So a new job has prompted a move from North Wales to south of Cambridge. The only real disadvantage (apart from the cost of houses) is the lack of mountain biking. What’s the nearest place for some decent mountain biking? My normal riding is trail-centre riding, and the odd enduro race. I enjoy non-trail-centre riding so long as there are some fun descents.

What’s Chicksands like these days (haven’t been for 10 years)? Anything there for the non-DJ crowd? I don’t mind getting my wheels off the ground a bit but I’m certainly not one for big air.

Any decent riding in the Chilterns? Anywhere else within a couple of hours’ drive?

I’ve resigned myself to the majority of my riding being on the road bike (which is fine), but don’t mind travelling for some decent mountain biking every now and then.

? Thetford Forest ?

A gravel bike might be your best friend, link up bridalways with road, I’d have thought you could do some nice loops that way.

There’s some half-decent trails at Thetford – nothing to test you as such, but they are good for a blast round. There’s a couple of waymarked routes and loads of off-piste stuff.
Depending on whereabouts you are going to be, you can get to the car park at Brandon in <40mins.

KingsLynn MTB have recently done a good job of reviving the Thetford Winter series races, as well as holding a 6hr enduro in September at Shouldham Warren.

Sherwood Pines isn’t too far away, nor Cannock Chase – although it’s all a drive away, rather than being on the doorstep.
You can get to the Peak district in 2 and a bit hrs.

Chicksands is OK and has a bit of singletrack, but not a lot. Funnily enough, having not been there for probably 6 or 7 years, I am going this Saturday for a mooch about.

I live on the Cambs/Lincs border & work nr Cambridge. The lure of a gravel/adventure bike is growing stronger, it has to be said!

You’re not a million miles from Woburn or Chicksands.

I live in Rutland/Lincs/Northants borders and there’s not much other than the trails we find, cheeky little link ups, and loops around the puddle (Rutland Water), but it’s all quite pedestrian.

Having lived south of Cambridge for many years I can tell you it is probably the worst place in the country for mountainbiking. In fact its the worst place in the country for pretty much everything outdoorsy. Even when I lived in central Birmingham I had better access to trails!

Your best bet is probably M11, M25, Surrey Hills or Swinley.

Prepare to get very familiar with a road bike and headwinds

Get a gravel / cross bike. It’s great fun for plotting out 30-40 miles loops of bridleways to ride in the evenings as you don’t feel like you’re wasting time riding a big bike round the edges of fields. Different mindset, still a lot of fun.

I spent a few months near Huntington and yes the highest hill for miles around is the bridge over the A1.

I now live in Reading and TBH after years of putting bikes in cars to drive anywhere I’ve concluded that actually a 4 hour ride on the gravel bike (often to Swinley or the Chilterns where I could have taken an MTB) was actually more fun than an hour packing the car and driving each way and a 2 hour ride. I still do that, just not as often as I used to. Save the MTB for weekends away (and if you’ve been frequently riding 30-40 miles on evening rides then weekends away riding really can be a weekend away riding, not just a 40 mile half day on Saturday and then knackered on Sunday!

Get yourself either a XC bike, or a gravel bike, then you too can ride byways like this:

Alternatively, as has already been mentioned, High Lodge at Thetford Forest, or a longer drive to places that actually have a change of altitude.

P.S. I’m out to the South East of Cambridge, on the way to Haverhill as the crow flies. There’s plenty of bridleways and byways that you can link up, check out RoW Maps for where they are.

Wakerly is okay when its dry, Woburn is a laugh. You’ll have to drive for anything good.

I thought Kent was bad for local mtb but Cambridge must be one of the worst areas in the UK.

Still, you’re only 2.5hrs from the peak district… Vs 4hrs from Kent. 🙄

Norfolk is worse! Trust me – at least you’re relatively close to something. Everything for us is quite a drive.

There’s some half-decent trails at Thetford – nothing to test you as such, but they are good for a blast round. There’s a couple of waymarked routes and loads of off-piste stuff.
Depending on whereabouts you are going to be, you can get to the car park at Brandon in <40mins.

