# Where to go mtb



## skinny man0903 (29 Dec 2007)

I live in Glastonbury Somerset. 
Where is the best place to go mountain biking.


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## mickle (30 Dec 2007)

I dont get much time to do it these days but when I lived in Hereford I used to just ride loops from home. Over the course of a year I explored every lane, bridleway and footpath within a 15 mile radius. With the aid of a Landranger map its a great way to discover the local countryside.


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## ColinJ (30 Dec 2007)

mickle said:


> I dont get much time to do it these days but when I lived in Hereford I used to just ride loops from home. Over the course of a year I explored every lane, bridleway and footpath within a 15 mile radius. With the aid of a Landranger map its a great way to discover the local countryside.


Landranger maps (1:50,000) are great for road riding but I'd recommend 1:25,000 maps for mountain biking. It's difficult to see all the detail you'd want for serious off-roading at Landranger scale.

I managed to get lost in the Highlands using a Landranger map for a spot of MTB exploration. Carrying and pushing a mountain bike for 5 hours across a peat bog wasn't much fun  Mind you, I wouldn't have thought that there are many huge peat bogs near Glastonbury...


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## RedBike (31 Dec 2007)

> Mind you, I wouldn't have thought that there are many huge peat bogs near Glastonbury...


hehe
My only experience of Glastonbury is of a huge swamp!


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## ColinJ (31 Dec 2007)

RedBike said:


> hehe
> My only experience of Glastonbury is of a huge swamp!


One of several reasons why I've never been to a festival! Mind you, watching the nude muddy hill sliding would be fun...


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## bonj2 (31 Dec 2007)

ColinJ said:


> Landranger maps (1:50,000) are great for road riding but I'd recommend 1:25,000 maps for mountain biking. It's difficult to see all the detail you'd want for serious off-roading at Landranger scale.
> 
> I managed to get lost in the Highlands using a Landranger map for a spot of MTB exploration. Carrying and pushing a mountain bike for 5 hours across a peat bog wasn't much fun  Mind you, I wouldn't have thought that there are many huge peat bogs near Glastonbury...



you don't need ordnance survey maps at all for road riding - just use an A-Z! or better still go on google maps before you set off and remember it


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## ColinJ (31 Dec 2007)

bonj said:


> you don't need ordnance survey maps at all for road riding - just use an A-Z! or better still go on google maps before you set off and remember it


Well for a start I suppose it depends on whether you mind encountering unexpected steep hills on your rides - you can't spot a 25% gradient in an A-Z. 

If I used an A-Z for a route to Burnley from here, I'd take the short route which is over some very steep hills rather than the easier valley roads. 

Hmm - that's a bad example because (a) I wouldn't volunteer to ride to Burnley and ( If I did ride there I _would_ take the scenic hilly route!


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## User482 (3 Jan 2008)

There's good riding in the Mendips and the Quantocks, both of which are near to Glastonbury. Buy a 1:25000 map for Cheddar - there's loads of Bridleways around Cheddar, Rowberrow Warren & Black Down.


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## skinny man0903 (5 Jan 2008)

RedBike said:


> hehe
> My only experience of Glastonbury is of a huge swamp!



did you go to the festival this last year, from what I heard and saw it was a bog !!!!


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## Toshiba Boy (5 Jan 2008)

skinny man0903 said:


> I live in Glastonbury Somerset.
> Where is the best place to go mountain biking.



Skinny man0903, while I ride mainly road, I live in West Somerset and would certainly second the prior comments re the Quantocks.

Hope you find some good routes...have fun


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## surfgurl (6 Jan 2008)

Thanks for the tip on the bridleway on the south side of Cheddar Gorge. I've just dug out my OS map and found the path. I shall hit that very soon.


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## Ludwig (13 Jan 2008)

Exmoor looks pretty good. But to really test yourself hop over the border into Wales where there is thousands of miles of Forest and mountain road and purpose built mountain trails.
Multi Maps is and invaluable resource for discovering mtb routes.


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## Iceniner (28 Feb 2008)

Im also from Glastonbury and if memory serves me correctly there is a small bike shop in Wells that is around the back of the bus stop there as you head towards the town. You could pop in their and ask them if they know other places too.


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