The Surrey Hills and North Downs Lovelace Bridges Edition

Experience our exciting new 45km mountain bike route through the heart of the Surrey Hills and onto the North Downs, a carefully crafted journey showcasing the region’s rich local heritage and history. Starting and finishing in the picturesque village of Holmbury St Mary, our ride features a special focus on experiencing the elegant Lovelace Bridges up close – riding under, over, and around these historic structures. We then continue onto the magnificent National Trust estate of Polesden Lacey.

Discover the best cross-country riding the area has to offer as we explore this beautiful countryside. From our starting point in Holmbury St Mary, our route takes us through stunning Surrey Hills landscapes before we encounter the charming and historic Lovelace Bridges, integral to our route. We then meander towards the captivating Polesden Lacey, a treasure trove of history and breathtaking vistas, before returning to Holmbury St Mary.

This action-packed tour offers a fantastic blend of cross-country adventure and historical discovery on our newly curated route, covering 45km of the area’s finest trails. The ride culminates in a well-deserved refreshment and the option of a traditional pub lunch back in Holmbury St Mary.

What to expect

You’ll need to have a reasonable level of fitness to be able to enjoy this day out. It is suited for active people and regular riders for a traditional off-road adventure. The riding is a mixture of cross-country on bridleways and byways that criss-cross this national landscape. The natural terrain and trails we will use are not very technical, however there are short spicier sections that will provide an exciting mixture, for all levels of off-road riders.

This Surrey Hills and North Downs experience would not be complete without a mid-ride stop coffee and cake stop at one of the many brilliant cafes and the option of a post-ride drink or lunch back in Holmbury St Mary.

If you are still not sure whether this ride is for you, then please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

The area and the trails

The lush woodland that smothers these green sandstone hills is festooned with ancient bridleways and trails. This loop will perfectly link together the two main ridges of very different topology of the North Downs and the Surrey Hills that will include riding in and across the beautiful Tillingbourne valley.

Riding with Marmalade

We pride ourselves on creating the perfect vibe that makes everyone feel comfortable and confident. Combine a super fun and relaxed atmosphere with Marmalade’s expert knowledge and professionalism we will guarantee you the best day out discovering the trails of the Surrey Hills.

While mountain bikes and eBikes are ideal for tackling the varied terrain of this 45km route through the Surrey Hills and North Downs, gravel bikes are also welcome for experienced off-road riders.

The trails feature a mix of bridleways and byways, with some natural rooty sections and small, rollable steps. If you’re comfortable with traditional cross-country style riding on your gravel bike, this adventure, taking in the Lovelace Bridges and Polesden Lacey, will be a fantastic experience.

However, if your off-road experience is primarily limited to smooth surfaces like canal paths and forest tracks, be aware that this ride will present a more significant technical challenge on a gravel bike.

Ensure your bike of choice is in full working order and ready to ride, and please pack a spare mech hanger with your usual trail pack spares.

There is bike hire available from our friends at The Riders Hub and Just Pedal – Hurtwood.

Equipment, kit and clothing

Essentials:

• Suitable mountain bike in good working order (bikes can be hired in advance)
• 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

Recommended:

• Gloves
• Glasses, sunglasses or eyeshields
• Backpack
• Spare inner tube
• Puncture repair kit and bicycle pump
• Padded cycling shorts for comfort

What’s not included

• Bike hire – this can be booked via the ‘Bike Hire‘ section
• Personal clothing & equipment
• Overnight accommodation
• Pre, during or post activity refreshments
• Personal travel or accident Insurance

• To take part, you’ll need to be an active person who has the personal fitness to ride for at least 4 hours at a social and comfortable pace, with breaks
• You will be confident in mountain bike handling skills and proficient with operating your bicycle in the correct manner
• The trails do include features such as roots and loose rocks, along with small rollable steps – all of which can be easily ridden or avoided
• This ride does 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)
  • See the ‘Bike Hire‘ section below if you need to hire a bike
• Riders should be aged 18 and over
• If this ride sounds a little beyond your current skill and fitness level, please contact us and we’ll help you look at other options

Booking this route as a private ride

To enjoy this ride privately with friends or family, the pricing is as follows:

• One rider = £340
• Two-to-four riders = £340
• Five riders = £390
• Six riders = £440
• Seven riders = £490
• Eight riders = £540

Need to hire a bike? Then add non-electric or electric mountain bikes from the ‘Extras‘ section during the booking.
Please note: The bike hire booking is with Marmalade MTB, BUT the bikes are being supplied by our partners at The Rider’s Hub.

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 him on +44 (0)7840 724611.

If you want a completely bespoke activity, then visit our private guided ride page to see all the options.
Still not sure what experience is for you or have a question? Then please send Sean an email or call him on +44(0)7840 724611.

(All prices include VAT)

How to book your bike:

1. From the system below select the dates to match the open group ride you have booked with us
2. Select the full day option
3. Select normal mountain bike or electric mountain bike
4. Choose the size of bike, based on your height
5. Go to checkout and complete the bike hire reservation for each rider

These fantastic bikes, and this booking system, are provided by our friends at The Riders Hub. If you have any questions or problems around booking your bike, just contact the Riders Hub team and they’ll help.