, there are quite a few trails to the right of the main bridleway, but you need to leave the park via the first motorway bridge you stumble upon (there are two) for the quieter bits.
If you take a map and/or a phone with a mapping app, you should be able to find your way back to the car.

When are you thinking of going?

Out of curiosity I’ve just had a quick hunt on Strava. If you do a search for Old warren Descent P1/P2 there are a few loops that come up from the leader board 😉

Yes – that’s one way of finding routes.
Old house Warren descent is one of my favourite “brakes off, head down, big grin at the bottom” descents. Unfortunately, if it’s even slightly damp, the speed that you can reach makes for seriously squeaky bum time, so it’s only really worth it for about 4 weeks of the year. (I’ve only ridden it completely dry, about 3 or 4 times)

Thanks all.

Rode at Peaslake a few weeks back and did work out the distance… Certainly an option. I’ll have a quick look at Strava too for Tilgate. Otherwise, if dry, I was thinking of QECP as it’s on the way back to Portsmouth.

Not sure on dates yet as it’s a site visit for a project I need to spec out – it may not even happen. But I imagine I’ll be there on a weekday during office hours (how very naughty!)

Well, if you’re only in Pompey, maybe you’d like to join us for a ride, this weekend…

http://z6.invisionfree.com/Sussex_Muddyarse/index.php?showtopic=4386

…If nothing else, it’ll introduce you to us, to smooth over any future Tilgate visits

Thanks for the offer. I’m over the water. Can’t go to the mainland too often otherwise I get a nosebleed.

(and we’re away this weekend 😉 )

Ah – IOW, or the continent?

I think we’ve got a road bike day planned for the island, later in the year.

IoW. Often run into road clubs doing a day on the island; worth doing, especially the SW side. Some stunning views.

Won’t be joining you for that either I’m afraid. Only got a SS commuter roadie, and my knee’s currently in a constant state of not-quite-healing. 😡