Places to ride in and around Swindon
Discussion
Looking for some places to ride in and around Swindon.
For my morning rides, I only have an hour, so need somewhere near to West Swindon. I'm currently just riding to places like Lydiard, Peatmoor, Asda Walmart, etc.
Also, for the longer rides, I'm going to start venturing further afield soon. I have approx 2-3 hours spare for the longer rides.
For my morning rides, I only have an hour, so need somewhere near to West Swindon. I'm currently just riding to places like Lydiard, Peatmoor, Asda Walmart, etc.
Also, for the longer rides, I'm going to start venturing further afield soon. I have approx 2-3 hours spare for the longer rides.
Road riding or mountain bike?
You wanna sling your bike in your car and get a little further away?
I'm out in Highworth, and for post work evening rides we are often out to badbury clump near farringdon. There's also the ridgeway from ashbury by the uffington white horse, or barbury castle just past M4 junction 15.
Trouble is that around swindon there isn't actually much worth riding on an MTB, and the roads are a bit busy for road riding ... Better out my way on the road as the rural roads are a bit quieter.
You wanna sling your bike in your car and get a little further away?
I'm out in Highworth, and for post work evening rides we are often out to badbury clump near farringdon. There's also the ridgeway from ashbury by the uffington white horse, or barbury castle just past M4 junction 15.
Trouble is that around swindon there isn't actually much worth riding on an MTB, and the roads are a bit busy for road riding ... Better out my way on the road as the rural roads are a bit quieter.
mat205125 said:
Road riding or mountain bike?
You wanna sling your bike in your car and get a little further away?
I'm out in Highworth, and for post work evening rides we are often out to badbury clump near farringdon. There's also the ridgeway from ashbury by the uffington white horse, or barbury castle just past M4 junction 15.
Trouble is that around swindon there isn't actually much worth riding on an MTB, and the roads are a bit busy for road riding ... Better out my way on the road as the rural roads are a bit quieter.
I have a mountain bike, so tend to stay away from the roads as much as possible. That isn't to say I won't ride on the road to get somewhere nice though.You wanna sling your bike in your car and get a little further away?
I'm out in Highworth, and for post work evening rides we are often out to badbury clump near farringdon. There's also the ridgeway from ashbury by the uffington white horse, or barbury castle just past M4 junction 15.
Trouble is that around swindon there isn't actually much worth riding on an MTB, and the roads are a bit busy for road riding ... Better out my way on the road as the rural roads are a bit quieter.
I'm generally looking at just riding from home at the moment, as I'm just starting out, though I'm hoping to branch out to more challenging stuff further afield in a few month's time.
mat205125 said:
Don't really know the west swindon area to advise any local routes unfortunately then.
Not a worry. Thanks for the other ideas though. I'd imagine I could get there by bike fairly easily, on one of the longer weekend rides. Can you tell me rough postcodes? (Apart from Barbury Castle. I know where that is. Easy peasy to get to)I've never sent letters to any of the woods or hills where I ride 
Unplug your TOMTOM, and get out your road atlas. Have a look along the road between Highworth and Farringdon, through Coleshill. Badbury Clump is near Farringdon.
Look for Uffington on your map, near Ashbury, and follow the signs for the "white horse hill".
Let us know if you get a bit more confident and fancy joining us for a trip a bit further afield. Cmncarn is only an hour and a bit down the M4, and there are other places within striking distance for a day out.
Unplug your TOMTOM, and get out your road atlas. Have a look along the road between Highworth and Farringdon, through Coleshill. Badbury Clump is near Farringdon.
Look for Uffington on your map, near Ashbury, and follow the signs for the "white horse hill".
Let us know if you get a bit more confident and fancy joining us for a trip a bit further afield. Cmncarn is only an hour and a bit down the M4, and there are other places within striking distance for a day out.
mat205125 said:
I've never sent letters to any of the woods or hills where I ride
Unplug your TOMTOM, and get out your road atlas. Have a look along the road between Highworth and Farringdon, through Coleshill. Badbury Clump is near Farringdon.
Look for Uffington on your map, near Ashbury, and follow the signs for the "white horse hill".
Let us know if you get a bit more confident and fancy joining us for a trip a bit further afield. Cmncarn is only an hour and a bit down the M4, and there are other places within striking distance for a day out.
