The Surrey Hills MTB Weekender: an Epic Two-Day Adventure

Looking for a thrilling adventure to cap off your summer? Escape the city after work on Friday and unwind in the heart of the Surrey Hills.

Start with a welcome evening of delicious food and drinks at the cosy Hurtwood Inn, where a roaring fire and great company await. Your fun two-day mountain biking adventure begins bright and early on Saturday.

This is the perfect pre-winter getaway. We’ve crafted a weekend that showcases the very best of this world-famous mountain biking destination, combining high-octane singletrack with stunning, classic cross-country riding. Whether you’re an avid mountain biker looking for a new challenge or an adventurous soul eager to give mountain biking a go, you’ll love the sociable, fun-loving vibe Marmalade MTB is known for.

What’s in store

Day 1: Singletrack adventure & skills session

We’ll start the weekend with a professional introduction to core mountain bike skills. Our guides will help you get to grips with the essential techniques, ensuring you’re confident and ready to maximise your experience on the trails. Then it’s time to enjoy the renowned woodland trails of the Surrey Hills. This day is all about the flowy, hidden singletrack that winds through dense forests and secret pockets of the landscape. Our expert guides will lead you on an exhilarating journey, helping you master the ups and downs and leaving you with a huge grin on your face. You’ll quickly see why these trails are celebrated by riders across the globe.

Day 2: Surrey Hills & North Downs exploration

Trade the tight turns for open vistas on Day 2. We’ll take on a classic cross-country route using the area’s ancient and historic bridleway network. Pedal through rolling river valleys, past quaint villages, and by grand country estates. This ride is a feast for the eyes, offering some of the most breathtaking views in the south east and a completely different style of riding to round out your weekend.

Your adventure package

We’ve made it easy to create the perfect trip for you. All packages include two full days of professionally guided riding, with options to suit every budget and style.

• Accommodation:
  • The Hurtwood Inn: Indulge in a luxurious stay at a classic village inn
  • The Hurtwood Hideout: Opt for a comfortable private room, a shared dorm room, camping, campervanning or glamping
• Bike hire (optional): Don’t have a bike? No problem. Add an electric or non-electric full-suspension mountain bike after your booking with us. Our trusted partners will have it ready for you.

Join us for a weekend of epic riding, great company, and unforgettable adventure. We can’t wait to see you on the trails!

Camping, Glamping and Campervans at the Hurtwood Hideout

By Car

The Hurtwood Hotel is located in Peaslake, Surrey, and is easily accessible from the M25 and major A-roads. For sat nav, the postcode is GU5 9RR. Free parking is available on-site for all guests.

For the Hurtwood Hideout and all camping/campervan pitches, please follow the signs for Holmbury St Mary. The Hideout’s private entrance and free car park are located at the old YHA site, a short drive from the Hurtwood Hotel. The postcode is RH5 6NW.

By Train

The nearest train station is Gomshall, which is a 5-minute taxi ride away. A taxi rank is not available at the station, so we recommend booking one in advance. The quickest train journey from central London to Gomshall takes around 50 minutes, though it is not a direct service.

Guildford and Dorking stations are larger hubs with more frequent and direct services.

• Guildford offers direct connections from London Waterloo, with the fastest journey taking as little as 32 minutes
• Dorking offers direct connections from both London Waterloo (fastest journey from 50 minutes) and London Victoria (fastest journey from 56 minutes)

A taxi from either of these stations to your accommodation takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

Bike hire locations

We understand that convenience is key. We’ve partnered with two of the best-placed bike rental companies in the Surrey Hills to ensure your bike hire is as seamless as possible. You won’t need to worry about making any separate arrangements for collection or return.

• For those staying at the Hurtwood Inn, your hire bikes will be waiting for you at the bike shop located directly opposite the pub in Peaslake.
• If you are staying at the Hurtwood Hideout, your bikes will be ready for you at the on-site bike shop, located right where you are staying.

