# UK - your local hill?



## EnglishT (Apr 9, 2008)

Theres no particular reason not to make other threads for other countries/areas. I just thought it might be easier to split down by countries, to make things a little easier to follow - by all means (if it turns out to be a good thread) go ahead and make others for other countries.

I figure it might be a useful little resource.
Helpful for finding:

A local to ride with - whether it be a new riding buddy, or just someone to hook up with on a trip

Suggestions of places to ride near to home

Learn some routes around your local hills that you might not know already (if anyone near you happens to know any)

Easy structure (think of something else useful that I missed? Let me know)

*Where you live:* Town/City and county
*Local hill/s:* pref. something you're comfortable riding to get to (thought if thats not possible, np)
*Local trailcentre:* within reasonable distance of home (less likely to be riding distance though)

So, I guess its me first.

*Where you live:* Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
*Local hill/s:* Bredon. At a stretch Cleeve and Leckhampton arent THAT far.
*Local trailcentre:* Forest of Dean, Cannock


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## Nsynk (Sep 30, 2008)

LIve: Skipton Work Newcastle
Local hills Home Yorkshire Dales Peaks are only an hour away Work Northumberland Hills

Local trail centre within 30 mins of home, Gisburn Forest, Stainburn and Lee Quarry

Within 2 1/2 hours of home Coed Llandegla, Whinlatter, Grizedale, Dalby Hamsterley, wharncliffe

Within 2 1/2 hours of work Keilder, Newcastleton, Chopwell, Glentress, Innerleithen, Ae, Mabie, Dalbeatie 

I think I am quite spoilt!


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## tomrbrts (Nov 3, 2009)

Where you live: Southampton, UK
Local hill/s: pretty much no hils about... Lordswood is a bit of fun and an easy ride to get to. But it's probably better to go out to Surrey Hills or a few spots round Winchester. QE Park is quite nice...
Local trailcentre: aren't really any trail centres around here, we always have to make the long trip to Wales with the club.

Also English T, I would strongly recommend the Malvern Hills loop as it is quite within a good distance to ride to from say the Northern end of the Tewkesbury area... Also if you are looking for people to ride with I will be back in the Tewkesbury area in June - Sept.

Nsynk - you are much too spoilt for choice... you live in a great area. I am considering moving north when I have finished Uni just because there is so much riding about!


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## seosamh (Mar 17, 2007)

Where you live: Glasgow(Southside)

Local hill/s: Mudgock/start of the west highland way/campsies, tinto hill(near lanark), cathkin braes would be my local haunts that you can get to without a car. upto stirling to cambusbarron, dumyat are easy to get to also

Local trailcentres, carron valley(30 minutes) glentress(an hour) kirroughtree, mabie etc all with 1.30/2hours away.

then there's all the stuff north of glasgow once you hit the highlands, well you could be here all day talking about that...


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## CrustyOne (Oct 29, 2007)

Signing in for the Taffys

Where I live: Penarth, Glamorgan
Local hill/s: CwmCarn, Gethin/Mountain Ash, Rheola
Local trailcentre:Cwmcarn


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## adamhwfs (Jun 21, 2010)

Where I live: Bromyard, Herefordshire
Local hill/s:Bromyard Downs/Bringsty Common, Malvern Hills, 
Local trail centre(s): All within 2 hours drive bar Coed y Brenin. really like Nant y Aran and Cannock Chase :thumbsup:


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## Trail_rat (Oct 25, 2006)

where i live - arbroath atm BUT moving to auchenblae area in august - local hill will be cairn kerloch 

trail centre .... bah - when you live that close to the cairngorms you dont do trailcenters often


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## chris_uk (Sep 24, 2010)

Where you live: Telford, Shropshire
Local hill/s: Wrekin, Longmynd Stretton
Local trailcentre: Cannock Chase, Haughmond Hill

New to MTB riding so not done anything to advanced yet, and hope to be spending some time over in Cannock in the next few weeks.


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## EnglishT (Apr 9, 2008)

chris_uk said:


> Where you live: Telford, Shropshire
> Local hill/s: Wrekin, Longmynd Stretton
> Local trailcentre: Cannock Chase, Haughmond Hill
> 
> New to MTB riding so not done anything to advanced yet, and hope to be spending some time over in Cannock in the next few weeks.


