Wiggly Worm
Green · 300 m
A short practice track at the base of the first blue-route climb, reached from Gravel Hill or Benham’s. Use it to get comfortable before committing to the longer circuit.
Official route information →
England
Queen Elizabeth Country Park mountain bike trails
South Downs, Hampshire
Quick facts
- Location type
- Trail centre
- Region
- South East
- Published grades
- green · blue · red
- Local base
- Petersfield
- Last checked
Introduction
Queen Elizabeth Country Park combines waymarked mountain biking with a wider South Downs outing. Its blue and red circuits are compact enough to plan as a session rather than an expedition, while the practice areas give newer riders a separate starting point. The useful decision is which part of that range suits your group today.
The park has several car parks, so choose your arrival around the riding you want. Gravel Hill is the published blue start, Benham’s gives convenient access to the skills area, and the main visitor centre supports a café and information stop. Agree one meeting point before a mixed group splits for riding, walking or play. The park’s scale makes a day with different activities possible, but it does not mean everybody will naturally return to the same place.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park mountain bike trails and grades
Intermediate mountain bike trail
Blue · 6 km
Starts at Gravel Hill car park. Hampshire describes it as a route for confident mountain bikers developing fitness and skills. Follow the blue markers and approach the first lap as a chance to learn the circuit.
Official route information →Advanced mountain bike trail
Red · 7 km
A clockwise loop aimed at experienced riders seeking a challenge, accessible from the park’s car parks. Its extra kilometre is not the main distinction from the blue; choose it on ability rather than distance.
Official route information →Queen Elizabeth Country Park trail map
The blue route starts at Gravel Hill; the red circuit loops clockwise. Benham’s serves the skills area. The council says an all-trail paper map is sold in the visitor-centre shop.
Official Queen Elizabeth Country Park route/map information →
Best first ride
For a new visitor with basic off-road experience, begin with the practice choices and decide whether the blue route fits how you are riding. Keep the first circuit deliberate, with enough space to choose your own pace. Wiggly Worm is a small commitment, while a complete loop is a different step. Children who are still learning can use the Tots Pump track if they meet its height limit, rather than being expected to follow adults round the intermediate trail.
Experienced riders can choose the red loop or combine a trail session with time in the Skills and Coaching Area. Read each track’s sign and use the part appropriate to your ability. For a longer ride, Hampshire identifies the South Downs Way and other designated cycling routes through the park, but make the route and return your plan before leaving the waymarked circuit. A local trail session and a wider ridge ride demand different time allowances, even when they begin at the same car park.
Where is Queen Elizabeth Country Park?
The park is beside the A3 between Petersfield and Cowplain. Forestry England gives PO8 0QE but warns that the nearest postcode can lead to the Hampshire Hog pub, so follow the country-park signs. Official directions →
The park is beside the A3 between Petersfield and Cowplain. Forestry England gives PO8 0QE but warns that the nearest postcode can lead to the Hampshire Hog pub, so follow the country-park signs. Choose the forest-side parking for the bike trails rather than assuming the Butser Hill car park serves the same start. The main visitor centre is useful if you want information or food before riding.
Parking uses ANPR. From October to March, car charges are £2 for up to one hour, £4 up to two, £5.50 up to four and £7 for the day. April to September charges rise to £2.50, £5, £8 and £9.50 respectively. Count preparation and lunch in your visit time. A surfaced cycle connection from Petersfield Station is mentioned in the council’s visitor information; plan that approach and the onward train arrangements as part of your day if arriving without a car.
Find the planning area on a map →Facilities
The main visitor area has a café, toilets and shop, where the park’s all-trail map is sold. Southern eBike Rentals offers adult and junior electric bikes, with its base open at weekends and holidays and by appointment on other days. Pre-booking is recommended. Discuss the intended route when selecting a hire bike rather than assuming every group member needs the same equipment.
The Skills and Coaching Area is beside Benham’s and the South Downs Way. Track signs explain the riding, and professional coaches can book designated coaching periods. Mini Wheels nearby serves novice riders and older children; the Tots Pump track is near the visitor centre and is intended for children up to 1.4 metres tall. Choose the appropriate space, especially when a family has riders at very different stages.
