Meet: London Bridge Station, ticket office at 09:00 for the 09:23 train to Wadhurst. map

Distance: 25 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

A great intoduction to off road riding. As mountain biking goes this is a very easy mainly flat off road ride. We'll circunavigate Bewl Water Lake and then head off for a loop around Bedgebury Forest.

Pub lunch.

Mountain bikes only.

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Jim, Simon, Susheel, Mark and Ian were at London Bridge Station to take on the Bewl Water Off Roader.

Wadhurst Station is 55 minutes away by train running every half hour. The fare was £6.60 with the 4 for 2 offer.

Straight out of the station onto the B2099 and the road rises steeply to Wadhurst. Through Wadhurst and take the first minor road to the left which drops down to Bewl Water.

Turning onto the path at the bottom of the lane we crossed an interesting steep section of muddy moguls before turning onto the lakeside path. I’d expected a flat almost tow path like path around the perimeter of the reservoir but the twisty undulating lakeside path dipping in and out of wooded sections is great fun to ride. Accelerate hard down the small descents coast up the other side and throw the bike left and right into some of the sharp turns. There were a few puddles around today making the turns more challenging. Where the path opens up onto the shoreline ease back and enjoy the views of the lake and wildlife.

About two thirds of the way around the lake we turned off to head into Bedgebury Forest. The Forest is about 2.5miles from the Bewl Water path on the A21 just past Flimwell. Turn right onto the Bridleway past the Royal Oak pub and you are straight into the forest.

Bedgebury Forest is being developed as an activity centre and has a couple of purpose built cycle routes. The facilities here boast a 10k family cycle route as well as a 13k single track route for the more committed mountain biker. There is bike hire, showers for you and the bike and a freeride area for practising jumps. I hadn’t reckoned on the purpose built cycle routes when I planned this ride so the route I’d chosen included sections of everything the forest had to offer, wide fire roads and lumpy sections of hoof churned bridleways. If you want the manicured single track path head straight for the visitor centre on the west side of the forest.
Bedgebury Forest is worth a day out in it’s own right and just as we were leaving the paths were getting very busy with family groups taking to the trails.

Bedgebury Forest is 7.5 miles from Wadhurst Station. Check out the web site for everything they have to offer.

We didn’t get to check out the visitor centre as hunger and tiredness forced its way to the top of our priorities. We headed for the Royal Oak where we had come in. Although the sign outside boasted home cooked foods in reality they didn’t have a kitchen – or so they said. Drinks were extortionate - £3.10 for orange juice and lemonade. Avoid the Royal Oak. So off we went to the Cherry Tree down the road in Dale Hill where we missed dinner by 15 minutes. Back into Wadhurst and biscuits from a supermarket proved to be the meal of the day.

This wasn’t the easy flat ride I’d expected in fact we climbed 2500 feet in 31 miles. Both the lake and forest are fun and recommended.

Ian.