Good Places to Cycle Off Road with Family

[Graham O]

I guess its getting quite late in the year now, but my kids are getting old enough to start cycling in places other than the local park..

Can anyone recommend any good places to go cycling with the family. Ideally it should relatively flat, off-road and interesting..

I was thinking of Penshurst Off Road Club, but have never been !!

[Andrew G]

Flat and PORC don't go together, it's on a bloody great hill (or the bits I've seen when at the cyclo-x are) .

[Grahame]

In Kent:
[url=http://www.ukdirt.com/porc/]Penshurst Offroad Club[/url](probably a bit hilly)

The [url=http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1132144431328]Sustrans bike path[/url] between Tonbridge castle and Penshurst is 5 miles each way, nearly all traffic free, and has 1 hill in each direction. There are good pubs and tea shops in Penshurst to make a day(ish) trip of it.

[url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6ljhu5]Bedgebury forest[/url] Has family trails and more interesting singletrack for when their skills improve, a bike hire shop, and a decent tea and cake shop. Parking is £5 (I think), but it all gets ploughed back into developing and maintaining the facilities.

There's also a loop around [url=http://www.bewlwater.org/]Bewl water[/url], but Marky Mark knows more than is properly healthy about the facilities and hazards there .

West of town, there is Bracknall forest with family-friendly and singletrack trails radiating out from [url=http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/lookout]the Lookout[/url] centre. Parking is free, but a cycling permit is £2 per person per day. Again this goes towards maintaining the facilities. There is a cafe and bike hire place (with a small stock of spare parts) on site.

[Marky Mark]

[quote="Grahame"]In Kent:
There's also a loop around [url=http://www.bewlwater.org/]Bewl water[/url], but Marky Mark knows more than is properly healthy about the facilities and hazards there .

[Will]

I'd definitely rule out PORC. It's very hilly and the trails are pretty hard. They use them for a lot of downhill races.

Bebdgebury would be a good choice. Bear in mind that it can get very muddy (and so slippy) in winter to the point where it becomes a hard slog and not particularly enjoyable.

Swinley/Lookout would also be a good choice.

I quite enjoyed Bewl although beware that it is (if I remember correctly) a bit of a commitment as once you get some way into the lap around the reservoir there's no real bailout option and so you're obliged to continue...

[Graham O]

Cheers Chaps....Thats Really useful !!

Bedgebury forest looks favourite !!

[George]

South Norwood country park is just the ticket, it's close to you and is nice and flat.

[EdO]

Graham, further a field, I've got a book - cycle tours around London (South) and it has some really agreeable routes for the family.
ISBN number is 0-540-08193-0.

There are on and off road circular routes ranging from 20-30 miles and always take a few nice pubs for a stop off.

You don't need to do the full routes just turn when energy levels and enthusiasm starts to drop.

[Mike I]

The Wandle Way goes, er, along the River Wandle from Wandsworth to Carshalton (and beyond?). There are a few family-friendly attractions en route too - Merton Abbey Mills, Deens City Farm, Morden Hall Park ...

It strays onto the tarmac in one or two places, but is definitely flat.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Bedgebury forest Has family trails and more interesting singletrack for when their skills improve, a bike hire shop, and a decent tea and cake shop. Parking is £5 (I think), but it all gets ploughed back into developing and maintaining the facilities.

[Graham O]

[quote="George"]South Norwood country park is just the ticket, it's close to you and is nice and flat.