[Closed] Anyone live in guildford?

Guildford -> Newlands is a short ride along the North Downs Way, you do need to climb a bit out of the city centre but that's a "Surrey" climb. Obviously Peaslake is a bit further but still available via offroad routes.

I used to live in Burpham - stll got the house there but let it out. Every time I go back I remember why I liked living there...

Park Barn is the obvious dodgy area, and some bits of Bellfields are less desirbable, but really that's only comparative - it's not exactly Gangland.

no, sorry

Regularly ride to the Surrey Hills from Guildford and back, Winterfold/Pitch fairly easy but over to Leith Hill can be a bit of a slog. Tunnel Hill, North Downs and Puttenham Common also quite doable from Guildford. Me and a couple of mates ride most Wednesday evenings and see plenty of other riders out, I believe Tunnel Hill Trolls and Muddy Moles do evening rides.

As above Park Barn and Bellfields are frowned upon a bit but they really aren't that bad.

Often ride to Peaslake from my house in Godalming. So you'd have less to do from Guildford.
Plenty of other nice routes out towards Haslemere which is also rideable from Guildford area.

I live in Guildford and work in Farnham. You can be on the north downs in 5 minutes from the High Street. It is an expensive place to live, and whilst Burpham and Merrow are more affordable, access to the A3 southbound, which you will need to get to Farnham, is a nuisance in rush hour. I would consider Godalming too. Its better value for money, a nice drive/ ride to Farnham, and pretty straight forward to Dorking too. You can do Godalming to Farnham almost entirely off road.
I think beyond mountain bikes in Cranleigh do Wednesday night rides. They are in Smithbrook Kilns, between Guildford, Godalming and Cranleigh.
I can think of worse place to live (Woking/ Aldershot) than Guildford, but you pay for the privilege.

Thanks all esp skaifan. Its probably worth adding that at 24 we are both keen to be near 'young professionals' and bars and going out potential and as such had chosen guildford over Godalming deliberatly.

Correct choice i presume?

Also farnham commute is likely to be road bike (avoiding hogs back) is the A323 the best alternative?

Godalming has a surprising amount of decent pubs, but nothing is open after 1am, and guildford is a half hour drunk ride home along the river. It could be a little sleepy for some. Its like Farnham with better pubs and no stupid one way systems.
The area near the University and hospital is heavily populated with students. I lived between two student houses and it wasn't pleasant. The neighbours would have midweek parties til the early hours, I had two bikes stolen from the garden in the space of 12 months, and they used to generate so much waste that it would be piled up in bags outside the houses. Foxes would then raid their rubbish and the bin men wouldn't take it. This was on Guildford Park Avenue about 3 years ago. The council have since provided everyone with wheelie bins, but if I were to avoid anywhere in particular, it would be there.
There is no nice direct route to Farnham from Guildford, unless you follow the North Downs way from the top of The Mount. I used to commute to Aldershot along the A323, and it can get a little sketchy at times. Its a fast narrow road most of the way. You would do better to head go Guildford-Peasmarsh-Compton-Puutenham-Seale-Farnham. Lovely windy roads through Puttenham and never busy.

Spent a while writing this, in between other things, so I'm sure I'm repeasting

I lived just off Stoke Road, near the Stoke pub for about 3 years (have a look for houses in the roads in this area - handy and quiet).
Really loved it.

A mile and a bit from me (closer from the centre) you've got the NW corner of Pewley Down. From there West you're off road to Albury Down, Newlands Corner and the Surrey Hills. Off road south east from Pewley Down into the Chantries (shh) and St Marthas and South from there on the Downs Link to Chinthurst Hill and the South Downs. There's another common further north which also connects via the golf course.

From the river in the town centre you can hop on the towpath south. Rather lovely, but busy with walkers and prams when you'd expect it to be. Bit further SW and you're getting towards Or follow the North Downs way up hill on road, then path to Puttenham Down and further to Farnham. From Farnham you've got the Bourne Woods south, Alice Holt Forest, Ceasars Camp, Ash Ranges.

And don't forget the Lido! One of my fondest memories is riding the 90 seconds to the pool just wearing shorts and flip-flops, locking the flops with the bike, a couple of lengths to start the day and air-drying on the way home! Season ticket all the way - swim miles if you want to, and not if you don't - no need to feel like you're getting your money's worth out of each visit.

I used to use the hogs back as a commute. used to work for a catering agency, going all over the place. Seemed reasonable at the time, but doesn't seem too clever now! Don't know about ideal commute routes, would depend on which end of Guildford you ended up. Alternatives are sandy off-roads and fastish B roads with limited visibility. There is a green lane north of the Hogs Back, but I don't know how it connects with where you want to go.

Cheers Ned, Lido sounds cool, i didnt know about that!

Unfortunalty looks like the area you lived is just a touch too central for us in terms of price. Ill see how i feel about that statement once ive been to look at the areas in our current price range!

Cant wait to get back to having decent MTB out my door. I used to live between Reigate and Dorking and it was perfect. Chippenham MTBing is barren in comparison

I used to live on Stoke Road and cycled every Sunday from my front door to Leith Hill and back. Very straightforward ride and over time you can learn the diversions off the main NDW to get a bit more fun into the bargain. There used to be (and probably still is) a jump/ play area on the way to Newlands Corner from the golf course. I found Guildford however to be a little bit too rural and I moved back toward London.

