Kind of inspired by the recent round of photo’s i’d really like to find a day out sized ride on the MTB which probably eminates from Epping Forest/North London, but means I could pootle through Essex and Herts without have to drive somewhere.

Any got some pointers / routes?

Up the Lee Valley Park to Turnford or Broxbourne then tack west on the lanes to Wormley/Broxbourne/Hoddesdon Park Wood.
This can be further extended by heading up Ermine Street at Goose Green to Balls Wood and Haileybury.
You’ll need a guide (I’m not local anymore or I’d offer), and I’m not sure how much disruption there’s currently in Broxbourne Woods with the Bushcraft set-up.
From Haileybury you can cut down to Stanstead Abbots for a long pedal back on the canal, or I’d return on different tracks through the same woods – there are loads in there.

If it’s mtb you want then what chapaking said , especially Wormley. I use a cx/gravel bike to go furtherout towards N/e chilterns ,for example,via the canal to Hertford ,over to Stevenage via back lanes & bways via Tewin,over towards codicote/whitwell/Preston up towards hitchin – lots of cycle ways,b ways and cheek. You can return eastish of St Albans ,a bit of north mymms park up to Welham green and the bway that runs behind Hatfield house down to essenden….. its a wiggly loop! Also check out the Herts way that takes you into Wormley via Goffs oak , qwerty off of here showed me that from Trent park. Happy to show you some bits when it’s a little less moist.

Time to get the OS out.

Whole network of parks, paths, bridal ways & spaces linking up Forty Hall, White Webb’s, Hilly Fields, Rectory Farm, Cattlegate Farm, Trent Park, Monkden Hadley. All used to be my doorstep riding when we lived in Enfield, perfect for SSCX. Easy to get to from High Beech via, Mott Street, Gunpowder Mills, Enfield Lock, The Dell.

It’s not far from Cattlegate into Wormley Woods either, as you probably know.

If starting from Enfield then ride the bits qwerty says – and keep going north til you hit Jones Road in Goffs Oak, then along Newgate Street Road and straight across at the end into the woods.

You’ve never ridden Broxbourne/Wormley Woods before Kryton?

You’ve never ridden Broxbourne/Wormley Woods before Kryton?

I haven’t. Clearly I need to follow every ones advice above (thank you). I’m in Enfield Lock so know my across to White Webbs and Trent park but thats where it ends. I know the roads around Newgate St but not the off road. Looks like I need a day where I can play about about and discover a decent loop.

Senor J thanks for the offer, I’d be keen to do that sometime, either on the Gravel bike or MTB.

I haven’t been to Wormley/Broxbourne Woods in a few years, not since the bushcraft camp restricted access into the woods. Also moved job so based in London rather than in Hertfordshire

Great riding up there. You could also do the canal all the way from Luton where the source is. It’s a nice day out

Would also be interested in tagging along @senor-j .

Me to, if organising something. Happy to do a bit of route planning also if that helps – ridden bits of the list above, but not all and not as an epic loop.

Monkden Hadley’s a nice add on to Trent Park, exit TP @ Cockrosters entrance, past The Cock Inn and into the woodsy Singletrack down & over railway line, then singletrack besides the brook up towards the cricket pitches @ Barnet 👍

I haven’t.

Well you’re in for a treat, but don’t make a judgement based on what it’s like in the winter slop – it’s waaaay better in the dry.

Also interested in a group ride. I’m at the top of the northern line. Have ridden lots of bits here but not joined it up into a single ride

Crikey. It seems as though I’ve been missing out loads of good stuff North East of me.

And a Spring ride to origami she betwwen us as well!

Happy to show some bits .
I’ll resurrect this thread after the festivities(in Cumbria from 27dec) to see if some of our schedules will permit a ride.
I work an early shift and with the arrival of “play dates” can be quite flexible with times/days to ride… 🙂

I used to live in high Barnet by the hospital now Potters Bar based.
Used to ride down through the woods at monkey Hadley past Jack’s Lake and up into trent Park, its no enduro world series loop but was definitely better that sat on the sofa!
I’d be up for a locals ride if something gets organised

I found a tiny little section where someone had built jumps next to a path by the railway line near Brookmans Park. It was very short but someone had clearly put some work into it.

My normal off road ride with my local mate (who’s now done his neck in so we won’t be doing this for a while) is to meet up in monkey hadley and then do a loop of trent park, then back through monkey hadley home. As you say it’s not technical or long but it’s better than nothing and still fun

There is also a cheeky footpath loop round Totteridge/Mill Hill, good in the evenings as there is no one on it

Beyond Epping?

