HEALTH RIDES
Trailnet’s off-road Health Rides are aimed at progressively improving fitness, developing riding skills and increasing confidence on the bike.
Rides vary in length and difficulty from under an hour on relatively flat terrain to two-hour-plus hilly sessions. All rides end with the opportunity to socialise over well-earned drinks and snacks.
Currently scheduled rides are listed below and these take place throughout the year with just a short break over the Christmas and New Year period.
| Day | Time | Location | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10.00am | Thorndon Country Park | Advanced |
| Tuesday | 09.45am | Thorndon Country Park | Beginner |
| Tuesday | 11.00am | Thorndon Country Park | Improver |
| Tuesday | 13.30am | Thorndon Country Park | Inclusive Cycling |
| Thursday | 10.00am | Thorndon Country Park | Intermediate |
Beginner rides
Are for those who haven’t ridden for some time, lack confidence, or are uncertain about their fitness.
These these rides are under one hour and tend to stay within the park on mostly flat, relatively even surfaces. Once you are comfortable with these sessions, you will be ready to move onto the Improver Ride.
Improver rides
Last up to ninety minutes and tackle slightly more challenging terrain, with a few more hills and uneven surfaces.
These rides are nearly all off-road but may involve a few short sections on quiet roads, so you can gain confidence dealing with cars.
Intermediate rides
Are between one-and-a-half and two hours in length and are designed for those that are confident riding on off-road terrain and want to build up their strength and endurance by riding with people of a similar ability.
These rides will cover more varied terrain and are more physically demanding than the beginner sessions, although there are frequent stops to regroup and catch your breath. Most of the ride will be off-road but there may be some connecting sections on the road.
Advanced rides
Are often over two hours duration and include more difficult terrain, both in technical terms and in the steepness and length of the hills.
If you have a good fitness base and are confident on rough surfaces, these are the rides for you but if you are at all unsure we recommend that you first attend our improver or intermediate rides so that we can assess your fitness and cycling ability.
Inclusive rides
Are for the benefit of those who may require additional support to be able to enjoy their cycling. Our ride leaders have considerable experience in helping people with a wide range of difficulties to get riding and we have a number of adult and child tricycles suitable for those with balance and/or co-ordination problems.
Pre-booking is requested to ensure that we can meet the needs of those wishing to attend.
Cost
To cover the cost of our ride leaders, our health ride prices are:
- Ride only – £8.50
- Bike hire – £4
Membership Programme
All health riders are required to become members so that we can be sure that we have up-to-date records of our riders, especially a recent health questionnaire.
To complete a membership registration and to get updates on our rides, please click HERE
