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New Gisburn Forest mountain bike trails attracting unexpected numbers

Runaway success at new Gisburn Forest mountain bike trails

The Forestry Commission that opened a series of mountain bike trails at Gisburn Forest near Clitheroe, Lancashire only last September has been overwhelmed at the success of the new facility.

According to the Burnley Express over 20,000 visitors have already explored the two existing waymarked trails but there are plans to expand with further routes and particularly car parking areas to cope with the higher-than-expected numbers.

So far, the trails consist of an easy 8km "blue" route for families and beginners with a longer and gnarlier 22km "red" track for the more experienced and experts with suitably tricky dowhill and boardwalk sections. Both the routes are set in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with beautiful views of the nearby Stocks Reservoir.

Andy Banks, from the Forestry Commission, says: "To have such an overwhelming public response to the new trails at Gisburn is brilliant, and great reward for all the hard work put in by staff and trail building volunteers."

The trails are part of the Ribble Valley Sports and Physical Activity Alliance and were completed with the aid of a £60,000 lottery grant from Sport England. £60,000 was also contributed by the Forest of Bowland AONB, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Ribble Valley Strategic Partnership, United Utilities and the Forestry Commission.

Gisburn Forest Trail Builders, a group of enthusiastic riders from throughout the region has helped on a number of volunteer trail building days organised by the Forestry Commission. The group has contributed an estimated £15,000 of value to the project by hand building over 1,000m of new trail.

It would be good to hear from anyone who's been.

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7 comments

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nick_rearden | 14 years ago
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Those great pics from more dirt really make me want to go to ride Gisburn although there's nothing to touch the sheer quality of that one from Mt Seymour. Might be interested to know it's one of a series commissioned by Trek from living legend Sterling Lorence www.sterlinglorence.com Check it out and you'll either throw away your camera or feel inspired to try much harder

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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nice one!

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cw42 | 14 years ago
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A quick google search found this site:
http://www.moredirt.co.uk/trail_gallery.php?id=36
Trails look good

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dave atkinson | 14 years ago
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yeah, we didn't have time to nip up to Lancashire and all our tree climbing equipment is out on location right now  1

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cat1commuter | 14 years ago
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It is a really good photo - great composition.

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nick_rearden | 14 years ago
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Busted! Yes, that is indeed British Columbia; Mount Seymour and very nice. Not quite as many ferns at Gisburn

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cat1commuter | 14 years ago
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Is the photo from Gisburn? Looks like BC.

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