Gisburn Forest Mountain Bike Trail Centre is seeing resurfacing and repair work on key parts of its main waymarked trail network, with Forestry England confirming that sections of Park Wood and Cocklet Hill remain closed while new surfaces are allowed time to bed in.

In a recent update shared by Gisburn Forest – Forestry England, riders were asked to stay off these sections until works are complete. Forestry England says riding too early could cause long-lasting damage to the new surfaces and delay reopening for everyone.

Which trails are affected

The work is focused on Park Wood and parts of Cocklet Hill, ridden as part of the red and blue Figure-of-Eight routes. Forestry England says only a small section of Cocklet Hill is currently closed, with a short signed diversion in place.

Car park and wider closures

Cocklet Hill car park remains closed due to ongoing timber haulage linked to forestry operations. Forestry England expects the car park to reopen once this work is complete and has said updates will be shared as soon as timings are confirmed.

Elsewhere in the forest, the Railtrack MTB Trail, Eggberry Walking Trail and a public right of way remain closed due to harvesting of diseased larch trees affected by Phytophthora ramorum. Forestry England says these closures are expected to remain in place for several more weeks, with diversions in operation.

Resurfacing work and rider feedback

Commentary on the update reflects a broad range of rider views. Some riders welcomed long-needed maintenance on heavily used trails, while others questioned whether the work would include new features or progression options.

In response, Forestry England said the project includes essential repairs and resurfacing, alongside improvements intended to support access for adaptive mountain bikes. They added that, where possible, new features have been included, but limited funding means projects must be prioritised.

Wider context at Gisburn Forest

Gisburn Forest’s mountain bike trails sit in the Forest of Bowland, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire. The main waymarked offering centres on The 8, a loop with blue-grade and red-grade sections plus optional black options, supported by a progressive skills loop close to the hub for warming up and sessioning features.

Alongside the waymarked loop, Gisburn also has dedicated downhill riding. Forestry England signposts the orange-graded Hope Line and Leap of Faith (currently being re-engineered), and there are additional rider-mapped downhill lines in the same wider area.

For a full overview of the trail network, facilities and access information, see the iBikeRide trail listing for Gisburn Forest Mountain Bike Trail Centre

If you are planning a visit, Forestry England advises checking their social channels for the latest reopening updates and following all signed diversions while work continues.

If you have ridden at Gisburn recently, you can help others by sharing updates with a review, photos and videos. Also let us know what would oyu want the team to work on next.