Be warned (unless things have changed DRASTICALLY) since last time I was there, the trails at cannock chase are pretty tired and chewed up (including the fairly new monkey sections).
Partly due to too many people riding it while its wet (and being really sandy soil, it just collapses) to be sure, but its really not as good as it could be (not the mention that recent re-routings cut out some of the best sections).
All things said, rather disappointing now.

From Telford though, you're really not far from Llandegla (just head straight up to llangollen, over the horseshoe pass and its <5 miles from the far end of it) which is in much better condition and built to last much better (and also has some nice little skills sections).
To be fair, there are no real views to speak of and its not devillishly difficult, but its good fun and definately a better place to ride than cannock.

Supposed to be some really good stuff at clee hill too, but haven't ever taken the time to explore it.


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## chris_uk (Sep 24, 2010)

EnglishT said:


> Be warned (unless things have changed DRASTICALLY) since last time I was there, the trails at cannock chase are pretty tired and chewed up (including the fairly new monkey sections).
> Partly due to too many people riding it while its wet (and being really sandy soil, it just collapses) to be sure, but its really not as good as it could be (not the mention that recent re-routings cut out some of the best sections).
> All things said, rather disappointing now.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the heads up on cannock, im slightly gutted now though as its on my doorstep and thought it would be a good place to start out, will deffo pop over to llandegla though and sounds like its noob friendly!

not heard of clee hill will need to google it.:thumbsup:


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## EnglishT (Apr 9, 2008)

chris_uk said:


> Thanks for the heads up on cannock, im slightly gutted now though as its on my doorstep and thought it would be a good place to start out, will deffo pop over to llandegla though and sounds like its noob friendly!
> 
> not heard of clee hill will need to google it.:thumbsup:


Well, its a shame as it used to be a much better place to ride than it is now. The condition of the trails at the moment is not good, and its unlikely to improve as we head into winter as its basically sandy and breaks up in the wet.

Llandegla isnt that far from you either though really, not quite as close but worth the extra few miles.


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## carbon337 (Jun 3, 2008)

Where you live: Alnwick, Northumberland
Local hill/s: Thrunton Woods
Local trailcentre: Kielder, Glentress


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## hexstatic (Nov 15, 2010)

Where you live: Wraysbury, Near Staines/Heathrow Airport
Local hill/s: Leith Hill, 
Local trailcentre: Swinley Forest


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## kagami (Jul 13, 2004)

Where I live: Grove, Wantage, Oxfordshire
Local hill: White Horse Hill
Local trailcentre: still haven't discovered it

I'm looking for mates to ride with. I mainly ride to and on the Ridgeway but I'm happy to do other trails if anyone knows any.


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## hexstatic (Nov 15, 2010)

kagami said:


> Where I live: Grove, Wantage, Oxfordshire
> Local hill: White Horse Hill
> Local trailcentre: still haven't discovered it
> 
> I'm looking for mates to ride with. I mainly ride to and on the Ridgeway but I'm happy to do other trails if anyone knows any.


im also looking for people to ride with and people to show me some good trails, oxfordshire isnt too far away from me I think :thumbsup:


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## Lemur (Jun 5, 2011)

Where I live: Chertsey. Near Heathrow on the M25
Local Hill: Probably Box Hill and the surrounding stuff.


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## PHoSawyer (Jun 6, 2011)

CrustyOne said:


> Signing in for the Taffys
> 
> Where I live: Penarth, Glamorgan
> Local hill/s: CwmCarn, Gethin/Mountain Ash, Rheola
> Local trailcentre:Cwmcarn


Another welshy here!

Live: Taffs Well, Cardiff
Work: Corsham, Nr Chippenham
Local Hills: Castell Coch
Local Trailcentre: Cwmcarn, Afan (not been to either yet!)

Mainly ride weekends but need a group, I know there's a group that rides from castle bikes in Caerphilly in the week


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## deadkenny (Jun 9, 2011)

*Where you live:* Woking, Surrey
*Local hill/s:* Surrey Hills (which covers Winterfold, Pitch, Holmbury, Leith, Redlands and there's more good stuff on the North Downs around Ranmore and Box Hill). Vast area and excellent riding.
*Local trailcentre:* Not technically a trail centre but kind of is: Swinley Forest, just 30 mins away. Nearest proper trail centre would be Cwmcarn or Afan in south wales. 2 to 3 hours drive.

Do group rides most weekends thanks to Bike Radar and MTB Britain forums which are UK focused and loads of people just arranging informal meet ups for a social ride.

p.s. couldn't find and introduction thread, but registered here mainly because there's a nice GT forum here and more people here who know stuff about GTs.


