Description
Wakerley Woods and Fineshade Mountain Biking covers two adjoining Forestry England woods near Corby in North Northamptonshire, about 1.5 miles apart. Fineshade Wood has an 8km green family cycle trail with seven blue-graded skills sections alongside it, and Wakerley Great Wood has the blue-graded Scar Tree Trail. Both woods also carry off-piste singletrack and bridleways for riders who want to explore beyond the waymarked routes.
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The Trails
- Family Cycle Trail (Green): an 8km circular loop in Fineshade Wood, starting and finishing at the top of the main car park near the visitor centre. It is a gentle off-road route through the woodland with a few moderate hills, suited to families and less experienced riders.
- Blue skills sections: seven short sections run alongside the Family Cycle Trail, giving riders a taste of more technical off-road riding without leaving the family route.
- Scar Tree Trail (Blue): a short blue-graded trail of around 4km in Wakerley Great Wood, built mostly on surfaced singletrack with bermed sections, roots and short climbs. It is well armoured for riding in wet weather and starts and finishes at the Wakerley Great Wood car park.
Off-Piste
There is a selection of off-piste trails in the woods that are unsanctioned: mostly tight, twisty, rooty, wooded singletrack. Bridleways run through and around both woods too, so download a route or use GPS navigation before you set off.
Local Organisations
The Wakerley Wheelers mountain bike club rides these woods and the surrounding area. Check their social media for current ride nights and trail conditions.
Facilities
Fineshade Wood has a visitor centre with a cafe, toilets and bike hire, including adult and children's bikes, tag-alongs and trailers for the Family Cycle Trail. Wakerley Great Wood has a car park and picnic area only, with no toilets or cafe on site.
Getting Here
- Wakerley Great Wood car park, Wakerley Great Wood, East Northamptonshire, NN17 3BA, off the A43. Free parking.
- Fineshade Wood car park, Top Lodge, Fineshade, near Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 3BB, also off the A43. Fineshade Wood operates a cashless car park using ANPR, payable by card or the RingGo app. Prices are correct as of September 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates on Forestry England's website before you visit.
- Fineshade Wood's overnight motorhome and camping area is run by Camping in the New Forest, with hardstanding and grass pitches, useful if you are planning a longer stay in the area.
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