I’m going to moving shortly to Cheshire, around the Northwich area, close to Delamere forest (hopefully) – has anyone got any local tips of where is good either locally, or not on a massive drive?

I know the obvious is the forest itself, and I have heard that there are groups that go out from the shop on thurs nights so that’s a starter. Downside to that is I’m generally going to be away most week nights, so getting to that will be tricky.

Another downside is I haven’t been able to ride much lately, as I’m in other countries working during the week, and with the other half at the weekends trying to get everything sorted – don’t want to hold up groups while a get my fitness level back, so after routes I can do for a few hours on my own without needing a group to show me the way.

Any ideas for good places to head. Keen for good riding and discovering some nice places as I’m sure there are plenty. Cheers!

If you like hills you’re going to be moving to the wrong county. I’ll add some more later but busy at work…..

Unfortunately Cheshire is a wasteland as far as MTBing is concerned. However it has the benefit of being next to some excellent MTBing areas like N Wales and the Peak. I live in Chester which is only 25 mins from Llandegla and the Clwydians and an hour from the Marin and Penmachno trails.

Cheshire has some good road riding though.

Nantwich area is flat as a pancake, little offroad riding available. Great base for roady riding though.

Nearest rufty-tufty stuff is probably Macc forest (20 mins in car I’d reckon), and you can be in the Peaks in probably 45mins. Also not far from North Wales really.

I live in oxfordshire, so don’t have unrealistic expectations on hills and aware it’s a bit of a wasteland for uppy downy stuff in the immediate areas! But there are more important things governing he move.

Anything that’s within 1 1/2 hours in the car is fine for longer stuff, so Macc forest, Peaks, and North Wales are all good shouts for longer trips. Just wondered if there was anything a bit more locally, not expecting their to be the nirvana of downhill to be hidden away.

You might as well go the whole hog and just move to Holland.

One of my mates lives there. I follow him on Strava. I gain more height by the top of my road than he generally manages on a 30 mile road ride

mynamesnotbob we go to Delamere regular (usually Sundays and the odd Friday evening) if you fancy the tour (of what we know), it’s a 12 mile route there or there abouts let me know it’s a bit of a maze if you on your tod to be honest took us a few months to work out some good routes there.

Other than that Rivi is close by then the Lakes of course.

Rivi has some nice stuff for a place a stones throw from a city the size of Manchester. 🙂

All you need to know is there’s more hills in Kent and Surrey than Cheshire 🙂

Anything that’s within 1 1/2 hours

In an hour and a half from Nantwich you could come and ride with me in the Cotswolds 🙂

Unfortunately Cheshire is a wasteland as far as MTBing is concerned.

What a crock of shite.

Bob, our club Weaver Valley have a regular Delamere ride, first Saturday of the month and you’d be best to hook up with some locals at least to start with as the marked trails in Delamere are basically family jaunts round the fire roads. Load of woodsy stuff to go at if you know where to look. This ride is always an all comers ride, no one gets left or lost.
There are other organised rides fairly often a little farther afield and some of use do more informal stuff too. Google Weaver Valley CC, there’s a forum and rides diary you can look at.

Oh, and what Cheshire lacks in hills (apart from Macc forest, which is very hilly), it makes up for in cheese. Cheshire cheese is the best cheese ever, and that’s a fact.

Amen to that IHN!

A little further away you have Llandegla, the Clywds, Halkyns, (North Wales), north from Manchester and all sorts of places within 45 mins-1hr.

I second Macc Forest. I live on the road leading up to it, so if you need a guide just give me a shout. The route can be linked up with other rides up towards Cumberland Brook and can be made into a decent sized loop. The routes around Marple are worth a go too.

You’ll have access to some beautiful country lanes for road stuff. Delamere is perfect for exploring – loads of singletrack and you’ll never got too lost if you can orient yourself to a couple of roads. As for hills, I’m at the top end and can easily string together 3000′ of climbing if you like that sort of thing.

uponthedowns – Member
Unfortunately Cheshire is a wasteland as far as MTBing is concerned. However it has the benefit of being next to some excellent MTBing areas like N Wales and the Peak. I live in Chester which is only 25 mins from Llandegla and the Clwydians and an hour from the Marin and Penmachno trails.