From what I've read from you, it'll be a good few years before I'm that confident. At the moment I'm shaky, slow, and not to mention, slow. Unplug your TOMTOM, and get out your road atlas. Have a look along the road between Highworth and Farringdon, through Coleshill. Badbury Clump is near Farringdon.
Look for Uffington on your map, near Ashbury, and follow the signs for the "white horse hill".
Let us know if you get a bit more confident and fancy joining us for a trip a bit further afield. Cmncarn is only an hour and a bit down the M4, and there are other places within striking distance for a day out.
I would love a good bike ride with some other people though!LOL @ not having to send letters
Don't get dragged into thinking that everyone on here is some kind of Atherton style biking hero ... Many think they are though ... Most of the purpose built mountain bike centres are do-able with a modest level of skill, and a basic bike.
You don't need a £2000 8" travel monster to have fun!
You don't need a £2000 8" travel monster to have fun!
Waits for someone to come along and add "but it helps"
mat205125 said:
Don't get dragged into thinking that everyone on here is some kind of Atherton style biking hero ... Many think they are though ... Most of the purpose built mountain bike centres are do-able with a modest level of skill, and a basic bike.
You don't need a £2000 8" travel monster to have fun!
Perhaps... But most people in this section of the forum I imagine are a lot better than me. I've only covered about 50 miles or so since getting back into biking. You don't need a £2000 8" travel monster to have fun!
Waits for someone to come along and add "but it helps"
When I lived in the Swindon area I use to cycle around Wootton Bassett, Broad Town, Bushton, Compton Bassett, Avebury etc. There really isn't a huge amount of off road and, in any case, I was using a hybrid so tended to err towards tarmac but at least most of these roads were quiet plus you had the level bits plus the good climbs like Broad Town hill and Hackpen Hill.
Of course if you get up hackpen Hill you can then stay off road along the Ridgeway either to Avebury or towards Barbury Castle so that kind of links with the other poster's suggestion.
Since moving towards Salisbury I now ride on the Plain which is good off road; it's destroyed my hybrid so I've had to invest in a proper MTB. Of course it's only 35 mins from W. Swindon you know.
Of course if you get up hackpen Hill you can then stay off road along the Ridgeway either to Avebury or towards Barbury Castle so that kind of links with the other poster's suggestion.
Since moving towards Salisbury I now ride on the Plain which is good off road; it's destroyed my hybrid so I've had to invest in a proper MTB. Of course it's only 35 mins from W. Swindon you know.
Hi mate
I moved to swindon about six months ago and was in the same boat as you. Before swindon I lived in Marlborough and was spoilt for choice in terms of rides, finding short routes for an hour or so was a pain in swin
I don't have much time at weeknds so tend to go out most evenings and have found a great 15 mile route starting from my place in Gorse Hill that mainly zigzags round greenbridge,dorcan,coate water,old town,the canal and back. As the route is mainly cycle lanes I crank up the IPOD and due to the start stop fast paced nature its bought my fitness up quite quickly and I actually enjoy the route,and has some ok views !
West Swindon wise I'm not sure what to recomend, You could try heading out Highworth way or Lydiard Park way,or there are some nice urban routes aorund if you have a ride about.
Longer wise I usually head out to Wanborough then Albourne to hungerford (where I work) way and get about 35-60 miles, the roads are nice and quiet, with the odd steep hill to keep you on your toes!
Thats all on my old project2'd Hardtail Kona with slicks on (great fun round coate when it is muddy!!!). Off road wise I have an old Trek VRX full sus, but hardly ever use it, the ridgeway can be fun, although is a pain when riding into oncoming wind. Riding from Rockley to Barbury Castle and then down to Avebury for a quick pint can be a nice and easy ride.
Give me a shout for any other advice or if you fancy heading out somwhere one one day.
I moved to swindon about six months ago and was in the same boat as you. Before swindon I lived in Marlborough and was spoilt for choice in terms of rides, finding short routes for an hour or so was a pain in swin
I don't have much time at weeknds so tend to go out most evenings and have found a great 15 mile route starting from my place in Gorse Hill that mainly zigzags round greenbridge,dorcan,coate water,old town,the canal and back. As the route is mainly cycle lanes I crank up the IPOD and due to the start stop fast paced nature its bought my fitness up quite quickly and I actually enjoy the route,and has some ok views !
West Swindon wise I'm not sure what to recomend, You could try heading out Highworth way or Lydiard Park way,or there are some nice urban routes aorund if you have a ride about.
