Is there any decent info available about Delamere Forest?
If the weather holds off we’re off there tomorrow to blood an 8 year old. As it’s the flatlands of Cheshire I’m assuming there should be something that’s suitable in terms of difficulty and length, but I can’t find any information about specific routes and difficulty.
Is it just a case of riding around on unmarked trails, hoping you don’t get too lost?
Thank in advance.

The route cards are very basic.. they just follow the fire roads around.

Having said that, they are useful if you don’t know it, as all the number posts are marked, so if you come out of a singletrack trail, and back onto the fireroad, you can work out where you are..

All the best routes are a case of follow yer nose…

Difficulty? none- its all flowing woody singletrack. No major climbs, just a few lumps.

They have trashed large parts of the forest sadly with all the tree felling.

Stick to the perimiter trail, and just follow that, the best bits all come off it..
You can’t get lost.. allthough it can be confusing as the wood is on a x roads, so you may confuse yerself when crossing over the road!

Delamere is ace, lots of singletrack so just ride along main tracks until you see something you like the look of and ride it, you wont get lost and everything is rideable.
They have battered the place with a digger though.

Thanks, I’ll be fine, it’s the 8 year old novice I’m worried about. 😆

The nipper will be fine too!

tagger – Member
Thanks, I’ll be fine, it’s the 8 year old novice I’m worried about.

We’ve taken Tom- @Richpipps’ 5 year old around, and he didn’t have any (major) dramas… 8)

My 9yo and 5yo are fine on all the stuff everybody normally does. Any climbs are short and sharp so can be walked quickly.

The tracks parallel to the railway are good as well as the perimeter. Then you can stay a while in the skills area (north west corner).

fify

Thanks, the 8 year old novice will be fine, it’s me I’m worried about.

Thanks, the 8 year old novice will be fine, it’s me I’m worried about.

😆

Thanks all.

Is there still a dh bit on Old Pale?

loddrik – Member
Is there still a dh bit on Old Pale?

Yes … 🙂

I do delamere alot, i went last week with a mtb club which i recently joined, we did a 3 hr ride of track which i never been around before, ive previously done 4/5 hr rides around there. so there is plenty of track and trails, easy and technical, flat and steep ( no brains 1 and holy bush to name a couple).

just be wary of the mud as its deep and plentyful at the moment, worth a ride up all pale as well as the views are great, you can see all the forest

So these tracks that have names, are they available on some kind of map from the visitor centre? There is a visitor centre, isn’t there?
And thanks for your help.

Come out of the visitor centre.. Head right, follow yer nose .. You’ll see (some of)the singletrack from the main track… Pick any trail & follow yer nose… You Can’t won’t get lost..

Like I said tho, I’d pick up a map as it has all the markers on it… That way when you come off the singletrack to cross the fire roads you know where you are… Just go & explore its great fun..

If yer back this way on a weekend or over Xmas I’ll gladly show you 4hrs of woodsy singletrack fun. I know it like the back of my hand, so would gladly impart my knowledge 🙂

Just go & explore its great fun..

Exploring is for when I’m on my own and I don’t mind getting lost, I’m a little more concerned with a little one as it’s her first time out and I would rather have the appetite whetted rather than beaten into submission.
Could be up for something over Christmas if tomorrow goes well. Cheers.

yeah there is a vistor center post code for sat nav is CW8 2JD
there is also a bike shop called tracs on site, any questions about trails etc im sure they would be happy to help.

you can buy a map for a couple of quid, like teetosugars says, stick to fire roads, if you see a bit oftrail you fancy with your daughter then go for it, if you think your lost, get back on a fire road (miles of it) and there are markers running the length of them.

enjoy

Not my daughter, it’s a friend and her daughter… 😆
Hopefully the weather will be kind and it’ll be a fun couple of hours or so.

Finally got there today for a bit of solo exploration. Interesting, a little bit muddy in parts and went through an area that was being cut down and managed to snap the mech hanger, 20 mins delay and on my new single speed I finished a 2.5 hr ride in semi darkness.
It’s quite neat that you can just hammer around without worrying about getting lost, as you’d said.
Nothing too technical, nothing technical at all that I could see, just nice and fast XCing.
I’ll be back.
😀

glad you liked it, told you about the mud, its very muddy in parts with the foresting going on. there is technical parts there, just got to find them, loads of trails/single track off the fire roads, and the forest is in several parts as well with roads separating them. you probaly didnt see most of it.

best way to find them is just to ride around and look. 😀