Night riding in Delamere is fun, if you manage to go on a "busy" night. It's like close encounters of the 3rd kind - lights appearing and disappearing throughout the forest.
The place has got some elevation if you add in the Old Pale but, as had been said, the forest can get muddy.
You can add some bridleway stuff on to it (esp. to the north, towards Acton Bridge, Dutton Lodge Farm) but it's more "edge of the fields" than anything else. Not unpleasant, especially if using it to build fitness.
We used to do a legal(ish) loop around Frodsham - defo not gnarcore 18K, 200m elevation - can send the gpx if you PM me.
However, instead of going to the peak district (which is ace) - why not go the other way?
Have a look at the Clwydian hills - if your based in Lymm, it's possibly a similar time to get to Cilcain as to Leathers Smithy (Macclesfield forest).
Website for routes: Linky
A bit of Google Fu will turn up others.
I found the routes not as hardcore (for me) as the peak district rides.
I had no idea so many people on here road around Delamere. I live right next to primrose wood and often do that and Delamere on an evening ride. If anyone on here fancies meeting up let me know, or if there are groups that ride around there please get in touch. I often work away so could never do the thursday night Trecs ride.
Delemere comes into it’s own if you ride a cross/gravel bike, especially if you add in the Delemere Loop bridle way which heads out towards Beeston Castle, and add a couple of cheeky loops around Peckforton.
With all due respect to those who get a kick out of Delamere...
It isn't 15-20 minutes drive from the Op. Without any traffic (never happens) it is 30 minutes away from Lymm, so 40 minutes away from Alty. For the sake of 10 minutes extra driving, go the other way towards the peaks.
There is no elevation at Delamere... You'll be lucky to hit 1,000 feet after several hours riding.
Having said that, it all comes down to what you are after - if pootling round a forest track, looping similar areas, with some 'hidden' sections that don't necessarily link together is what you want, then Delamere works - just getting out there on a bike and riding I guess. Clearly that does give some people a kick.
As also mentioned you can go and do a trail centre like Degla which is great if you want a big bmx track experience... That's more on the hour mark in the Wrexham area. If you want something natural over there, jib off the trail centre and throw in things like mast descent.
If you want endless trails, where you can just keep on going, big climbs, big descents, loamy woods (i.e. ladybower Narnia), rocky tech fests and amazing views - head in the direction of the peaks. There's treats before you get there (several referenced in this thread - Mellor cross/berms, hobson moor, etherow, alphin pike) which are easily in reach under an hour if you want them... also it gets better and better the further you go in.
There's like 14 trees in the entire Peak district, Jake. It's nice to ride under the boughs from time to time, particularly at this time of year.
Feeling the autumnal hues really means the daytime, though, and I would guess Delamere is a bit of a ballache at weekends with all of the walkers? Anyhow, there's a train station right there so I reckon I'll give Delamere a go for a night ride next week.
Is the cross bike the order of the day (it would be my preference)? I recollect a couple of steep rollouts the last time I was there but overall it seemed smooth [never ridden round the masts though].
There’s like 14 trees in the entire Peak district, Jake
Lol... 14 trees.
If you think you need to hit the fireroad all the time to link up the good bits, you clearly don't really know Delamere. That said, the Peaks are clearly a better ride but i'm not seeing this as some form of competition, they both have their place.
OP - The best Delamere advice i can give, without guiding you round, is for you to try and stick to the singletrack at the perimeter of the forest, with most of the good stuff being off this at either at the northern end or in primrose wood at the southern tip (across the A54) using the sandstone trail to link the two.
I ride in on either CX, Hardtail or FS dependent on mood. But preference would be the hardtail. There are a few "fun" gap jumps to be had at the northern end you may want to try .
I can't believe the Delamere bad rap here....I live 5 mins from the Forest and ride there at least three times/wk. From my house in Cuddington I can do a 40 mile ride taking in the Forest, Old Pale, Primrose, Oulton Park, Winsford, Weaver Parkway, Northwich, Vale Royal Abbey...etc, etc....with less than a mile or so of road involved. OK som of it might be "boring" paths but if I choose to, I can easily do a 25+ miler just on the forest singletracks if I do all of it plus several of the seven different routes up/down Old Pale.....one night (and I've only done it once!) I did all 7 routes up Old Pale in one night ride - 24 miles of purgatory - if you want hills there, you can have them! it's a great place to live and ride!!!
If you do make it to Delamere forest and see an old man on a red Pace RC200 stop me and say hello.
The bike is about a third of my age and is over 20 years old.
Regards Andrew
I just found this image of one of my old route maps on a forum, from the time I did the bike club there.
Edit: I give up trying to link photos here
@jaketurbo I grew up in Lymm too, when were you there? I can't believe Lymm Dam hasn't been brought up, that's where I spent most of my youth! Not exactly Peak quality...
@jaketurbo I grew up in Lymm too, when were you there? I can’t believe Lymm Dam hasn’t been brought up, that’s where I spent most of my youth! Not exactly Peak quality…
1981 (born) to about 1998. Then again for a few years after uni.
I'd have been a couple of years above you. Lymm High? I still visit family there occasionally but moved to Sheffield (then Huddersfield) for the climbing and biking.