Vertebrate Publishing has added another guidebook to its already bulging library. South East Mountain Biking: North and South Downs follows its existing handy pocket sized format. The comprehensive guide covers a stack of stuff in the North Downs and the South Downs, although as befits the product of a responsible guidebook publisher the routes stick firmly to rights of way and therefore is forced to leave out full details of some North Downs highlights. They're alluded to in the handy "Top 10 MTB Playgrounds" section at the back, though...

The guide contains 24 routes from 16 to 35km long which can be linked to form day long rides. They are drawn up by Nick Cotton, author of over 30 MTB guides, illustrated with photography by Andy Heading and plotted on clear, colour-coded maps. As you'd expect in the densely-populated south east, many of the routes pass through or near to towns and villages, and the guide makes full use of that with suggestions as to appropriate coffee shops and public houses for a hard-earned beverage.

A copy of South East Mountain Biking: North and South Downs will cost you £15.95 - head to the Vertebrate Publishing site to find out more.