Top 5 Bike Parks in Gisburn Forest

Gisburn Forest offers a variety of trails, including the acclaimed The 8 (Red Grade with Black Options), a challenging 18-kilometer route. For beginners and families, there's the Bottoms Beck (Blue Grade), a shorter 9.5-kilometer trail. Downhill enthusiasts can enjoy the Hope Line Down (Orange Grade), and a Skills Loop is available near The Hub for practice.

Yes, Bottoms Beck is a blue-graded trail designed for novices, families, and younger riders, featuring sections of green grade. It follows an old rail line, offering an easier ride with a mix of forest road and singletrack. The Skills Loop also provides a safe area to practice basic bike handling.

Advanced riders will find plenty of challenges. The The 8 trail includes optional black-grade features like the 'roller coaster' Hully Gully Trailhead with its large berms, the technical Whelpstone Crag with rock features, and the elevated Simon's Swamp. The Hope Line Down also offers downhill-specific features like rollers, kickers, and drops.

At Gisburn Forest, you'll find a range of facilities at The Hub, including a cafe, toilets, and ample parking. These amenities ensure a comfortable visit before and after your ride.

Yes, Gisburn Forest is nestled within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offering dramatic scenery. On the The 8 trail, the Whelpstone Crag section provides stunning views. Riders on the Gisburn Forest Bike Trails also report great views, with varied terrain from dark woodlands to open moorland.

The primary trails vary in length. The challenging The 8 trail is approximately 18 kilometers long, designed in a figure-of-eight. For a shorter ride, the Bottoms Beck trail spans about 9.5 kilometers.

Visitors frequently praise the diverse and well-maintained trails. Many highlight the exhilarating flow and technical elements of sections like The 8 – Swoopy Section and the high-speed berms of Hully Gully Trailhead. The variety, from roots and rock sections to flowing singletrack and downhill lines, is a consistent favorite.

Beyond mountain biking, Gisburn Forest offers opportunities for other outdoor pursuits. You can explore various hiking trails, including routes around Stocks Reservoir, or enjoy running trails through the forest. There are also general cycling routes available for touring bicycles.

Yes, near the Gisburn Forest Hub, there is a Skills Loop. This area consists of three interconnected mini-loops, each progressively more challenging, designed for riders to warm up and practice features like tabletops, jump lines, berms, and rollers found on the main trails.

The Hope Line Trailhead is an orange-graded, downhill-specific trail. It features a continuous flow of rollers, kickers, berms, tabletops, and drops, culminating in a pump track-style finale. It's known for being continuously developed and maintained by volunteers, offering an evolving downhill experience.

The 'Figure of Eight' trail, part of the Gisburn Forest Bike Trails, is a diverse route that requires a range of skills. It includes sections with roots, challenging rock features, North Shore wood elements, and flowing trails through trees. It also incorporates the famous Hully Gully and a rock slab black section, providing a comprehensive mountain biking experience.

Absolutely. The Dragon's Teeth Trail Start is highlighted as a great mid-ride test for bike handling skills, featuring numerous rocks that challenge riders. Additionally, sections like Whelpstone Crag on The 8 are known for their 'gnarly' technical rock features.