Hi visiting Dalby forest in next 2\3 days.:-) what are trail conditions like at moment? Is there much mud? As time pressed 🙁 Roughly how long is a circuit of the red route? Finally using map downloaded from forestry commission website if needed to cut off a section to save time which would you miss out? Thanks

There’s never that much deep mud but it’s quite abrasive

Most people will do the red in 2-3 hours

Dalby forest advice.

Seriously – don’t bother.

2hrs? That’s pretty good going for 34kms!

I’d say start in the middle- at the visitors centre, and not Dixons Hollow, and take it from there..

That way you can always bail, as the way back to the VC is signed..

Oh, and people will soon be along banging on about being ripped off for the ‘Car park’… 🙄

2hrs? That’s pretty good going for 34kms!

it is, that why I wrote 2-3 hours, you know, somewhere between

Thanks for advice. Any good walks for my wife there?

There are plenty of waymarked routed for walking in Dalby – the Bridestones is one of my favourites, it’s quite short though.

The bridestones would make an excellent canvas for a new bit of trail.

Yes – I know it’s not going to happen.

Read this
See my comment at the link above – the diversion was still in place on Sunday.

Ignore the don’t bother comment above.
Allow 3 hours – ride it to enjoy it, its not a race.

Woodcock walk is great, get the Mrs to drop you at vc then tell her to park by the lake, can’t remember what carpark is called. Walk took us about 2 hrs.

dickie – Member
enjoy it

Good luck with that.

elaborate patriot pro

Manners dirtyrider…

OP – it’s a long and boring disjointed type of trail.

There is no real downs to speak of, just lots of across – the conditions will make it more of a slog.

I just wouldn’t wish the trail on a fellow forum-member.

Naturally all imo.

I really hope you do enjoy it though, and you well may, I just couldn’t withold my views (from experience) and let the boring slogs be in vein. 🙂

To be fair, Dalby’s a lot more fun if you ride some of the, er, less waymarked stuff. But a lot of people enjoy the red… It depends what you like and what you’re used to innit.

flyingmonkeycorps – Member
But a lot of people enjoy the red… It depends what you like and what you’re used to innit.

True enough! And in the interest of honesty – the WC Black section is good.

(4kms out of 30…)

I was there bout 3 weeks back and there was a few puddles in places but as mentioned its not really a muddy trail.

I remember one very slippy muddy off-camber switchback near(ish) the start of the red, mainly because it put me on my arse, but not much other mud to worry about.

Although, having said that, I don’t remember much about the rest of the red at all. I got lost at one point, and convinced I’d already ridden a couple of sections earlier, and it rained quite a bit.

If i was going to miss anything out it would be the last few sections.

Start from the visitors centre and ride up, The black around dixons hollow is good fun, and there is still plenty of the old black sections/off piste round there to explore.

If you run out of time there is a road straight down the middle back to the visitors centre to the car park. Or take the blue route from Riggs and Dale.

There is loads of good riding in there,

The guys/girls in pace will be able to give you some good info.

If i was going to miss anything out it would be the last few sections.

Contrary to that, I like the last few sections back to the visitor’s centre the best, particularly the last one before the split

I actually really like the last few sections – the last few miles to the visitors centre is great fun, just nice, swoopy singletrack. The steep downs I’m not so fussed about, it just feels like wasted elevation.

My favourite bits are on the old black though, especially the slippery, steep, narrow singletrack before Crosscliffe.

Contrary to that, I like the last few sections back to the visitor’s centre the best, particularly the last one before the split

Its not that I don’t like them, there are some good downs in there and a few techy bits its just hard to pick what bits to miss out without leaving you stranded. or long gravel road ups. Unless I suppose all that is past dixons hollow, but then you miss the black.