Sherwood Pines isn’t too far away, nor Cannock Chase – although it’s all a drive away, rather than being on the doorstep.

None of these places are worth the drive to get there. (IMO of course!) They are ok if you are nearby, but prepare for disappointment if you are used to Welsh riding. (Although, weirdly, I have a soft spot for Thetford on the gravel bike.)

Get yourself either a XC bike, or a gravel bike, then you too can ride byways like this:

Looks like the average busy trail center this time of year?

The advantage of a cross bike it you can pretty much ride that the same wet or dry and the other 95% of the ride is probably fine (and if it’s not, get better at picking routes).

There’s Twisted Oaks in Suffolk (Ipswich), but I haven’t had a chance to visit yet. Seems to get very good reviews though

Hmm, not really interested in a gravel bike ATM. I’d rather stick to the road bike for local riding and do some ‘proper’ mountain biking on the odd day, even if that requires driving further.

Will be based near Hinxton, so the Peaks is more like a 3 hour drive. The Chilterns are significantly closer, so was hoping there may be something there. I know there’s Aston Hill (Wendover) – is there anything a bit less DH-y around there?

Surrey hills are a reasonable option – where should I be looking around there?

Wakerly is okay when its dry, Woburn is a laugh. You’ll have to drive for anything good.

Walkerly scar tree is closed and forestry have no intention of repairing the trails after logging so it’s not likely to open again.

Around Peaslake for the Surrey hills option.

Hadleigh Park is also an option

Broxbourne Woods and Epping Forest have woodsy singletrack but not really steep donwhilly stuff

I thought Kent was bad for local mtb but Cambridge must be one of the worst areas in the UK.

Depending where you were in Kent there is some okay riding hidden away eg round Canterbury was some decent riding through some of the reserves including some nice hidden modified sections.
For OP: Depends on far south of Cambridge you are. Got various bits hidden away around potters bar->hertford-st albans but not sure I would bother driving out to it. Very limited on the descents though but okay if you like rooty singletrack.

stumpy01 – cambridge to sherwood pines is more than 100 miles each way so 2hrs riding would require about 5hrs driving.
Peak district about 3hrs each way so only worth doing if OP stays overnight.

Hmm, not really interested in a gravel bike ATM. I’d rather stick to the road bike for local ridin

Think of it like road riding, but with nicer roads. Not Cambridgeshire here, but similar topography, a typical 30 mile loops has 900ft of climbing! Even just stuff like green lanes and farm tracks give a bit of a distraction from the headwinds!

Living in that part of the world I feel your pain! I moved out here from central-ish London and it’s actually worse in many ways as it makes the likes of Swinely/Surrey Hills that much more of a schelp and doesn’t feel like it brings anything else particularly closer.

I don’t have much to add as most options have been mentioned.

Chicksands is great but small (though lines do evolve/grow relatively actively). There are some more trails in the wood surrounding the bike park, they were getting pretty unloved but I think there has been some more recent work on them. Joining a Brink shop ride would probably be the best way to discover things.

Woburn – the best riding in the ‘area’ by far in my opinion. Avoid the jump park and try and access some local knowledge. There is some great stuff.

Thetford – Be prepared to pedal! I really enjoy days out there but that’s more because it’s great day out with the kids rather than the quality of trails. That’s not saying the trails aren’t good – it’s just they are the polar opposite of ‘winch and plummet’ which may or may not be a good thing.

Hadleigh Park. Only went once when they were doing guided/instructed rides before it was open to the public. Bikes were broken, people were broken, ambulances were summoned. I presume it got toned down since then but definitely worth checking out for curiosity if nothing else.

Twisted Oaks Bike Park
Phoenix Cycleworks Bike Park
Not had a chance to check them out myself but worth a look.

I presume there is a Cambridge Uni MTB club? Maybe see if they know anything else local.

Grew up in Saffron Walden and then moved to Linton for a while before moving away. Had family in Ashdon until 5 years ago.

