Level: 7
Distance
36 miles
Ride Type
XC
Ascent
4,347 ft
Devil’s Punch Bowl Grand MTB Tour
From £48.00 inc. VAT
The density of rocky, rooty and fast rolling bridleways and byways of this end of the Surrey Hills provides unlimited options to discover the history and beauty of the Devil’s Punch Bowl and beyond. Join us this summer on our new 36 mile XC epic that will combine the very best trails and stunning views the South East has to offer.
If you need to hire a bike, check availability first using the bike hire selector below.
Choose between:
Believe it or not there is more to Surrey Hills MTB events than Peaslake and the famous singletrack such as Barry Knows Best and Yogurt Pots! At the far western end of this area of outstanding beauty is the simply fabulous Devil’s Punch Bowl, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and one of the most popular natural attractions in the South East of England. This ancient area is smothered in an impressive web of interconnecting Byways and Bridleways that link all the towns and villages together to create a cross-country (XC) mountain biking and hiking haven.
Since our inception in early 2016, we have been committed to use our local knowledge and passion for ‘traditional mountain biking’ to create an extensive portfolio showcasing the best of the South East. The newest of our Surrey Hills MTB events is aimed at the regular mountain biker who likes nothing more to discover a new area, its history and enjoy a well earned country pub lunch afterwards.
Surrey Hills MTB Events
This area of England is no stranger to hosting off-road sportives, adventure races or large Surrey Hills MTB events. Escape the hustle and bustle of the adrenaline fuelled hills around Peaslake and immerse yourself in our friendly small group vibe and the vast expertise that comes from a fully qualified Marmalade leader and fully appreciate this stunning area on this grand tour of the finest XC trails of Southern England.
What to expect!
You will need to an active person with regular cycling fitness and big climbs in your legs to be able to enjoy the newest of our Surrey Hills MTB events designed for experienced riders. However, if you have recently joined us on our other intermediate or advanced rides, then this epic tour around Hindhead, Haslemere and Liphook that also takes in Black Down, the highest point on the South Downs National Park, will be the perfect next step for you. The riding is good old-fashion cross-country, with long but rewarding climbs and epic views. The riding is a mixture of the stunning double and single track highways of yester-year. The terrain is not overly technical, however, a couple of the descents do require confident bike handling techniques. The ‘Devil’s Punch Bowl Grand MTB Tour ‘ provides an exciting mixture to inject plenty of fun and a sense of challenge for regular and experienced mountain bikers.
If you are still not sure whether this ride is for you, then please do not hesitate to contact us by clicking here.
The area and the trails
This western part of the Surrey Hills offers an amazing network of bridleway trails that link seamlessly together to explore this stunning and ancient part of the South East. Thanks to sandstone commons and heath-lands of the Surrey Hills the majority of this ride handles the variety of weather very well but in places is exposed and therefore we would recommend packing an additional layer and your shades, when the sun is out. The well trodden, ancient and eroded trails with their rooty rollers, rocky steps and other fun natural features will keep you on your toes and have you grinning from ear-to-ear across the entire loop.
Riding with Marmalade
We pride ourselves on creating the perfect vibe that makes everyone feel comfortable and confident to maximise your enjoyment during our guided Surrey Hills MTB events. Combine this super fun and relaxed atmosphere with our expert knowledge and professionalism we will guarantee you the best day out on your bike to discover the trails of the Surrey Hills and the South Downs National Park.
MTB bike hire
Visiting family and friends without your bike? Or simply you want to give this ride a go, but do not own a mountain bike? Then we can arrange day hires through our local partners, Chalk Pit Trails and or Hassocks Community Cycle Hire.
- Duration: We have all day, if we need it!
- Distance: 36 miles (approx.)
- Elevation gain: 4,347 ft (approx.)
- Technical Grade: +Intermediate
(any questions, please contact us) - Meet time: 8.30 am | 9.00 am on bikes
- Meet point: The Bel & The Dragon, Churt
- Group size: 5-8 (max.)