The Google custom map on this page shows the exact locations of these two bike shops, so you can see they are perfectly positioned for your chosen accommodation.

We’ve made it easy for you to find us with our custom Google Map. Click here to explore the map and get your bearings:

These routes can be ridden on all kinds of mountain bike depending on your personal choice. In the right hands hardtail bikes would be sufficient, and we increasingly see e-bikes in our groups – as well as full suspension trail and enduro bikes. All are welcome. Each climb, and each descent, is taken at the speed that’s right for you, and we manage our groups carefully to ensure no-one feels left behind.

• Front or full suspension bikes with modern geometry are ideal
• Electric mountain bikes are welcome
• Gravel, hybrid and budget bicycles are not suitable for this two day trip

If you don’t have your own bike that fits the bill, take the option of hiring a bike from one of our local providers.

• This trip is aimed at a beginner or intermediate mountain biker or cyclist looking for a sociable and fun group experience
• To take part, you’ll need to be an active person who has the personal fitness to ride for at least five hours at a social and comfortable pace with rest stops
• You will be confident in mountain bike handling skills on blue-graded trails and proficient with operating your bicycle in the correct manner
• The trails include features such as roots and loose rocks, along with small rollable steps – all of which can be easily ridden or avoided
• The rides may contain undulating trails – and in places, climbs that may be challenging
• This ride requires a suitable mountain bike (Hybrid and budget bicycles are not suitable)
• Riders should be 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, then please do contact us for further discussion

Day One: The singletrack adventure

• Duration: 3-5 hours
• Distance: 20 mi | 31 km
• Ascent: 2,400 ft | 730 m
• Level: +Advanced Beginner
  (If you have any questions about your level, just contact us)

The Hurtwood forests of Holmbury and Pitch Hills on the doorstep of our chosen accommodation offers a vast network of woodland tracks that have become famous across the UK. The Singletrack Adventure will have you grinning from ear-to-ear as we knit together trail-after-trail of super fun riding. Your guide will be on hand to provide core mountain biking skills to maximise your enjoyment of the singletrack across this progressive route.

Day Two: The Surrey Hills and North Downs explorer

• Duration: 3-5 hours
• Distance: 26 mi | 42 km
• Ascent: 2,800 ft | 850 m
• Level: Advanced Beginner
  (If you have any questions about your level, just contact us)

On the outskirts of London, the North Downs and Surrey Hills have long offered an escape from the city into the fresh air. There are picture postcard villages, sprawling estates and lush woodland to explore on the extensive network of bridleways and byways that criss-cross this stunning countryside.

Our ride begins in the depths of the Surrey Hills as we take in the Leith Hill viewpoint, before a flowing descent down through Wolverns Lane. Now into the Tillingbourne Valley and soaking up the charm of Shere, we begin our tour of the Weald between the North Downs and the Surrey Hills. There’ll be plenty of chances to stop and take in the views from Pewley Down, St Martha’s Hill and Newlands Corner, and to experience the working landscapes of the Albury and Wotton Estates.

Equipment, kit and clothing

Essentials:

• Suitable mountain bike in good working order
• Helmet (in good condition, with no damage)
• Clothing and shoes appropriate for cycling and weather conditions on the day
• Personal choice of drink and ride snacks
• Spare rear mech hanger specific for your bike

Recommended:

• Gloves
• Glasses, sunglasses or eyeshields
• Hydration backpack (min. 2 liters)
• Spare inner tubes
• Spare spokes specific to your bike wheels
• Puncture repair kit and bicycle pump
• Padded cycling shorts for comfort

What’s not included

• Bike hire – see above
• Personal clothing & equipment
• Pre, during or post activity refreshments
• Personal travel or accident Insurance

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Marmalade MTB – 5559, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for:

• Non-flight packages

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package.  Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Marmalade MTB.  

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here:  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made 

You can find out more about ABTOT here: https://www.abtot.com/