Sherwood Pines

[matt_theforce]

My son & I are more a Roadie/natural CX rider's (bridleways/NCN routes) using MTB/CX bikes but were looking for something different to-do with our time apart from some touring which we are looking to-do this year. Up-to now, we've managed lots of miles without the need to use the car (living nr the Peak District has its benefits) & the train links are reasonably good to catch the train 1 way and cycle home.  

 

We've ridden Wharncliffe/Greno Woods quite a few times but its a little more Downhill orientated and neither of us are big fans of this style of cycling so looking at Trail Centres, We've never visited a trail centre and Sherwood Pines in the closest to home so it makes sense to look at this one first.  

 

My son has been racing Cyclocross/MTB for the last 2years for our local cycling club and is (dare I say it) more skilled than I am off road as he gets excellent training/coaching through the club, so we aren't too worried about the difficulty of the routes or the distance as he will easily cover 30+ miles off road.

 

What is Sherwood Like?  What experiences do you have?

 

Would it be worth a Briski Day out at Sherwood with the kids?

Matthew

[pip_vrs]

I've been to Sherwood Pines over the last year on average about 3 times a month. So know it very well.

The red route is about 8.5 miles and 500ft, Blue about the same and Green is pointless.

From the sound of it you'll enjoy what I do, a lap of the red followed by a lap of the Blue. Which works out about 16 miles and 1000ft, there's nothing technical that anyone would struggle with only a small 'rock drop', which is avoidable with a warning sign diversion. Even that isn't too difficult for a half experienced rider.

 

The last few times I've been I've actually parked at Clumber Hotel on the A614, rode in on the National Cycle Route 6 via Sherwood Forest. Last time I rode in and did a single lap of the Red route and it was just over 30 miles, the NCR6 is well sign posted and easy to follow with good route too.

 

Let me know if you want any more info, I'm always heading over as it's easy to convenient for me too.

 

[Scribbler]

I actually live right next to Sherwood Pines on the national cycle route so have been giving it a blast on my new Marin full suspension Hawk Hill. Like the previous poster i join it about half way round the blue route marker 17 and then do the red route and then finish off the blue. Its about 20 mile round trip for me. I did crash on my last outing on the Tornado Alley section went over the top of a berm. The problem at the minute is its very boggy and muddy. I was getting chain suck problems that bad it cause the chain to lock against the frame. Anyway the actual trails are excellent although it could have better maintenance some of the marker posts have been knocked over and not replaced. Also Strava is a mess with people creating random sections rather than sticking to the markers and giving them stupid names rather than the section name. Well worth a visit though.

[Tilt]

Some lovely bits of smooth singletrack (weather dependant by the sounds of it) to get some real speed up in the twists and turns.

 

Only visited in the good weather though so far. Some lovely days spent there.

 

Helmet not optional, Lol.

[Scribbler]

1 hour ago, Tilt said:

Some lovely bits of smooth singletrack

 

On the red kitchener trail? its all tree roots and ditches now.

[pip_vrs]

5 hours ago, Scribbler said:

 

On the red kitchener trail? its all tree roots and ditches now.

 

To be fair there's a couple of sections what were like a bog, full off roots and every time I rode through I always said 'this needs concreting' but they have been sorting it out.

You've got to understand it takes a lot of people a lot of time to sort even the shortest section. Money is also a massive factor.

 

The issue is people hammer it when the weather is poor which creates puddles, then people ride around the puddle causing another puddle and then it merges and its awful to ride.

My new bike arrives Monday, need to fit my Huck Norris and tubeless setup then i'll be popping down to see how good it is.

[pip_vrs]

We should have a Briskoda ride

[Scribbler]

10 hours ago, pip_vrs said:

My new bike arrives Monday,

 

What you got? 

[pip_vrs]

3 hours ago, Scribbler said:

 

What you got? 

 

Cannondale Jakyll

[Scribbler]

21 hours ago, pip_vrs said:

 

Cannondale Jakyll

 

Just googled it, nice bike!

[john999boy]

Anyone got a link to the route maps? as I could only find the generic description page.

[pip_vrs]

1 hour ago, john999boy said:

Anyone got a link to the route maps? as I could only find the generic description page.

 

[SNH]

6am this morning

 

[camelspyyder]

The red route is fun but somewhat arse-bruising on a hard-tail.

