34 | Cycling World
Top Ten Mountain
Bike Trails in England
As decided by the Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission has a great network
of trail centres across England, with over
2,500km of trails ranging from off-road cycling
routes for the whole family, to bike skills parks
and fast-flowing descents to test your full
range of skills. The FC rangers work closely with local MTB
groups and volunteers to maintain and
develop the trails. Add to this, the on-site
bike shops, cafés and other facilities and
you’ve got a great day out on your bike.
Here are our top ten trails.
1. Whinlatter - Altura Trail 2. Gisburn – The 8
Whinlatter Forest in Cumbria puts the ‘mountain’ back
into ‘mountain biking’. The red-graded Altura Trail is
a classic route affording stunning views, adrenaline-
fuelled descents and leg-burning climbs in the heart of
the Lake District National Park. The North Loop winds
its way up through the trees before a fast-flowing
descent back to the visitor centre where you begin the
South Loop. There’s another climb up to 500m altitude;
pause to admire the view across the fells (and catch
your breath) before the descent with berms, jumps and
natural features to challenge you – a great finish to
your ride. Start your ride on the Skills Loop at Gisburn Forest Hub
where you can brush up on your trail feature skills from
table tops to berms. Then head out to “The 8”, 18km of
trail packed with all the features you would want from
a testing red trail. Highlights include the volunteer-built
trail of Home Baked, the gnarly rocks of Whelpstone
Crag and the rollercoaster ride down Hully Gully, as
well as optional black sections and features. The route
is shared with part of the blue-graded Bottoms Beck
trail, which offers an option for younger and developing
riders.