Southern England Vacation - worth bringing a bike?

Wasn't sure where to put this, or if anyone will even see it, but I know we have a bit of a UK contingent here. 

Will be in Salisbury for 3 weeks in the summer, right in the middle of town. 

Looks like there are a couple little bike parks (tidworth/windhill) around that could be fun, and easy to get to with a car, but from what I can tell almost impossible without. 

Seems like bikes on transit is generally frowned upon, so I think I'm screwed, but just thought I'd see if there's any local Intel?

Thanks in advance!

Try asking on https://singletrackworld.com/forum/

Are you only interested in 'bike parks'? Remember UK access laws are a lot different to Canada so most of the riding isn't in purpose built bike parks...

Thanks! Yeah no specific attraction to bike parks here, I'm probably the opposite of a park rat, it's just what seemed to be accessible. :)

Speaking from experience visiting Reading and Bike Park Afan in Wales.

It's bike park or neighborhood forest rides with walkers glaring at you if you aren't hooked up with locals who are in the know and building trail.  I think you'll find your tourism time much better spent doing tourism.  My southern UK friends (one who just moved to Wales and loves it) just booked a visit to us.

The southern UK has so much more to offer that isn't a mediocre forest trails ride for the sake of riding.

Tidworth, the closest to Salisbury, shows 8 freeride trails, 0.5 km each.    To put it in perspective, that's the length of Richard Juryn trail in LSCR.

If you take a bike, I'd take or better borrow a simple city/town pedal bike you can lock up without too much worry.

That said, Afan Forest Bike Park was incredible for a day! Only for the car park and amenities. Imagine a Welsch Rarebit and a pint after or between rides, with a shower and bikewash. Well worth a visit, but you'll need a car.

https://www.mbwales.com/listings/afan-bike-park/

We got interviewed there by town council, and the second question they asked was "Why the hell are you riding HERE?". The first was "Where are you from?"

The most memorable ride of that trip was the tandem bike blasting down the grassy park where they were setting up for Reading Festival and were selling pints in the park.  Again, the pint.  See a trend here?

Or take a gravel bike....

Posted by: SixZeroSixOne

Or take a gravel bike....

aka mountain biking but with a different website for trails. Not a bad idea!

https://gravelmap.com/map#_=9.05/51.101/-1.5585

Posted by: SixZeroSixOne

Try asking on https://singletrackworld.com/forum/

Are you only interested in 'bike parks'? Remember UK access laws are a lot different to Canada so most of the riding isn't in purpose built bike parks...

To be clear trail access laws are not the same around the UK. As the UK is actually a group of separate countries the laws vary from England to Wales, to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Scotland 's Right to Roam law is the most generous of them all however that is under threat from the usual "I have wealth" crowd.

Posted by: heckler

Posted by: SixZeroSixOne

Or take a gravel bike....

aka mountain biking but with a different website for trails. Not a bad idea!

https://gravelmap.com/map#_=9.05/51.101/-1.5585

I would also suggest checking AllTrails site as well.

Would add from what have read in past issues of Singletrack mag there is a huge issue in England, Wales, and Scotland around trail or path  access that is incredibly confusing. Hard to explain as the whole mapping and trail purpose designations made where made like a 100 years ago by the Ordnance Survey who made decisions around what to "label" the trail/path. And last I read there is work being done to address this right of way issue so that more paths and trails can be accessed.

Posted by: heckler

Speaking from experience visiting Reading and Bike Park Afan in Wales.

It's bike park or neighborhood forest rides with walkers glaring at you if you aren't hooked up with locals who are in the know and building trail.  I think you'll find your tourism time much better spent doing tourism.  My southern UK friends (one who just moved to Wales and loves it) just booked a visit to us.

The southern UK has so much more to offer that isn't a mediocre forest trails ride for the sake of riding.

Tidworth, the closest to Salisbury, shows 8 freeride trails, 0.5 km each.    To put it in perspective, that's the length of Richard Juryn trail in LSCR.

If you take a bike, I'd take or better borrow a simple city/town pedal bike you can lock up without too much worry.

Thanks! This is pretty much my assessment at this point.

By the time I pay baggage fees and deal with transporting my bike around, my better bet if I really want to ride once or twice is to wrangle my way to bike park Wales and just rent a bike for the day.

Kenny - did you end up riding when you were in UK?  Shame I didn't see this 5 years earlier and I could have hooked you up with some decent trails.  There are a ton in the Surrey Hills (between Guildford and Dorking) but you need local knowledge to get to the good stuff.

Thanks Marty!

You're not too late - my trip is this summer. :)

That doesn't appear too far -maybe an hour? I've heard bikes on transit is frowned upon - does that seem credible?