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Not that I want to start a north-south war but it might be that I will be moving back to the UK next year from Vancouver, BC and I am wondering where might suit an moderately able all-styles round cyclist best?
So here's the ideal
A) Mountain bike territory - no more than an 1 hours drive from serious outdoors and within 30-45 minutes ride of year round trails for 3-4 hour loops of sweepy/techy/singletrack/woods on long travel hardtails. On balance more riding from the door than epics requiring long dull motorway drives. No interest in North Shore hucking...
B) Road bike scenery - similar to above but with tarmac for nice sunny days on some boutique carbon -like a bit of climbing, sportives and country lanes don't like hoards of knobs in 4x4s
I used to live near Dorking which was great but a little samey. Loved the Peak District when I went there on a couple of bike camping weekends
Edinburgh/borders
Somewhere between Edinburgh and Peebles.
Wales.
Inverness area.
Lake District.
Cockermouth ?
Property will be good value in a month or two 🙂
Coat please!
Cheltenham.
The cotswold ride locally and wales sub 1 hour away.
Calderdale / Rossendale / RIbble Valley. Loads of natural riding from the door and 2 possibly soon to be 3 fledgling trail centres within 30 mins if you pick the right place. Loads of small lanes with scenary for road riding. Close to big cities like Manchester and the motorway network. An hours drive from the Lakes, Peaks, Yorkshire Dales, 2 hours from the Yorkshire Moors and North Wales. Housing is relatively cheaper too.
Scottish Borders
Stirling or Perth, Central Scotland (although Perth might argue they are more north than Central!)
Lakes
Scotland somewhere.
second the north west, its certainly the best placed area for all sorts of riding
Somewhere near Newcastle? Spitting distance from great riding, handy for trail centres and M1 for getting further afield, great scenery and good value property
Sheffield for the Peak district
or North Yorkshire
Sheffield
If I had to shift from the Midlands I'd probably also head for somewhere like Sheffield. Wales maybe.
Adrian, I did the same a few years back. Dorking - Vancouver (for a year) - Dorking. Cant beat the surrey hills for woodsy riding, although to be fair it aint the Northshore where I used to live! good road riding, better weather than up north, can ride from the door as well - but of course you know all this!
Does your job come into it?
If so Id reckon on Leeds or Edinburgh just because they are big cities with decent local riding and lots of jobs potential
Kendal.
Easy access to all the Lake District, some fantastic road and MTB right from the door yet never as crowded as the rest of the Lakes. Also easy access to the M6, you can be up at the 7Stanes within 3hrs.
Peak District and North Wales is about 2hrs the other way.
Oxenholme Station (West Coast main line) is nearby.
Sheffield! great city, loads of local riders, peaks is half an hour ride away, wharncliffe woods on your doorstep, easy motorway up to Yorkshire for a change of scenery, hilly scenic road rides in the peak, or flat road rides out into Lincolnshire...
I'd suggest Molesey/Surbiton/Leatherhead/Esher in Surrey 30 mins from London 30 mins from the surrey hills and swinley, local riding in esher and so on. 2 hours from the quantocks, near the north downs etc.
The North is lovely but I prefer a nearby metropolis myself more opportunity down here I think and easier to get to France for "full on" riding. 8 Hours or so to Scotland 5 hours to the Alps.
Crazy Legs - if it takes you 3 hours to get from Kendal to Glentress then you drive like an old woman 😉 I used to do Stirling - Milnthorpe in less than that given a clear run, and 3 hours if it was snarled up!
I would say Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Peaks, Wales and... of course... pretty much any of Scotland. Not in that specific order - all depends what you want from your wider life really.
Joolsburger - ever been to Scotland? Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are real cities with all the facilities that you could need and don't try to compare the riding!"
Ednburgh or the borders would be ideal. What a lot of people dont know is that the road biking down here rivals the mtbing.
I lived in Broughton street for a year and a half.
I love Scotland in the summer! Edinburgh is a great town but it's too cold!
