Mountain Biking

The rugged mountains of the Lake District are an obvious choice, but there are many other great places to cycle off-road in the Northwest.

Cumbria offers everything, from the arduous climb over High Street, to the sublime single-track beside Ullswater, the technical challenge of Dunnerdale and numerous forest routes.

Elsewhere you can follow in the tracks of the 2002 Commonwealth Games riders at Rivington, or have a go at the North Lancashire Bridleway, one of the finest moorland crossings in the country.
Opportunities for cyclists also abound in many of the forests and woodlands throughout the region. Gisburn Forest, high in the Bowland fells, has three signed mountain bike routes, whilst the Northwest’s first purpose-built mountain bike trail opened earlier this year in Grizedale Forest.

The North Face Mountain Bike Trail is a 10-mile circuit with sections called Topsy Turvy, the Zander Zone, Boar Roar and Oh Deer, providing excitement for families and experienced enthusiasts alike.
Cheshire’s sandstone ridge, running north to south throughout the county, offers numerous off-road routes in the lower parts of the region.