Bike Week 2024

If you are planning a family bike ride to celebrate Bike Week with your family this week (10th - 16th June), then look no further than the beautiful Forest of Dean! The health and well being benefits that cycling in nature brings are clearly evident here... 

Whether you are looking for a gentle trail that the whole family can enjoy together, or a bit more of an adrenalin rush on the mountain bike network of trails - there really is something for everyone!

The Colliers Trail (previously known as The Family Cycle Trail) is a 10 mile loop that follows an old railway line route. It’s not completely flat, (there are some slow inclines and a couple of big descents) so we’d always recommend you ride it in a clockwise direction.  If 10 miles is a bit much for some of your riders, it’s possible to take a short cut called “Hicksters Loop” reducing it to a four mile adventure instead. Watch out for signs from the main trail.

There’s plenty of points of interest to explore from the family friendly Colliers Trail too. Firm favourites include: 

1: Mallards Pike - a hidden gem in the Forest with beautiful lakes and waterside cafe. This perfect picnic spot  is a sign posted 5 minute ride from the Colliers Trail (and there is a loop that brings you back up to the Colliers Trail afterwards). 

2: New Fancy - for an incredible viewpoint, this hidden spot delivers a full horizon of Forest, as far as the eye can see. Again watch out for the sign posts from the Colliers Trail. New Fancy is another 5 minute diversion off the beaten track but well worth the effort!

If you need refreshments or a toilet facilities you can find both at Mallards Pike Café and Pedalabikeaway Café at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre. The Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is the best place to park, hire bikes, directly access both the Colliers Trail and MTB trails and there’s also a shop, toilets and showers available. The Centre is open everyday during the summer months and the Café is open late every Thursday (until 9pm) and on Saturdays the Café, Shop and Bike Hire are also open until 7pm allowing visitors to make the most of the lighter evenings.

In addition to the network of mtb trails accessible from the Cycle Centre,  there’s also a pumptrack and skills area which are both popular with all the family - great for warming up legs before a ride or getting a bit of practice in before you head to the trails. 

For mountain bikers there’s miles and miles of beautiful cross country riding including blue & red graded single track trails. Beginners love the blue graded, 11km Verderers Trail (named the Best Blue Trail in England, MBUK 2021), while intermediates have to keep their wits about them on the red graded (& recently extended) 17 km Freeminers Trail (with a choice of 3 different loops including Adit Trail that was added in 2022).

As well as cross country trails there are also plenty of downhill and enduro routes too. Ask the Pedalabikeaway team at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre to recommend some routes if you are not familiar with the area.

The trails are managed by the Forestry England and the latest trail information can be found on their website.

If you can’t get enough of the mountain bike trails, and you are fairly local to the Forest of Dean, check out our current FOD Thursday “timed run” series, running every Thursday night from 6th June to 11th July. To participate just book your place and turn up with your bike and register. We’ll do the rest. 

In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re massive fans of two wheeled fun in the Forest of Dean. There really are so many cycling opportunities for every age and ability. If you haven’t already, come and explore this amazing family friendly cycling destination.