Sherwood Pines Cycles- a unique location

Riding.

A variety of trails litter the needle covered floor of Sherwood Pines forest, providing a network of riding possibilities for all ages and abilities. Whether you're looking epic cross country loops, tight twisty fast singletrack, or slow technical sections, there's something for the serious biker. But if you'd rather relax and take a leisurely family ride around the miles of family trails, you can easily do the too, there's no doubt something for everyone at Sherwood Pines.

Family Routes:

The forest provides two way-marked family routes with a new third route currently under construction.
These routes are suitable for all ages and are suitably rideable by those less abled.

• Green Route:

The green route covers a 6 kilometer loop that starts at the visitors centre and loops away through the forest on the extensive all-weather limestone fireroad network. Taking approximately 1 hour to complete at a leisurely pace, the green route is ideal for those with small children who would tire on the longer trails, or the newcomer to cycling just wanting a leisurely quiet hour in the forest. Suitable for all ages and abilities, (although we don't recommend that young children with stabilisers undertake the family routes - (there are buggies or 'link-it' child attachments available to hire which are perfectly suitable)) the trail is an all weather limestone surface which is rideable year round. Two areas with benches are spaced approximately every 2km along the trail, which provide resting stops or somewhere to stop for a leisurely picnic. This trail is also directly accessible at post 17 from Center Parcs holiday village.
• Blue Route:

At just over double the length of the green route the blue route adds a family trail that explores further afield in the forest. Linking up with both route 6 (the national cycle route) and the green route, the blue route accommodates those looking to spend a morning or afternoon meandering through the forest at a leisurely pace, or for the faster rider the route can easily be completed in 2 hours. Suitable for all ages and abilities (although we don't recommend that young children with stabilisers undertake the family routes - (there are buggies or 'link-it' child attachments available to hire which are perfectly suitable)) the trail is an all weather limestone surface which is rideable year round. Ideal for tiring the kids out for the afternoon the blue route has a large number of rest stop at approximately every 2km which provide resting stops or somewhere to stop for a leisurely picnic. This trail also provides a shortcut for buggies which takes approximately the same time to cover as those without will take to cover the extended route, allowing you to rejoin your group on the other side of the forest.
• New Green route - under construction.

In a move to phase out the current fireroad based family route thereby avoiding any conflicts with recreational and forestry users the Forestry Commission are currently constructing the new green route. A 3 mile purpose built offroad family route, winding through the forest connecting small sections of existing fireroad together.

All weather limestone surface, wide enough for use by buggies but thin enough as to feel like a proper offroad cycle trail. Suitable for use year round. Suitable for all ages and abilities (although we don't recommend that young children with stabilisers undertake the family routes - (there are buggies or 'link-it' child attachments available to hire which are perfectly suitable)). Estimated to be fully open by May, some sections starting at the Visitors centre are open now.

• Adventure Trail - under planning

A new purpose built offroad family cycle route, with more technical unsurfaced terrain than the green route, this trail will be designated blue for beginner to intermediate users. Using existing trail corridors, throughout the forest the FC will create a 6 mile loop of unsurfaced technical trails for the more adventurous user. Suitable for most users, but some offroad cycling experience is recommended. Suitable for use all year round, trail may become muddy, so appropriate clothing is advised in adverse conditions. Ideal for the more skilled offroad user or riders looking to progress from the green trail. Suitability for buggies and linkits is weather dependant.

Offroad Routes:

• Singletrack network.

With over 45 miles of unmarked singletrack to ride, Sherwood Pines provides an almost unlimited supply of technical offroad trails for the more advanced cyclist. The chosen venue for multiple National Points Series races proves the pedigree of the existing Sherwood trails as one of the best in the country.

As the trails are unsurfaced they are suitable for more advanced riders and do become saturated during inclement weather, thereby making them slippery in places. Previous experience of offroad cycling is advised during poor weather, but trails, though technical in places, can be ridden in dry conditions at a steady pace by the majority of proficient cyclists.

All current singletrack is unmarked, please ask at the cycle shop for basic directions. We do advise carrying a mobile phone in case of emergency.

• Kitchener Trail - Under construction.

A 6 mile purpose built waymarked offroad cross country loop, with technical trails and obstacles, suitable for the more experience rider. Formalising the existing unmarked singletrack network this new 6 mile loop will provide a sustainable, managed trail for all year use. More information to come nearer completion.
• Skills Loop - in planning.

Based at the visitors centre the skills loop will provide and area for visitors to ride examples of the terrain, obstacles and trail features that they may encounter within the forest. Each feature will be individually graded for difficulty at completion.
• Bike Park - in planning/under construction.

A purpose built area featuring more extreme stunts for advanced riders. Situated in the westerly corner of the forest the Black area will have individually graded features within the black area according to their difficulty. Specific areas of the forest have been designated for the following disciplines/trail features.
• Dirt Jumps

Situated at the southerly end of the park area the dirt jumps feature 3 graded skill levels of jumps. Suitable for cyclists with a good degree of bike handling skills through to advanced riders, the jump area features a beginner pack comprising of a series of 5 small tabletops; an intermediate set comprising a 5 set of larger mixed tables and doubles and finally a large set of 8 doubles for advanced riders.
• Northshore - Under planning.

Due to open in May the Sherwood Pines Northshore project will feature a series of custom built wooden obstacles such as ladders, wall rides, seesaws and drops. This area will have individually graded obstacles to suit your riding ability.

More information to come nearer completion.

Getting here

From the North via the A1

Turn off the A1 at the roundabout known locally as ‘5 lane ends’ take the exit signposted A614 Nottingham, continue for about 6 miles to Ollerton, at the roundabout continue south on the A614, take the first turn right (after about 2/3rds of a mile) onto the B6030, go straight over the traffic lights at the Robin Hood pub and the entrance to Sherwood Pines Forest is on your left after about 2 miles, follow signs to the Visitor centre.

From the South (from Nottingham) via the A614

From Nottingham go north on the A614, straight on at the roundabout with the ‘White Post Farm’ on your right, straight over the next roundabout (where the A617 crosses the A614) after about 2 ½ miles look out for the ‘Rose Cottage’ pub on your left, take the turn left immediately after the pub, continue to the traffic lights and turn left onto the B6030, Sherwood Pines forest is about 2 miles along this road on your left, follow signs to the Visitor Centre.

From the M1 driving north

Come off the M1 at junction 28, follow A38 Mansfield (right) into Mansfield town centre, turn left onto A60 in the town centre, out of the town and into Mansfield Woodhouse, turn right at traffic lights onto A6075 signposted Edwinstowe, into open countryside for about 4 miles, turn right at double mini island towards Clipstone, into village, turn left at T junction onto the B6030 and Sherwood Pines forest is on your right after 1/2 mile, follow signs to the Visitor Centre.

From the M1 driving south

Come off the M1 at junction 31, turn left for Worksop along the A57. Continue to the junction with the A60 and turn south towards Market Warsop and Mansfield, after about 4 miles at the village of Cuckney turn left onto the A616, follow this road to a mini island and turn south (still on the A616) towards Ollerton, after ½ mile turn right following signs to Sherwood Forest visitor centre and the Major Oak, go past the turning to this visitor centre and into Edwinstowe, straight on at the traffic lights go through the centre of the village, and out the other side. To the traffic lights at the Robin Hood Pub, turn right onto the B6030, Sherwood Pines Forest is on your left after 2 miles, follow signs to the visitor centre.