Gisburn Forest Mountain Bike Trail (Bottoms Beck)

These are some selected highlights of the Bottoms Beck trail at the Gisburn Forest Mountain Bike Centre in Lancashire's Forest of Bowland. It is meant to give NEW mountain bikers an idea of what is typical on the Bottoms Beck trail; so there are no berms, boards, dropoffs or rock gardens; no-one does any prat-falls, no-one loses their nuts, no-one breaks any bones.

Bikes used were Specialized Hardrock bikes - bought from Blazing Saddles (fantastic bike shop in Hebden Bridge).
Video camera was an HDPro headcam - bought from Ellis Brigham in Fort William.

Gisburn Forest is the best place for mountain biking in North Lancashire. Gisburn Forest offers some fantastic mountain bike trails with the unique Hully Gully, the flowing Bottoms Beck and several volunteer-built "Home Baked" sections. All the trails start from Cocklet Hill Car Park (Grid Ref SD 745550).

Adrenaline-highs include the volunteer-built trail of Home-Baked, gnarly rocks of Whelpstone Crag and the roller-coaster ride down Hully Gully - this is said to be as close as you can get to dancing on a bike - or riding along a rollercoaster that does side-to-side as well as up-and-down. Adrenaline-junkies should follow the red arrows on the timber posts and look out for any warning markers. Along this route are optional Black Grade lines and features - these being marked with a skull. You may also see/hear the Air Ambulance pick up wounded cyclists who had travelled above their ability range, so stay safe.

Back to the present, this video covers some of the key sections of the Bottoms Beck - generally easy Green Grade (Easy), but with a bit of optional Blue Grade (Moderate) 9.5km ride. This is suitable for novices and younger riders. Down past St James Chapel and over the causeway leads to a bumpy ride along Eggberry Road. A mellow ride by Bottoms Beck follows an old railway line before following a steady climb and then a fantastic high-speed descent towards Park Wood. Here the video finishes, but you can twist & turn through Park Wood, then finish with a grin on a sweeping bermy descent back to the car park. Follow the blue arrows on the timber posts. Look out for any warning markers.

So? How would I rate it for new mountain bikers? Overall, the Bottoms Beck is definitely the mountain bike trail to try once you have got your balance and a bit of confidence on your new bike. There are some good tracks on the beck trail - ideal for the ambitious child and for the nervous adult. It's a great day out - it gives some great practice and it will build your initial skills on tracks and paths. There are also a few offshoots trails if there are people in the party who are a bit more ambitious.
So get out there and get some adventure in your life instead of watching the bloody X Factor!

With many thanks
Simon Flory
Badger Specialist
www.badgerland.co.uk

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Gisburn
• Forest
• Mountain
• Bike
• centre
• MTB
• Bottoms
• Beck
• trail
• Blue
• Grade
• of
• Bowland
• Lancashire
• Simon
• Flory

[badgerlandcouk]

Never thought to add a commentary - I'm still finding out what the video software can do. I'll think about one for any future videos. ... there are more in the pipeline!

[taius20]

you will soon be shreading the hully gully wishing it had some jumps in it! keep it up dude!

[Mealwormsforrobins]

Some speed you were getting up there on the downhill bits! Or so it looked from the comfort of my kitchen chair!!

Good film - would commentary add anything to the film, I wonder?

[PellegrinoKid]

This video is awesome

defo go to Gisburn Forest