Glentress and Innerleithen
In the Tweed Valley have a massive reputation for some of the best mountain biking in the UK and beyond.
Glentress is probably the best biking centre in Britain, with brilliant trails of all grades, a top-notch cafe, a bike shop with bike hire, changing and showering facilities, and a great atmosphere.
Innerleithen, situated just a few miles south east of Glentress, is quite different from its better-known sister - away from the hustle and bustle, it's a venue for the more experienced rider.
Glentress - the trails
For the beginner, the Skills Loop has differently graded sections to help you get started. Once you’re ready for the next step, the Blue Route offers ‘real’ mountain biking, but with none of the scary stuff found on the harder routes.
The Red Route boasts some fine singletrack climbs as well as massive, fast descents with jumps and berms in good measure.
The black-graded V trail provides an epic ride. It starts from the valley bottom, climbs to Dunslair Heights (600m) and is testing, steep and often on the gnarly side. Elevated North Shore wooden sections and rocky chutes add yet more challenge, and the final descent has a real sting in the tail.
Packed full of advanced level features, the extreme graded Freeride Park is an ideal spot for riders looking to push their skill levels, style it up, learn new tricks or just hang out and ride with friends. The Essentials trail in the park has been built with novice freeriders firmly in mind.
Glentress - facilities
Parking
Glentress has several parking options and you can choose where to park depending on where you want to start and finish your ride. The trail head is at the Osprey car park (see the trail map for details).
Toilets, shower and changing facilities
There are showers, toilets and changing facilities by the Osprey car park. Showers cost £1 for 5 minutes.
Cafe / food and drink
The popular Hub cafe is right beside the trail head.
Bike shop and bike hire
On-site bike hire is available from the Hub bike shop by the trail head. Note that advanced booking is essential. Bike hire is also available in Peebles and in Innerleithen village.
Innerleithen - the trails
Innerleithen is renowned for its downhill routes. There are currently four of them - all Bike Park Extreme grade - and an uplift service is sometimes available.
The black-graded Traquair XC route also starts and ends here. The long climb to the top of the Minch Moor (570m) leads to a fast descent, the rock garden at Plora Craig and a great freeride finish.
Innerleithen - facilities
Parking
Car parking is available at the trail head.
Other facilities
Nearby Innerleithen village has a range of facilities for before and after your ride.
Dalby Forest
Dalby Forest is situated on the southern slopes of the North York Moors National Park. The southern part of the forest is divided by a number of valleys creating a 'Rigg and Dale' landscape whilst to the north the forest sits on the upland plateau. Although comprising mostly pines and spruces there are many broadleaf trees such as oak, beech, ash, alder and hazel both in the valleys and on the 'Riggs'. Clear streams arising in springs run north and south out of the forest. The forest is a home for birds such as the crossbill and that elusive summer visitor the nightjar. Roe deer abound and badgers, the symbol of the forest, are a very common but nocturnal resident. The signs of past residents are all around. Burial mounds, linear earthworks of unknown purpose and the remains of a flourishing rabbit warrening industry can be found throughout the wood. A network of forest roads including the 9 mile Dalby Forest Drive provide access to this outstanding landscape. Formed in the Ice Age and shaped by the people from the Bronze Age to the present day, Dalby is very much a forest worth visiting.
How to get there:
Access is via Thornton le Dale on the A170 Helmsley to Scarborough road. Watch for brown tourist signs. Access is also possible from the north of Scarborough via minor roads through Hackness and Langdale End.
Gisburn Forest
Set in the Bowland Fells, Gisburn Forest is the largest wooded area in Lancashire. The forest is an important source of sustainably grown timber of industry, a haven for wildlife and a popular recreational venue. Visitors are welcome to explore the forest on foot or by bicycle. Three waymarked walks which range between 2 and 5.3  kilometres in length have been provided. Cyclists may wish to park at Cocklet Hill, from where they can follow one of three waymarked routes. The routes vary in length from 9 to 15.7 kilometres, and are of moderate difficulty, passing through exciting forest scenery. More detailed information of all the routes is available on site.
9 Kilometres - allow 1 hour.12.5 Kilometres - allow 1.5 hours
These two routes pass through mixed coniferous and broad leaved woodland, with many fine views of the forest and the upper Hodder valley. Both routes are mostly easily pedaled in an anti-clockwise direction.
15.7 Kilometres - allow 2 hours
This route climbs towards the highest part of the forest at Whelpstone Crag before dropping to cross Dob Dale Beck and pass the wet weather shelter at Martinis Laithe. Please be alert to the presence of others who live, work and play in the forest and please remember to follow the Cycle Code.
Ae Forest
Ae is only 20 minutes from the M74 motorway, but ride its trails and you’ll think you’re in another world.
The trails
Ae's green-graded trail is ideal for entry level riders and families, while its red-graded and downhill routes are for the more experienced rider. A blue-graded trail is due to open later in Summer 07.
If you're new to mountain biking or looking for a short, easy ride, the Green Route is ideal, offering a scenic 4km loop that follows the Water of Ae on a mixture of singletrack and forest road.
The red-graded is a challenging, high quality ride through quiet coniferous forest. This route has an aggressive freeride style to it with some large and sometimes intimidating trail features in addition to very steep climbs and descents.
Ridden at speed, things get very exciting, but if you are more cautious you can keep your wheels on the ground all the way round. For many, the highlight of the route is the final descent of Omega Man, with its multiplicity of jumps.
The 1.6km downhill route provides a bigger challenge. Graded ‘Bike Park/ Extreme’, its seriously gnarly rocky sections, slippery roots and huge drops will satisfy the most demanding of riders. An uplift service is sometimes available (pre-booking required) See facilities details, below.
Facilities
Parking
Car parking is available at the trail head.
Toilets
A toilet is available on site.
Cafe / food and drink
Drinks and light snacks are available at weekends from the van in the car park.
Llandegla
Llandegla was the first privately-owned forest in Wales to be recognised as a source of sustainable timber and to carry the Forest Stewardship Council logo. Wood from well-managed forests is environmentally-friendly and renewable. It reduces the threat of global warming as trees and wood products act as carbon sinks and, even at the end of its cycle, wood can be used as a bio-fuel. The renewable resource of Llandegla’s timber is increasingly being used in building products such as roof trusses, pallets, fencing and chipboard. The forest grows at a rate that allows the harvesting of 7,000 cubic metres of timber per year without affecting the total volume of timber in the forest.
The forest has mountain biking trails suitable for beginners and family groups; more challenging routes for experienced bikers; and a choice of picturesque walking trails.
All tracks are completely enclosed within the forest, with no main roads to cross. Within the Visitor Centre there is a café and a variety of facilities for bikers, all just 7 miles from Wrexham and 14 miles from Chester.
Malhamdale
Malham is a small village, in the Pennines, at the southern base of the Yorkshire Dales. It's a pretty place, surrounded by limestone dry-stone walls, & with a stream running right through the middle of the village.
 Mentioned in the Domesday book as 'Malgun', Malham has been a settlement for at least a thousand years. Traces of Iron age boundaries are still visible today. One hundred years ago, Malham was a place of mills and mines. Nowadays, hill farms and tourism are the main activities.
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