Is Essex flat?

[Gazzab]

I always thought Essex was a flat ish county? Why am I not suprised that the olympic games inspectors have rejected the proposed MTB course in Essex!?
Why cant they host it in Scotland or The Lakes etc or even surrey or Sussex.

[Saddle bum]

Essex once had a "Mountain Rescue Team". Chum was a member.





Met annually for a Dinner and PU.

[SCOOTERMAN]

It is, and for MTB'ing it sucks. And what places that are "green" (i.e. not being sold off to builders for yet more identi-kit "luxury" flats) seem to be distinctly off-limits for cyclists.

[Chris71]

It's not that bad. There is a lot of 'green' in the more northern and easterly parts away from London. And the reason they're having the olympic XC there (around Brentwood) is it's about the closest to central London that you can get something approximating to countryside..... with one glaring omission - Epping Forest must be a better bet?

But yes, it is very flat on the whole - the woods around Brentwood appear to be one of the hillier areas, no alitutde to speak of, but some steepish graidents for a short climb.

[Gazzab]

So is the area suitable for the worlds best mountain bikers?

[Chris71]

Gazzab said:

So is the area suitable for the worlds best mountain bikers?

Catergorically no.

It's as good as anywhere with easy links to central London though arguably. Plus it's only the XC happening there (and lets face it, they don't need really hills anyway ) the DH is happening somewhere marginally more appropriate. It's still not Fort Bill or Coed Y Brenin, but I guess the idea is to keep it local.

Having grown up sandwiched between Dartmoor and Exmoor, then moved to Wales and then done a short stint in the alps I can confirm that Essex isn't exactly ideal for mountain biking, but it's better than central London I guess. That said, if only there was a bit of slope, an 'urban downhill' through London like they have elsewhere (Madrid and Prague?) would be quite cool. Alas, I think most of London is even flatter than Essex.