Hartlebury Common?

Anybody ridden on there? What’s it like – muddy or decent in current conditions – and is there any access hassle? Yes I know it’s not very big and there are other places to ride nearby, but I’m just after somewhere closeish to ride with the kids, and other alternatives are very hilly and/or likely to be mudfests. My recollection of Hartlebury from running on there is that it’s fairly sandy, so may cope well with the current damp weather. Hopefully a unicycle and a little kid on a bike are also a lot less likely to get told off than lads hooning about fast.

Alternative suggestions of somewhere small but decent to ride within easy travelling distance of Worcester/Malvern welcomed. Worcester Woods (Nunnery Wood) is just about the right level, but (larger) alternatives sought.

I’ve only walked on Hartlebury Common a couple of times and it was very sandy.
I’m not aware of any decent cycle trails there, and all the tracks look sand coloured on Google earth.

If you’re travelling all the way from Worcester or Malvern, you might as well go to the Wyre. The family cycle trails are hard surfaced and still easily ridable, even now.

The family cycle trails are hard surfaced and still easily ridable, even now.

Yeah – but what are we talking about with family cycle trails? Straight flat boring tracks, or something which is wiggly and interesting? Usually “family cycle trail” seems to mean the former – that’s certainly the case in the FoD – and I’m certainly not travelling up to the Wyre for that! My little kid (and me on the uni) is well beyond that, just not up to mudfests and big hills. Hartlebury is actually significantly quicker to get to than Wyre, as it’s just off the 449, rather than having to go through Stourport and Bewdley, which is one reason for considering it as a destination.

The extra hassle (10mins) is worth it, there is nowt at hartlebury.

Wyre may have a little more to offer than “advertised”. Obviously the closer you ride “off piste” to the valley floor, the muddier it will be.
Give it a go you may be surprised. I wouldn’t bother with Hartlebury and I could ride there in 10 mins.

yep the Wyre tis ace

Have you tried Old Hills out at Callow End? I’ve never done it but I’ve been told that there’s lots of little paths that can be strung together.

There are some woods out near Dunhampsted that have some permissive paths in that might be ok, I have ridden through there once in the spring and was struck by the beautiful daffs and bluebells. Trench Wood and if you follow your nose north west you end up at the Fir Tree pub near the level crossing. Might be a bit cheeky, but if you’re on a uni and the lad is cute you would get away with it. You could get dropped off out there somewhere and ride into Worcester along the tow path.

In Worcester you could ride out alonvg the river (Diglis basin to the caravan site at the Ketch roundabout) pint in the pub and back again, it is (was) possible to do on a bike.

The only thing I’d recomend taking to Hartlebury is a bucket and spade……

I’ll keep my thinking cap on and let you know of anything else that springs to mind.

Have you tried Old Hills out at Callow End?

Right on my doorstep, but not somewhere I’d fancy riding a uni – or indeed a bike much at this time of year. Tends to get muddy and horrible, and also not all that flat.

Thanks for the other tips though.

Hartlebury common is ok for a quick ride and the walkers there have always been pleasant to me – as it is all cheeky apart from one bit of bridleway. Here is my loop that I ride there. It is made up of some tight singletrack, wooded bits, open sandy bits and hardpack bits. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/62644856

There are some woods out near Dunhampsted that have some permissive paths in that might be ok, I have ridden through there once in the spring and was struck by the beautiful daffs and bluebells. Trench Wood and if you follow your nose north west you end up at the Fir Tree pub near the level crossing. Might be a bit cheeky, but if you’re on a uni and the lad is cute you would get away with it. You could get dropped off out there somewhere and ride into Worcester along the tow path.

Interesting I know of the bit of wood by the Fir Tree – lots of cheeky jumps and even a road gap that someone had made out of old pallets… Didn’t realise there was anymore to it?

Are there more paths out in the woods then?

I go up that way quite alot although the canal between Tibberton and Hanbury is very very muddy this time of year and an absolute mudfest. Its also that real sticky clay mud that doesn’t want to shed itself from your tyres.

Was up the Malverns yesterday and did the local loop between north hill and black hill. Was busiest I have seen it since started riding there beginning of last year! – But had a superb morning and some scary sliding down one particularly muddy descent onto the Wyche common!