Off road tracks around Kenilworth!

Hi,

I recently moved to Kenilworth from the South Coast, and have yet to find somewhere to take the bike and get off road. I miss the South Downs and am feeling very un-bikefit. Finding a shop that does weekly rides would be a real bonus.

Whilst im at it, I came across an old post in here about getting back into Windsurfing, which is about where I’m at too. Just found myself a bundle of kit on ebay but am looking for suggestions on a venue. I’m going to have a look at Draycote Waters soon, and wondered if there are any Hills nearby for a pedal too.

I’m halfway through my tenancy and could look at moving closer to somewhere with good off road options and close to a decent sized lake with a sailing club. I need to be within 30 – 40 minutes commute to Whitley, and I’d prefer to be on the South side as I travel South a lot.

TIA for any suggestions.

Simon

You could try contacting Godiva Trailriders. I grew up in Leamington, and it’s a bit of a mountain biking blackhole really.

Very little. I moved from East Sussex to the area a good while ago.

Everyone who rides MTB around here told me one thing that turned out to be true: ‘The good thing about living around here is there are loads of good places to ride within a couple of hours drive’…

It’s basically roadies for miles. That and bridleways/20s of slightly downhill singletrack.

there’s not a great deal on offer…..

Head over to Ryton Pools and there’s a sort of path / route from there. There is also the old railway line from Offchurch through to Rugby / Draycote Water for a ride out. Needs a little bit of a hunt in Marton to get back onto the path after crossing the main road.

Other than that is mostly towpath 🙁

Sadly Kenilworth common is not bike friendly (unless you count Boxing day)

My couple of local loops are from Ufton using the Green lane to the canal to the disused rail track to the canal to the green lane & back. Nothing special but its OK.

The other is from the top of Edgehill. round through Rattly & Hornton. This is quite nice.

Get a map & take a look.

I live in Leamington and very often loop over to Kenilworth for mid-week rides to keep the legs turning. It’s not the Alps obviously, but there are some pleasant enough bridleway stretches.

For weekly rides, more than once weekly in fact, try RLSCC (Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club)

I go out with them once in a while but more often am dictated by work etc. They have a fast ride on a Wednesday, and a more social ride on a Thursday. Also pump track sessions and lots of roadie stuff too if you’re into it.

http://www.rlscyclingclub.com/

Kenilworth Common is off limits to bikes…..ahem..but you know, say you were to get a bit lost you might find yourself going through there now and again. Edgehill has some very steep and fairly short dh tracks, plus some nice xc loops around it. Ryton pools is a flat, family gravel ring but there are some nice woods off it, Wappenbury woods that have a bit of singletrack. If I knew how to share Strava routes I’d do it but to be honest, getting to know the RLSCC guys will introduce you to the best in the area pretty quickly.

Aside from local xc, there are quite a lot of mtb’erists around here. We have a great group of us who ride every weekend in some epic trails no more than 1.5 hoursish away. FOD off-piste, Cannock off-piste, Bringewood, Bucknell, Mortimer. It’s true above, that you’re quite central and so can get to most things but that there isn’t too much gnarr on the doorstep.

But yeah, there’s worse places to live for biking, but better ones too.

My couple of local loops are from Ufton using the Green lane to the canal to the disused rail track to the canal to the green lane & back. Nothing special but its OK.

The other is from the top of Edgehill. round through Rattly & Hornton. This is quite nice.

That’s quite a staple for me, the Green lane at Ufton etc. I did the loop you mention from Edgehill the other day in fact. Quite nice. Always get a bit lost over the vague bridleway on Shenington airfield, but apart from that, it has a nice couple of downhills in it, and of course lots of tracks when you get back to Edgehill and Sugarswell.

A couple of friends of mine lived in Leamington for a while.  Well into their mountainbiking, but also into track/lanes bashing, audax and cx too.  I’ve seen them in some Kenilworth Wheelers tops, don’t know if it’s worth getting in touch with the club to see what they do on the dirtier end of the spectrum?

You might have to embrace some skinnier wheel riding while you’re there.  I moved from North Downs/Surrey Hills to North Essex for a few years.  No mountain biking to speak of, but really beautiful countryside, lots of tracks and quiet lanes.  Great memories of long summer rides and pub stops!

<h2>http://www.kenilworthwheelers.co.uk/about/</h2>

<h2>Which Cycling Disciplines?</h2>
The club caters for all types of cyclist. On the road side we welcome everybody including novices, road racers, time triallers and triathaletes. The club also has an enthusiastic mountain bike section who orgnaise monthly rides all accross the UK.

looks like they travel for the mtbing though!

Nice story on the fb feed, too:

Some 16 or 17 years ago, when the Kenilworth Wheelers was still running races around Victoria Park in Leamington, a young schoolboy from South Wales turned up to race one Saturday. He won both schoolboy races (20 laps each) along with all three sprint primes in each race; the second race he won by lapping the whole field on his own!

This polite and modest young man certainly had some class and subsequently went on to do great things. He is still polite and modest to a fault and you’ve just seen him on the top step on the Champs Elysees in Paris. Brilliant!

ooooh

I remember the Victoria park races. That’s a very tight & narrow loop

On a visit back home last month I did notice that the 4X / pump track / BMX track thing on the Campion Hills has had some significant & positive attention…. It had turned into a real ‘one man & a spade’ thing until this recent work. Was very much needed.

Is Wappenbury Woods (officially) open to cyclists?

Is Wappenbury Woods (officially) open to cyclists?

No I don’t think there is anything official involved.

Used to live in Coventry now in Huddersfield (far better for mtb!).  Just curious is there anything Burton Dassett way?

Thanks all, some good info to have a look into I’ll have a google of the clubs.

It certainly is quite flat up here 😂