Where to ride ‘down south’ ?

I’ve got a week off next week and the long range weather forecast is murmering that it might be sunny and dry in ‘south and east england’.

I’ve never ridden south of Yorkshire before, but have heard good things. Totally open to suggestion at the moment, so has anyone got any ideas as to where to head? Would like to be based in one spot and ride from there. I’m not a fan of ‘trail centres’, prefer more ‘au natrel’ trails in the countryside. Also, my knees are still recovering from injury, so I need to ride slightly smoother trails (roots are fine, as is rocky / gravelly etc but big step ups / drop offs are not so good) and probably won’t be able to manage 50 mile epics!

I asked the same question last year and was reccomended the quantocks ( south west but its all down south) – which I found very good if rather different to Scotland. You need a local to show you the best bits tho – I just followed sharki around but I think he is still out of action.

dorset/purbecks is good and scenic without being technical, lots of cream teas too 🙂

Purbecks should be on your list, you could also spend the day out over lulworth cove, durdle door area walking, swimming, camping etc fingers crossed for the weather..

well you have…

Thetford (Suffolk/Norfolk border)
North downs running from Surrey into Kent
South downs running from Winchester to Eastbourne/Brighton

all the above will give you 50 mile epics 😉

Woods behind Nationwide in Swindon?

Swinley Forest should definitely be on your “to bag” list 😉

http://www.bobmbc.com/swinley.htm

If the weather is good then it’s worth spending a day on the IoW, not ‘rad’ or ‘gnarly’ but a nice place to visit if you’re down that way….

this is an extension of a local ride which I do…

<http://www3.hants.gov.uk/whitchurch.pdf&gt;

The loop I usually ride includes the Wayfarers section from 14 to 21, where I head back to Newbury down from ladle hill through Burghclere. So this ride is an extra bit I need to check out and see what it’s like.

Kev

what’s up with the linky then ?

<http://www3.hants.gov.uk/whitchurch.pdf&gt;

Grrr..

Watership Down Ride

Yes TJ, last weekend i was very much out of action..

Sue.
Best ridin darn south is to the west, ie, quantocks and Dartmoor.

Tox are a total mix with nothing too technical, heard it called natures trail centre from one mag, review.
Dartmoor can be more epic with more technical trails, ie, grantite drops step ups, etc.

Both offer great varity.

If you come down for a visit, a QED ride would be recommended, with Exmoor put in the mix.

RudeBoy – Woods behind Nationwide in Swindon?

ha ha ha.
why not somewhere in wales? its not just trail centres over there.

You’ve a week off so are journeying down to the south-east for riding? From Yorkshire? Dear God, why? I mean, with Scotland and Wales so close, and with so much time…

Dear God, why?

Maybe OP doesn’t share your prejudices and wants to experience a different type of riding 😉

Good to know you are back in action Sharki.

Quantocks and Dartmoor are the two places I’d recommend. Exmoor is good too but there’s not much there that you can’t find in higher concentrations in the Quantocks and Dartmoor and the endless climbs do my head in.

Quantocks has endless, high quality singletrack, nearly all of it rideable by everyone. It just gets a bit trickier the faster you ride it. About as much fun as you can have on a mountain bike.

Dartmoor is a technical treat. Granite boulders are the predominant feature although there is a wide variety of terrain. Perhaps not quite so novice friendly although there is easier stuff if you know where to look. Highest point is 2000ft so it sure has a wild feel to it but you’re never too far from civilisation.

There is other stuff in southern England but the Quantocks and Dartmoor are definately the cream of it.

Jimbo – Member

You’ve a week off so are journeying down to the south-east for riding? From Yorkshire? Dear God, why? I mean, with Scotland and Wales so close, and with so much time…
‘cos she is thinking of following the weather?

Cheers all – lots of great sounding places – off to squirrel around the internet checking them out in more detail 🙂

Oh … and I live in Snowdonia (having previously lived in Calderdale and the west coast of Scotland) … so I know there’s great riding oop north, but I want to head south for a few reasons – the weather forecast … my injured knees making the mountains and rocks not possible at the moment … and a desire to put my prejudices firmly to one side and ride somewhere that sounds as though it would be very different but equaly fun to the riding I have here (thus feeling more like a holiday!)

Given the above places – are there any recommended guidebooks or online sources of route info?

Surrey Hills would get the nod from me.

Trouble with any of these places though is that if you don’t know where you’re going you could easily ride around on fireroads missing all the good trails.

Local guides work best for somerset and devon trails.

Nick cotton do guide books but not as exclusive as a local rider in the know.

My rates are cake and a pint in exchange for a days riding and a guaranteed wet bottom.

Sharki – “a guaranteed wet bottom” – yours or mine?

