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Like many others, I've been out riding much more than usual and getting a bit bored of the same local trails so looking for something new.
I use to ride at Bedgebury a lot which is a 50 min drive south for me. I mainly liked it because it's well marked out and my sense of direction is poor. But 4 laps of the red route and I get bored.
Would do Swinley but the routes are not marked well enough for me.
Are there any well signed routes in Kent that don't require a very good sense of direction? Happy with hills and challenging terrain. Just dont want to keep checking a map.
Would do Swinley but the routes are not marked well enough for me.
Plan the route in advance and follow it on a GPS unit?
Where in Kent are you? You sound fairly close to me (Maidstone) - I've recently discovered some local trails which are excellent and once you've worked out where they are they're easy to do multiple loops on.
Bedgebury is OK but I generally only ride there when it's been proper wet as there's better places, and Swinley - well I'd be driving right past Surrey hills and that's not going to happen.
Just to echo the above, it is worth looking harder for local trails. I've lived here for years and during lockdown I've been riding very locally a few times a week and I've found loads of stuff I didn't know about, and also stuff I was aware of but hadn't tried that turned out to be pretty good. I've also been working on some technique rather than just going for a ride which means I can do the same trails but it is still interesting. I think there is a tempatation to keep wanting to go to new places, and that is great, but lockdown has really helped me appreciate the local stuff.
Would do Swinley but the routes are not marked well enough for me.
I am surprised by that comment. Unless you mean the off piste stuff or just wanting to jump between sections rather than following the trails in sequential order?
What is the issue with not following arrows? I'm asking as back on the olden days, before we had trail centres and people decided they didn't need a sense of adventure (no arrows to show us where to go), we just followed our noses and found stuff that worked and other stuff that didn't.
If you are that bored with stuff on the doorstep, then go ride the stuff that isn't leading you by the hand and see what kind of routes you can find and create - it might even be more enjoyable than the waymarked stuff.
If you aren't wanting to do that, they you aren't bored enough yet! 🙂
Arrows are fine if they are there. But they often aren't and I spend so long finding out where to go it spoils the ride.
Theres lots of new trails here but they are very short and I'd have to keep stopping every 100 meters. I want a route with longer sections where I can switch off and just ride.
Swinley should be doable without a map. I haven't noticed any missing arrows but I suppose you could miss one if you weren't looking out for it. Even a lot of the off-piste stuff is easy to stumble across without looking for it. Alternatively go on a weekend and follow the hundreds of other people as it will be very busy. QECP is also fully waymarked but I imagine is quite far for you.
Surrey Hills is the obvious option but not what you are looking for with easy to find routes but you could tag-along on a group ride to get to know the area. Ride it once guided and you should be able to return self-sufficiently.
If you don't want to go looking for stuff and just want marked trails I would say just head to Wales and visit one of the many trail centres / bike parks which are now open. I would suggest visiting surrey (seems sorta local to you) but if you don't want to get lost the first few times you might not enjoy it.
Why you be stopping every 100m? Just keep riding and see where it takes you...you'll find some great stuff and you'll find stuff that you won't want to ride again, but you'll also start learning (and remembering) the area and then won't need the guidance so much.
Seriously, just go out to ride your bike and see where it takes you - don't have any decision on the ride you want, just decide length of time to be out on the bike and see where it goes...
What does Trailforks show in your area? Don't think it will do guidance but it will hopefully show any trails/routes near where you are.
Arrows are fine if they are there. But they often aren’t and I spend so long finding out where to go it spoils the ride.
Theres lots of new trails here but they are very short and I’d have to keep stopping every 100 meters. I want a route with longer sections where I can switch off and just ride.
If you want properly waymarked routes you'll be left wanting, Kent has Bedgebury, and...
I think that's pretty much it.
You'll be missing out on some fantastic trails which really aren't hard to find once you've been there once or twice.
Covert woods
Friston Forest
Ranscome reserve
Bluebell hill
If you're bored with local trails, go at night or on an inappropriate bike like a Singlespeed or pub bike. Then it feels fresh and fun again.
I could show you around Swinley or the Surrey Hills if you wish, not fast or flash.
Swinley should be doable without a map. I haven’t noticed any missing arrows but I suppose you could miss one if you weren’t looking out for it. Even a lot of the off-piste stuff is easy to stumble across without looking for it.
Swinley has SUCH a dense network of trails that it can take months of regular riding to learn it all. The waymarked stuff is easy to follow - I used to ride there regularly, hadn't been back for ages and then went with a friend who was new to MTBing and we followed it round no issues (it was all new to me since I'd ridden there). From my vague memories of the place, we also dug out some of the off-piste stuff I remembered - a few wrong turns but all good fun!
I suspect that trying to follow a GPS trail in the depths of the woods when there's 3 different route options on a descent isn't going to end well.
OP: I assume you have a GPS? Just mark the start when you ride out the car park and if you get truly lost (which is really quite difficult in Swinley) just hit the "return to start". It's a pretty safe environment to get lost - loads of people around, loads of trails, just go in and reset your mental state a bit to stop worrying so much, you won't ever be "lost". You just might not know exactly where in the forest you are but if there's a trail it's all good!
Not being facetious, but you could buy an ordnance survey map? That way even if you do get lost you can find your way back so there is a sense of security when you just ride on a whim.
I'm just stunned that it you consider something a 50 minute drive away to be local.
Bluebell Hill about a 35 min drive for me so will try that.
Friston Forest looks good. Can you ride along the coastal path there?
I have GPS so could try expoloring and using the map to return to the start. Just had the urge to go for a longer ride without thinking/planning but that might have to wait till I get a chance to go to Wales as suggested. Was due to ride the Twentyfour12 so feeling a bit down as it can't happen this year.
I want a route with longer sections where I can switch off and just ride
I don't think you're cut out for mountain biking.
I'd buy a road bike if I was you.
Do you think you could find what you are looking for by riding more with others?
Going out with others or a group (friends, shop ride, whatever) would take some of the navigation pressure off you and help you to find new trails as people share their local knowledge.
From personal experience, I ride alone a lot and also get bored of my local trails but I always enjoy them when I get the chance to ride with friends.
I'm only looking to drive to new places because I've already ridden all the decent local routes.
I dont consider a 50 min drive local. That's just an example of what I have been doing to ride in different places.
Not that it helps but forestry and tourism bodies consider anything up to 1 hour travel to be 'local'... everyone else considers it a trip away.
Where abouts in Kent are you? There are quite a few good rides around but you just need to know how to string them together. If you are looking at twenty to thirty mile rides some road work is usually unavoidable.
Or you could just go round Bewl Water instead of Bebgebury.
Ordinance Survey map is your friend.
If you have a handle bar mounted GPS then surly all you need is a gpx of some new routes. Some one that could supply this. I did 40km in a bit of the Chilterns that was new me to me. I only had a trail of bread crumbs but I only stopped twice to navigate I think. So every 16,000 metres?
I'd say Swinley was quite easy to follow if you include periodically shouting "Is it this way?"
If you have a handle bar mounted GPS then surly all you need is a gpx of some new routes.
I have a Wahoo Elment Bolt so can try that. I find it doesn't work well on tight twisty stuff with lots of different turns but bigger areas should be fine.
I think i'll try Friston Forest and start at the severn sisters car park. Does anyone know if cycling is alowed on the cliff paths? I could do that before heading to the forest.
Have a look at trailforks.you can use your phone for tracking I think or just look at the routes.its hard to get lost at swinley.
I’m just stunned that it you consider something a 50 minute drive away to be local.
I live in London and surrey is over an hour from me and I very much consider it my local. There are no "local" trails by me distance is all relative.