Thetford or somewhere else?

Got a meeting in Peterborough on Friday morning and I always like to chuck the bike in the car when away from home. Is it worth the journey (bout 90min acording to aa routefinder)over to Thetford for a 2hr thrash around? Never been riding there before and always like to try something new and different. Otherwise I’m working in Nottingham on Thursday and a regular run around Sherwood is always fun, which is my other option. Bear in mind I drive down from Newcastle for these meetings, so I’ve a fair drive back home. (only to go to Liverpool next day for a mates stag!)

Clipstone is local to me so it’s really easy for me to get bored of it but I’d rather do that than Thetford. All credit to the place, given what it’s got to work with, it’s well done but it’s really not going to light anyones fire if they’re ridden more “serious” trail centres.

Hopefully, someone local to Thetford will come along in a second and tell you about some secret stuff that makes it worthwhile. If you can only do one of the two, I’d say Clippo.

To be honest, I’m not to bothered about how good/bad a place is I just like to ride. I get to Nottingham about twice a month and never miss a chance to ride there (not that its anywhere near Nottingham really), I always feel good after a run out there. Just wanted to tick the box being relatively close to (Thetford)it. Plus I’m going down in work time, and if it don’t light the fire I won’t bother with it in my own time!

Thetford is OK, and if you are there you may as well give it a go. It’s not as good as Sherwood, and gets even more muddy in the wet, but if its a choice between riding or not riding…

ill probably get hammered for suggesting this on a hardcore mtb forum but if you just want a ride nr p’boro
a gentle pootle round rutland water is ok in a totally unchallenging way
just nice scenery and a couple of good country pubs
there i’ve said it!

Just a thought, if you’re considering 90mins from P’boro to try Thetford (don’t, unless you’re into XC race training), why not take a 25min detour from M1 J29 and try the Dark Peak on your way back?

When Her Majesty insisted that I leave my family and work in England I spent quite a bit of time on Grafham and Rutland Waters pitting my wits against rainbow trout (and losing oft times). There were loads of people on MTBs whenever I went. This was before I was into biking. Come to think of it, some of the fisherman’s paths I walked around Grafham would probably make quite nice and even techy singletrack rides. You’d probably upset someone mind, leaving the beaten track and all that.

Rutland is an option if you just want to ride. I live a few miles from Peterboghorror and sometimes use it as a bit of a training ride. It’s fairly undulating (but not hilly) and nothing at all taxing. Similar to canal path trails really.

Peterborough to Thetford is about 1hr 20 mins (i generally get there once a week). Best route is get on the A47 through Thorney to Guyhirn, then left to Wisbech and then right on the A1122 to Downham Market and onto Stradsett. Turn right onto the A134 and then finally onto the A1065 at Mundford to Brandon. Once in Brandon you’ll go over a level crossing. Carry on to the traffic lights, turn left and then follow signs for Brandon Country Park. It’s free to park, whereas high lodge will cost you about £5. There’s a tea room there and most of the unmarked trails go from there. Or you can follow the blue trail (back out of the car park and across the road) which will lead you over to High Lodge where you can pick up the red and black (which aren’t really red or black, but fun nonetheless).
The hidden trails are much better than the routes, but it might be a bit of a chore finding them to be honest, although a lot of them are fairly obvious due to the winter race series.

If you don’t fancy those country roads to get there, you can always go A1/A14/A11 – will take a little longer, but much easier to navigate.

An alternative would be to go to Cannock Chase and do a few laps there? Or as already mentioned, a bit of a detour and your in the Peak district for a bit of a ride.

Rutland is OK for a ride with the wife. I moved back to Stamford recently and have done Rutland a couple of times. The purchase of the OS map for rutland water showed a lot of bridelways west of the reservoir. So today, with the sun shining and the wife at the ideal home exhibition with her mum, I set off to try some of them out.

It was certainly fun but not in the normal way! The bridelways were incredibly boggy and the first bit of downhill I got to was nothing more than a swamp! I was pissing myself laughing.

There’s nothing mega technical but the bridelways do get you away from it all and the Rutland countryside is amazingly beautiful. It’s gonna take a while to clean the bike tho!