The biggest forest in Lancashire, with some purpose built mountain bike trails taking in forest roads and single track. You can pick the route depending on how much you fancy doing, but I'd recommend doing the longest, red, as it gets the most bang for your buck. Failing that, take the green over the purple as the purple misses the best section of single track. Plenty of cruising on forest tracks to be had too, of course.

The routes are well built and stay in good condition in the wet, making this a great place for winter riding. There are loads of other unofficial trails knocking about too, which can be a serious challenge in places, with loads trees and roots, and can also get very soggy.

You get to the forest off the B6748 between Tosside and Slaidburn and the start of the trails is Cocklet Hill car park.

1. Leave the car park where the map board is, and from here on the routes are way marked. They're best done in an anticlockwise direction, so go straight on at the sign which points both straight on and left.


2. The sign isn't so obvious here, but you need to turn left instead of following the track round. Uphill from here is the start of a large number of unofficial trails - you can access them by turning right up a track to get higher, or just take a left down one of them from the main track. They join up with the purple route at the bottom of the hill, from where you can loop back up if you want. There're also a couple of "play areas" in old quarries to the right of the track.


3. If you're taking the green you turn left here, but if not carry on for a few metres then head right (anticlockwise again) - more forest track takes you up to some single track with a couple of streams to ford. After doing the extra loop, turn right and head down some quality single track - probably the best here. Just after bridging a stream, there's an unofficial track off the right which can be a fun addition if you fancy it. Then it's a follow the signs back job, with more forest track and single track. Ignore the sign left at a familiar looking gate and go right instead, unless you want to do the loop again!

Any comments or suggestions about this route? Pop em in the forum where I'm sure others will be interested to read them.