Start/Finish: Main car park, Low Dalby Total distance: 37km (23.5 miles) Total ascent: 741m (2431ft) Time: 2-4 hours Summary: A mixture of mostly manmade trail and some short fi re road climb sections, the Red routes hold up well most of the year round, although you’ll be coated in white spray if it is wet. There are no massive climbs or descents but contouring trail keeps work and concentration rates high, and the optional black sections add spice. Park at the first car park in Low Dalby between the two buildings of the visitor centre. Cross the Forest Drive past the speed bumps after the corner and up the zig-zags in the field. Follow red markers north to the zig-zagging across the dales eventually ending up at the ‘skills’ area at Dixon’s Hollow. Feel free to dive off for a play here if you fancy, but don’t go too daft as the only way out for the wounded is by air ambulance... Cross the Forest Drive and head north past Worry Gill. Again there’s lots of opportunity to spice things up with black and World Cup course detours. Either way you should end up at the bottom of a climb at the east end of Staindale Lake. Climb north away from the fi re road then follow the red/black signs on singletrack and fi re road out to Crosscliffe viewpoint. At this point, you can take the North Shore ramp onto the black route and rejoin the red route later on. Otherwise continue east along the fire road until the red route turns back into the forest on singletrack. Most of the high skill stuff is done by the time you cross the Forest Drive. But if you’ve had enough now is a good time to take the tarmac shortcut back to the visitor centre.by ocoutts
© Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.