 

Also the last kilometer and a half is just so rough, we short-cutted up the main track.

 

Edited 10 September, 2017 by camelspyyder

[SNH]

2 hours ago, camelspyyder said:

The red route is fun but somewhat arse-bruising on a hard-tail.

 

Also the last kilometer and a half is just so rough, we short-cutted up the main track.

 

Tell me about it that boardman hardtail is what I went round on. Finished the route but i want to try on a full sus next time.

[Scribbler]

Just thought i would post an update having done some 'Proper Trails' recently i would have to say that they need to reclassify the Kitchener trail at Pines from

Red to Blue. I used to think it was technical but i had no frame of reference. Now however having done some natural trails near Ambergate / Matlock which

are very technical in comparison and some man made trails near Sheffield called Lady Cannings Cooking on Gas and Blue Steel etc. Its dangerous to 

have so much disparity between red classified routes. Any novice going from Sherwood Pines to another Red Route will have a big shock because

there really is nothing on the Kitchener trail remotely testing to anything other than a complete novice. There is one rock drop but even that has a

bypass. Anyone who fancies a guided run around the Kitchener trail be more than happy to meet up in near the visitor centre. Its not the easiest thing

to navigate.

[SNH]

On 20/11/2017 at 20:44, Scribbler said:

Just thought i would post an update having done some 'Proper Trails' recently i would have to say that they need to reclassify the Kitchener trail at Pines from

Red to Blue. I used to think it was technical but i had no frame of reference. Now however having done some natural trails near Ambergate / Matlock which

are very technical in comparison and some man made trails near Sheffield called Lady Cannings Cooking on Gas and Blue Steel etc. Its dangerous to 

have so much disparity between red classified routes. Any novice going from Sherwood Pines to another Red Route will have a big shock because

there really is nothing on the Kitchener trail remotely testing to anything other than a complete novice. There is one rock drop but even that has a

bypass. Anyone who fancies a guided run around the Kitchener trail be more than happy to meet up in near the visitor centre. Its not the easiest thing

to navigate.

 

Lady cannings is on my to do list. Tried the trail at glapwell the other day for something different but it's only 1.5 miles long so not really worth the drive out tbh :(

[Scribbler]

Yes me and a friend made the mistake of trying glapwell a few months back. Its clearly not been designed by Bike people but probably by a landscape architect who knows nothing about biking. It has berms going up hill wtf? Both runs are too short with zero technical bits. its a shame because they could have made one good run instead of making two boring ones. They make no use of the natural undulating terrain instead opting to take the flat sections, remove the odd tree and put some hardcore down, wasted opportunity.

 

Lady cannings on the other hand is two man made trails done well. Very well in fact not too technical but enough difficulty to keep you 100% focused threading the needle through the trees and the berms flow beautifully infact you some times need a dab of brake because you can carry too much speed. Apparently there is some really good natural trails right next to the trails but i haven't tried them yet.

 

Below is a vid i recorded on my first run on blue steel so obviously taking it a bit steady but should be able to tell how it flows. Well worth a visit let me know when your going i might join you.

 

 

[matt_theforce]

A bit of a revival, we finally made it over to Sherwood Pines yesterday, only 18months since I started this.

 

We missed one marker on our 1st lap round the Kitchener trail which cut the ride short to around 4miles, 2nd time round we missed the same marker but found our way round to the next run. 

 

It certainly isn't technical compared to what we ride in the Peaks but was great fun & very different to the trails we normally ride.  That in itself made for a great time out.  We shall be revisiting, next time we might mix up the different trails to make for an epic ride.

[SNH]

Blue route and some bits of the red have now been altered, after a year out i tried the blue yesterday and it now has a flowy section that would be fun without all the wet leaves

Not tried the red yet. 

[Gissin]

had a quick blast round the red this morning, surprising amount of people there midweek, got held up by a lady who clearly didn't want to stop or move over (not sure why she was on red ).

 

they've been doing some work recently so there's a little ladder section some better built berms with some fast flowy sections. I agree it's not really a red though. 

 

 

what's everyone's times? 

 

 

 

[Tilt]

On 23/11/2019 at 10:06, SNH said:

Blue route and some bits of the red have now been altered, after a year out i tried the blue yesterday and it now has a flowy section that would be fun without all the wet leaves

Not tried the red yet. 

 

I guess you ride Burntstump a fair bit???