What's it like at Gisburn Forest ?

Maybe going to Gisburn this weekend for the first time and was wondering what it’s like ?

Have ridden mostly at Dalby recently, and at Sherwood Pines/Coed Y Brennin previously
And was wanting to know how Gisburn compares to those really.

I’m not mega fit, but I’m not a lumbering oaf either.

(and don’t bother telling me that all trail centres are crap blah blah blah, I like them as they make my life easier. Just like ski resorts are easy to use, and enjoyable)

Its good. Main bit of advice would be to park in Tosside at the Dog & Partridge/Gisburn Bikes and ride from there. Its good though… lots of technical off-shoots and some superb highlights like the volunteer trail and hully gulley etc.

Its not got any massive climbs but makes good use of the terrain.

No massive climbs sounds like a good thing to me
Also not a big problem if it’s not huge on technical stuff really.

I do like the flowing stuff more.

Lovely at the moment, went after work mid week and had the place to myself. Slightly rocky in places but plenty to make you smile.

even though there are no climbs it’s quite rocky, some fun bits though.

I really like Gisburn, its got some good sections all the way round rather than just having one really good section and the rest being a bit rubbish.

Favourite sections have to be Home Baked and Hully Gully though, always grin inducing!

There is the new hope line which is good to have a play on (only ridden a bit of it in the soaking wet when it had just opened so cant comment too much) but you can just do a couple of goes on there during the ride or on the way back if youre parking at Dog and Partridge.

Might try and head up there myself this weekend actually……

Hully Gully is brill. You can easily ride back up the chicken run that bypasses it (looking out for anyone coming down) and do it again and again and again and again……..

Downloadable maps and other info here

http://www.pmba.org.uk/gisburn.htm

Not entirely sure why everyone parks at the D & P (although handy if you’re after a pint afterwards), can get very busy there if the weather’s good.

Because the other car park is further away (for me), in the middle of nowhere and with no facilities?

All comments above agreed.

It is quite short at approx 11 miles, but it certainly knackers you out, and actually takes a reasonable amount of time.

I last went about 4 weeks ago, and I thought it was getting more technical (for the better) than previously as parts of the trails are getting heavy use.

I also notice that there are now quite a few breaking bumps 👿

Which trails are the best there ?

Normally ride the red trail at Sherwood and the blue/red at Dalby.

(Just off to look at the maps linked to above – thanks ,)

i rode/pushed the red/black last week.
the ‘features’ are ace………the other linking bits are a drag when you are not fit like me.

Don’t drag any ‘organic’ onto the trail or someone on here will do this 🙄 in fact they will anyway.

To give you an idea:

Which trails are the best there ?

There’s only one, really. The red, which has various black optional bits on the way around (the slab, Hully Gully etc), and some bits shared with the blue. It’s a figure eight starting from the Cocklet Hill car park.

Was in reasonable nick yesterday, nice and dry for the most part. The final bermed section on the blue/red was closed off due to re-surfacing.

A thoroughly wonderful place.it really gets the heart pounding on some of the sections,you will have a ball there.
the slab hmmm
and that black i have yet to conquer!

Whats it like for a begginer, planning a trip to the lakes in July with misses?

It’s a good spot. The blue is good fun, with enough challenge for a beginner.

fathomer – you know Gisburn isn’t in the Lakes don’t you?

😳 I do now, though it’s not far away and on the way home to the east mids!

Reckon you may have been thinking of Grizedale ?