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Hi,
Any recommendations near the above - not sure how ride able they will be in the gloop. May have an evening spare this week and was thinking about chucking bike in the back of the car.
Closest I could see were:
Rutland Water (closest?)
Thetford (at least 1hr 30 in the car?)
Any other recommendations? I am not sure if it is worth it, given that this week is looking like a wash out. I will be coming up from a meeting in MK earlier in the day and although I know there are options near there, not sure I fancy the long drive in the car in wet riding gear afterwards.
Rutland water is mainly gravel/tarmac paths around the reservoir - good for an evening blast training ride but not particularly engaging. I ride their fairly often to get miles in the legs...I'd park on the road by the Horse & Jockey pub and then go back up the road and left to start the loop - some of the loop can be a bit confusing which way you have to go. You can cut out the peninsula section, which is about an extra 5 miles.
Oh, and take mudguards if you have them, particularly a neoguard or Mucky Nutz thing - there are free roaming sheep and some of the trails get littered with sheep poo, which gets sprayed up liberally due to the relatively high speeds.
I wouldn't be going to Thetford if you are having to get back to Milton Keynes afterwards. It's about 1hr 20 mins to Thetford and it'll be a long drive back.
Thanks Stumpy - I am staying in the Peterborough area on the Thursday evening, driving up from MK earlier in the day, (sorry, probably not very clear). Then returning home on the Friday morning.
Without meaning to be rude, Thetford looks a bit more interesting (and waymarked), but does seem a long hike East though. I might have to be riding at night as well, due to work commitments.
I do have a mucky nutz guard and have to say they are well worth their sub £10 price, really simple idea, but so effective.
Yeah, Thetford is loads better; just depends if it's worth the drive there & back. When I go, the drive isn't too bad as I live near Peterborough, but work near Cambridge so sometimes go after work (which isn't too far) and then drive back cross country.
From P'boro I would go A47 to Wisbech, right on the A1122 to Downham Market and then right onto A134 and then right again on the A1065. That's pretty much the way I go. Park at Brandon Country Park. I think the pay&display machine is out of order at the moment, so I haven't paid for the last few times I've been and had no issues.
The waymarked trails can be picked up about 5 mins from that car park, but you have to go back over the main road and turn (almost) immediately right down a non-marked trail that splits and re-joins but generally keeps heading slightly downhill. If you keep heading in the same general direction you'll pop out on a fire road at the bottom of The Beast.
To your left will be a trail marker that takes you back up the slope you've just come down but away from the road. This is the end section of the old black route and will take you back towards high lodge pretty much where all the trails start & finish. Both trails (can't remember their names now) are designated red.
Hard to say if it's worth the drive over there, really. Just depends what your normal riding consists of.
Thetford's a fair way from MK for a night ride.
If you want an XC/tarmac bash then Rutland is OK. If you want to play around you'll be right close to Chicksands and Woburn.
Our usual local night ride spot is Fineshade and Wakerley Woods on the A43 just up from Corby (about 20 minutes from Peterborough depending on exactly where you're staying). Getting a bit sloppy in places (but then so is Thetford - I was there on Saturday), but we have a mix of Fireroad, all-weather singletrack (blue level stuff), and some nice bits of off-piste trail (but how rideable they'll actually be is another question). Usually good for an hour or two of bimbling around.
Shame it's Thursday you're interested in, as we have a regular Wednesday night ride at Wakerley.
Be aware it's very flat, but for something local to P'boro that you could probably ride to without having to drive, you could try the more outlying bits of the 'Green Wheel'. It's mainly farm tracks and country lanes - do not expect twisty singletrack - but in winter you can get a bit of riding in...however you may find it (more than) a bit boring.
You might be able to find a map or route on the Council website (I haven't looked).