Much as MTB is important there is also work and all that to consider and I think the SE is quite well known for being a busy spot and the OP lived nearby before.
Bristol is another good bet - good riding locally, Wales, Mendips, Quantocks nearby if you want to go further afield.
As for road riding, it's brilliant. 10 mins to get out into the countryside and there's miles and miles of country roads, decent hills to the South (the Mendips) and North (Cotswolds) or you can even choose flat routes for a change by following the coast.
And the city itself is a great place to live.
[i]Crazy Legs - if it takes you 3 hours to get from Kendal to Glentress then you drive like an old woman[/i]
I said *within* 3 hrs! Covers all bases that way - bad traffic and old-woman style slow driving! 😉
As for road riding, it's brilliant. 10 mins to get out into the countryside and there's miles and miles of country roads, decent hills to the South (the Mendips) and North (Cotswolds) or you can even choose flat routes for a change by following the coast.
Having been at Uni in Bristol and harking from the Surrey Hills I much prefer the road riding around Surrey! The local MTBing is far better in Surrey too, although the proximity of Wales to Bristol is good.
Another vote for Sheffield- south west of the city if you can afford it.
Can cycle off road from city centre to peak district in 1/2 hour. Can be in the dales in 90mins by car. Lakes 3-3 1/2 hours. Cardiff/ S. Wales trail centres similar, but to be honest with the dark peak on the doorstep, why bother?
if i had the choice to live anywhere the Lakes (maybe not last week though)
Saddly tied to commuting into London currently so Dorking way is good!
Dorset/Purbecks, a bit like most of the places mentioned, but with better weather (apart from this week!). Mountain biking is reasonable with great sea views and loads of riders about. Loads of roadies too and nice road riding (if a little bit trafficy in summer).
njee - funny, I grew up/lived in SW London so know Surrey very well and prefer Bristol riding - each to their own I guess 🙂
I'd vote for Hayfield.
The North is lovely but I prefer a nearby metropolis myself more opportunity down here I think and easier to get to France for "full on" riding. 8 Hours or so to Scotland 5 hours to the Alps.
How is it 5 hours to the Alps from Surrey? 😕
life's so fast down south, distances just blur.
another bristol vote, so close to wales (5 mins for me as im North bristol) or pop down to the quantocks, tons of riding locally if you know where... im not a fan of the centre of bristol but if you like busy cities i guess its good, and lots of local small villages with nice pubs!!
Around Skipton and the Dales is where you want to be, loads of biking around and easy access to The Lakes, 7Stanes, Calderdale and Northumberland. Good biking scene and bike shops too! Affordable housing (well, most of it) and gorgeous scenery. I've moved all over the country in my time and don't ever want to move from here. Gush!
If I had the choice I'd go west young man, better biking than the SE and nicer than the north imo
westcountry is best.
pastyland for the win.
Car to gatwick 20 mins, check in 1 hour, flight one hour 30, car from Geneva to Borg 2 hours leaves 1 hour for all the bits - about 5 hours what? That's how long it takes when I go skiing might need to add a bit for checking in the bikes.
Hopefully I am about to do exactly what you are planning and heading for 'The Borders' or Northumberland near the Cheviots, depends on a few factors. I am only moving back after 11 years in exile in Ireland though.
Out of interest why do you want to move from Vancouver?
Car to gatwick 20 mins, check in 1 hour, flight one hour 30, car from Geneva to Borg 2 hours leaves 1 hour for all the bits - about 5 hours what?
Oh well if you are talking about flying - there's lots of places with airports. 😆
Edinburgh and Glasgow, or Manchester for instance. You could live on the edge of the Peaks, Trossachs or whatever and still only be 1/2 an hour or so from an airport.
having lived in Sheffield for 8 years and now between Peebles and Edinburgh for 10 I'd say that the Borders is better then Sheffield. Biking is a bit better but the lack of people on the trails makes it MUCH better.
