London Mountain Biking

Riding when you live in Central London

If you live in London there are lots of mountain biking trails within easy reach. This page has info and links about them. To find out where the latest rides are head over to the forum or look for the listings on the detailed trail pages.

London - Epping Forest

Epping Forest is home to the only real MTB trails within London, stretching between Forest Gate in the South and Epping in the North. If you know where to look it contains some of the best singletrack in the South East and London.

• The nearest tube stations are Snaresbrook, Woodford, Loughton and Epping (Central Line)
• The nearest overland stations are St James Street, Chingford (London Liverpool Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Epping Forest Mountain Biking page

London - Lordship Loop Tottenham

This pumptrack is full of rollers, berms, roller doubles and step-up jumps and is rollable by all abilities but with more challenging jumps for experienced riders.

• The nearest tube stations is Tottenham Hale tube (Victoria Line)
• The nearest overland stations are Tottenham Hale and Bruce Grove (London Liverpool Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Lordship Loop Tottenham Mountain Biking page

London - Hainault Forest & Redbridge

Hainault Forest has some good hills and single-track. It tends to stay drier then Epping. As such it’s a good winter alternative. Although there isn’t as much variety it makes for a good option. The forest is all in one area with no roads to cross, adding to the flow.

• The nearest stations are Grange Hill and Hainault tube on the Central line.
• For more information go to our detailed Hainault Forest & Redbridge Mountain Biking page

London - Thorndon

Thorndon has some good XC. Nothing massively technical, but good trail riding. Finding your way round can be a bit tricky as the woods are linked by fireroads and main roads but a massive loop is possible. There is also a rather mental freeride area and pin sharp dirt jumps called Warley. Come for and ride and i'm sure we will find them on the way ;)

• The nearest stations West Horndon (2 miles) (London Fenchurch Street), Brentwood (2 Miles) (London Liverpool Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Thorndon Mountain Biking page

London - Danbury

Danbury is a real gem of a place with a small freeride area and expanses of woods for XC. The freeride area is maintained by locals it has lots of little tight flowy downhill runs interspersed with some one off features. A hip, river gaps, kickers etc. There are always lots of Essex Herts MTB rides at Danbury. The local scene is great!

• The nearest station is Chelmsford (4 Miles) (London Liverpool Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Danbury Mountain Biking page

London - Langdon Hills

There are also 15 miles of cyclable trails at Langdon Hills Country Park. Nothing to extrene but good for keeping the fitness up. Langdon means ‘Long Hill’. The Country Park and Nature Reserve sit on a 385ft high crescent shaped hilly ridge which extends from Dunton to Vange, giving panoramic views over the Thames Estuary and across to London. It covers 400 acres of meadows, farmland, modern and ancient woodlands.

• The nearest stations are Laindon or Basildon (1 mile) (London Fenchurch Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Langdon Hills Mountain Biking page

London - Hadleigh Farm London Olympics

Blimey.. the MTB Olympics were in Essex. We spend most of our time dreaming of riding elsewhere, but the Olympic gold medal gongs have been decided here! Who would have thought it. The London 2012 Olympictrack seems to have had good reviews, despite its lack of knar, and it was a good 'show'. The future of the venue post Olympics is yet to be officially decided, and we will be adding more info on what it's like to ride, if we ever get the opportunity! Watch this space.

• The nearest station is Leigh On Sea (1.5 mile) (London Fenchurch Street)
• For more information go to our detailed Hadleigh Farm London Olympics 2012 Mountain Biking page

London - Swinley Forest

Swinley Forest is an area of Windsor Forest, owned and managed by The Crown Estate, comprising of 2600 acres of mainly Scots Pine woodland. It is located between Bracknell and Bagshot to the west of the A322 The forest is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week with access available from a number of entrances. The car park at The look Out Discovery Centre is open in the summer from 8am to 8pm.

• Martins Heron station is (1.7 miles) (London Waterloo station)
• Bracknell station is (2.1 miles) (London Waterloo station)
• For more information go to our detailed Swinley Forest Mountain Biking page

London - North Downs, Surrey Hills Peaslake and Dorking

Maybe the best riding the South East? The North Downs / Surrey Hills are proper beefy hills with an established scene. Stuff is always being built and there aren't many who know all the trails there. Rides start from Westcott or from Peaslake with good trails both up and down, across 6 areas. Coldharbour, Ranmore, Leith, Holmbury, Pitch and Winterfold.

• Dorking station is 2.7 miles from the Westcott trail head. (London Victoria station
• Gomshall station is 2.7 from Peaslake. (London Victoria station)
• For more information go to our detailed North Downs Mountain Biking page

London - PORC

PORC. Penshurst Offrad Racing Club is one of the oldest and most legendary DH spots in the UK. There is an excellent DH Area with gap jumps ladders and some steep sections. The Dirt Jumps are progressive and well maintained. It's a fiver to ride there and its open 365 days a year, 7 days a week from 9am until sundown! The tracks are loose and rough and not as well shaped as some other locations.

• The nearest station in Cowden (3.4 miles) (London Bridge)
• For more information go to our detailed PORC Penshurst Offrad Racing Club Mountain Biking page

London - Bedgebury

About 12-16km of single-track. Swoopy nice and fast. One of the only trail centres in the SE with marked routes and well maintained tracks. Great for a quick blast but not overly technical. Can be boggy in winter and the parking is a massive £7.50 last time we checked.

• Etchingham (on the Hastings line from Charing Cross or London Bridge) is the closest station to Bedgebury.
• It's about a 30 minute cycle ride up the A21 (there is a footpath along the edge of the northbound carriageway).
• Alternatively, Tunbridge Wells, Frant and Wadhurst (on the Hastings line) and Staplehurst and Marden (on the Ashford line) are also nearby.
• For more information go to our detailed Bedgebury Mountain Biking page

London - Aston Hill

Aston hill has some of the steepest tracks in the South East. Its the closest you will get to big mountain riding near London. 5 excellent downhills runs but you earn your gravity with a bit of git of a push up. The runs are around 2 mins long. There is also a 4x track which needs some TLC. Aston Hill is clay and is super rooty. Thus its a bit lethal in the wet. The latest trail - Surface to Air - is a great addition.

• The nearest stations are in Wendover (4 miles )( London Marylebone) and Tring (4 miles) (London Euston)
• For more information go to our detailed Aston Hill Mountain Biking page

London - Woburn Sands

Woburn is an excellent place to ride when wet as it drains so well. Its a fun place to get some Freeride/DH action during the winter. It is super progressive, with very small to very very big stuff. Most of the jumps drops are built into runs, and its always a real challenge to get the flow on. This place makes you a better rider. The push up is ok too.

• The nearest station is Woburn Sands (0.5 miles)(Euston via Bletchley)
• For more information go to our detailed Woburn Sands Mountain Biking page

London - Chicksands Bike Park

With one of the best 4x tracks in the South East, a really fun duel and 3 DH tracks Chicksands has lots of variety. There is also an XC loop although the forest is pretty small and the trails are much less developed. Usually its pretty busy and was £5 last time we were there. There is usually a noodle van which pitches up at weekends which is really good for lunch. With a new lease they can crack on with some building this year.

• The nearest station is Arlsey (7 miles) (Kings Cross)
• For more information go to our detailed Chicksands Mountain Biking page