It really is terrible for mountain biking. Forget local off road in winter as its all pretty much like K1100t’s pic and very clay claggy mud (@K1100t I bet that pic is the roman road – horrible in winter). In summer, once dry there are local bridleways and footpaths East of Hinxton going over to Hadstock/Ashdon, North up to The Magog ridge and Linton. Its more gravel bike country though and you can work out some reasonable local routes. Dont dismiss until you try it.

Newdales cycle shop in Saffron Walden might give you ideas for local routes. Think the owner is Ashdon based

Edit: yeah that is the Roman road. You can use it to link up Borley wood and the footpaths round the water tower above Linton

Otherwise, used to do day trips to the Peak once a month to get a proper fix and there is Epping to the south and Chilterns to the west. Always found Thetford a bit dull as so flat, even on a singlespeed.

frankconway

stumpy01 – cambridge to sherwood pines is more than 100 miles each way so 2hrs riding would require about 5hrs driving.
Peak district about 3hrs each way so only worth doing if OP stays overnight.

Yeah, I suppose so. I still think of myself being ‘near Cambridge’ but I’m an hour up the road.
Sherwood Pines is about 90 mins for me & Hope is around 2hrs 20.

Until my daughter arrived, we used to regularly drive decent distances for a day’s riding. Sherwood/Hope/Hayfield was relatively often, as was the odd trip to Cwm Carn & BPW. If you leave early & get a full day’s riding in, I’m not sure it’s such a big deal. OK, you might struggle at Sherwood – but an all-dayer in the Peak district is definitely worth an early start & a few hrs sat in the car for, IMO.
Of course, it depends on what local riding is available.

Thetford, hadleigh, epping, phoenix, twisted oaks, Woburn, chicksands.

I don’t bother with peaslake personally. Once I am driving that far I head to Cannock or the peak District.

an all-dayer in the Peak district is definitely worth an early start & a few hrs sat in the car for, IMO.

This! May seem a lot of effort now, but wait until have lived there for a year…

@Andy how did you guess… 🤣 Heading East towards the turning up the Balsham. Normally about two and a half minutes of effort, took me twenty two minutes the other weekend to push, drag, clean, drag, and swear my way along it; granted I did have bike packing kit on the bike, but still…

I keep forgetting, as I’m not really a jumps kind of rider, but Phoenix Cycleworks Bike Park that @timmys mentioned is due to re-open shortly after a massive amount of work over the winter.

I’ve been trying to stop there for coffee on my longer rides recently, really nice folks.

@K1100t I used to live just down the hill. Riding that bridleway in winter was horrible. Good Sloes in the hedges though.

@Andy I’ve lived round these parts for thirteen years, I can’t remember that bit being anywhere near as bad as it is this year. See also the byway out the back of Weston Green, totally trashed… 😢

I moved from Bristol to East Cambs 7 years ago. At first the road biking was a novelty but the headwinds and constantly pedalling with no freewheeling on any ride under 40 miles has killed it. For MTB Thetford is OK but only if you’re fit and ride full throttle everywhere. Ride at anything less and it’s boring, again there’s no freewheeling. I usually ride there on the Gravel bike now and get the train home.
Woburn is the best local option. Everywhere else is a ballache, I’ve not gone anywhere decent for 4 years since the eldest arrived and having the whole day out was vetoed. Sob

Qtip working at the Sanger?

Lived there for 8 years , I’ll never go back, London had far better access to mtbing!

Even thetford is a bit of a drag, but worth it just to get out on the bike.

Woburn: lonslade trail +church side , link up to rushmere red will get you 30k +, chicksands red + a play in the bike park, Aston hill is fun

But honestly regular trips to the peaks, or Wales , is your best bet find a club that organises them.

cogwomble
Wakerley is okay when its dry, Woburn is a laugh. You’ll have to drive for anything good.

Wakerley scar tree is closed and forestry have no intention of repairing the trails after logging so it’s not likely to open again.

