It’s getting ever more popular at Swinley (for good reason), so I thought I’d help you find the fun, twisty, tight singletrack trails (of which there are loads).

NOTE: You are required to purchase a permit to ride on this private land. Day permits available at the Discovery centre for around £2 or a year’s pass from www.gorrick.com/swinley/permits.php This helps pay for the trails and provides you with Public Liability insurance. Do it – don’t be tight.

How to get there: By train; Martin’s Heron station then south on the B3430. By car: Off M3 at junction 3 on the A322, then left on the A3430 and the Lookout is on the left. TOP TIP: Follow the brown signs to the Coral Reef which is opposite the Lookout.

Bike Shop: Mountain Trax near Barkham, Wokingham is a great shop and locals favourite, offering great, friendly service and a wide selection of demo/hire bikes. Postcode RG40 4PJ, www.mountain-trax.com or 0118 976 1130.

Start /finish grid reference/GPS coordinates and location: SU876/661, RG12 7QW

Total distance (km and miles): 16.9km, 10.5miles (feels like a lot more).

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FIT file to convert to GPX

Route Directions:

Through gate by GoApe, on forest track, over X-rds, and over T-J at end, and right on wide forest track. Right after 150m, top of small hill, on singletrack into woods. Left at X-tracks, bearing left uphill, then right, to wide X-tracks. Go to right of post ahead (with red marking), on singletrack, keeping right & high, on undulating trail. Left at T-J (going uphill either side), over a forest track onto singletrack.

Right at next forest track, left after 100m on singletrack. After 1km cross a wider muddy trail, for another 1km, back to the muddy track (T-J). Turn left, keep straight ahead, over wooden bridge to and left on forest track for 20m then right on singletrack. Right at end, down gulley ‘Tank Traps’ swinging tightly up & down either side.

Left on forest track at end, just past staggered X-tracks (& puddle!), right on feint singletrack, to jump gulley. Straight ahead on singletrack (after some runs down jump gulley) uphill, to & left on forest track at top. Bears right up to reservoir entrance and take 3^rd (wide track) on left into woods. Right after 20m then immediately straight ahead on feint trail as other bears left. Zig-zag down the hill and right to forest track.

Right on track then sharp left back on yourself as trail bears right, uphill. Bear right to forest track and go left on it. Down and up steep dip, left after forest track, by lone tree. The Labyrinth. Left and left again (Deerstalker), straight ahead at bottom/X-tracks all the way to end/forest track. Left then left on another forest track and straight on at T-J/top on singletrack. Over forest track, right at T-J after 2^nd wooden bridge, over forest track to another and go left on this.

Left at next forest track, uphill and straight ahead/to right of reservoir (same track as earlier). Bear left to top of the small hill (about 100m) then right on wide track then left just before it drops steeply, on singletrack. Down to head of jump gulley and go right on far side, to forest track with raised manhole cover. Go straight over and immediately right at fork. At T-J go right down steep drop and over the forest track.

Bears left then right uphill to forest track, go left on this. Past X-tracks and no.4 marker post, uphill and right at top on singletrack. Over forest track (same track as earlier), over next forest track and left at fork (came from right before).

Right after 30m on twisty singletrack, emerge at X-tracks (from earlier), go straight ahead (right of red/white marker post), and immediately left on singletrack. Downhill, joining forest track, immediately left at fork, and straight ahead all the way to a playground. Go right through gate (walk) back to the café & car park.