I’m spending a few days over NYE in Pickering. There isn’t any time planned for mountain biking but it seems a shame to have Dalby Forest on the doorstep and not explore it. Should I take a bike for a blast around Dalby on a couple of the days?

Defo. Not the most cutting edge venue but still well worth a visit. Plenty of natural stuff across the moors too.

Yes, why not although your can easily cover dalby in a day so if you have more time and the weather is ok then I’d look for some riding over on the moors.

As above. Not been up for a while though and there’s been a lot of rain, so the natural stuff on the Moors could be getting a bit moist by now.

**edit** Just realised you said over NYE (I scanned it as NYM). Might be nice and frosty by then!

Dalby is quite dull tbh, although the off piste is good fun. Two days there would bore me to tears!

if conditions allow I’d be more inclined to do a non-trail centre ride

Thanks. I’ll take a bike and escape for a couple of hours.

There’s also Newbridge Park in Pickering. It’s down behind the castle opposite the rail yard on the road leading away from the bottom of town.

It’s only a short loop but fun if you’ve got an hour or two to kill and just want to get out, there’s a couple of jump lines at the start too.  I’ve not had chance to go for a while but they used to ask riders to buy a pass from the Outdoor shop on the main drag (near Costa) for £10 a year to go toward the trail maintenance. Not sure if this is still the case.

There’s some good riding on the Moors but if it’s been very wet going over the tops can be hard work, especially when there’s a wind blowing!

@metcalt. Thanks for the tip about Newbridge Park. That looks great for a quick hour or two in the morning before everyone else is ready to go out for the day.

Any my good tips for coffee shops or food in Pickering?

I went to Newbridge Park once, wasn’t a fan to be honest. But if you’re there anyway…

You’re not far from Rosedale, which is a great base for proper Moors riding but you’ll probably need more than a couple of hours there to string anything half decent together.

I think time and daylight will restrict me to Dalby and Newbridge Park. It’s a shame I’ll not have time to explore the moors, but I think an hour or two each day will keep me entertained and give me a reason to escape for some fresh air.

Not really eaten in Pickering but there’s a coffee shop called Caffe Stop just off the main carpark, that my other half sometimes goes to for lunch panini’s or cake and rates.

Slightly further afield,  the Fox and Rabbit out towards Whitby and the Buck Inn in Thornton Le Dale are good, both 5 mins or so by car. Nice food and both good about wet & muddy bike riders 🙂 The Buck is also directly opposite the Pace Bike Shop

Capplemans – The fish and chip shop in the middle of Pickering (right by the main junction in the middle of town) is really good if you plan to sit in (just as good to take out of course!)

And the pies in Elizabeth Bothams bakery & tea room (opposite the station main entrance) are absolutely gorgeous (try a pork and apple – mmmmm)

Riding in Dalby is great – the black route (World Cup XC course) is an eye popping ride – it’s short but you will find it challenging – no matter what anyone says on here, the world cup XC riders struggled with it so I can guarantee you will too! Doing the full red loop (26 miles I think) is also a great blast….I loved it up there in the summer….

One of my favourite rides this year was riding from just outside pickering and picking up the ride north coast to coast route. Came out at hole of horecum. Joined Dalby at the top, road it back to pickering, back to the car. About 30 miles.

Like some others I find Dalby a bit dull and this just brought it alive. Half natural trail, half trail centre. Plus I didn’t have to pay £10 for parking my van in a field

NO. Dalby is terrible and even worse this time of year. Just go the pub or anywhere, anywhere but Dalby.

A ride at Dalby is better than no ride (in my opinion).

Agreed, there are some great flowy bits. Absolutely worth a few hours vs. not riding at all.