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Mate of mine is suggesting we ride Surrey Hills on Saturday but is being cagey about the details.
Any advice about it, it seems pretty good XC but I am worried he knows something I don't which is why he is being all quiet with the details...
You'll need a gnarpoon to catch him and stop him. Take your biggest bike and body armour, it's like Whistler only with bigger stuff to hit.
Either that or it's a fairly normal XC ride with some nice built trails in places.
Its a good mix of all sorts.
He is being quite because he knows nothing 🙂
The surrey hills get mocked and, whilst there might not be loads of height available, if your mate knows where to look, there are plenty of trails that can catch out the unwary.
Did you mate mention any particular hills (pitch, leith, winterfold, redlands etc)?
Its good- you'll [u]love it[/u]. Try and go when its quieter though? I.e. Start the rider early not at the regulatory 10.00am.
Depending on how much he knows- there is always better stuff there that you'll find with time.
Jealous 🙂
I think he rode it on the Quest Stars a few years ago and plans to use that map.
He has talked about going 'early' which knowing him means leaving at 6. He tends to be a bit of a demon when we ride in Afan and I am worried about being abandoned to wolves in an unknown area.
Have downloaded viewranger just in case though...
Use the ride as a get to know you' of the area then speak to other riders at Leith Tower etc- ask wheres best to head etc.
Took me over a year before I realised what was to be had.
I think he rode it on the Quest Stars a few years ago and plans to use that map.
If its a route from a organised ride/race, i doubt it'd be down the steeper/jumpy stuff...you should be fine. As hora said, chat to other riders to find more interesting stuff
The surrey hills get mocked and, whilst there might not be loads of height available, if your mate knows where to look, there are plenty of trails that can catch out the unwary.
This.
If you want to hit 30ft gap jumps you can. There's steep and technical also. Or you can just bimble and drink tea.
It is excellent, but I've yet to see an event route which actually does the best trails. You could do a lot of riding around there without ever finding the best bits too. Asking about isn't a bad shout. IMO Leith is the least fun hill, and is also quite separate from the other areas - Holmbury, Pitch and Winterfold all centre on Peaslake and can be more easily linked. Fewer walkers too.
[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/news/scott-sports-presents-mountain-biking-with-brendan-fairclough-video-2015.html ]Surrey. Yesterday.[/url]
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oh - it's on youtube too:
That's a really good video. I like that a lot.
I tend to link together Ranmore, Holmbury, Peaslake/winterfold, Leith, and back to Ranmore to Boxhill station, circa 30-35 miles and 4k of climbing. BUT, you have to know where to go, especially around Peaslake/Winterfold.
OP. what's your general fitness like and what sort of stuff do you normally ride? (I've no idea what 'Quest Stars' is)
Gibson got it wrong.... It is not from Quest Stars, I did that in Oxfordshire! I got a map from a LBS last time I went. It was a loop that took in Leith Hill etc.
I have only been a handful of times, got lost each time trying to find trails, but I suppose that is half the fun.
The guy in the LBS said many of the trails were not marked as they are not strictly'legal'.
Surrey Hills only gets 'knocked' because of the nine-grand Santa Cruz carbon-riding rich blokes who occasion there sometimes. It kicks alot of riding in England into the weeds.
It has flow for a start.
The LBS is probably Nirvana in Westcott. They sell a map of a 35mile loop, but it is very much an XC route. As the LBS said, most of the trails are informal and not shown on maps. But you can find plenty on Strava.
Surrey Hills only gets 'knocked' because of the nine-grand Santa Cruz carbon-riding rich blokes who occasion there sometimes
LOL 'The Santa Cruz Mafia'! This is comical and true, but on the other hand, quite a few of those blokes on those bikes are pretty quick and capable.
Yes it was Nirvana!
Will check out strava and see if we can find some of those trails. Cheers!
Where would the best place to park be?
I think last time I went I parked near the Church in Westcott then headed up from there.
Surrey Hills only gets 'knocked' because of the nine-grand Santa Cruz carbon-riding rich blokes who occasion there sometimes.
Sometimes? With the amount of those bikes now in the neighbourhood, I'm beginning to think they are giving them away in the local lifestyle magazine. 😆
Last Summer I was at the bottom of Yoghurt pots and bumped into a bloke on a carbon SC and I said 'ha! you're one of those 9k carbon SC riders'
(He didn't laugh but I carried on as I hadn't seen one of these fabled beasts before/only the youtube vids). 😀
As it's on topic here...
A few of us went up at the weekend, and we were greeted by a rather irate well to do lady at the bottom of Evian.
She informed us we were on private land, and was sick of the bikers ruining her lovely woodland (subsequently then wheelspinning off down the fire road!).
I've never seen a private property sign there before, and been riding that area for years - i've seen signs further down by the long driveway, but nothing for the actual woodland.
Should we not be there?
Much of Winterfold is private land, with many fun trails that you're not strictly meant to be on. I think most of the rest of the area is OK though?
Not really, I believe that part of Winterfold is part of the Hurtwood Forest and is open to bikers.
Yes, there are some trails that begin off the the public bridleways/access roads but spit you out on to the private access roads (but they have been blocked).
As long as you follow the code of conduct and if you do cycle there frequently may I suggest becoming a Friend of the Hurtwood?
[url= http://friendsofthehurtwood.co.uk/things-to-do/walk-ride-cycle ]Code of Conduct[/url]
Sorry MrWhyte my bad, I seriously think you are going to get me lost and then burn off into the distance though.
Not really, I believe that part of Winterfold is part of the Hurtwood Forest and is open to bikers.
Nope, a significant chunk of Winterfold is owned by Jim McAllister and not part of the Hurtwood. I'm not sure if Evian is, but the stuff the other side of the fireroad is - Switchbacks, 3 Amigos part 2 etc - hence theyre continually being blocked.
Most of Winterfold woods is [u]NOT[/u] part of the Hurtwood. It is privately owned.
Trails like Evian start on Hurtwood land and then cross the boundary to finish in Winterfold woods.