Dont give him that option 🙄

And theres nothing to see on Dartmoor, I wouldnt bother 😉

All comers get a rather moist one, unless you stay on top that is, but the fun is in the bottom.

Sue:
Good recommendations from our SW contingent ( Sharki, Trailmonkey etc. ) My only concern is what happened today and it’s immediatele effects on trails. I’m on the eastern edge of the moor, and I’ve had heavy rain all day, just about stopped now, so more or less 12 hours continuous heavy rain. Seems like it’s cloudy/showery amd more until tuesday at least. If you’re coming all that way, it might be worth really concentrating on the weather forecast and/or posting to see if anyone’s been out today/tomorrow to find out actual conditions under tyre.
just a thought

Trailmonkey, Sharki, have you been out and about today? if so what’s it like under the wheel? Have had a stream running down the lane again all day!
Q

I’ve not been out in it today, and the drizzle has only just been in for the last few hrs, but the Tox are pretty weather proof as most know, so not such a big issue for real riders 😉

I’ll give a more detailed report after my pottle tomorrow pm.

Christowkid – good point (I just caught something on the news about Devon being submerged today!). I’d probably only head down if there was a reasonable chance of some dry weather – but does it take long for the area to dry – if it’s wet all this week but then stops would it have drained by the next day or two? (Up here in Snowdonia it tends to run off pretty quickly due to steep mountains and slate – trouble is it rains so much!) If the forecast loos good closer to next week then I’ll post up again t see if I can get a heads up on the trail conditions.

Sharki – any response to comments about moist up top and wet down the bottom will only lead to innuendos 🙂 However, I will assume you are talking about the effects of geology and water run-off …

lead too……..?? they were meant as such and i should not behave that way to young ladies like you. Forgive me. 😉
But yes, most of the downs run along side their spring fed streams/rivers so at the bottom as the combes level out, the shallow streams need to be crossed, though even in deep winter they’re no deeper than several inches.

Dartmoor has it’s wet weather trails for when sustained rain has fallen, so other than exposure the riding is still great.

Quantocks is all weather.

Rudeboy – did you want a guided tour of the woods behind Nationwide?

Purbecks hold up pretty well to weather. When you coming down, mid week evenings and weekends there’s usually people about to tag along with.

Cinnamon girl seems to know every trail and track in the south, and seems to have a route for everywhere, so she could be worth contacting.

This months issue of Singletrack has Eastern Dartmoor’s best legal routes in it apparently.

Sue – normally I would love to show some Southern trails but this week is going to be a bit difficult for me. Please feel free to e-mail me (address in profile) and let me know what area you will be in. I didn’t think the weather was going to be that brilliant this week though?

rusty – thanks for the compliment! I just love exploring the countryside on my bike 😀

Only just realised you mean for next week.

I’m free all week bar early weds morning for my x ray.

Forecast at this stage, is clear through Monday with over night showers, sunshine and showers for tuesday, weds, lighter showers, with thursday being the best day before showers return late on friday.

So weds and thurs would be choice days allowing for the weekends rain to drain off the hill.

But as already said, it’s mostly free draining here on the Q’s, i’ll even promise an innuendo free guide..

Could even do a day each on both the Quantocks and Dartmoor.

My addy is in my profile if you’re interested for now or another date.

Sharki

aleigh – Member

Rudeboy – did you want a guided tour of the woods behind Nationwide?

Yes please!

The best riding I have done in the South is on Dartmoor – Surrey Hills are good too, though it took me a couple of trips to find the good stuff.

ah – by ‘next week’ I meant starting on Sunday 14th – not today / tomorrow … so, depending on the weather, I was thinking of heading south probably on Monday 15th if anyone is around then.

Looks like the Quantocks are going to be on the cards …. off to find somewhere bike friendly to stay.

Hood arms [/url]at kilve for pub based accomodation bike friendly indeed.

Parsonage farm [/url] for a basic but good B&B

Also B&B or self catering at the coach house, right next to the trails, Mary is generally always full but give her a call on 01984656224.

There are B&Bs in a nearby hamlet called Nether stowey, but unsure on the cyclist friendly ones…

Or for camping moorhouse farm

I should be able to free up some days around that week for you..

Cheers Sharki 🙂

Mornin’ all!
Sharki/sue: It’s bizzarre the thunder that hit parts of Exeter causing flash floods in the most odd places is only ‘just over the hill’ ( Haldon) from me. didn’t have any of that! Neighbour did day she heard the odd rumble, then it rained for ~ 12hrs Sharki – you were incredibly lucky with drizzle only. It’s so localised.
No wonder we’re all obsessed with weather in UK!!!!!
( well, i seem to be…..!!)

Anyway, by the following week we might be back to 27-28C of early this week!!!
cheers all
Q

it’s gonna piss down! mind you that was today’s forecast and it’s sunshine (berkshire)