The hurricane has passed and I am now able to relax having moved from Edinburgh to LINCOLNSHIRE earlier in the summer! My and my partners 1st Baby came along in June and he has been top priority for the last few months!

So I have gone from spoilt MTB brat to hungry MTB urchin! I am scrathing around looking for local trails that aren't tracks around fields with gates every 400 yards!

Are there any other wandering Toureag out there that know how to survive in this trails desert? I'm living in Louth and so far have only recognised the Sheffield area for trails – thats 90 miles away!!

There must be something in the Wolds worth exploring? There may be some cheekyness required and a few gates, but can't be much help as I escaped from NE Lincs at the first opportunity.

theres a fair few decent trails in the wolds miggs. we sometimes do 30ish miles starting from willingham woods.

stevek from this parish is the man to talk to 🙂

is market rasen in lincs?

Yes
Ian

Hmmm – that sounds promising with the Willingham Woods. I have heard of this near Market Rasen? Not too far from the front door!

The only other trails I have heard mentioned are at the Sherwood Forest near Clipstone – anyone tried these trails?

Sherwood is ok for a quick blast but thats about it. There are plenty of rides in the wolds but to be frank after where you have ridden it WILL disappoint! We ride all over the uk but living in Cleethorpes have now resorted to road riding at home and Mtb everywhere else! Also once winter comes it gets very muddy and sticky here and not fun at all.

is the dark peak really 90 miles away from louth? that surprises me :-/ spose its a couple of hours drive for us in lincoln, but worth it when you get there 🙂

aye, wolds will be a bit tame from what youve been doing, but its still a good ride, and an enjoyable sunday morning. but like stevie says, bit claggy in winter.

without looking at a map, and knowing youre further north than us, how fars dalby? worth a shout?

Dalby's prob around 90 miles from Louth as well, plus you've got the bridge toll to factor in. I know from my parent's house in Hibaldstow it takes just as long to get to Dalby as from just north of Nottingham because of the roads, despite being quite a bit shorter.

Best thing about that part of the world is Donna Nook

hmmmm just looked at the map. youre not as far north as i was thinking. or as near to the M180 for a motorway razz to sheffield :-/

aye, best stick to the wolds then 🙂

I've lived in Lincolnshire for 5 years and the mountain biking is shocking!!! There is nothing! The wolds are just grassy which is boring, Sherwood Pines is OK… You have to drive at least 2 hours to get anywhere, wish I lived in Scotland…

thanks for the posts – I have had a go riding at Donna Nook – that seal Ebygomm shows above was looking decidedly dead the day I went there – interesting riding along the Rangers tracks at the hi-tide line – I never thought I ride on an RAF Missile Range! Another tick in the box!

My father in-law rides in a Road Club out of Cleethorpes – silver haired riders the lot of them doing 60+ miles – I'd like to be doing that at 60 years of age!!

I've got a mate coming down from Edinburgh and we're going to take a look at Edale – any suggested routes? I suspect Jacobs ladder will be involved?

If you can get into Notts you'll find some reasonable riding. Sherwood Pines is actually pretty good fun, and there's other bits and bobs just north of Nottingham itself. Just not many hills that's all!

If you're going to go to Notts, may as well go all the way to the Peaks IMO.

I only survived a matter of months down there before I had to move back up here. I feel your pain.

I've heard Willingham woods is good for Freeride etc and some loops – Just out of Market Rasen on the road to Louth – Yep Jedi it is in Lincs – I went to School there but never rode the woods as I left the area before I got into serious biking

Also found this…

http://www.bicyclemania.co.uk/challengeindex.htm

We do a ride every thursday and sunday night from Grimsby into the Wolds, its not the Peaks by any stretch, but can be a good ride, some nice little stretches, and theres plenty of pubs also, if you fancy tagging on im sure you'll be made to feel welcome (in fact we're out tonight and tomorrow night also)
Also regular trips to Willingham.

wolds etc are alright. If you want to live in Lincs then you have to alter your expectations of trails.

Willingham woods is good for a couple of hours – can thread together a nice little loop. There are some drops / wallrides etc but its all a bit too much for me. No kind of learning curve there, you either do a 4foot plus drop or not, or make the doubles or not (would be nice if they were tabletops). But the guys that run /build it are all nice enough, they even run the odd mini DH race.

Personally, I ride loops from my house round the fields etc on my singlespeed to make them a bit more interesting, and try to get to Sherwood when i can. Get yourself the local OS maps – should be able to find a route of 2 from those.

For something a bit different also have a look at the Lincs Cyclocross website. Local races run every sunday in the county.

Sounds like there are quite a few riders in the area though…

Link not working? Sounds interestin though mlh, just building a cross'er as we speak.

sorry – the url is http://www.lincscyclocross.com

Races are 50mins plus 1 lap for the leader. Fast too but fairly informal. I missed last season due to injury and got a rude awakening at the race at RAF Cranwell a couple of weeks ago. Of course it probably doesnt help that i am carrying a good bit of extra weight at the moment 🙂

Let me know if you are going to any of the races – would be good to meet other MTBers in the area – especially if going out for some night rides.

Which area specifically, we solely do night riding, but i suspect you are a little south of us? (grimsby based)

i'm down near market rasen, but work around lincoln and dont mind a little journey! Sometimes work up near Brigg too.

I live just north of Lincoln and ride the Wolds quite regularly all year round, xc loops anywhere up to 60miles with about 5-6000ft(total 😉 ) of climbing are quite easy to put together. There are some quite good trails to ride if you have a bit of local knowledge and know how to string together the off road bits with a few minor roads, it can be pretty hard going over the winter months, but when it's dry and dusty it can be as fast as you like. Depends on what your expectations are and what you like riding, if you’re looking for uber technical all mountain trail centre stuff then you’re out of luck.

