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I've a free weekend end of Feb and possibly an excuse to be in Surrey at some point, it's nothing that can't be dealt with remotely but would be easier in person and gives the pontefract a weekend somewhere new with the bike.
There's accommodation in Cranleigh within "weekend away on my own with the bike" budget so that's easy enough.
I've picked up a few possible routes from trail forks but they seem mainly to cover the same trails and are around the 30k mark so definitely only a day to cover any one of them.
So, is it worth making the excuse at this time of year, (it's a schlep to get there but as I say, not without merit)? Is there enough in the area to keep (mincer) me entertained for two days or if I do go, should I look at heading back via swinley on the Sunday?
There are other options but given its Feb and I'm flying solo, big hills in the lakes or elsewhere with the bike seems ill-considered so somewhere new and low lying seems the more sensible option, that or walking or staying home and doing all those jobs I keep putting off until i get fed-up enough to pay someone else to do it.
Heya,
Plenty to do for sure, although all takes a bit of finding. Ideal is to get yourself on some form of guided ride, or a volunteer from here!
https://www.mountainbikeclub.co.uk/ is doing paid for but cheap guided rides most weekends
And bardolf might guide you privately if you ask
If you really are wanting chilled out tame trails then swinley is fine, but peaslake is much better!
I would volunteer but I’m busy that weekend!
If you really are wanting chilled out tame trails then swinley is fine, but peaslake is much better!
Not so worried about trame and chilled - I'm a mincer but I'm happy mincing down most things that aren't wheels off the ground or death - it's mainly that clambering up a proper hill on your own in winter takes a lot more kit and prep than I fancy.
I'll take a nose at mountainbikeclub ta.
or a volunteer from here!
It did occur to me there might be one or two who would "work" for beer 😉
Can't promise this early, but may be able to arrange a group.
I might even be faster than short weeks (up the hills) 😉
So all being well I'll be down in Surrey next weekend.
Any feedback on the following route would be appreciated as I've no idea where I'm going really...
Surrey Hills 30k minus secret garden Route
https://www.trailforks.com/goto/ro/1550/
Also, staying in Cranleigh and would be good to pedal over rather than get in the car if I can, any suggestions on how to get from there to pitch hill would be good - looks like there is a bridleway North out of the village TQ 07464 39601 to pitch hill TQ 08167 42151 but it turns to fp most of the way there and I'm aware there is a bit of contention in some places so be interested to know if that's a bad idea.
otherwise the bw loops out to winter fold house then round the top of hurtwood edge/the Warren (which looks like a promising collection of brown lines) but requires a bit of extra tarmac which is rather avoid if I can.
Ah bums...
25th is FoD for coaching for the lad, 26th is Race for the lad.... So we're a nopes.
Where's he racing?
Stile Cop, Cannock.
Personally I think the better trails are on the side closer to Cranleigh rather than Holmbury anyway. Lovely Legs, Charlie Bronson, Northern Monkey etc.
The beauty of Surrey Hills is that it's short trails so you can try multiple different routes down the same hillside. Rather than following a designated route, I would just follow your nose to Peaslake and back using Trailforks to keep you pointing in the right direction.
There's always hundreds of people out so you'll easily locate the bits not on Trailforks. Head to the viewpoint at the top of Thick and Creamy and take your pick. You can't ride Peaslake without doing a lap of Pitch Hill!
Stile Cop, Cannock
Ah, yeah, I'll not be near there unless something went very wrong! Best of luck to him!
Rather than following a designated route, I would just follow your nose to Peaslake and back using Trailforks to keep you pointing in the right direction.
There’s always hundreds of people out so you’ll easily locate the bits not on Trailforks. Head to the viewpoint at the top of Thick and Creamy and take your pick. You can’t ride Peaslake without doing a lap of Pitch Hill!
I imagine this is broadly what will happen anyhow, I find it's always good to have a route in mind though - if only so you can deviate from it - but mainly to ensure you're in the right vicinity.
That Trailforks loop can be confusing to follow on the ground as it loops back on itself a couple of times and some of the trails are a little different to the line on the map. But on the plus side it covers a lot of ground, the trails are what it sounds like you're looking for and as long as the rain holds off the trails will be about as good as they get. It's pretty easy to go back round for another run on most of them and if you've got all day there's ample time to explore off that route too.
if you’ve got all day there’s ample time to explore off that route too.
If it plays nicely enough with my nav and the weather holds I'm hoping to get it ticked off before a stop at peaslake stores for lunch (apparently that's about the best part of Surrey Hills riding?!) then head back up for another loop in the afternoon to either re run or pickup some of the other promising looking bits.
Is it worth going home via swinley (never been) on Sunday or do something else out of Cranleigh do we think? Debating seeing if I can find a longer "cross country" ish loop.
Sorry I don't know what your TQ map references refer to, but from Cranleigh, I would probably go up the first bit of Barhatch Lane then take the Bridleway on the left (Jelleys Hollow) up to Winterfold to meet Greensand Lane, turn right on the road and along to the junction, straight across and pick up Supernova down to Walking Bottom Car Park.
That route looks good, no drops or anything that isn't avoidable, I would say the most difficult trail encountered would be Wet n Wild, and the steepest Crackpipe which is straight after. There is of course plenty more, and if you had the legs you could head over to Leith Hill from Holmbury via Greensand way and do Summer Lightining trail (marked from Leith Hill tower) amongst many others over there.
You are right on the Downs Link bridleway at Cranleigh, so it's easy to use that and do a longer xc route. e.g over towards Guildford, up Pilgrims way to St Martha's Hill, up water lane to Newlands Corner, then either across using North Downs Way to Netley Heath, down to Gomshall and back to Peaslake OR head back via Blackheath, Farley Heath & Winterfold.
Sorry I don’t know what your TQ map references refer to
They *should* be the os grid reference for Here
Barhatch Lane then take the Bridleway on the left (Jelleys Hollow)...
... down to Gomshall and back to Peaslake OR head back via Blackheath, Farley Heath & Winterfold.
Excellent thank you
My lad and I have been exploring the trails over on Winterfold the last couple of week-ends, with the help of Trailforks and just asking other bikers. As someone else has suggested head up Barhatch road to Hurtwood Car Park 4 (TQ 07394 42664). You'll soon spot some others and in my experience everyone is super friendly and happy to offer advice. Peaslake stores a must.
My wife has warned me before about meeting strangers on the internet, but I live in Cranleigh, haven't ridden in a few months and showing someone around is a good excuse to get out. DM me if you want a guide or just a pointer in the right direction to get out of town. - doz
You’ll soon spot some others and in my experience everyone is super friendly and happy to offer advice
Good to know ta.
Peaslake stores a must.
It's odd how many times this comes up 😂
My wife has warned me before about meeting strangers
They don't get much stranger 😉
DM me if you want a guide or just a pointer in the right direction to get out of town. – doz
Sounds like a good plan, I'll drop you line once my plan is firmed up a bit - I've some wheels to pickup from Chertsey at some point over the weekend but a bit of a guide or the like would be grand 🙂
Heading back via Swinley?
I'd say no, just continue home.....even try sitting in the M25 traffic jam, just anything other than Swinley 😂😉
That good eh?