Leith Hill area – what's the best/longest descent/trail?

Went riding around Leith Hill yesterday, doing some exploring and 'sessioning' whilst the trails are nice and dry (and sandy!), was a good day out, though the midges were a bit brutal at times 🙁

Anyhoo, the best trail/descent I could put together was this: dropping down from the Tor on the really rough/steep walkers path (probably illegal?), into the big gully/bomb hole and turn right for a bit of a gentle (though rooty in places) climb, then left into some woodsy singletrack and little bombholes down to the cricket ground, turn right on to the road, then left on to the little path along the fenceline, then right to head through another really fun twisty & lumpy bombhole section to get to Deliverance, skirt along the top before a really good descent (best I've found on Leith?) along/down the hill through pine trees etc to the dirt road, turn left for more singletrack (mostly climbing though!) through pine trees that brings you out to the turn towards Summer Lightning, ride up to the entry point for this and follow through to the end of this excellent little trail. Turn right and head back up the hill to repeat (if you so desire) or continue back down the hill to The Rookery (actually, this may be the best descent I've found on Leith?).

Does this trail sequence sound familiar to Leith Hill regulars? Am I missing better things? What's your best trail in the area (if you care to share)?

Also, anyone else a bit annoyed that "they've" cleaned up the steep climb up the cutting (coming up from The Rookery)? This used to be one of my favourite tests of a bikes (and my own) climbing ability! Now it's just a steep gravel path with no 'technical' interest apart from busting your lungs to get to the top 🙁 Guess it'll degenerate over time and become 'interesting' again…

The one from near Deliverance is called Waggledance and is indeed great! When you get to the bottom, better to turn right and follow it along for a while. Really good fun! Then turn left at the end back towards Summer Lightning (Both named after beer….Yay!)

Another good one is Barry Knows Best down in to Peaslake.

What were you riding yesterday? I was out there too….!

Sounds like a good effort at linking things up…don't suppose you've got a gpx for that have you? 🙂

Best route for me was A3, M25, M40, M42, M6 and M62. Helped me get the f*ck away from Surrey!

windy willow is a fast 10mins… quite long for the surrey hills

What were you riding yesterday? I was out there too….!

What were you on good sir? I was riding my Yeti ASR-sl, not the Enduro (though did spot a 2010 Enduro, 'twas that you?)

windy willow is a fast 10mins… quite long for the surrey hills

Where's that then? 🙂

cough… still interested in the whereabouts of said 'Windy Willow' trail? And any other interesting bits I'm missing 🙂

I think the longest one is from the Tower down to Holmbury. You start by riding the singletrack down to the quarry from the tower, cross the road and go past the farm and then pick up that doubletrack all the way down to the road at Holmbury. It's very long and the doubletrack is very fast if a bit straight and dull. I expect that's a good five to ten minutes all in but it is just a big doubletrack so fast but uninteresting.

I think the link up you describe is more fun all round. There is also a really nice long steep rolling drop about 200 yards up the road from the Plough which is well worth incorporating before you hit summer lightning.

What the OP describes is my route when I go over Leith Hill way. I've not found anything better, yet. I was whooping when I popped out of the bottom of Regurgitator last weekend. The guy walking his dog along the lane gave me a look which suggested I was acting a bit weird. Little did he know 🙂

turn down the road from the plough pub toward Dorking and after a couple of hundred yards on your left you'll see a silver gate go through there and follow the singletrack off to your left – Hilarious. When you get to the bottom go straight on up the hill and you'll get to the start of Summer Lightning.

mmmm interesting. Is it worth exploring Redlands wood area and Abinger forest?

Psychle – I know exactly where you went and the route can be improved considerably by not taking the first drop down the steep walkers path.

There are a number of ways down to the valley bottom other than this. First one is to head off down the walkers path but bear left into the trees almost immediately. There are two vague single tracks down through here, with the one trending right being the better of the two.

An even better way is from the Tower to head directly away from the walkers path. Take the right hand branch of the sandy path into the woods directly away from the tower. After about 10m look on your right and try to spot the vague opening into the trees, you basically cut right at a large tree. Follow this over some small roots, small drop, tight right then drop down a bank, left, down into a hollow and follow the whoopy track over the small fallen tree and on down. When you get to the bottom, push back up the hill slightly and take the first obvious right hand fork in the trail. This then travels along on a flat level. After about 100m you should see a small track cutting in on the right, between a shrubbery and a tree. Follow this and after about 300m you'll come to an obvious area with some seriously large kickers and step downs on your left.

