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Looking for riding area suggestions as I am bored! (riding wise). I live in Ringwood and basically have not ridden since a short tour last summer, partly because of time and partly because of boredom. The last time I had some good fun riding / mucking about that was not a big ride somewhere decent was up Surrey / hills or Bracknell forest way on some fun swooping trails little jumps e.t.c so I'm looking for stuff like that, but closer. I don't have time to drive 1.5 hours in each direction, I'd rather save the driving time up and drive to Wales / Devon for a big w/e! Ideally 30 min drive radius.
Areas I've ridden locally.
New Forest: Boring as ****, flat as ****.
Moors Valley country park. Done this a few times after work with some friends. Ok for a after work blast with friends. Flat , nothing challenging.
Isle of Purbeck. I have some nice XC routes around there, some decent elevation but that is not what I fancy atm tbh. I always end up doing variations of the same bridleway routes, maybe there is more in this area? Take a while to get there too, so not so good for evening blast.
Wild / Dorset borders. I've plotted out an ridden a route somewhere around the wilts / dorset borders (Shaftsbury ish) before but can't remember where exactly, took in some woods with some good topology to see if I could find some little cheeky trails built somewhere but nothing.
I've heard that there are some trails in Wareham forest but have not seen any when walking around there, maybe I was walking around the wrong area? seemed deadly flat again.
I know the area is pretty flat but Bracknell Forest is pretty flat but manages to fins some elevation to have some fun on!
northern bit of the NF is hillier than the south
... but it still isn't the alps
... by quite a big margin
I'm not expecting the alps! I ride rigid to make the most of the rough stuff down here.
I believe good trail building can do a lot with a little but there needs to be an active community, I don't mind helping where I can but I hate riding in large groups.
The north of the Forest is about the only area that I have heard of locally that I have not tried. QECP looks good but best part of an hour away.
Puddletown is decent , Swinley isn't too far away is it?
Puddletown. There are bucket loads of trails there.
howsyourdad1 - Member
Puddletown is decent , Swinley isn't too far away is it?
That's what I was calling Bracknell forest, just could not remember the name. It's well over an hour unless you are seriously motoring it, which in my van I will not be! Takes me nearly 1.5hr more or less. Makes it much too far for an evening and even for a afternoon, spending 3 hrs driving for 2-3 hours riding is a bit much.
Hob Nob - Member
Puddletown. There are bucket loads of trails there.
Not tried puddle town. I thought that was just some pay for uplift DH style track?
There are plenty of wooded areas within 30 min of me with a half decent elevation I was hoping for some tips a bit closer. There is defiantly potential up nr Shaftesbury e.t.c
Wareham forest is ok but not much singletrack.You could come up to Tidworth they have those downhill tracks.Built by the Tidworth freeriders.
Puddletown not pay for uplift, it's trails through the forest, some really great stuff. You may have been thinking of uk bike park that has now closed
Loads of cheeky trails in wareham forest.not much elevation but they make the best of them.plenty of Singletrack to be had and loads of fun.puddletown well worth a visit lots of good descents roots and off camber with the odd jump and then just winch back up on the fire roads.some big stuff there as well.
Sounds like puddletown is the one to make the effort for. Thanks
Basically, you should move.
Shaftesbury is a moshpit sept-may and as such fairly useless.
Puddletown/Wareham forest
There's a little bit around St Catherine's hill
Or link together some stairs in the centre of town, the common behind the uni, branksome chine, along the beach and meyrick park perimeter trail.
Scienceofficer - Member
Basically, you should move.
I'd love too. Unless you are into sailing this is a pretty boring area to live.
M1llh0use - Member ...
I did find Shaftesbury is a mud pit. It reminded me of the Ridgeway during the winter.
I know. It's where I come from.
Puddletown is okay. Swinley better imo. Qecp and surroundings is best in the area imo. Blandford was good. Lordswood in soton is my local. Pretty good when it dries out if you ride fast. I like moores valley the faster you ride the harder it is.
Crow Hill is used for a round of the Southern XC series.
Crow hill is private. Watchmoor is being redeveloped at the moment (east side of moors valley near bakers hanging) but is a tiny area. There's plenty more singletrack in moors valley, try heading north a bit. All a bit cheeky though, and not exactly trail centre stuff. Otherwise everything I can think of is covered above.
There's plenty of amazing natural riding though, or you could get a fat bike and explore all the beaches!
I'm off to swinley today.
Try hooking up with Dorset Rough Riders they do a variety of routes
There's Melbury Abbas Downhill MAD, and a 'killer loop' around Salisbury plain. I have lived in this part if the world on and off for a long time and usually go to the quantocks/Exmoor/Wales for a proper fix of mountain biking.
[quoteSwinley better imo. Qecp and surroundings is best in the area imo.
I like swinley and need to check out qecp but they are just a little too far.
Just found out the pump track at watch moor woods had been revamped, will be checking it out over the weekend...