So, myself and Mrs. Yet1rider are looking to fully utilise the unexpected good weather this coming weekend and are planning to ride the Surrey Hills on the Saturday, then find a cheap B&B / hotel somewhere and take in an XC style ride on the Sunday.
Can any one recommend a 3-5 hour circuit within 1ish hour drive of the Surrey Hills. Probably a published route with a downloadable GPX route. With a nice lunch stop somewhere picturesque would be a bonus. :0)
Many thanks.
You're well within striking distance of the main South Downs. If I was to assume you're in the "East of Guildford" Surrey Hills.
You could do worse than parking on Harting Down and heading East from there on the SDW.
There's plenty to make a loop and you could head South off the SDW towards the area north of Chichester.
Plenty of good pubs around that area.
I don't have a route to hand but could probably knock up a rough outline over a cup of tea later this evening.
Did one with a mate, started off-road through Epsom Downs racecourse, straight-ish line to Box Hill. NT cafe at the top.
From there to Leith Hill then a mixed road/off-road to The Plough at Coldharbour and back
If your focus is 3-5 hr XC rather than “not the Surrey Hills” there is the Nirvana Killer Loop. But don’t worry, the only killer part is its 27miles and 2700ft climbing - although that’s not particularly long. You can always extend it if you want by including the top of Holmbury and Pitch Hills, and even loop into Box Hill.
Plenty of nice pubs/cafes to chose from all over the route. It’s on Ride with GPS or start from Westcott and buy a copy of the route card from Nirvana cycles.
Stay at the Bull in Ditchling, and then straight up the Beacon and you have a variety of options along the ridge to Lewes, Kingston Ridge and back through stanmer to Ditchling (or vice versa) Lunch in Lewes, or THe Jugs in Kingston
I've a really good xc route around Brighton/Lewes/Eastbourne....
It's a figure of 8, starting at the YHA at Itford hill... let me link the gpx...
It's prob a FAST 6 hours for it all... but if you do the Eastern loop, that's an awesome ride in itself
DrP
Thanks for all your replies and suggestions. As it happens, Gorrick are running an event , ( https://www.gorrick.com/testvalley/) that ticks most of the boxes, although it will obviously have an entry fee.
Due to it's location /distance from home and time of year (and likelihood for muddy trail conditions), we're unlikely to do this any other year, so we think we're going to jump onto that, and then can spend a bit more time over the winter researching and planning rides around the area for next summer.
Again, many thanks for taking the time to reply.