Longer wise I usually head out to Wanborough then Albourne to hungerford (where I work) way and get about 35-60 miles, the roads are nice and quiet, with the odd steep hill to keep you on your toes!
Thats all on my old project2'd Hardtail Kona with slicks on (great fun round coate when it is muddy!!!). Off road wise I have an old Trek VRX full sus, but hardly ever use it, the ridgeway can be fun, although is a pain when riding into oncoming wind. Riding from Rockley to Barbury Castle and then down to Avebury for a quick pint can be a nice and easy ride.
Give me a shout for any other advice or if you fancy heading out somwhere one one day.
Cheers for the replies.
Caiss4, I actually did a similar ride the other day to what you've said!
Me and a couple of mates went from West Swindon, to Wroughton, up to Barbury Castle, then over onto the Ridgeway, which brought us out to Avebury. From there, we took mostly a road way back. Around 27 miles covered from my calculations.
Now, I know that doesn't really sound a lot to people on here, but I don't think I did too bad since I've had no exercise for 8 years+, and only just got back into riding after 8 years+ too. I started cycling again just over a week ago, and was dead chuffed (even though it did take bloody ages to do).
I'm now cycling every day in the morning for an hour, and 2 hours in the evenings on Monday and Tuesday. On top of that, I'm trying to get out for bike rides on the weekend too, for 3 hours each day.
Obviously, I need some rest in there somewhere, which is provided by the rotten weather at least once a week!
Caiss4, I actually did a similar ride the other day to what you've said!
Me and a couple of mates went from West Swindon, to Wroughton, up to Barbury Castle, then over onto the Ridgeway, which brought us out to Avebury. From there, we took mostly a road way back. Around 27 miles covered from my calculations.
Now, I know that doesn't really sound a lot to people on here, but I don't think I did too bad since I've had no exercise for 8 years+, and only just got back into riding after 8 years+ too. I started cycling again just over a week ago, and was dead chuffed (even though it did take bloody ages to do).
I'm now cycling every day in the morning for an hour, and 2 hours in the evenings on Monday and Tuesday. On top of that, I'm trying to get out for bike rides on the weekend too, for 3 hours each day.
Obviously, I need some rest in there somewhere, which is provided by the rotten weather at least once a week!
I used to live in North\West Swindon. A good ride I used to was along the track beside the old tip, you can get onto this where the new North Orbital road ends and joins Mead Way (just cross the road at the lights and the entrance is across the path), follow this parallel to Mead Way (behind the old Renault building), this will bring you out on the great western way. If you go through the industrial estate with Dick Lovett porche on it you can get on to the old railway track (need to cross King's Hill and the entrance is behind the furniture shop in the next industrial estate) which is a nice steady climb into old town, this will bring you out near the Marriott in old town and the Croft Sports Centre, from the car of the sports centre there is a track through the woods that will take you to the back of the Nation Wide building and across the road to edge of Broom Manor Golf course. There is a track round the edge of the golf course which will take you over the M4. From there follow the track through the field and up Ladder Hill (I've never managed to ride all the way up). This comes out on the road to Barbury Castle where you can get on the Ridgeway if you haven't had enough already!
Hope you can follow that, it's been a couple of years since I last rode it!
Hope you can follow that, it's been a couple of years since I last rode it!
I used to cycle on the Ridgeway all the time when I lived in Swindon. The round trip to Avebury is a good one - with some pretty hard going up & down bits and some great views. If you turn left at Barbury Castle you can keep going on the Ridgeway as far as Princes Risborough about 80-90 miles away (which we did one weekend stopping at a B&B in Goring). Going over the top of Uffington White Horse which is about 10 miles out of Swindon is pretty cool. The hill from Wroughton up to the airfield and up to Barbury castle is a legend for me and my old mates. Many a hangover on a Sunday morning was "cured" getting up there!
Closer to Swindon, I used to live in Old Town and used to burn up and down the disused train track from the bottom of the hill up to the back of Old Town. That railway line, which is now a cycle/walking path also runs out up to Marlborough and is relatively flat. There was a bit of a "playground" in some woods at the back of the Intel office too which was a bit of fun.
Closer to Swindon, I used to live in Old Town and used to burn up and down the disused train track from the bottom of the hill up to the back of Old Town. That railway line, which is now a cycle/walking path also runs out up to Marlborough and is relatively flat. There was a bit of a "playground" in some woods at the back of the Intel office too which was a bit of fun.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff