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Hi all, I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice please.

I've recently bought new bikes for me and the Mrs but as we don't drive and aren't that confident on the roads, we've only really managed short or nearby trips over Gloucester park as we live close to Basildon station. I'd like to find another place to go but that's easy to get to and Don't mind getting the train, but wondered if anyone could suggest safe routes etc? Thanks in advance. Jim.

Hey jim, welcome to the site, i live in lee chapel north, just down the road. without a car or riding on the roads then your pretty limited in basildon.
langdon hills/one tree hill has some good riding, from where you are you can ride the paths through the town, up past the hospital and turn down dry street into one tree hill (quite roads) thats more trail riding though.
i regularly do basildon-shoebury loop (36 miles) but if thats to far then jump on the train to shoebury and ride down to leigh, getting the train back again. nice route down the seafront and into old leigh.
Check out this site for other local routes http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Essex-Routes-76.html

Thanks very much for the response, really helpful and much appreciated.

I'm gonna check out some maps now as the Shoebury option sounds just what we're after. Thanks again.

As Keith said about shoeburyness, a good one i have done to get to shoebury (and back if you can manage it) is from Benfleet trainstaition go along the hadleigh flats and farm land area, past old leigh and the peterboat area and into southend sea front and shoeburyness. First part is light off road, followed by cycle paths all the way from Southend to shoeburyness. very flat unless you head off the sea front area.

This may be worth a look at for easy going rides in langdon hills

http://www.essexhertsmtb.co.uk/mountain-bike-away-days-events/langdon-hills-rides-t2067.html

Excellent suggestion, just making a note of it now!

Thanks for replying.

Thanks Karl. Is it possible to get a copy of the maps you mentioned in the post please?

Yeah sure, its a little hard to get detailed pictures but your more that welcome to pop round and grab the map as i wont be using it.
Im just by laindon shopping center

Also you can build confidence up by just doing it, push yourselves out of you comfort zone a little each time you go out on the road and before you know it you'll be confident, but that is when you need to be extra careful,the more confidence you get the more dangerous it becomes!

Posted from my phone ' cos I can't wait to get to a PC!

Hi Jim
we're riding langdon tomorrow @ 9am. meeting at one tree hill lower car park.

Thanks for the reply. I can't do tomorrow, but we may well take you up on your kind offer if you go riding there often and don't mind a pair of complete novices ?

I'm hoping to get over to Langdon soon as I reckon I've worked out a fairly easy way to get there now so I'll let you all know how we got on!