That’s Harlow.

You must never go there.

Enfield Lock brings back memories, I did my apprenticeship at the RSAF, I’m a bit further out at Bishop’s Stortford now. The bridleways out here are thick mud/clay, the geared bikes are away for the winter and it’s singlespeed time.

How about heading up towards Crews Hill and taking the track under the M25 to Goffs Oak. Through Wormely Woods down to the old Ermine Street track and through to Hertford Heath. A bit more road through to Ware, there’s loads of bridleways out the back of Ware to put a loop in then home via the river from Roydon. Depends how far you want to go.

Bing maps has an OS layer which is handy for general route planning, or if you’ve a GPS get someone to make a route for you (or do it yourself).

Beyond Epping?

That’s Harlow.

You must never go there.

Very true!

Regularly go past the entrance to the Bushcraft place (Monks Green), but at this time of year a lot of trails in that neck of the woods are a boggy quagmire. When it dries out, it gets fast and loose with all the gravel around.

Count me in for a ride at some point.

track under the M25

I’ve ridden under that overpass so many times but don’t recall a track, but then again wasn’t looking. I think I can go all the way through the Brook, through Hilly fields Park and the small woods there to the bottom of Crews Hill road. Any way of getting to that overpass without having to do the road section?

The track with the M25 underpass runs from the corner at crews hill all the way to Jones road in goffs Oak.

You only need to do a short road bit from whitewebbs to get to it.

Have a butchers on Google satellite view.

I never ride Wormley Broxbourne hailbury at this time of year. Way too muddy.its faster uphill than down 🙂

I live in the Goffs Oak area and have ridden trails throughout Hertfordshire and Essex for years and I have a decent catalogue of trails I can string together with minimal road sections that can be tailored to weather conditions and target distance. I am happy to share what I know and we could probably compile a great ride for the New Yaer.

It would be good to organise a ride out.

I’ve finally recovered from my new year lurgy and have the weekend of 9/10 feb 2019 family free, so if anyone fancies a “not as sloppy as it normally is” xc/cx ride ,let me know. I can be flexible with times. tbh I’ll probably be on a cx bike as there is a bit of road between some of the off road bits. ( & Koogia & Jedi are right about the mud in the best places for MTBing)
Happy to set off from either High Barnet (I normally blat up the a1000 towrds potters bar tbh) or trent park and do a wiggly loop featuring some of the bits mentioned up there..takes me about 3 – 3.5 hours in my very slow Z2 . ha.

I could do the 9th and meet you in Trent Park…

What time on the 9th? I could potentially meet you guys if it’s earlyish in the morning. Have a family party in the afternoon that I need to be back for

Great. Sat 9 February at the cafe in the main car park @trent park, What time is best for you Ben? 830? Or earlier/later?

Can’t join on 9th but hopefully another time. Aiming for a steady 80km of tow path, bridleway, lanes etc (avoiding mud) this Saturday.

Thanks J, 0830 should be good with me if it’s good with Kryton.

If you’re riding past Whetstone to get to Trent Park I can meet you somewhere like outside Boots at 0800 seeing as that’s right by where I live

I’ll be on a rigid MTB rather than a CX/gravel bike, so will go from slow off road to even slower on road!

08:30 is good for me – I’ll bring a HT MTB.

Brilliant. Should be dirty.
🙂

You chaps still OK for Saturday morning?

Hello.
I’m still game – I had a little play out yesterday afternoon – it’s been worse!
Was thinking of going over to Monken Hadley , bit of Great North Way for a bit of North Mimms park , up to Welham Green onto Woodside ,down to Essenden , up to Little Berkhampstead,Epping green ,Wormley and back via Goffs Oak and Crews Hill. Any good? Loads of options to bail if you get fed up. 🙂

Btw @ two wheels – let’s know when you are around, perhaps your 80k could be good for less moist conditions. 🙂

Sounds good J. Is Trent Park cafe the best place to meet still? Happy to meet in Monken Hadley too if that’s where we’re heading

I’m out, sorry.

No worries kryton.
Ben , how about whetstone Boots at 815?

Perfect, see you there at 815

You’ll be bumping into the London Phoenix Saturday ride if you hang around there to long – tell them I said hi!

Oh god no. They’re the ones who normally don’t speak,seem quite serious and are rather quick!
😉