In this area there are now loads of way down into the valley on your right as well as the play things on your left. The best one drops down trending away from the tower, and has a very tricky gap/step down near the start that you can simply ride around. It then flows down round some cool little berms and jumps etc.

The other one trends towards the tower but starts at more or less the same place. Again, some large kickers and gaps that you can ride around.

Or from the original way in, you can simply keep on following the trail, trending slightly down and along the valley to explore the other tracks.

Once you've found your preferred way to the bottom of the valley, turn right and then after about 500m you'll end up at the bottom of the steep walkers track we were originally avoiding.

If you go from the Tower over to the Bombholes there's a trail that starts somewhere behind it the leads you through a winding twisty bombholey singletrack that eventually kicks you out on the road near Friday Street.
I'd think that'd be the longest run.

Is it worth exploring Redlands wood area and Abinger forest?

Oh yes. See the STW Meet in Surrey Hills thread as I've posted some links in there. Failing that check out Nirvana Cycles' website.

Okay thanks geetee, I've seen the Nirvana stuff and have been wondering about locations for a while. Will check the STW meet thread too.

Only trouble having only one wheel; being to slow to ride with those who know the way.

geetee – you are talking about Donnie Darko, sweet trail 8)

I would say the longest trail with probably the biggest/longest descent is from Coldharbour cricket pitch all the way to Westcott. 80% singletrack.

The longest "complete bit of singletrack" in the area is on Boxhil 😉

The longest "complete bit of singletrack" in the area is on Boxhil

I'm guessing that'll be a cheeky one then and only described in cryptic ways…you know the sort of thing like "levels off after a stile" 😉

Always thought a bit of singletrack in the Norbury Park area was of a fairly decent length.

The longest "complete bit of singletrack" in the area is on Boxhil

Are you talking about the trail that runs parallel with the descent down Juniper valley?

Juniper (happy valley) yes or Druids Grove on Norbury.
edit juniper must be 2k of 100% singletrack?

edit juniper must be 2k of 100% singletrack?

Starting to the right, at the top of the Juniper Valley BW?

yep.
http://www.youtube.com/user/MBRmagazine#p/u/14/CtZfQ7N8opc

Nice. 😀

I'd have though the longest combo would be:

Rollercoaster above Deliverance > into Waggledance > up onto Summer Lightning (especially before the end got chopped > straight into fast (fairly straight) woody singletrack > join Wolvens Lane all the way to the Rookery.

Like I say, the old SL was better IMO and made the link with the woody bit more natural.

The track down Wolvens lane I assume is the one that runs parallel to the road is that right?

Usual end of the night from leith would be

Windy willows
Valouria
Bossanova
and down a wolvens lane ST toward Wotton
Turn right halfway down which drops you out nr Wescott

That's correct Joolsburger.

Ta.

On the Wolverns singletrack, do people normally descend the last bit down to the road via the newly sanitised section or use an alternative?

Juniper (happy valley) yes or Druids Grove on Norbury.

…and there I was thinking we were being discrete given its cheeky stuff. 😉

nuke – fair game up there as no one ever about and will never see the traffic you get on leith/holmbury etc. I had to go and trim back druids last week as it was so overgrown! You have to be proper local to know a decent loop around there anyway.

there is another way down to the Rookery from Wolverns, but that is proper cheeky and I ain't saying on here…

there as no one ever about and will never see the traffic you get on leith/holmbury etc.

Yeah, true. I'm fortunate enough to get to cycle during the week so I tend to ride them when it's pretty much guaranteed there will be nobody about: did both yesterday lunchtime and didn't see a soul.

that is proper cheeky and I ain't saying on here..

Now that sounds intriguing 😀

Yep – riding up there tonight. we won't see a soul 8)

I usually park up by Leith hill but thinking of Westcott as a mate and I want to ride summer lightening all the way down and then keep going. Anyone have any details of trails from Westcott to there (and back)?

My fave is summer lightning.. hahahhah no only kidding, its pants, and getting pantier every time i ride it these days. The bit which drops off the side of section 2 isnt bad but it just feels like a cr-p copy of BKB.
fave Leith trail .. The Snake, going into whiteberry, but only when its dry.