Gisburn Forest Bike Trails

Description

Gisburn Forest MTB bike trails are in the Forest of Bowland, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire. Gisburn Forest consists of two mountain bike trails a Red (with black sections) and a Blue and a progressive skills loop. There are also Downhill tracks like the Orange graded Hope Line as well as specific DH Lines in the area.

There is an active volunteer community at Gisburn who are continually further developing and nurturing what's on offer.

There is a vast network of natural trails in the Yorkshire Dales just over the county border.

The 8 (Red with Black Options)

• The red (with back sections) is an 18-kilometre trail, set overlooking the Stock Reservoir in a scenic forest setting. Designed in a figure of eight (hence the name) it consists of diverse downhill and shore sections. The trail is for experienced and intermediate riders. Some of the famous sections are Bottoms Beck, Home Baked Park Wood, the roller coaster of Hully Gully, Bigfoot slab and Swoopy and Rocky Road.
• Long Way Down is a red descent as an alternative to the black Hully Gully. As well as offering choice it should help with winter erosion of the gulkey.

Bottoms Beck (Blue)

• The blue trail is a shorter 9.5-kilometre route specifically for families and beginners. It has sections of green. It is suitable for adaptive MTB bikes.

Hope Line Down (Orange)

• This is a great little downhill trail that starts off with some rollers, kickers are full of fun berms, tabletops drops and then more of the same before ending on a pump track style finale

Skills loop

• The skills loop is situated by the stone wall circle Gisburn Forest Hub. It comprises three interconnected mini loops, each progressively more challenging riding experiences. The trails are filled features and obstacles designed to test riders' abilities. 

Advanced Skills Area (Replacing Leap of Faith) 

• Progressive set-up featuring tabletops, a new jump line, berms, and rollers

Other Trails

• There is an off-piste network, with well-known wild trails including Stickman, LoaMUDageddon, Old School Yorkie, Search for Yann’s Burger, Chunk Norris, and Uncle Bulgaria.

Trail Map

• Map.

Groups and Clubs

• Gisburn Forest Bike Trails Facebook Group.
• Gisburn Downhill Facebook Page
• Gisburn Forest Trail Builders, a group of enthusiastic riders from throughout the region has helped on a number of volunteer trail building days organised by the Forestry Commission. The group has contributed an estimated £100,000 of value to the project by hand-building over 1,500 metres of new trail and over 1100 volunteer hours (last year alone). The hand-built sections of the trail are very different in character to the machine built areas.
• PMBA are an organisation dedicated to taking biking forward across the whole Pennines. They are a group of riders, clubs and volunteer trail building teams from across Lancashire and the North Pennines.

Other Stuff

• If you are looking for a guide or coach in the region then check out Adam at Trail Explorer who works throughout the North West including lee Quarry and Gisburn Forest
• The trails are part of the Ribble Valley Sports and Physical Activity Alliance (SPAA) and were made possible by a £60,000 lottery grant from Sports England. £60,000 was also contributed by the Forest of Bowland AONB, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Ribble Valley Strategic Partnership, United Utilities, and the Forestry Commission
• In 2016 Gisburn took 3rd place in the Trail of the Year campaign for England. In 2015 they took 2nd position for the iBikeride English Trail of the Year awards. In 2014 they were awarded 1st place in 2014 for the iBikeRide English Trail of the Year and in 2013 were crowned UK Trail of the Year, taking pole position.

Share

• If you have ridden the mountain bike trails here at Gisburn Forest then why not share your experiences and write a short review below and/or add some photos or videos to the listing.