Sherwood Pines MTB trail centre.

[I like Skol]

Just thought I would post this for 2 reasons.

· 1st is if anyone needs any encouragement to get out there and ride with their kids, this is it. Just do it, it is worth the effort (although in my case it's no effort because I want to do it).

· 2nd is because I am so proud of my boys and how hard they try and how well they do!!!

We headed down to the Sherwood Pines forest trail centre yesterday afternoon (1st Aug) and wanted to ride the complete 10 mile loop of the Kitchener trail and also have a play in the Dirt Jump Zone. The site is located just to the east of Mansfield, between Mansfield and Ollerton. We did part of the Kitchener loop a few months ago during a stay at the Centre Parcs just next door but really wanted to come back with time to do the full loop and play on the jumps.

The Kitchener trail is described as a red trail suitable for experienced riders and better quality bikes...

I think the official description 'bigs up' the trail a little because to be honest it is pretty flat and tame. So tame that my 6yr old son only had to get off and push a couple of times. Having said that, the winding single track is enormous fun and the faster you go the more fun it becomes.

My older boy really showed off his skills when he hit a root that slid his backwheel right from under him but still managed to stay on two wheel and ride the climb that followed. Click the picture below to see vid footage of the slide!

Part of the way around we diverted off into the Dirt Jump Zone and Downhill Area.

Here we had some fun getting airbourne, younger Skol did the best of the boys and they also got some footage of a balding middle aged bloke making a fool of himself on the beginner jumps (but getting some impresive air!).
This is a great shot of the 6yr old riding down the start ramp at the top of the downhill area....

It was a great day and definitely worth the trip

 

[fossyant]

This looks fantastic. Would be ideal for me and my son. Wife wouldn't like this stuff, nor would my daughter. Looks awesome.

Cheers for the review.

 

[Crackle]

We were in Centreparcs there recently. Took all the gear with me but son1 wasn't keen to go this time. Makes me realize what we missed now. Not often down that way either.

 

[I like Skol]

We were in Centreparcs there recently. Took all the gear with me but son1 wasn't keen to go this time. Makes me realize what we missed now. Not often down that way either.

I went to centre parcs fully tooled up because I have 4x4'd along the Eakring road that runs through the area and spotted cyclists in the woods so had a clue of what might be available in the vicinity.

 

[MrJamie]

Looks really good, I went to Sherwood Pines to do the Sedgeway not long ago which is also rather fun and worth doing too I was thinking the whole time though I wished I had my bike to go blast around the forest.

We've got some good trails here (in Woburn woods), the downhill section is way too scary, numerous >6ft drop offs. I like the XC trails a lot but its all sand so an hour or two on the trails and my bikes aged about a year.

 

[Sandra6]

That looks fun.
There are plenty of places with trails like that here, the seven stanes are great and so is Whinlatter forest, but hiring the bikes when we get there is just too much to do it as often as we'd like.
We have a tiny hatchback and even if Mr6 could bring himself to "spoil" it with a carrier we wouldn't get five bikes on safely.

 

[I like Skol]

That looks fun.
There are plenty of places with trails like that here, the seven stanes are great and so is Whinlatter forest, but hiring the bikes when we get there is just too much to do it as often as we'd like.
We have a tiny hatchback and even if Mr6 could bring himself to "spoil" it with a carrier we wouldn't get five bikes on safely.

It all sounds a bit hilly for youngsters? Sherwood is fairly flat so easy on little legs

Carrying lots of bikes is best done with a roofrack IMO. We have the thule aero bars and 591 upright racks which carry 4 bikes easily and could move up enough to get 5 on with a 5th 591. It's an expensive set-up but worth it and swaps from car to car as the fleet changes.

 

[Sandra6]

The forests are hilly, in parts, but they all have "family friendly" routes.
Thule bars are good, worth the money, but we don't have the money lol.