Anyone else ride Broxbourne Woods? (Nr Hertford)

[Chris71]

I just wondered if anyone else rides at Broxbourne Woods? I reckon it's a pretty decent spot given you're within spitting distance of the M25.

[mackie1]

I live in Harpenden and I'm on the look out for some decent local riding. Might have to steal the wife's hatchback and check it out.

[Chris71]

Go for it. Like I said, it's nothing spectacular, but there's plenty of natural singletrack and refreshingly few irrate dog walkers.

PM If you want any trail suggestions or fancy heading out for a blast.

Coincidentally there are two losely connected areas around there which I ride (with a briddleway between) and I think the other is technically part of Hertford Heath. It's a smaller area but there are a couple of nice sections.

ETA: Found a new singeltrack section last night. Think I've got rather a good loop worked out now!

Edited by Chris71 on Friday 24th April 13:21

[Graeme_Gman]

Will have to find out from you where abouts this loop is. Have had a walk around there before with the other half, but not really ventured off the pathways. Been really busy most evenings and weekends recently, but hopefully soon things will settle down and I can get the bike back out for a few nice blasts.

[Chris71]

Graeme_Gman said:

Will have to find out from you where abouts this loop is. Have had a walk around there before with the other half, but not really ventured off the pathways. Been really busy most evenings and weekends recently, but hopefully soon things will settle down and I can get the bike back out for a few nice blasts.

Hi Graeme,

I've ridden there about a dozen times now and I still managed to find a new trail last night.

It's difficult to describe but there's a narrow singletrack trail that traverses the virtually the whole of the woods from the Pembridge Lane side with the latter part running paralell to the river. That's punctuated by larger paths running down the hill in a couple of places and on one of these (I think it's the penultimate one) you need to slog up the hill on the wider (slightly dull) trail until you reach the top. If you keep going it eventually empties out into a field, where you need to curve right (running along the perimeter of the field) until you get back onto singletrack. The next section is superb, partly dirt singletrack, partly up on the walkways (be warned it's broken in one place!) and it drops you out nearly at the far side of the woods, just downhill of the road.

From there you can loop back into the woods or take a detour on the briddleway to Hertford Heath (5 minutes away) that also has some very good riding if you know where to look.

Clear as mud I'm afraid! Happy to show you around though.