Infact, Penicuik is where it's at. Good Pentland riding from my door and 20 minutes to Peebles or Edinburgh in the car (at rush times)
I am feeling that London is much maligned on here.
It's a great place full of things and stuff and you can get decent falafel.
Rolling downs singletrack is quite nice too.
I'm sure its great if you like that kind of thing. 😉
But best place to live in the UK for a cyclist? Hmmmm...
joolsburger - MemberI am feeling that London is much maligned on here.
It's a great place full of things and stuff and you can get decent falafel.
Rolling downs singletrack is quite nice too.
Edinburgh has everything good that london has and less of the bad.
( apart from its colder here)
It even rains less in Edinburgh. the air is worth breathing, the water is worth drinking, plenty of kultur and stuff and easy access to better riding.
Yeah but it's cold and wet -
Really bloody cold in fact.
Although I'd have to agree on the riding you have better stuff nearer but it's not a shite as you might think down south.
Joolsburger - Edinburgh has less rain than London.
As for riding - I live in Leith - about as far from teh riding as possible in Edinburgh. However with an hours ride on my bike I can get to a range of small but real hills, Into the rolling countryside of East lothian, I have a network of offroad paths that take me all over the city and out of it.
There is no comparision. Where is Londons nearest 1000ft climb? Mines about 8 miles away from here and 6 from the city centre
Shock - I agree with TJ.
My off road commute, done once or twice a week, is a total of 25 miles and over 900m of climbing, which is 3000 feet for you oldies. No chance of that down South
"Penicuik is where it's at" now thats funny.
Big story on the news last week about a woman whose house was on fire in Penicuik running across the street to the local pub and getting some neds to rescue her bairns. What the story failed to add, and what my workmate who lives near there told me, is that the pub in question is 3 DOORS AWAY FROM THE FIRE STATION.
I stopped riding through Penicuik on my away to work after puncturing about 3 times on the broken glass on a monday morning. But I guess it depends what you want ?
[i]no more than an 1 hours drive from serious outdoors [/i]
It has to be Scotland then.
Adrian,I would recommend Glasgow. Better road riding & surrounding scenery than Edinburgh.
Also if you fancy a house swap- I would move over to BC in a shot.
hels - firestation is not a manned one (I think)
Yes, there are some "interesting" parts, but show me a town where there isn't. Both high schools are in the top few percent of the ranking tables, houses are reasonable price, busses to Edinburgh every 10 minutes and I can ride from my door with only about 20m of tarmac straight out to the Pentalnds...
South Birmingham. The truly epic Col du Clent is very close as are the surrounding peaks of Lickey, the mountainous Cannock and Long Mynd is under 1 hour away and Wales in 2 hours depending on where you’re going.
Truly awesome riding in the area, and the bright lights of Brum are close my as well. Perfect.
Leith Hill in Surrey is a 1000 feet up (well 985 in fact) then there's Box, Pitch and Holmbury too.
A day ride including Box hill, Leith hill, Holmbury and Pitch would be enough climbing for anyone I'd say.
It's beautiful countryside too and all 30 mins from SW london. there is some bloody good riding round here as I said.
I'm with Joolsburger.
Plenty of good riding around Surrey, Sussex, Dorset.
Plus good weather and beaches.
Go for somewhere like Brighton,great place to live & only 5 mins from the north Downs.
Joolsburger - so from urban london you can ride to leith hill etc in under an hour?
Your definition of "bloody good riding" is far from mine
Jeremy I have spent around 15 weeks over the last few years riding Les Arc, Les Gets, Chamonix and Le Plange - I understand completely what good riding is so there's no need to get shirty!!
Surrey has some lovely loops that are challenging and are bloody good fun you'd be surprised.
I'm not playing top trumps, I enjoy the riding in the south and if I want more I head for real mountains ie France made easy by my location here darn sarf.
I ride all over the country and of course the riding is great in scotland and the peaks, lakes, wales etc but the south gets a kicking it's does not deserve.
And no I chuck my bike in the boot and can drive to the surrey hills in 25 mins from where I live by Hampton Court but it's not a quick ride..
