Well, I have just about finished a revamp build for my daughter on a 2007 Kona Shred. Just waiting to get the BB installed and the gears hooked up, but we should be ready for its 1st outing.
Its taken us a little while to get the bike ready, but its been great for a Dad and Daughter project 😀
Before
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133137974@N07/19683545019
Almost After
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133137974@N07/19870159135
My daughter is pretty green to trail riding, she has been riding a local nature reserve with me recently and probably managed about 8-10 miles with a break, so I am looking for some places to take her on her new bike.
We live near Leeds / Sheff, but I suppose as long as we are within an hour of home we would be happy to travel for a decent place.
Any help would be much appreciated...
Sherwood Pines. Good stuff there for kids other than biking too.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-8z4lt8
Half an hour from Sheffield and you pass the Major Oak on the way from some Robin Hood related fun
Sherwood pines as above. Pretty flat so ideal. My lad went round the red at 7 years old. However there's also the normal forest trails (blue I think) plus ice creams and the usual playgrounds etc
Hicks Lodge, just off the A42/M42.
Has a green, which is very green, and a blue that is fairly green as well, but not much climbing, lots of twists, berms and bumps in 4 miles. Great introduction to man made trails at that age.
And a decent Cafe for ice cream afterwards, for kids of all ages.
Lady canning's plantation
Clumber park, near Worksop, Notts. Is a National Trust place, has a cycle route, playground and cafe
Derwent reservoirs. Good scenery and places to stop and have a picnic.
Timble/Swinsty Reservoirs between Harrogate and Otley. Toilets, Ice Cream Van, Easy trail with some singletrack, slightly harder but still easy 'red' descent trail, option to go around the reservoir for a longer ride, or over to Stainburn if she's riding the legs off you.*
*The Stainburn bit is a joke. Don't take her to Stainburn.
The Monsal trail in Derbyshire is meant to be ace. Not mountain biking as such, but a great ride for kids. Mates of mine were there on Saturday with a 6yr old and a 4 yr old and said it was great. Flat (it's an old railway line), tunnels and gorges to keep the kids interested and kicks off in Bakewell which is beautiful and great for kids with river etc.
http://www.peakdistrictcycleways.co.uk/cycle-route.php?route=mont1
Second Derwent/Howden dams. And if you're uncertain on distance (ISTR around 12-13 miles via Slippery Stones you can park at the caff and do a U shape where you swing by for a pit stop.
As above, Sherwood Pines is good.
Raleigh have also just finished this, a little park which looks ideal for introducing trail skills and is obviously very short so when she gets tired it's not a horrible 3 mile slog back to the car.
Guys just want to say thanks, she is already getting bored of a lot of the easy places local to us, the rides I know round our locality, are testing at best and there are lots of roads to contend with. So much appreciated.
Some great ideas here sure we will have fun
😀
Thanks from us too - got a week in the peak district coming up and these tips are great
Sherwood pine's for me too. Kids love the easy trails (including the red). The play parks are also really good
Martinhutch - which reservoir can you ride round?
OP - if you live near Leeds and are considering Sherwood, then I assume you are thinking of Gisburn too?
Thought you could ride round Fewston...it's possible I'm nothing but a vicious countryside wrecker though. 😳
@FunkyDunc - Gisburn is great, but wrong side of Leeds really, my daughter lives with her mum at Hebden Bridge but we are looking for stuff really along the M1 / Al corridor or off it. Makes life a bit easier just to load the car up and get out on the bikes. Plus its a bit too near to Barlick, the locals might get startled by the horseless carriage and stop throwing stones at the moon 😀