Yep, I live in Merrow and ride up to Newlands Corner, then onlong the North Downs way to Peaslake. Takes about an hour to Peaslake from Merrow riding that route.
No night riding groups I know of, however there are riding groups that do go around, so they may have one.
Avoid Bellfields, Park Barn and Bushy Hill.

Cheers Ned, Lido sounds cool, i didnt know about that!

Unfortunalty looks like the area you lived is just a touch too central for us in terms of price. Ill see how i feel about that statement once ive been to look at the areas in our current price range!

Can't wait to get back to having decent MTB out my door.

Can't... hold... on... much... longer!

Good luck hunting!

I think beyond mountain bikes in Cranleigh do Wednesday night rides. They are in Smithbrook Kilns, between Guildford, Godalming and Cranleigh.

Thursday nights now, usually from Peaslake or Leith.

Nothing else to add really, Surrey Hills is extremely doable from Guildford. Merrow - Peaslake is less than 7 miles on the road, there's a decent off road route over Newlands and up onto Winterfold that the guys I ride with tend to do.

Nice place to be. Grew up in Cranleigh, now living down in Sussex but want to move back closer to Guildford, GF works towards Brighton though (boo-hiss).

Park Barn is the obvious dodgy area, and some bits of Bellfields are less desirbable, but really that's only comparative - it's not exactly Gangland.

For some reason Guildford is a town of two halves... 'Guildford' and 'North Guildford' (latter anything north of the A3)

Lived in the town (just off Epsom Road at the top of town and also Burpham) for a number of years, now live in Woking - trains better to london and homes a little (not much cheaper) also has good riding out to the ranges etc.

So are we saying North of the A3 is a bit less desirable overall (why most of the properties in my price range seam to be up there!)

and its going to be a trade off for location VS house for heading south to town/ burpham/merrow

For some reason Guildford is a town of two halves... 'Guildford' and 'North Guildford' (latter anything north of the A3)

So are we saying North of the A3 is a bit less desirable overall (why most of the properties in my price range seam to be up there!)

I'd agree with that - less desirable than the expensive areas up towards the Chantries, etc. but it's not the Bronx. I live in Stoughton, just short of the newish QE development and I'd say that's actually a pretty good place to live. The Infant school is superb, Junior school not bad; there's a health club and small supermarket on the QE, the QE is nicely spaced out with a lot of green space where we can go to kick a ball, ride the bike, fly a kite, sledge in winter, and it's a 20 minute walk or 10 minute bus ride from the centre. GU2 9xx area, fwiw.

From here I'm on a bridleway in half a mile, and then essentially all off road bar a short bit on a cycle path to get to Tunnel Hill from where there are miles and miles of army land singletrack to ride.

I've lived in the centre of Guildford for over 30 years and, yes, there are one or two areas to avoid, as has been mentioned. However I am still amazed how house prices drop once you go over the A3. My sister lives on the Worplesdon Road and her house is worth a lot less than mine despite having a garage (which is a huge plus point in Victorian streets).

I can be on the North Downs in a few minutes from my house. There are loads of pubs and restuarants within a few minutes of where I live, which in itself is quite a studenty area due to the university and various colleges. You also have the cinema and theatre within a few mminutes walk, and Guildfest and the cricket in the summer

A lot of the houses round here are rented, some with 2 couples sharing the house, if that is your thing. There are also a few part-own part- rent schemes starting up if you are a first time buyer.

Despite the occasionally awful traffic (I drive to Aldershot each day) it is a great place to live with everything on the doorstep or within easy reach by train, especially with 2 stations. With the A3 and M25 within easy reach the rest of the country/coast is to hand by car.

I live in Guildford and have done my entire life. As you may be able to guess I have no problem in getting to peaslake - live in Merrow area. It is a pleasant ride along the north downs way and down. (some nice descents around abinger etc.) or the roads are pretty nice as well if you don't mind it. I have driven a couple of times but it is well worth it however you get there.

Somewhere along Hareward road may be a good option for you if you can find a place.
EDIT: here is one. Probably about as cheap as you're going to get in the area but it is a very quite and safe area
http://www.findaproperty.com/for-sale/property-10374591

I think the pedal and spoke in Peaslake do go on night rides sometimes by the way.

Another one in Guildford here. Not much I can add to what's already been said, apart from that I'd be interested in getting out a bit more as well 🙂

There's an ideal commuting cycle route out to Farnham from Guildford called the Christmas Pie trail. Mostly well surfaced off road plus a few quiet back roads. Heads out from Broadstreet Common behind Park Barn (there's access from Applegarth Avenue).

Another Guildford local here. Really good riding to be had Burpham Merrow side up towards st marthas, newlands and peaslake. Also lived near the station and you can get up towards puttenham which is ok.

I have a really nice 2 bed flat on farnham side of gford for rent 5 mins walk from town centre, station and with entrance straight onto river towpath if you are interested (:

Farnham looks like a really nice place to live also

Farnham looks like a really nice place to live also

Good access to Hungry Hill, Tunnel Hill etc as well

Cheers everyone, thats great.

Dave that property is indeed in my saved list 🙂
Shame its central terrace though

Not looking at rentals Mega im afraid

The area south of the Hogs Back is also a goldmine of trails/common land/etc, you can get to Hindhead and Haslemere easily offroad and put together some big loops.