Mountain Biking on the North Downs

About the Book

Ride the North Downs and discover some of south east England's finest mountain biking terrain, where woodland singletrack in the Surrey Hills, challenging escarpment climbs, and exhilarating descents on chalk and earth trails make this one of the most rewarding and accessible MTB destinations within reach of London.

Suitable for mountain bikers with some experience and a reasonable level of fitness, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook describes 20 graded circular routes across the North Downs from Farnham in the west to Dover in the east, plus a 59km route along the Downs Link connecting the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way at Shoreham-by-Sea. Routes range from 18.5 to 59km and are up to 90% off-road, graded blue, red, and black for difficulty.

• Choose from 20 graded circular MTB routes spanning the full length of the North Downs, from routes around Guildford, Dorking, Reigate, and Redhill in the Surrey Hills to routes around Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury, Elham, and Temple Ewell in Kent, with every route graded for difficulty and illustrated with OS map extracts and height profiles.
• Tackle the 59km Downs Link route connecting the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way at Shoreham-by-Sea, offering an outstanding point-to-point challenge on one of southern England's great multi-use trails.
• Discover the highlights of North Downs mountain biking, including the exceptional woodland singletrack of the Surrey Hills around Peaslake and Holmbury Hill, the challenging Surrey Hills Grand Traverse, the dramatic southern escarpment above Box Hill and Leith Hill, and the chalk and earth trails of the Kent Downs.
• Navigate every route with confidence using OS 1:50,000 map extracts and height profiles included for each route, with guidance on the recommended OS Explorer 1:25,000 and Landranger 1:50,000 sheets covering the full length of the North Downs.
• Select routes suited to your ability using clear blue, red, and black grading, with difficult and technical sections clearly indicated throughout, and practical advice on recommended gear, including full suspension bikes, body armour, and full face helmets for more demanding descents.
• Plan your rides with practical information on getting there and around, accommodation, local bike shops, and the best times to ride, with the North Downs rideable year-round though trails can be extremely muddy from late autumn to late spring.

Take on the singletrack, climbs, and descents of the North Downs with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. From the Surrey Hills to the Kent chalk downs, this is the essential companion for mountain biking in south east England.

Table of Contents:
Emergencies Map key Overview map Introduction About the routes in this guide Centres Getting there and getting around When to go Safety Equipment Tools and maintenance Navigation Hydration Food Rights of way and other users Waymarking Maps Using this guide Routes around Guildford Route 1 Puttenham Common loop Route 2 St Martha's Hill-Abinger loop Routes around Dorking Route 3 Hackhurst Downs-Polesden Lacey loop Route 4 Gomshall-Westhumble loop Route 5 Leith Hill and Holmbury Hill loop Route 6 Surrey Hills Grand Traverse Routes around Reigate and Redhill Route 7 Oxted and Bletchingley loop Route 8 Box Hill-Banstead Heath loop Route 9 Warlingham-Biggin Hill loop Routes around Maidstone and the Medway Valley Route 10 Oldbury Hill and Mereworth Woods Route 11 Meopham-Wrotham loop Route 12 Bearsted, Detling Hill and Blue Bell Hill Routes around Ashford Route 13 Bilsington and Faggs Wood loop Route 14 Wye Downs loop Routes around Canterbury Route 15 Chartham Downs loop Route 16 Chilham and King's Wood loop Route 17 Rough Common-Blean Wood loop Routes around Elham and Temple Ewell Route 18 Elham Valley loop Route 19 Alkham-Barham Downs loop Route 20 Temple Ewell loop The Downs Link Appendices Appendix A: Camping and accommodation Appendix B: Bike shops/bike hire/bike mechanics Appendix C: Useful contacts

About the Author :
Peter Edwards grew up in Sussex and nurtured a love of walking amid the hills of the South Downs. He has undertaken numerous walking and cycling expeditions in Europe and beyond and is drawn to wild and remote landscapes in particular. He moved to Glasgow in 2006.