Cheshire has some good road riding though.

award for most ill informed quote goes to!

macclesfield has plenty of access to hills thanks

Read my post again. I said whilst there’s nothing very much in Cheshire (sorry I don’t rate Delamere) it has the benefit of being next to excellent MTBing. I think you’ll find the hills you can access from Macclesfield aren’t in Cheshire

Delamere good for a blast, peaks & north wales nice & close!

Merseyside is the wasteland for MTB (I Live here) 8)

Plenty of folk that can show you around, myself included.
Drop me an email and I can show you around delamere, lots of singletrack there. You can get there from northwich without hardly touching a road.
I live in the next town so can show you some local stuff too.

People in there every evening. I go on a monday and wednesday.

Thanks guys for the help, and thanks for the offers of guides. I may be in touch when I move up for some help in finding my way around – always good to meet new folk in the area.

Given me a bit more faith that there is something local, and plenty within a short drive.

Off to get some OS maps 😀

Tonnes of stuff round Macc Forest if you know where to go/look. You can get a decent 18 miler and 3000ft + of climbing in and the flatest bit is in Derbyshire (Danebower Hollow).Its dead easy to link up with The Goytt, Taxal, Gradbach, The Roaches, Bollington, Lyme Park.

Yeah, maybe from the door Northwich probably doesn’t offer a great deal but a short car journey and you could be in pretty much some of the best riding in the North West in all directions

Hijack – Anyone got a decent GPX loop round Delamere of the hidden stuff, I’ve not been for ages so its all mostly forgotten. Tia

There’s probably more off road riding (proper mountains) available within 1.5 hours drive of Cheshire than there is in the whole of the south of England

I’m up for learning some of the ‘hidden’ Delamere trails if anyone is up for guiding one evening? I’ve done the perimeter loop but heard there was more.

Delamere and environs are ace!

Look at all the radness!

Lovely, lovely pics David. Who’s the twit in pink that brought a knife to a gunfight?

Nothing wrong with riding a CX bike round Delamere, in fact it’d probably be the perfect thing for about 90% of the singletrack in there.

Narrow tyres cut through ankle deep mud much better than wide ones. 😀

Just out of interest Robert, where exactly around Northwich? do you know ?

Lots of nice road riding to do around Cheshire but not too much MTB compared to other places. Degla isnt too far, not a million miles into the dark peaks with Macc Forest. Delamere forest itself obviously but you need to know where you’re riding. If you’re going to road ride, go and ride up and down Mow Cop a few times, that’ll get the heart pumping! Its just about the only decent hill there is in Cheshire.

I live in Northwich and echo a lot of the above..
Delamere is currently undergoing a bit of a transformation from Forrest to, well, mere, by the looks of it.
There’s still some great loops, but a lot are disappearing.
The road riding is pretty ace, some nice little country roads, with undulating roads.
Nowt to lumpy, but interesting enough..
Happy to show you around if you ever want.

Delamere is great,you just need to spend a lot of time finding routes and trails, well worth riding to. But remember, Cheshire is very close to the centre of Britain with some fantastic riding within an hour.. Llandegla, Clwyds, Peaks,lakes ..ish Wales, Rivi, Gisburn,Lee Quarry, macc forest and loads more…..

Nothing wrong with riding a CX bike round Delamere, in fact it’d probably be the perfect thing for about 90% of the singletrack in there.

S’alright I was being hilarious. I’m the twit in pink 🙂

If you’re going to road ride, go and ride up and down Mow Cop a few times, that’ll get the heart pumping! Its just about the only decent hill there is in Cheshire.

Can we count the Cat Fiddle please? Rainow, Kettleshulme, and the Mighty Frodsham Hill?

Hill.
Cheshire.
Not Macc Forest.

I live near to Stockport, and we are on the edge of the Peak District here.

The riding near my home is superb, with all types of terrain, and a fair bit of climbing.

Mynamesnotbob, plenty of good riding to be had in and around the area, when you know where to look. A great location to be based in. If you are after a good club when you move up then look us up. http://www.thewoollybacks.co.uk

Higgo – that be Beaver’s Creek, if I’m not mistaken!
Haven’t bumped into you for a while – feel free to join us from bolly thursday/sundays (or tomorrow 8:30).