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Thetford Forest Mountain Bike Trails

Thetford Forest Mountain Bike Trails
Avg 3.33
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup
Number of Reviews (36)

*You can claim this trail if you are the trail owner

  • Information:
  • Type: MTB Base
  • Grades: Green,Blue,Red
  • Riding: Cross Country,Pump Track
  • Facilities: Car Park,Toilets,Visitors Centre,Cafe,Bike Shop,Bike Hire
  • Country: England
  • County: Suffolk
  • Website: Thetford Forest
  • Facebook:
  • Instagram:

Trail Network & Rider Segments

Trail network status from Trailforks and recent rider segments from Strava (see full mapped routes and details in the Tracks tab).

Trail Status

status via Trailforks.com

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Description

Thetford forest is on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk and offers a range of mountain bike trails from Green, Blue, and Red as well as a pump track.

Like this?

It also has a bike shop (Bike Art) which does cycle hire. There is a Visitors Centre with a cafe. 

Lime Burner Trail (Red)

  • The Lime Burner is a 15km Red graded trail. Varied and changeable surface with technical features such as drop-offs, sweeping single-track, rock features and optional black graded pits.

Beater Trail (Blue)

  • The Blue graded Beater Trail is an 18km trail that is mainly single-track winding between the trees. There is a short 10km route or a long 18km route. Mostly single-track, winding through the trees and over obstacles such as roots.

Shepherd Trail (Green)

  • The Shepherd trail is an 8km Green graded for families and beginners. there is also a 5.5km shortcut version. Offers relatively flat, wide open forest roads, tracks and rides. Appropriate for most bikes, including tagalongs, trailers and child seats

Pump Track

  • A small pump track for progressive skill development.

Pedal and Play (Green)

  • Four green graded cycle loops
  • Progressive blue graded opt-ins
  • Almost 2km of new off-road cycle track

Poacher Trail (Blue)- Brandon Country Park

  • The Poacher Trail is a moderately graded Blue 16km trail. The Poacher Trail is located in Brandon Country Park. This loop can be linked with the High Lodge Shepherd Trail to lengthen the trails.

Off Piste

  • Like most of the official trails in the UK there is a selection of off-piste unsanctioned natural feel trails. Mainly, on the Brandon side.

Other Stuff

  • You can download the trail map here
  • Bike Shop on site: Bike Art

Clubs and Groups

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  • If you have ridden the MTB trails here at Thetford Forest then why not share your experience and write a review, post pictures or videos to the listing

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Isabel:
Avg 4.54
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Fun for beginners!

Never been Mountain biking, and took my boyfriend for a treat. Being fit and active, we were recommended the Beater Track, and was apprehensive at first! It eased you in, and we both gained more confidence. Had a great time (minute a few tumbles) but it's all part of it. Tested endurance and concentration, but was great fun, will be back again! :)

What do you like?

Tracks are all sign posted clearly, hard to get lost! Track technicalities are spread out between stretches of level terrain. Good experience and knowledge and BikeArt, the cycle hire shop at High Lodge.

What could be improved?

Sometime a bit overcrowded, had to overtake numerous times. Also had to stop for traffic, which ruined the flow sometimes, but it was a nice day in he summer holidays, wouldn't expect much less!

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

05/08/2014 - over 11 years ago

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beardedbiggs:
Avg 3.71
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

dont be to quick to judge

firstly, its thetford, in suffolk, its flat, everyone with a vague idea of our country should know this so those who turn up here expecting massive climbs and descents needs a slap! thetford is great if you want to work on your fitness while still riding a fun trail. we usually park at brandon country park as opposed to the high lodge purely so we can ride the beast twice (the best decent at thetford) as we follow the blue up to the start of the beast! the red route is the old black called the lime burner and the recently downgraded blue route is called the beater trail, both are relatively flat but make the best use of what gradient there is, there is very little to challenge the seasoned rider but go with an open mind and i feel you will enjoy yourself, the faster you can pedal the more you will get out of the place. also there are quite a few bomb holes scattered around the trails, mostly around the lime burner loop, they are a nice distraction from the xc loops. alot of work to improve the red route has been undertaken recently, this includes rock features and fast bermy sections. certainly makes thetford a bit more fun. they have also built a very nice pump track.

What do you like?

makes the best use of the gradient rides well in all weather conditions very friendly place facilities are good lots of options to add extra to your ride

What could be improved?

some of the red is almost like a blue route in places could have more technical features like rock gardens and black options parking at high lodge is very expensive

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

15/03/2014 - almost 12 years ago

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3
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Darren:
Avg 3.04
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Fast Thetford

Yes Suffolk is flat but there are still some nice 'rises' throughout the forest both on marked and unmarked trails. Anyone thinking they are not 'hills' should pedal harder!

What do you like?

Fast flowing single track with an all weather trail that is constantly being improved. Good services out of High Lodge and also cheaper parking option from Brandon Country Park side (small cafe and toilets only). Lots of marked and graded trails plus many unmarked trails Brandon side, also Santon Downham is a nice 'warm up' ride away for tight twisty single track. Fun to be had in many bomb holes and nice rising climbs to get your teeth stuck into on the big ring!

What could be improved?

No real technical features. High Lodge doesn't have showers and parking is typically quite high as with most trail centres.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

31/05/2013 - over 12 years ago

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2
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Sadoldsamurai:
Avg 2.89
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Flat but fun

(Coming from the Cheviots) its flat it's fun, and if you're fit it's really fast.... much of it (apart from the bits in the pine tree stands) is usually not too muddy. Signage not 100% and I've met other strangers who've got lost. Other riders are too a man really friendly, where else would a complete stranger let you vanish into the distance on his new single speed ridgid 29er.. well maybe he knew I wouldn't go far :). The Thetford Trailbuilders twitter feed is very useful, up to date, not too many tweets just the current trails conditions and issues we all need to know.

What do you like?

If you aren't fit it isn't quite so obvious... If it's not too busy a good and friendly LBS on site. VERY family friendly. Always some of the trails rideable, although not all trails/ sections of the trails when it's really really wet.. Caff OK, not the legendary HUB at Glentress, but more than adequate. I used to balk at the car parking charges..but hey someone has to pay the workers, and it's a good deal because you can realistically stay for a good half day, riding the trails and then after lunch play in the bomb holes.

What could be improved?

It is flat.......so no North Shore (when I was last there in 2012..) no hairy bits to scare you Sh*$Less. Not much in the way of techie rock gardens etc. The mud is very acid, you really have to use the on site (only a quid) bike wash otherwise chains etc. rust real fast.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

13/03/2013 - almost 13 years ago

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3
^
StupidMonkeyKev:
Avg 2.87
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Fun but flat

I think the fitter you are and the harder you can attack the singletrack the more rewarding it would be. When i went I wasnt fit enough to get the max fun. Compared to my usual rides this is flat, rolling at best.

What do you like?

IT is good fun, and plenty of singletrack goodness :)

What could be improved?

Flat

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

28/02/2013 - almost 13 years ago

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3
^
stumpy_dan:
Avg 2.93
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

The Red

A fun build up your endurance track but is a bit flat so you need to work it hard. If you do there is reward.

What do you like?

Great pump training ground Good facilities

What could be improved?

Bit flat Could do with some more technical features thrown in

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

27/08/2009 - over 16 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

0
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