We've moved to Northwich, and have been to Delamere walking the dogs a few times, but I'd like to explore the trails..
But where are they?? Up by the TV Towers??

Delamere seems to have a strange mix of walks and cycle routes/ no seperation but very popular over a weekend.

Took my daughter there last summer but what looks like singletrack fizzles out into nothing, very frustrating.
There are route maps showing a blue and white route around the forest but these appear to be mainly fire roads.

A chap by the name of "Dave Dodd" used to advertise Monday night rides on here some time ago, but I haven't scene the advert lately

I ride Delamere 2 or 3 times a week ( and have done for a long time now…..) and there are plenty of decent trails, but as you say much of it starts off great and then fizzles out. Frankly it's very much trial and error (or should that be trail and error….??), but as a tip, start by trying to follow trails around the edge of the forest as that is where you will find most of the best stuff. Alternatively, just follow the tyre tracks that will inneviatbly be ever present now for the rest of the Winter, as the Forest turns into one large bog !! 😮

Went at the weekend, not impressed. There is a good jump spot and DH sections accross the road from the visitor centre (away from the TV tower) but that's it really. Nigel Page does his DH training days there. Too many people, dog sh1t and those who think they're Bear Grylls on the 'go-ape' course around the visitor centre, avoid like proverbial plague!

Looking like multiple laps of the White on my CX bike then…

Have a go man! Get the position of the surrounding roads fixed in your mind and follow your nose, it's what the rest of us did. You could try turning right off the road, just before the little rise into Hatchmere and follow the path keeping the stream on your left. There's stuff everywhere.

ping me an email on ti_pin_man ATTY hotmail DOTTY com and I'll provide details of the rides we do on a monday. Dave stopped advertising as we have quite enough regulars who turn up. 3/4 people on the rides know the forest like their back garden and trust me, we barely touch a fire road all night ;o)

Delamere is very good once you get to know it. Probably as least 200 bits of single track which you can cobble together in infinite combinations. It's taken me 3 years to find pretty much everything but I still keep coming across new bits of cheeky trails. Weekends are a pain but if you get away from the visitor centre you can still get some decent riding. Primrosehill wood just over the A556 is also good.

We (2-4) usually go out Tuesday nights so email me if you want to join us. The Monday night ride is good but with 20 in the group it gets a bit slow.

If you get a map from the visitor center it has the waymarker post numbers on (you may be able to download/print one from their web site). That way you can go exploring off the fire roads, and whenever you come back onto a fire road, just checkout the nearest waymarker number with your map…….simples 😉

The maps are for walkers. As stated you need to get stuck in and follow your nose. Our group live 10-20 mins ride away and we go every week at least once – I don't think we've ever done the same route twice.

Went at the weekend, not impressed………. avoid like proverbial plague!

Suits us, but you should look at the bigger picture and simply head off along any promising looking trails. Also helps if you get their early (or late) when the walkers aren't there. We start at 8.30 and meet very few people.

just follow the tyre tracks that will ineviatbly be ever present now for the rest of the Winter, as the Forest turns into one large bog !

I'm amazed at how quickly it can change. Weekend before last was fine on Kenda Small Block 8 it was that dry, last sunday it had turned into the usual winter mud-fest and it was Mud-X time.

There is LOTS of good singletrack at Delamere. You just need to know where it is and how to string it together. Even at weekends most of it is very quiet. The official (fireroad) routes are cr@p. Looks like summer is finally over though, based on my wife's bike and face last night.

Email if you fancy a ride any night other than Mondays and Tuesdays.

I mean stay clear of the visitor centre! Not dissing Delamere.

I mean stay clear of the visitor centre! Not dissing Delamere.

Ahhhh. The bacon butties are pretty good though – just make sure you tell them you don't want the salad as well unless you're jay 😉

Whereabouts in Northwich? I live in Hartford and ride there regularly and mid week as i work shifts – can show you some trails during daylight hours if you wish?

I travel to Llandegla just for the bacon butty*, even if I haven't got the bike!

And as for salad, had a bacon and sausage butty @ the Conwy Falls cafe and it came 'garnished' with parsley, PARSLEY!!! It's a fookin' bacon butty mate !!!

*Remember to take credit card, you won't get much change from a tenner!