Planning to head in that general direction on the gravel bike this weekend (from Sheffield) to make a change from smashing out big hills in the Peak.

Toying with taking a spin of the Kitchener Trail while I’m in the vicinity as its years since I’ve done it. What shape is it in? If its covered in braking bumps, it won’t be much fun, but if its the fast flowy smooth singletrack I remember, it should be good fun on the groveller.

Thanks!

It’s had a bit of work recently at pines and a few more berms and fun bits thrown in.

I like the place, it’s fine fun.

As said, quite a lot been done to the kitchener over the last 18 months, a few rougher sections with small rock sections, it’ll mostly go just fine on the gravel bike. The blue is very good for blasting around single track too, that’s also had a pretty good upgrade with new single track sections replacing a lot of the old double track.

Yep, I tend to go there when I’m on my own as its ‘safe’ in case I brain myself, or also when its been wet as it drains so well.

Gravel bike will be fine and probably fastest. However a lighter trail/XC bike will be more because they have done loads of work recently and some of the bermy bits are superb at the moment, you can almost get your knee down in certan sections. Really very good fun.

I like the place, it’s fine fun.

Do Blue-Red-Red. Berm smashing tastic. Pallet cleanser if you do all your riding in the peaks too.

Cool. Sold.

Thanks all.

I do the Kitchener quite often on the gravel bike. In places it resembles a rough pump track, but it’s still fine to do. As stated, the blue is much smoother and good for a gravel blast.

There’s a blue?! I did not know that! How do you get onto that? Have I just been epically unobservant.

Opposite side of the car park to where the red starts. From the car parklook towards the centre/cafe. Turn right. Down the ‘avenue’ between the trees. Follow green then blue splits off.

Not ridden there for years as I’ve pretty much stopped riding the mountain bike, but think I might pop up and have a bimble

Very doable on a road bike. There are also other forest in the area that you could link together without having to do much road work.

Very doable on a road bike. There are also other forest in the area that you could link together without having to do much road work.

Road bike might be pushing it, I’ve previously ridden there, looped the blue and ridden home (I live in Lincoln) on 35mm gravel king slicks.

Where the bottom of the bike park section is, you can turn on to sustains route 6, this can be followed up through Sherwood forest and on to Clumber park if you want to make a really good day of it, makes for a loop of 30-35 miles

Can I ask a related question? What’s the little dirt jump section like?

I used to be able to jump but I haven’t hit any in about a decade and I’ve now got the pop of a sack of spuds. I want somewhere with proper-ish shaped jumps (not trail centre lumps) that aren’t too big and scary so I can relearn the body language.

Been re-designed lately too. I set of tables, a set of middle-uns and a little bigger.

Tables look OK from mates pics..

snotrag

Opposite side of the car park to where the red starts. From the car parklook towards the centre/cafe. Turn right. Down the ‘avenue’ between the trees. Follow green then blue splits off

Cheers. That’s why I have never noticed it, although I know where you mean.

up through Sherwood forest and on to Clumber park if you want to make a really good day of it

Roughly what the plan is. Looks like about 90 miles all in from the front door.

Did a lap or two a couple of weeks ago.

It’s had work, which is good. The new berms are ace but there are a few spots where you absolutely must carry a degree of confidence if you don’t want to find yourself sitting in the borrow pit wondering what happened. I’m sure they will sort those out.

There are still braking bumps in places, and a few part of the trail that are not super ideal, but overall thoroughly enjoyable.

Just a quick FYI for anyone trying red on a road bike – the rock garden section is ‘compulsory’ at the moment as the ridearound bit has been fenced off.

Loving Pines at the moment but the last sector is closed.
Hard to find a time for the full Kitchiner loop on Strava as all it shows are the individual sections.

I have done 43minutes for a lap of the red (rigid Singlespeed) but that included the last section which is now closed – that is going to be the start of the new blue route.

Yep 45 min is about mg PB too but it’s rare to actually get a full lap in as there’s constantly small sections missed for maintenance.

Make no mistake, this is a good thing!

They adding a new last section of the red then? Ive seen and read about the other brand new section of blue near the bus stop but wasn’t aware of the last section of red being changed.

Was there two weeks ago with the family and as you head out on the green before the blue splits off there was some nice looking new/unopened singletrack appearing from your left near the little picnic benches.

@snotrag, that’s the new blue section I mentioned above