Bike hire at Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Southern eBike Rentals provides electric-bike hire for adults and children from eight years. The base opens weekends and holidays, or by appointment on other days; prebooking is strongly recommended.
Opening times and prices
The council publishes 24/7 access to designated bike trails. Parking is separately charged under a seasonal ANPR tariff.
Seasons and weather
Hampshire publishes 24-hour access to the bike trails and car parks, but visitor services have shorter seasonal hours. In winter, plan food and information stops before the visitor centre and café finish for the day. A wet first visit is a good reason to spend more time on a familiar practice track and less time adding an unknown circuit. The forest and open downland also make separate riding and walking plans useful: choose both around the forecast, not only the colour of a trail.
Camping and places to stay near Queen Elizabeth Country Park
A base in Petersfield
Petersfield is a useful town reference for the trip, while Chalton gives a named country-pub stop. The Red Lion on South Lane serves a seasonal menu with pub classics and offers table booking. Arrange the meal around a comfortable finish rather than adding a final loop to fill time before the reservation. In the park itself, Beechwood Kitchen provides food and drinks; the Juniper kiosk has a more seasonal schedule, so do not make it the only lunch plan for a winter outing.
Butser Ancient Farm offers a distinct non-riding visit nearby. Its reconstructed ancient houses, rare-breed sheep and goats, and hands-on crafts make it an outing with its own focus. Check visiting times and book the date you want, especially for a family planning activities as well as riding. A rest day there can keep everyone interested without requiring another mountain-bike route.
Some links are affiliate links — if you book, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Displayed distances are straight-line estimates using OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), not road journeys. Ask the property about secure bike storage and wet-kit arrangements before booking.
RIDE PREPARATION
Kit for this ride
Consider what suits the route, forecast and your own experience.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the blue loop start?
The published start is Gravel Hill car park. Follow the blue waymarkers for the six-kilometre intermediate circuit.
Is Wiggly Worm a full family loop?
It is a 300-metre practice track at the base of the first blue climb. Treat it as a short introduction rather than another full park circuit.
Can I hire an electric bike?
Southern eBike Rentals operates at the park, with adult and junior bikes. Pre-book and confirm opening or an appointment for your chosen day.
Are parking prices the same throughout the year?
No. The council publishes separate October–March and April–September tariffs, with higher summer rates. The all-day car charge is £7 in winter and £9.50 in summer.
More riding in South East
Bedgebury Forest
High Weald, Kent
- Riding
- Rolling all-weather singletrack
- Grades
- blue · red
- Base
- Ticehurst
Swinley Forest
Bracknell, Berkshire
- Riding
- Purpose-built all-weather forest flow
- Grades
- green · blue · red · black
- Base
- Bracknell
Surrey Hills (Peaslake)
Hurtwood and Leith Hill, Surrey
- Riding
- Woodland rights-of-way riding
- Base
- Peaslake / Dorking
South Downs
Hampshire and Sussex
- Riding
- Long-distance bridleways and shorter shared routes
- Base
- Petersfield / Lewes / Eastbourne
Lee Valley VeloPark (London)
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford
- Riding
- Mountain biking
- Grades
- blue · red · black
- Base
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford
Friston Forest
East Dean / Exceat, East Sussex
- Riding
- Waymarked forest-road and singletrack cycling
- Grades
- blue · red
- Base
- Eastbourne / Alfriston
Compare more places to ride
Before you ride
Mountain Biking for Beginners: A UK Guide
Plan your first UK mountain-bike ride, understand grades and trail language, check your bike and build confidence before tackling harder or more remote routes.
Uplift Bike Parks, Bike Hire and Coaching
Book the right uplift, riding pass, hire bike and coaching session, check equipment and carriage rules, and plan a controlled first bike-park day.
Mountain-Bike Trail Etiquette and Environmental Care
Share mountain-bike trails safely, protect wildlife and soil, report hazards clearly, volunteer with permission and photograph riding considerately.
Official links
Trail conditions change — check the official page before you travel.
Open official site →