Swinley Forest

James Scott is the Development Director at Cycling UK, he is also a keen mountain biker who has raced all over the world and this is one of his favourite trails.

"A large part of our development work  at Cycling UK is ensuring cycling is accessible to everyone by providing the opportunity, motivation and skills to get out on two or more wheels. 

Red Trail MTB Swinley: Swinley Forest has amazing facilities and trails, it’s accessible for all levels and is family-friendly. Recently I became a dad for the first time and I can’t wait to take my daughter round the forest; the green trail is a perfect starting point and the progression the other trails offer is awesome.

I’ve been lucky to ride and race my mountain bike all over the world, but Swinley is where I honed my skills. One of my favourite trails is the red - it has a bit of everything, with some short, punchy climbs, great flowing singletrack and some jumps and drops on the downhill sections. It’s not the most technical of reds, but it puts a smile on my face every time I ride it.

Swinley is also rideable in about every weather condition going and the trailcentre does a top job at maintaining the site, so it’s accessible come rain or shine. If you want fun, flowing single track in the South East of England, Swinley is a must.

It also has a great cafe, bike shop and hire, an adventure park for children plus an activity centre if it's wet or you fancy something indoorsy.