I moved from North Yorks to Ruskington (not far from Sludgford) and I journey out to Sherwood pines which is good for a blast, but I would prefer some natural stuff. I rode the Cranwell CX the other week on my rigid ss and was **** 😆 'Twas ridiculous how fast they went!! I would be up for meeting like minded mountain stranded folk

Bushwacked …I went to School there…

De Aston? I didn't ride then either. Now in Suffolk…even fewer hills 🙁

Monkeychild – I think I saw you on the SS. I was well impressed by that, i imagine you must have lost out a bit on that long grassy drag by the football fields!

My brother lives in Rasen, went for a walk around willingham woods, they were flatter than a witches tit and popular with dog walkers pram pushers and whole families that have the ability to materialize in front of a bike, I saw this happen 3 times in an hour, cyclists fault for being there.
Will get in touch with bruv and get some local info

Lincolnshire ain't fantastic, but it does have some gems. Willingham woods is good for northshore downhill stuff – bug jumps and drops and a wall ride that is larger than Glentress…and there are 2 of them. Members only, but I think it is still £15 a year.

We ride from Louth Weds evenings and Sun mornings – have a look at my website http://www.louthnet.com/LAMB . Can't promise you anything to rival Scotland, but there are some halfway decent rides in the area, and they make sure you are fit for the required trips to the peaks, Wales, Scotland etc

http://www.louthnet.com/LAMB

If you pop across the humberbridge there are some trails that go over the dales outside of Hull. There is a quarry at south cave, and the rials run over three or four dales, so you climb up them bomb down. They aren't massive but they are a nice little blast and the climbs are short but steep. the quarry has lots of big jump that have been built mainly by locals for motocross but if you hammer them you can fly.

Thanks for the posts – I'll be looking into that Cyclocross league –

JI –

I've checked out your website and reckon I could do a lot worse than tagging along on one of your Sunday rides! I'll put a post on the Louth website!!

JI –

I've checked out your website and reckon I could do a lot worse than tagging along on one of your Sunday rides! I'll put a post on the Louth website!!

Always welcome – I have replied to your post, and suggestions for this Sunday are already up.

You could try around Doncaster, around the forest sections near the quarry….. near the Viaduct as well… we used to make the odd trip there… Nice pub by the river and bridge too.

I think this is it… it's been a while

trails…

I've just come back from a weekend in Bourne in south Lincs/leics and I was given to saying a little prayer of thanks that I live in deepest darkest Yorkshire. Although a beautiful area, it was seriously not good walking or MTB countryside. We did go to Rutland Water, which was very nice and a good ride around for the young kids with us, but I felt genuinely sorry for the big group of MTBers getting all their fancy bikes out of cars.

chimpymcchimp – Member

Bushwacked …I went to School there…
De Aston? I didn't ride then either. Now in Suffolk…even fewer hills

Yep – spent three lovely years at De Aston in the mid 80s

http://n2.nabble.com/Mountain-Bikes-f3659071.html
Louth area mountain bikers – xc rides on Wed eve & Sunday mornings

I live near Lincoln and agree Lincs is not the best for technical riding. However,
Greetwell quarry on the eastern outskirts of lincoln has loads of tracks and exposed rocks. not worth a long trip for but good for a local play.
in my view the best access for proper peaks MTB is drive to Langsett on the woodhead pass. that allows a great run across cut gate to the ladybower complex. it only takes 1hr 15 mins from lincoln.
the lincs wolds is good too – just to enjoy being outside.

I’m from around there, and can only echo the general opinion. The road riding however is lovely, nice quiet back lanes and lots of good pubs. If I was forced to move back there, I’d get a CX bike or start building dirt jumps.

I live just north of Lincoln. I have spent some time riding round the wolds starting from Walesby, me and a mate found a couple of loops one around 22 miles and another close to 40 iirc. We usually go the the pines on a wed night and then to either the Peaks or Yorkshire for weekend riding. I did the K100 last Sept and used the 22 mile route round wolds, nothing technical but plenty of ups and downs which was great for training.

My wife has just given birth to our little girl so mtbing is out the window for a while, so i’ve just bought myself a roadbike and it is enjoyable. The back lanes are quiet and i’m looking forward to hitting the wolds again on it just to get some hills in. For you in Louth you’ll be looking at about 3hrs for a trip to Edale, it is good though. The dark Peak is better imo that White Peak, and cutgate is worth it on a summer evening.

There are several nice XC routes you can string together on top of the Lincolnshire Wolds – Swallow/Binbrook areas. Just have a look on an OS map and you will find tons of bridleways/row around there.

A regular route I follow is a 40 miler around the Wolds – I’ve mapped my last GPS trace of the route on my Everytrail page:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1077573

It is fairly fast flowing and hardpacked most of the year round and takes 3:00-4:00 hours to do the whole route if you have a Sunday afternoon free or you can cut it into smaller 15-20 mile portions for completing on week nights after work which I do especially around the Binbrook/Wold Newton area (more technical interesting parts!). I find it is best to do anti clockwise, feels much more flowing and faster.

I believe this route is similar the Bicyclemania MTB XC race course that is held each year in this area – so good for training if you are planning on doing the event 🙂

I live in North Hykeham, Lincoln and echo what everyone says above!

Not much round here, there is the Pines and couple of rides in the Wolds.

I usually drive over to Sheffied to the Dark Peak – if anyone here from Lincoln fancy’s a trip to the Dark Peak and want’s to save on fuel then let me know!

I’m 42, of reasonable fitness and ride a Santa Cruz Butcher. Also have a Whyte 901 for local stuff!