I did not mean to sound shirty but was getting exasperated by your posting - as you were by mine probably.
So infact there is no decent riding that is ridable to near london?
France is just as accessible from here by air. I flew direct to the alps this summer.
However its nice to be able to ride to the hills and in an hours derive be in the mountains. We also have a direct ferry to mainland Europe.
TJ, don't be so Edinburgh-centric! North and South Downs has some fantastic riding on it, very varied. OK in winter it can be a claggy nightmare but then the Pentlands isn't exactly any better most of the year now is it?
Certainly from S.London you can be off-road within a couple of miles (urban parks etc) and into proper countryside outside of Croydon within 40 mins.
From central London I'd jump on a train, get off at Dorking, Reigate, Crawley, Guildford, Box Hill - endless possibilities. Or out to Martins Heron for Swinley Forest, that's an hour or so by train from Waterloo. In fact we used to do that as a nightride - get the first train out after rush hour, ride Swinley then get the last train back at about 11pm. Penshurst Off-Road Club is about 30 miles south (an hours drive), that has regular short-course DH and dual-slalom races as well as being an excellent little venue for general riding.
I did more racing and riding living in London than I've managed anywhere else - Herne Hill velodrome runs Monday and Wednesday races through summer as well as training sessions. Hillingdon Cycle Circuit, Crystal Palace Circuit and the (now gone) Eastway Circuit had races 2 or 3 weeknights and at weekends there was always a Gorrick MTB or a Surrey League road race etc. Plus the easy access to loads of MTBing.
Edinburgh has the Pentlands and a couple of other local-ish bits otherwise it's a drive out anywhere else...
Edinburgh may have less rain than London, but yours is freezing and comes in sideways off the North Sea.
I wouldn't recommend London as a dream cycling location though. In fact, I'm moving from here to Leeds in a year or so now I'm not tied down for work.
If I could live anywhere it'd probably be the Lakes, god I love the riding there! But got to be near in-laws - and being on the dry side of the Pennines will also be nice.
Near Chester.
North Wales is on your door step as is some great local riding.
Mid Wales no more than 1.5 hours, peaks an hour, lakes 1.5-2 hours depending on where you go.
Bloody loverly part of the world, if a little pricey sometimes
Pennines between the Peaks and the Dales.
Leeds, Calderdale, Rossendale, Skipton.
Superb trails, close to Manchester, Leeds for works.
Ticks all the boxes for me.
Fair point crazy legs - although there is a lot more than the pentlands around here.
What I was getting exasperated about was the comparison - I can ride to the Pentlands ( where I have open access to lots of trails of all sorts- 70 + miles of them)- you have to drive or get a train to the london equivalent.
That hours drive takes me to the tweed valley or stirling way where there is lots of good riding of all sorts. Another hour and I am in the heart of the mountsins
The comparison of the riding available between london and Edinburgh is laughable. In London you have to drive or train to get to any worthwhile riding - I can ride offroad to the hills
If I drive or train I can get to riding that simply is not available within hundreds of miles of London
Peebles, Milngavie, Edinburgh. In that order.
Fair comment we do get territorial don't we!
All this talk has made me want to go for a ride tonight which is always good!
I don't live near Edinburgh but I have considered moving up there to be nearer the riding and proper mountains. I honestly can't imagine anyone moving to London for the riding - I'm sure there is some nice stuff down there but I can't see how it could compare really.
Mint sauce likes it!
Surrey, Scotland, Lakes - all have their plus points, unfortunately Vancouver beats them all put together!
For all round quality of life, including biking, Edinburgh ticks all the boxes. I'm a 2 minute ride from the Pentlands, 30 minute drive to Glentress, and in two hours on a Saturday morning I can be in the middle of the Cairngorms.
Edinburgh also has enough restaurants, pubs, theatres, cinemas etc to keep anyone amused. Oh, and you get to see a world class rugby side (well, they were for 80 minutes last Saturday I guess).