Riding in Essex – near wickford/billericay area, please help

Hi guys,

Saw an old thread from last year about starting a mtb club up in the area, has this happened at all?

I'm basically looking to ride a lot more over the summer with my free time now my exams are over but I have no idea where the good stuff is. Me and my buddy had a blast around Langdon hills today which was the best riding we have found around here 😳

Transport wise I'm limited to cycling and trains until I put my hand in my pocket for insurance.

Any tips and hints would be great!

Cheers

Sparx

There are some good trails and some fairly large jumps around Danbury (near Chelmsford)

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=310441

For more technical riding, Aston Hill is about an hour and a half in a car. Always good for an afternoon.

These chaps have started marking some of the bigger riding spots in the region:
http://www.essexhertsmtb.co.uk/riding_spots.php

There are loads of smaller trails, bridleways, woods and so on though. Go exploring! (and post any good trails you find…) 🙂

Have family in wendover so will try and spend some time at aston this summer.

will go and give the guys at essexherts a shout see if there are any locals.

cheers

I used to go over to Laindon Hills but that was 20+ years ago. It's probably a car park now.

i live in the south green/great bursted area

thorndon park isnt too bad, about 4.5 miles from south green on the back roads,ie' dunton rd, botany rd, not the a127, allthough its better in the week as its busy at weekends
danbury is pretty good but a fair distance away, otherwise just explore the bridleways behind barlylands going towards hanningfield res,
if you go down cox's farm rd off southend rd when the road bends left theres a dirt rd on the right turn on thr dirt rd and thers a bridlway about 100yards on the left, follow that, not epic but ok for a quick blast/pootle and if you keep your eyes peeled theres a few hidden play spots dotted about

Thats great, thanks Khani. Going to check out thorndon tomorrow and have a scout around the bridleways. Best invest in a few explorer maps!

cheers

if you go down cox's farm rd off southend rd when the road bends left theres a dirt rd on the right turn on thr dirt rd and thers a bridlway about 100yards on the left, follow that, not epic but ok for a quick blast/pootle and if you keep your eyes peeled theres a few hidden play spots dotted about

Looking at the map, I've ridden this a few times, but from the Ingatestone/Stock end. Did you have any trouble from the land owners? A few seemed quite hostile towards me. Nice route for a pootle though.

I've experienced some hostility around here from landowners/farmers. I think it's mainly due to the undesirables that don't live too far away 🙄 . Once they understand you’re just out for a ride most are fine.

theres loads of riding to be had…

theres quite a few large groups go out riding too, bumped into a group of about 20 over the downs the other day

regular rides here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12570060

might want to skip to the end though…

Looking at the map, I've ridden this a few times, but from the Ingatestone/Stock end. Did you have any trouble from the land owners? A few seemed quite hostile towards me. Nice route for a pootle though.

never had a problem, the only pita is when you meet a horse on the narrow bits, all the peaple i'v met have been nice and polite
EDIT i think most of the trouble was scroats (with irish accents, crays hill is not far away)) 😉 on motorbikes ripping it up but i'v not seen any for ages now, where a few years ago there were loads of em

never had a problem, the only pita is when you meet a horse on the narrow bits, all the peaple i'v met have been nice and polite

The horsey types are no problem at all as you say – nice and polite, and I think you might be right about the kiddies ragging up and down on scramblers. I hadn't realised the proximity of Crays Hill to the area!

Do many of you guys meet up for group rides at all? Or is it mainly solo riders around our way?

I hadn't realised the proximity of Crays Hill to the area!

They seemed to have quietened down recently, but a few years ago they were a right pain!

Do many of you guys meet up for group rides at all? Or is it mainly solo riders around our way?

mainly solo for me as i work a lot of weekends and early/late shifts, and get more days off in the week when everyone is at work 😕

mainly solo for me as i work a lot of weekends and early/late shifts, and get more days off in the week when everyone is at work

I'm fairly free during the week as I only currently work weekends before I head off to Uni. Don't worry I'm not some childish teenager, although I will always be a big kid at heart!

So if you ever want to go for a ride I'm always up for it, my emails in my profile. Would be great to have a bit of local knowledge.

not much local knowledgr cos i'm from manchester up until 4yrs ago
my next day off is next tuesday if you want to play out though,

I'm sure it will be better than mine! yeah that sounds good. I'll email you to sort out a time and place.

sounds good, mail in profile, whereabouts do you live?

Live in wickford, near shotgate but more than happy to ride/short train ride to meet

il send you an email on monday to sort a time/place to meet,

There are some great trails in Thorndon, but many hidden away to the casual observer.

There is a group that ride out of the LBS: Bike Trax. If you wnated to get to know the trails that would be a decent way potentially.

HTH.

Matt

You are close to Rayliegh, there's a bunch of guys ride from Grips Bikeshop in Eastwood Road on a Tuesday at 7.00pm