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Red Cycle Trail


(Average user rating4 unrated 3.1/5)

Starting on the forest drive from the visitor centre, turn left after the play park, then right after crossing the river to follow the Gove link. After the Grove house the trail turns left over the stone bridge then first right up the track to the Descend down- hill facility. At the cabin turn right along a forest road, which leads to a single track section with a ford, before descending to Blackling hole. From here the Red route heads up to the top edge of the forest overlooking Eggleston Moor then returns to the Grove via the Euden beck. Most of this section is on forest roads. From the Grove the Forest drive takes you back to the visitor centre. This trail is graded red because it is long with a lot of hills and is mostly at a low technical grade. It is a good trail to do if you want exercise and superb views.

Download a trail map.

Click here to find out what else you can do in this forest.

How to get there:

Red Cycle Trail can be started from Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre in Hamsterley. Hamsterley, Witton-le Wear, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, and Durham are the nearest towns or villages.

Turn right in Hamsterley village following the brown tourist signs, turn left in hamlet of Bedburn to enter the forest and access the forest drive and car parks (GBP 3 toll fee)

OS Grid Reference: NZ092312
For details of public transport visit http://www.transportdirect.info

What's on in Hamsterley

February

  • Monthly Club Ride
    Sunday 12 February 2012
    Sunday 11 March 2012
    Sunday 8 April 2012
    Sunday 10 June 2012
    Sunday 8 July 2012
    Sunday 12 August 2012
    Sunday 14 October 2012
    Sunday 11 November 2012
    Sunday 9 December 2012
    Sunday 13 May 2012
  • Trailbuilding Session
    Saturday 18 February 2012
    Saturday 17 March 2012
    Saturday 14 April 2012
    Saturday 19 May 2012
    Saturday 16 June 2012
    Saturday 14 July 2012
    Saturday 18 August 2012
    Saturday 15 September 2012
    Saturday 20 October 2012
    Saturday 17 November 2012
    Saturday 15 December 2012

March

  • Monthly Club Ride
    Sunday 12 February 2012
    Sunday 11 March 2012
    Sunday 8 April 2012
    Sunday 10 June 2012
    Sunday 8 July 2012
    Sunday 12 August 2012
    Sunday 14 October 2012
    Sunday 11 November 2012
    Sunday 9 December 2012
    Sunday 13 May 2012
  • Trailbuilding Session
    Saturday 18 February 2012
    Saturday 17 March 2012
    Saturday 14 April 2012
    Saturday 19 May 2012
    Saturday 16 June 2012
    Saturday 14 July 2012
    Saturday 18 August 2012
    Saturday 15 September 2012
    Saturday 20 October 2012
    Saturday 17 November 2012
    Saturday 15 December 2012

April

  • Monthly Club Ride
    Sunday 12 February 2012
    Sunday 11 March 2012
    Sunday 8 April 2012
    Sunday 10 June 2012
    Sunday 8 July 2012
    Sunday 12 August 2012
    Sunday 14 October 2012
    Sunday 11 November 2012
    Sunday 9 December 2012
    Sunday 13 May 2012
  • Trailbuilding Session
    Saturday 18 February 2012
    Saturday 17 March 2012
    Saturday 14 April 2012
    Saturday 19 May 2012
    Saturday 16 June 2012
    Saturday 14 July 2012
    Saturday 18 August 2012
    Saturday 15 September 2012
    Saturday 20 October 2012
    Saturday 17 November 2012
    Saturday 15 December 2012
  • Easter Trail
    Sunday 1 April 2012 to Sunday 15 April 2012
  • Deer Watch
    Saturday 14 April 2012
View all events

User Comments

4 Stars 4 Stars

Rode the red route on 8th Jan 2012 and the man made sections are excellent. Unfortunately there is a lot of boring forest roads and climbs to get there for 5 minutes of decent single track.

Graham, 9/Jan/2012
5 Stars 5 Stars

Rode the full red route once on the 2nd August. Lots of fire roads, but the man made single track was spot on. No ruts or braking bumps. Ace flowing tracks with plenty of challenges for those that know the trails. The climbs were quite long at times with a long decent on a fire track before the last section of single track, which is ace. However, my 10 year old son, who rides clipped in, cleaned all the climbs with no dabs! If you can■t ride the ascents on this red run you need to do some more riding :-) We loved it - wished we had time for a second lap. The only minus points would be the relatively dull climbs and the long distance between the quality man made sections. Well worth a visit.

Shaun Gelling, 5/Aug/2011
4 Stars 4 Stars

Good steady ride with some fast flowing downhill sections, not too technical but enjoyable. Love the the two new sections, fast with jumps and drops. Some hard climbs but worth it

Richard Potter, 23/Oct/2010
More user comments

Please tell us what you think...

Please email us at neil.taylor@forestry.gsi.gov.uk if you have an enquiry or would like a reply to your comments.

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3rd leg - Step drop and option

Facilities and Activities

ToiletsInformationParkingEasy AccessVisitor CentreRefreshmentsForest ShopOther Facilities
Cycling

Trail

Grade of trail

Difficult

Trail waymarking

red

Length of trail

14 miles

Approximate time of trail

2 hrs

Open or closed

open. Please note there will be a diversion on this trail from Feb 7th 2012, due to felling operations. The trail will be back to the normal route as soon as possible.

Contact

Neil Taylor
Ranger
01388 488312
e-mail: neil.taylor@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
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