Friston Forest Mountain Bike Trails

luke:

In the rain or dry, day or night Fristion is an amazing place to ride! We are all very lucky to have such a awesome place to pretend we are Danny Hart

Loads of trails new and old still seeking them out. DH to gentle riding. Some great climbs and excellent bomb holes to play in.

Paul:

Jon:

Massive variety of trails and good for every rider

HamsterFangs:

Trying not to repeat what other's have said - Trail variety is not too bad. DH - There are a number of DH routes on the A259 side of the forest, some with some seriously big drops. Pump & Jump - There's a very small pump track hidden at the bottom of the DH runs, along with half a dozen fair-sized some dirt jumps - all in a line, so it's short-lived until you ride back to the start. XC - The singletrack has been unofficially developed by a number of trail fairy gangs, and there's a lot to ride now. A map or local guide is a must, as you need to know where to look. Especially in the autumn when the trails all but disappear. https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/201201229992950/ It used to be that you had to ride to the top for a decent run, but now there are trails starting much lower down, which is great for introducing newbies to the sport. Skills development - There are a number of local clubs in the area (Cycle Seahaven, Friston MTB, Sussex Muddy Arse, Lewes HighRollers) who can give you guidance, including the on-site bike-hire place that offers coaching and leader training. http://www.cuckmere-cycle.co.uk/ Also check out semb.co who are getting great reviews for their training in and around Friston Forest http://southeastmountainbiking.co.uk/ Trail Quality - If you like natural trails then the quality of these is superb. Some of the routes wind through trees and over stumps so you have to keep your wits about you. Others are fast and flowy, and some are tight and twisty. If you prefer crushed stone, managed drainage and all-weather surfaceing then you're going to disapointed. Facilities - there's a water tap and toilets hidden in the middle of the visitor centre complex (you gotta walk 50 yards), and the local Tea Rooms charge like a wounded rhino. All qite a way from the main trails. Oh for a bacon van and mug of tea at the trail head. The local bike/hire shop charge far too much to use their jet wash (£2 a pop!! It should be a quid for one or two bikes), and 2hrs in the carpark are £3.50. It's a very small carpark, so you may not even get in during bank holidays. There's another carpark at Buthcers Hole - zero facilites (except a pay and display machine). The trails are under constant (unoffical) development, and this is a hidden gem of a place. Get a local to show you round and you WILL be back for more.

Damned tricky in the wet in places, so good for skills. Lots of love given by locals to keep the trails running sweetly. Loads of trails of varying difficulty. Many suitable for novices.

Rob Allchin:

A great mix of natural singletrack with obstacles (usually bomb craters) of varying difficulty. There are four or five main trails between 0.8 and 2 miles in length with many detours on each so they can be ridden differently each time. There are some downhill runs on the steep side of the forest near the A259. Toilets can be found at the Forestry Commision run car parks. A café provides great lunches, coffees etc at the barn along with bike hire at the shop next to it.

Great trails well maintained by local volunteers. Friendly locals. Trails great for beginners through to experienced riders. (most obstacles have 'chicken runs') No climbs are too steep so everything is ridable.

Jamie lynch:

Friston has a lot to offer with regards to trail riding, with new trails being built over the last three years which has joined up many of the best best parts of the forest. These new trail have allowed the local riders to improve their riding along with local trainers South East Mountain Biking. The grin factor has gone up by ten fold and the number of riders has gone up to match.

Varied natural trails, challenging, fast when dry and even more challenging when wet.