Hamsterley Forest MTB Trails

Hamsterley Forest mountain bike trails can be found near Bishop Auckland in County Durham, within a large Forestry England-managed woodland in the North East of England. The forest offers a broad mix of waymarked cross-country mountain bike trails, newer Forestry England-developed routes, a dedicated skills loop, longer off-road cycle routes, and a separate downhill bike park.

The core XC trail network is supported by the local volunteer group Hamsterley TrailBlazers, working alongside Forestry England. Several newer routes have been developed directly by Forestry England as part of its wider cycling programme.

There is also Danny Hart's Descend Bike Park, a dedicated downhill and 4X facility within the forest with its own separate iBikeRide listing.

Squirrel Chaser - Blue

• Squirrel Chaser is a blue-grade cycle trail developed by Forestry England, opened in April 2025.
• Currently available as a short loop (8.4 km / 5.2 miles) or a longer figure-of-8 route (13.3 km / 8.3 miles). A further phase is expected in winter 2026.
• The trail combines forest roads, riverside paths and purpose-built singletrack, including the 1.6 km Oakey Cokey section with swooping descents, rollable rocky features and a switchback climb.
• On the longer route, riders can return via a path alongside Ayhope Beck or cross a narrow footbridge to tackle a switchback climb deeper into the forest. Note: the footbridge currently requires dismounting to navigate a step.
• Signed as suitable for adaptive mountain bikes.

Skills Loop

• A short, purpose-built progression circuit near the Visitor Centre, with berms, drops, step-ups and balance challenges. Blue-grade baseline with red and black options. A useful warm-up or skills development area before heading out on the main trails.

The Big 'Un - Red

• A red-grade XC trail of 13.25 miles (21.2 km), widely regarded as the main XC adventure at Hamsterley. Steep climbs, water crossings and far-reaching views, with around five miles of flowing and occasionally technical singletrack. Access from the Bedburn area following red markers. The Hamster Wheel shortcut allows riders to loop back and session the best singletrack without completing the full route.

Transcend - Red

• A red-grade trail of 5.5 miles (8.6 km), shorter and less manicured than The Big 'Un. The route begins with a gnarly climb through the centre of Descend Bike Park, followed by three technical singletrack sections. Return sections are shared with The Edge. A good choice for riders wanting a more technical, rawer ride without committing to the full Big 'Un distance.

The Edge - Black

• The black-grade XC trail at Hamsterley, covering 7 miles (11 km). Opens with a technical climb into fast-flowing singletrack with opportunities to leave the ground, before a challenging mix of rocky and rooty sections linked by forest tracks and green lanes. Root 666 is one of the named technical highlights. Aimed at experienced riders comfortable with sustained technical terrain.

Natural and Off-Road Cycle Routes

• Hamsterley includes longer natural and mixed-surface routes such as the Hamsterley Half Century, Doctors Gate and Eggleston Moors. These are not formal trail-centre loops and are better suited to riders comfortable with navigation and varied terrain.

Ants in Yer Pants - Forest Road

• A 9-mile (14.6 km) forest road route following undulating tracks with a few short, steep climbs. Follows Spurlswood Beck west to the valley end, returning via the forest drive through open meadows and quiet picnic spots. A good introduction to gravel riding at Hamsterley.

Facilities

• Visitor Centre, cafe and toilets on site.
• Multiple car parks including the main Visitor Centre and Bedburn car park. Current charges: up to 1 hour £3.50, up to 2 hours £6.50, up to 4 hours £8, all day £9. Payment by card or RingGo app. Members park free.

Getting Here

• Hamsterley Forest, Forest Drive, Bedburn, Bishop Auckland, DL13 3NL.
• Follow signs to Hamsterley Forest from the A68 at Witton-le-Wear, 5 miles north of West Auckland. Turn right in Hamsterley village following the brown tourist signs, then turn left in Bedburn to enter the forest. The visitor centre is at the bottom of the hill on the right.

Local Organisation

• Hamsterley TrailBlazers is the volunteer group supporting the XC trail network alongside Forestry England.
• Hamsterley Riders is the local rider community group on Facebook.
• Read about future plans for Hamsterley Forest on the Forestry England website.

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