routes around west london

[CAB]

Getting a tad bored of the hack down to box hill - can anybody recommend any routes around west london??

Thanks in advance

CAB

[JPJ]

Swinley Forest between Bracknell and Bagshot, but probably no easier to get to than Box Hill in a lot of cases. Good XC singletrack but less height drop means only short downhill sections. Good bunch of trails though.

[CAB]

have been to swinley a few times now and have to admit that
- the single track
- lack of slippery chalk

Makes for quite a good time/quite different to box hill. It is actually quite a small area though,

Any other suggestions out there?

Thanks CAB

[Kermit power]

If you've been out to Box Hill, have you gone the extra couple of miles along the A25 and tried Leith Hill and Holmbury Hill?

Both in my experience far better than Box Hill, as the drop is more of a hill and less of a cliff, plus there's huge variation in the trails on the two. You could ride around all day without covering the same ground twice pretty much, and there are also fewer people, especially on Holmbury Hill, so the people you do see are without exception remarkably pleasant and I have never seen any antagonism between bikers and other users as you can get in more crowded areas.

You also have nice pubs in Coldharbour and Peaslake amongst others that you can easily drop into for lunch.

Park in the carpark by the Youth Hostel on Holmbury Hill, then come back via Telegraph Road, which, as the name suggests, runs down under the Telegraph poles. It's pretty much dead straight, with occasional little drops as you go but nothing challenging. Just a great final blast back through the bracken!

It's actually further to go than Box Hill, albeit only by 10 minutes or so if you're driving, but well worth a try.

[MTY4000]

Chiltern Hills. Henley on Thames, plenty of trails to choose from. XC style.