True in that it won’t reopen in it’s current/previous guise as an official FE MTB facility, but the end of the harvesting will deffo not be the end of MTB at Wakerley.

Qtip working at the Sanger?

Close – working at the EBI. I worked for a year at the Sanger before, so I’m well aware of the need to travel for mountain biking.

I don’t mind a fair bit of driving for a decent day of riding – with 2 kids under school age I only get the chance to go mountain biking every month or two. We currently live on Anglesey, so most decent mountain biking is 1.5-2 hours drive away despite being in North Wales. Was just wondering if there’s anywhere worth exploring that’s a bit closer than the Peaks.

I think Peaslake might be my first port of call, unless anyone can give some good Chilterns suggestions.

What’s Cannock Chase like these days? I’ve only been once, many years ago.

True in that it won’t reopen in it’s current/previous guise as an official FE MTB facility, but the end of the harvesting will deffo not be the end of MTB at Wakerley.

I know the wheelers and a few of the other local groups will still be riding it and making trails, but as soon as it stops being an official facility, the issue you end up with is that the next bout of logging activity doesn’t really care much for the work you’ve put in, and you’ve another few months of on-going repairs of all your hard work again.

Of course, like most people, I’ll still be pissing about in the woods when I can 🙂

Get an OS map. You can make some quite decent rides out of the bridleways if you try.

Nothing super technical but much better than sitting indoors feeling sorry for yourself.

Sign up for the Tour of the Cornfields in September, that will give you some good starting points.

There is also the #Fenduro events which I keep missing but they look pretty epic.

We currently live on Anglesey, so most decent mountain biking is 1.5-2 hours drive away despite being in North Wales.

😀

You managed to live in the only part of Wales with no decent MTBing!

Qtip. Welcome to EBI. There are mountain bikers there but all the nearby trails are doable on a gravel bike. Saying that, a few of us in campus are running 27.5 x 2 tyres so pretty much there.
I’m off site this week but PM me and I can point you in the direction of people who can offer better advise.
Alternately you could join the campus Strava and post some questions.

Cheers plumble. I’m not starting down there for a couple of months, but good to know there’s some fellow bikers around.

It all depends on what you define as proper mountain biking.

As you drive West the chilterns start at Hitchin. A guy I work with rides with a club based out of Hitchin. There are lots of gravel tracks between Hitchin and Luton. Not the best mountain biking but just about mountain biking.

Chick sands has lots of lines in a small area. Like a tiny trail centre. West again round me are Bridleways with some single track and the sustrans route under Cranfield. This can be linked from chicksands or Woburn.

The Woburn Rushmere area is a gem. As good as good as it gets round here. It holds up ok most winters

The Chilterns get better west of Dunstable and improves towards Princes Risborough. On summer I really like this area. It’s not technical but the trails go up and down with nice views

Im near cambridge , i grew up in bottisham and now live in the linton area. i ride chicksands once or twice a month, i also visit danbury , woburn and twisted oaks . thetford sucks but there is some better stuff on the brandon side .

pheonix cycleworks in kentford is a fun place to visit too with a good shop they are currently re building the area outside the shop. im not sure if they are reworking the quary side too ( opening again around easter) . apart from that the riding is crap unless you travel quite a distance , rogate is 2 hrs from me, FOD is 3.5hrs for example.

there is a couple of decent pumptracks now though , one in trumpington and one in haverhill . so get yourself a jump bike

Isn’t there a bit of riding down in the Goggs? Also, there are some decent hill-type trails near Royston and around the Heydon Grange golf club, but I am not sure how official these are.

I used to live just west of Cambridge and used to go either west to Chicksands/Cardington Woods, north to Cannock or east to Thetford or Tunstall/Tangham. Those last ones are a bit flat though. And full of strange people.

Also, there are some decent hill-type trails near Royston and around the Heydon Grange golf club

As a Royston resident, I’d be grateful if you could expand, as “decent hill-type trails” sounds a notch up from what I have ever found!

To add some tiny content – there’s a decent BMX track in Royston.