A loop through various woods and Hadleigh Country Park. You can vary the length from about 17 to 24 miles depending on doubling up certain sections.
This is my regular training route.
Begin near Belfairs Golf club buildings and go through Belfairs woods (too busy with dog walkers and kids to hang around for long) down bramble Lane and then right into Pound wood. Follow the bridle way down and then to the left in a long horseshoe shape back up to gate onto St Michael's Lane. Cross straight over the road and follow the sweet single track through the next section of woods. On coming out of the wood turn left then nearly immediately right and left again on entering the next bit of cover. This track will lead up to the main road by a newsagent.
Head west along the road for a few hundred yards before turning left onto a bridle way just before the houses start. Follow the bridle way round to the left keeping the farm land on the left all the way down. At an obvious junction cut back to the right and follow the line of the brook down to the little bridge. On crossing this make your way up to the gate by the main road.
A short road section follows taking the London Road for about a mile. Just past a bus stop is the entrance to Thundersley Dell. Speed down through the dell branching left and joining the bridleway at the bottom. Follow this track as it climbs to an open field. Get some speed down the field and drop into Shipwrights Drive woods. Climb up, over a small stream and then up again over some tricky roots and an impossibly steep section to the exit into Shipwrights drive.
Begin near Belfairs Golf club buildings and go through Belfairs woods (too busy with dog walkers and kids to hang around for long) down bramble Lane and then right into Pound wood. Follow the bridle way down and then to the left in a long horseshoe shape back up to gate onto St Michael's Lane. Cross straight over the road and follow the sweet single track through the next section of woods. On coming out of the wood turn left then nearly immediately right and left again on entering the next bit of cover. This track will lead up to the main road by a newsagent.
Head west along the road for a few hundred yards before turning left onto a bridle way just before the houses start. Follow the bridle way round to the left keeping the farm land on the left all the way down. At an obvious junction cut back to the right and follow the line of the brook down to the little bridge. On crossing this make your way up to the gate by the main road.
A short road section follows taking the London Road for about a mile. Just past a bus stop is the entrance to Thundersley Dell. Speed down through the dell branching left and joining the bridleway at the bottom. Follow this track as it climbs to an open field. Get some speed down the field and drop into Shipwrights Drive woods. Climb up, over a small stream and then up again over some tricky roots and an impossibly steep section to the exit into Shipwrights drive.
At the junction of Shipwrights Drive and Canvey Way turn right and follow the road to the water tower. turn right down Vicarage hill but don't blat it to fast as there's a hidden footpath off to the right after about 400 yards. This feels faster than it probably is as its so narrow running between garden fences on one side an a golf course on the other. Great fun though! at the end of this you find yourself back on the same bridle way you joined at the bottom of Thundersley Dell. follow the same route back up to Shipwrights Drive.
This time turn left at the junction with Canvey Way and keep your eyes peeled for a footpath to the right between the big houses after about 400 yards. This leads down into Hadleigh Country Park.
At the bottom of the hill bear left rather than stopping and going through a gate to the right. Wind your way down taking care at a rooty section, particularly if it's wet, to the gate into open ground.
Keeping to the top of the slope follow the track over the brow and keep going (you can really blast this which is great but you need to look out for walkers - I think it's really a footpath) to the gate onto the gravel track. Turn right and follow the track all the way to its end.
Go through the gate and up the unmade road to the Tarmac. keep on this road down and left towards Benfleet station. Go around the station under the bridge and towards Canvey Island. Just before a right hand bend turn off to the left towards the house boats at Benfleet moorings. go past Barge Gladys, through the gate and make your way across the country park. This makes for a good flat blast towards the finish (unless the wind's against you) at Leigh station.
There are various places where you can double up (Pound Wood, West Wood or turning off halfway across the creek path and back up to repeat the downs section - for example) basically you can make what you want of it.
Dave
Go through the gate and up the unmade road to the Tarmac. keep on this road down and left towards Benfleet station. Go around the station under the bridge and towards Canvey Island. Just before a right hand bend turn off to the left towards the house boats at Benfleet moorings. go past Barge Gladys, through the gate and make your way across the country park. This makes for a good flat blast towards the finish (unless the wind's against you) at Leigh station.
There are various places where you can double up (Pound Wood, West Wood or turning off halfway across the creek path and back up to repeat the downs section - for example) basically you can make what you want of it.
Dave
