As title, we are off for a few days with friends and so I’m taking my bike and am looking to ride the thetford forest trails. I’m not familiar with them at all so didnt even know whee to start although a quick google search suggests high lodge?? Any locals with advice for riding inc ‘secret’ trails would be appreciated

Thanks in advance

Head for the Blue route on the Brandon side (signed from High Lodge) from there the selection of non official routes are apparent, that being said some of it can be hard to find, good luck.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/326532487
This has some of the forest covered.

Thanks looks like a good bit to go at

agreed with trying Brandon country park too.

Parking there is much cheaper although at weekends it can be very busy. The trails are less used and as a result smoother and faster with some nice techy, flowing sections.

When you reach the end of the boundary fence of Centre Parc (on the 1106 toward Brandon) look on the opposite side of the road and just inside the tree line is a trail you can follow all the way to Brandon without leaving sight of the road pretty much, you will join the Lime Burner after about 1.5ml and leave it again after the Beast (FR11).

I’m about Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday if you’d like a guide …. ?

Yeah, park at Brandon Country Park rather than High Lodge. To ride the waymarked trails, go out to the main road and cross straight over. Turn almost immediately right (20 yds) and follow the trail down. It splits several times, but as long as you keep heading in roughly the same direction they all spit you out in the same place.
This is at the bottom if the Beast. You’ll see a sign for one of the waymarked trails on the left, which will take you back to High Lodge in a couple of miles.
The red and black have now both been called reds. If you head down to the start of the trails, the old black goes straight on and the red turns right. Neither of them are really red though but good fun.

If you stay on the Brandon side there are loads of trails, but they can be hard to find if you don’t know where you are going.

Someone might be able to give you a GPS file of this weekend’s D2D course, which will have some good bits on it.

This is really good thanks, we are actually staying next Moe sorry I reread what I’d put and it sounds like we’re there already 😕 But thank you for your offer. My mate is bringing his bike but I’m not sure how he’ll get on I think he cycles to work most days but doesn’t ever really go off road much I don’t think, I was thinking I would just get out and see how we went on and then if he got on well I’d look for something longer and more fun 😀

If you’re at Center Parcs it’s about 5 mins ride, I wouldn’t drive any where! The old black runs parallel to the Brandon road. Just keep your eyes peeled on the right for the trail signs and join the trail there.

Following week I’m around Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (am).

…. only need half an excuse to get out on the bike! 😀

trusslebabes – Member
My mate is bringing his bike but I’m not sure how he’ll get on I think he cycles to work most days but doesn’t ever really go off road much I don’t think, I was thinking I would just get out and see how we went on and then if he got on well I’d look for something longer and more fun

Thetford really isn’t very challenging. Only the very inexperienced would perhaps struggle in a few places.
It’s one of those places you can saunter round, but is more fun when you are nailing it.

Riding you say? At centre parcs you say?

*coughs*

I’ll leave it there.

Moe – Member

Following week I’m around Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (am).

…. only need half an excuse to get out on the bike!

Trusslebabes, if I were you (and your friend), I`d hook up with Moe, there are not many people that have the level of local trail knowledge that he does, you’ll have a much better ride than trying to link up all the fun bits yourself 😉

I had my Santa Cruz Heckler nicked from out side the hotel in Centre Parcs at Eleveden and it was never recovered so make sure you lock it up well.

Centre parks totally blanked it saying it couldn`t possibly have happened here but on further investigation it was a regular occurrence just be carefull.

There are normally quite a few break-in’s around that area – like dlangers says just lock everything up, ideally out of sight.

There’s nothing in Thetford I’d consider challenging or very technical – although the Beast and the Shocker can be fun if you’re hammering it. It’s a shame really as it’s an area with plenty of potential for something a bit more advanced and fun than whats currently on offer for the family orientated / xc crowds.

just back from center parcs in sherwood. They have a lot of notices etc about locking up bikes, and recommend that if you take your own it is locked up inside the accomodation. The lady at the entrance gate also told us to do so!

Must happen a lot.

Thanks all very helpful, Moe I may very well take you up on your offer than you

No problem, mail me at martin<at>bfh<dot>org<dot>uk and I’ll drop you my phone number.

There’s nothing in Thetford I’d consider challenging or very technical – although the Beast and the Shocker can be fun if you’re hammering it. It’s a shame really as it’s an area with plenty of potential for something a bit more advanced and fun than whats currently on offer for the family orientated / xc crowds.

Hardly surprising though, its only the families and casual riders that contribute. Every other MTBer says “Don’t park in the paid for bit” 🙂 TIMBER members are excluded from any non-contribution generalisations by me of course. 😉