What’s included
- Fully guided by a professional MTB leader
- This ride is aimed at regular bikers with a good level of fitness and who like cross-country (XC) style mountain biking
- If you have attended our other rides such as the Birling Gap Bash, Purbeck Days Out or the East Sussex Explorer then this ride would be perfect for you
- Or you are a regular cyclist looking for a challenging, rewarding and sociable guided mountain bike ride
- You are an active person who has the personal fitness to ride for at least 5-7 hours at a social and comfortable pace with regular breaks
- You will be confident in basic bike handling skills and proficient with operating your bicycle in the correct manner
- The trails will include features such as roots and small loose rocks, along with small rollable slopes. All of which are rollable or can be ridden around
- All the trails will have options to ride around features that you do not feel comfortable riding
- You have your own suitable mountain bike (Hybrid and budget bicycles are not suitable for this ride)
- Contact Us if you would like to hire a bike
- The ride does contain a number of undulating and in places challenging climbs
- You are aged 18 and over unless accompanied by an adult also participating on this ride
- If this sounds a little beyond your current skill and fitness level, please contact us for other options
Equipment, kit and clothing
- Suitable mountain bike in good working order*
- Helmet*
- Gloves and glasses
- Backpack
- Spare inner tube
- Puncture repair kit and bicycle pump
- Clothing & shoes appropriate for cycling and weather conditions on the day
- Padded cycling shorts for comfort
- Personal choice of drink and ride snacks
* without these you will not be able to take part in the guided ride Our guides carry an extensive kit to assist with trail-side repairs
What’s not included
- Bike hire
- Personal clothing & equipment
- Overnight accommodation
- Pre, during or post activity refreshments
- Transfers to & from location
- Personal travel/activity Insurance
Booking this ride as a custom experience
Base price of £240 is for one to four people. Add more riders for a group of five to eight using the ‘Extras’ drop down menu.
If you want a completely bespoke guided ride, then choose the ‘Custom Half or Full Day’ option from the ‘Experiences’ drop down menu.
Still not sure what experience is for you or have a question? Then please send Sean an email or call on +44(0)7840724611.
Need to hire a bike? Then after you have booked your guided ride, scroll down or click here to reserve your bike with our friends at Surrey Hills Bike Rental.
Meet point: Once you have booked, we can decide on the best location to start your ride. This will depend on where your accommodation is and whether or not you require bike hire. If required we can bring the bikes to you.
If you want to discuss this before you book then please send Sean an email or call on +44(0)7840724611.
(All prices include VAT)
Bike hire selection
- From the system below choose the date and time to match our guided ride (6 May 2023 & 9 am)
- We recommend the ‘full day’ option as a minimum
- Select normal mountain bike or electric mountain bike
- Choose the size of bike, based on your height
- Go to checkout and complete the bike hire reservation
- Book your place on the guided ride from the ‘Group ride dates‘ drop down menu above
Please Note:
​The bike hire system below can sometimes have a delay before it has fully loaded. If it fails to show, then visit Surrey Hills Bike Rental direct to reserve your bike. Then return to this page to confirm your place on our guided ride.
(** Marmalade MTB is not responsible for the provision of these bikes. By using the system below you are booking direct with Surrey Hills Bike Rental.)
Vadim –
This was my 2nd ride with marmalade overall and I enjoyed it a lot. It is a hard route with some hard climbs with loose, slippery rocks. As usual, the ride was well organised with about 60km of riding. I’d recommend it if you are an mid-level rider with some trail skills. Definitely not a beginner level.
Nigel Pigden –
I’ve now been on a few marmalade rides and my skills have grown and the Devils Punch Bowl was another superb day out with Jim our leader…with his huge experience and knowledge also making a minor repair to an issue I could not detect on my bike getting me back on track. Beautiful scenery & great company making an exciting day out.
John Pillar –
Great ride and great group – ably led by Jim, who made the day as good as it could be. Started very wet and then dried up, and we pushed on up some very challenging climbs and some amazing clattery descents. Big day out. Thanks
Mark Bennett –
Yet another amazing guided ride delivered by Sean and Marmalade MTB. Over 30 miles of some the best bridleways and byways that the Surrey Hills has to offer. A true variety of wooded singletrack and open heath riding filled with challenging ascents and amazing descents, all shared with a great group of riders. A ride and route that I’d definitely do again!
Richard Mason –
Another brilliant trip from Sean/Marmalade who always manages to find the best trails with excellent scenery, single track and invariably a good group to enjoy it with.
Jeff Grimes –
Yet another brilliant day out with Sean. The route was varied and challenging, some rocky twisty downs and some formidable ups but in between some lovely trails and great views. Very glad that Sean knew the route. Highly recommended.