Berkshire Downs, Oxfordshire

Distance 49.3km (30.6 miles) Climbing 730m (2,395ft) Time 2hrs 30mins to 4hrs 30mins

Route summary A very fast ride in dry conditions, this route is long but gentle, with a surprising amount of singletrack and long, shallow gradients without a huge amount of climbing

Start/Finish The Ridgeway car park on Bury Lane (grid ref SU 479/841, postcode OX12 8QX) 1

Go east, under the A34. Keep ahead and join a track. Proceed alongside the Gallops (horse track) until it bears left, then turn right across it. Continue on a bridleway to East Ilsley, and right to the road. Go left, and left again at a crossroads.

2

Bear right at the fork, then keep ahead/left. Proceed uphill and onto a bridleway as the road bears right. Go over a track crossing and keep right at a fork, down to another crossing. Turn right and join a concrete track. Fork left and keep right, under the A34.

3

Keep left until a right turn by a bus stop. Take this, then go left on a driveway, which becomes a bridleway. Continue ahead onto a road. When this bears left, turn right onto a byway. Cross a road, go left at a fork and continue for 1.4km, then go right, into the woods.

4

Head down to a T-junction and go left. Ignore the left turn and fork left just beyond. Go right on the road, then keep right, to a junction before the bridge under the A34. Turn right on the byway, down to a junction from earlier. Head left and keep ahead on a new trail. 5

Returning to a junction from earlier, go right, retracing your steps. Keep ahead on a bridleway as the track bears left, cross a field and join the road ahead/right. Continue on a bridleway when the road turns right. Keep ahead, over a road, and follow the bridleway uphill to the right, to a crossing.

6

Go left on the Ridgeway. Keep ahead, then bear right, through a gate at a car park, across a field. Continue downhill onto a wide track past a farm. Head straight on the road until it bears left. Go right here, on a bridleway. Keep ahead at the junction, signed ‘Ardington’.

7

Ride through Ardington. When the road turns sharply left, go straight on at the junction, bearing right, then ahead at a track crossing. Keep ahead past the farm and uphill, then go right at a crossing. Turn left on the road, continue to another road and head left, then right at the fork, towards Batterton. 8

Keep ahead on the bridleway, up to the Ridgeway. Turn left, then left again on a bridleway. Descend to a road and turn right. Head right at a T-junction and keep ahead, ignoring the cycle path to the left. Go up to the top of the hill and left on the Ridgeway, keeping ahead back to the car park.

LOCATION DETAILS

The countryside and OS map would indicate that this ride is out in the open, on wide tracks across fields, but in fact many of these trails are singletrack, sheltered in tunnels of trees. While the mud can get slippery and sticky, the trails ride quickly when dry, enabling you to cover a long distance in a short time.

GETTING THERE

Start from the car park just o the A34, on Bury Lane, which can be accessed from both sides of the A34. This places the cafe on the ride, but you could also start from East Ilsley to finish with a descent, or West Lockinge (OX12 8QE), near Wantage, to end at a pub or cafe.

MAPS & BOOKS

OS Landranger 174: Newbury & Wantage. Mountain Bike Rides in & around the Chilterns by Max Darkins (Rough Ride Guide).

FACILITIES

The Crown & Horns in East Ilsley o ers accommodation (01635 281545), or try the Court Hill Centre (tea rooms), which has dorm accommodation and camping, o the A338 south of Wantage (01235 760253, www.courthill.org.uk). Grab some refreshments at Grocer Chef tea rooms in Ardington (01235 833237, www.thegrocerchef.com), or check out the pubs in East Ilsley. Ridgeway Cycles in Wantage is an excellent bike shop (01235 764445, www.ridgewaycycles.com). For more information, visit www.wantage.com.