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## alderaanic (Jul 17, 2011)

Where you live: *Carlisle, Cumbria*
Local hill/s: *Newcastleton Forest *(7stanes) 30 min drive or a 60 miles + ruond trip on hilly country roads (yes ive done it)
Local trail centre - *Whinlatter Forest *,Lake Distrct ,Cumbria around 40 minuite drive to one of the best trail centre's in the UK.

I'm rather biased but i realy do think Carlisle is one of the best places to live if your into XC or Road Biking.Carlile is just surounded by countryside,your never more than 10 minuites from being out of the city.Its perfectly placed for the superb 7stanes courses,Newcasleton is closest but* Mabie,Ae,Dalbeattie *are all within an hours drive,You also have* Kielder & Kershope Forest's *in easy reach,Newcastleton links into Kielder if you want to do the epic* cross border run*.
Glentress & Kirroughtree are a litttle further away but no more than 1 1/2 hours drive.
Then south of Carlisle is the Lake District,stunning sceanary and more rides than you can remember.*Whinlatter & Grizdale Forest's *are both epic rides,with top notch trail centre's.

If your thinking of coming to the UK for a cycling/Mountain Biking holliday then historic Carlisle is the perfect town to base yourself from.


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## homeagain (Jul 30, 2011)

Where you live: Dersingham, Norfolk
Local Hills: It's Norfolk...............
Local trail center: Thetford Forest & Peddars Way (40 mile Roman Road)


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## aryman (Oct 11, 2009)

alderaanic, can you recommend anywhere that has good rental bikes like a trance x for example. thinking of riding whinlatter in a few weeks time.


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## keene1 (Jan 24, 2011)

Anything in East Anglia other than Thetford?

Moving back to Norfolk from the USA next year.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

keene1 said:


> Anything in East Anglia other than Thetford?


Nope.

Some unofficial trails in the woods round Woodhall Spa and plenty of hills to ride round Lincoln, but East Anglia's like a big biking black hole.

I moved back to Yorkshire from there last year and it was like going to heaven, up up and away!

Speaking of which,

*Where you live:* Pateley Bridge, near Harrogate.
*Local hill/s:* Umm.. Yorkshire dales. Nearest, Ramsgill, Summerbridge, Middlesmoore, Dead Man's Hill and Greenhow/Two stoops (which I live on the side of)
*Local trailcentre:* Stainburn, within an hour Lee Quarry and North Wales/Peaks/ Dalby/7 Stanes within three hours.


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## alderaanic (Jul 17, 2011)

aryman said:


> alderaanic, can you recommend anywhere that has good rental bikes like a trance x for example. thinking of riding whinlatter in a few weeks time.


Whinlatter has an excellent Bike Hire,shop & cafe one of the best trail centre's in the UK.
you can hire helmets etc aswell.


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## g199 (Jul 5, 2011)

I live in sheffield and within 10minutes ride of wharnecliffe woods (I'm told it's pretty well known)
It's not often i feel the need to go anywhere else but if i do then the peak district is like 35 minutes drive away. Its a great place for mountainbiking


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## MrAitchGee (Aug 3, 2011)

seosamh said:


> Where you live: Glasgow(Southside)
> 
> Local hill/s: Mudgock/start of the west highland way/campsies, tinto hill(near lanark), cathkin braes would be my local haunts that you can get to without a car. upto stirling to cambusbarron, dumyat are easy to get to also
> 
> ...


I live near Loch Lomond so I guess Ben Lomond would be my local "hill" , i've never biked it but plan to before the year is out.(walk up ,bike down) But anywhere up the Leven Valley and hills surrounding the Loch is where I bike.

Recently went for a walk in Mugdock and visited the castle, looks great for a bit of biking

Going on a group ride to Glentress in October (never been before)

:thumbsup:


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## boristhespie (Nov 29, 2009)

Arbroath. Nearest hill Guess Sidlaws, the Angus Glens are near with the rest of the Cairngorms and Highlands beyond. What's a trail centre?


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## MrAitchGee (Aug 3, 2011)

boristhespie said:


> What's a trail centre?




Mon the Smokies


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## nts550 (Jul 25, 2006)

Where you live: Cardiff/Llanishen
Local hills: Rudry, Machen, Castle Coch, and Garth all available from my garage
Local Trailcentre: Cwm Carn (also available from my garage, but it's a 2 hour ride away)


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