ヘックステーブルのバイクパーク・トップ6

A little way along ‘the big ditch’ in Oxleas Wood are a number of jumps dug into the earth which build toward a final larger jump on the far end of the ditch providing decent air if you approach fast enough into the ditch. There is a circular track with mud ‘walls’ to run off the speed which takes you directly back into the ditch slope. The turning into this track is marked by a painted tree to the edge and near the end of the fasted down hill track from the field at the top of woods; careful at crossroads if you bomb the hill from the top as there are often walkers using the trails.

The fun police have been out to play. New fencing and dead hedging / brush utilised to block off a lot of the known routes. New ones have been created, so it's still worth a visit. Top tip - Evening is better for riding / less footfall.

Over the road from the larger more traditional Marvel Wood; Lower Marvel Wood sits adjacent to the Mottingham Sports Ground. It has several paths crisscrossing through the small wood but if you follow one of the narrow tracks through the bushes you end up at a very deep drainage ditch. Kids have ridden bikes along the this ditch and a very challenging dirt track runs along the length of the far side…. It’s terrifying. I imagine that many a brave BMXer has fallen foul of this track; which is possibly the reason why there’s a proper purpose built and very gnarly dirt bike track at the edge of the wood.

Other than fast downhill jumps dug into the trails running down from Castle Woods car park to Eltham Common; the ‘other’ mtb adapted trail is at the other side of the woods; to the left of the cafe in Oxleas Meadow. Follow the path, past the gym equipment, to a field; follow the path. Take the first left past the bench. The trail is a tight technical single track that will eventually take you to the edge of the park; the top bit is the best.

I’ve heard whispers of a brutally technical hardcore trail carved into the bottom of the deepest darkest ravine in Bostal Woods….. I found it … by accident. Several insane jumps built into the steep winding single track. The earthwork is high, the jumps are tight and the track is demanding and intense; I had trouble carrying my bike up the narrow trail, I couldn’t ride up. Whoever built this is legend. Respect. Not the actual photo. No I couldn’t ride it - I tried. I won’t be going back.

Great place to ride single tracks of all levels you can spend most of the day there and only bump into a few other humans. Excellent place to escape to. So take lots of snacks and drink.