Gisburn Forest - Any good?

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Have some videos to shoot, how good is Gisburn? Thinking of heading somewhere new. Looking for 'enduro-ey' trails.

My preference is open spaces to get some good footage and drone shots. Mixed in with some forest stuff is OK too.

Cheers!
Rob.

 

[Mteam]

I'm sure it'll be picturesque enough for photos and the like, but in terms of good places to ride it's not that good, it's does well with what little elevation it has, but it's a bit boring and a bit pedally if you know what I mean.

The best bit is hully gully, there are a couple of other decent sections as well. If you live near ish then it's worth a ride round, but I wouldn't travel a long way to ride there.

Where are you based?

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

I'm sure it'll be picturesque enough for photos and the like, but in terms of good places to ride it's not that good, it's does well with what little elevation it has, but it's a bit boring and a bit pedally if you know what I mean.

The best bit is hully gully, there are a couple of other decent sections as well. If you live near ish then it's worth a ride round, but I wouldn't travel a long way to ride there.

Where are you based?

Based down South in Surrey. Happy to drive 4-6 hours. Had planned Morzine but obvs changed now.

 

[Bagpu55]

What was said above really from me too. Its ok but I wouldnt drive 4-6 hours for it no way. Extra hour and your in the lake district.

 

[Mteam]

Based down South in Surrey. Happy to drive 4-6 hours. Had planned Morzine but obvs changed now.

Def not worth it from Surrey, there are many places I'd rather ride.

In no particular order

-bike park wales
-afan
-cwm carn
-antur stiniog
-coed y brenin
-climachx
-glentress
-innerleithen
-the golfy
-any number of natural routes in the Peak District, Lake District etc

Are all way better than Gisburn.

 

[Mteam]

Forgot about Llandegla.

If you're up for a few days riding then basing yourself in North Wales would be a good option.

Could do Llandegla, coed y brenin, climach, antur stiniog, and a few natural routes up and down snowdon (up the Llanberis path down the rangers path). That lot would keep you busy for a few days and probably no more than an hours driving from a suitable point in the middle of them all.

 

[Beezerk]

Hamsterley?

 

[myskovon]

Gisburn is 90mins from me and I don’t go much. It’s alright but not worth a drive your size imho.

If you went with a local there’s probably more off piste than me and my riding buddies have found that’s great ‘enduro’ but if you are relying on the trail centre route there’s only a few features and hully gully has seen better days atm

 

[MrSimmo]

Have some videos to shoot, how good is Gisburn? Thinking of heading somewhere new. Looking for 'enduro-ey' trails.

My preference is open spaces to get some good footage and drone shots. Mixed in with some forest stuff is OK too.

Cheers!
Rob.

Come to the South Downs mate, rolling hills, enduroey stuff, woods. Plus we could come along and steal the limelight on the camera with our epic crashing skills ?

 

[Wheelie_King]

Agree with the above but there are sections that match what you’re after for filming, even though it might not be the worlds best trail centre.
There are some visually appealing locations. At the top, you’re clear of the trees and overlook the forest with big gnarly rock sections.
There’s some nice looking woodland sections, again, maybe not A-grade riding, they are fun to ride and will look ace on camera.
There’s a little jump line half way round (Hope jump section) and Hully Gully is a fun and quite unusual roller coaster. Again, would get you some good footage. Then there’s some narrow exposed single track clinging to a ravine side.

Now before people pile in and start a bun fight over whether it’s a good enough trail centre, for filming short sections of footage I think you’d get some good stuff here.

 

[Wheelie_King]

 

[steve_sordy]

@Wheelie_King, is that middle shot Whetstone Crag?

I remember it as riding along the edge of a drop and having to turn sharp right between two rock pillars and down a terrifying almost vertical drop.

That drop is a proper mind fu#k. When stood at the top, the slabs falling away are tapered such that they look to be descending at 70 degrees minimum. In fact the slope is at best 30 degrees, as is revealed if you stand off to one side. Whenever anyone stands up there on their bike, passing riders stop to watch, all expecting dither and delay. Those at the top for the first time are assuming the crowds are there to see you fail badly. I've done it a few times now and the hardest thing about it is getting there. The best thing is bragging about it afterwards, especially when your mates refused to do it and had to do the walk of shame.

That drop and the route to it was labelled black and it's an aside to the red trail.

I liked Gisburn, never done it on an emtb though. I thought Hully Gully (again, labelled black and an aside to the red trail) was tame, but only as long as you don't wimp out when you get to the top of the big berm and look all the way down to the bottom of the next one!!!

 

[Wheelie_King]

@Wheelie_King, is that middle shot Whetstone Crag?

I remember it as riding along the edge of a drop and having to turn sharp right between two rock pillars and down a terrifying almost vertical drop.

That drop is a proper mind fu#k. When stood at the top, the slabs falling away are tapered such that they look to be descending at 70 degrees minimum. In fact the slope is at best 30 degrees, as is revealed if you stand off to one side. Whenever anyone stands up there on their bike, passing riders stop to watch, all expecting dither and delay. Those at the top for the first time are assuming the crowds are there to see you fail badly. I've done it a few times now and the hardest thing about it is getting there. The best thing is bragging about it afterwards, especially when your mates refused to do it and had to do the walk of shame.

That drop and the route to it was labelled black and it's an aside to the red trail.

I liked Gisburn, never done it on an emtb though. I thought Hully Gully (again, labelled black and an aside to the red trail) was tame, but only as long as you don't wimp out when you get to the top of the big berm and look all the way down to the bottom of the next one!!!

It’s the top rocky section that you loop around before starting the descent back around

 

[markfitton]

It’s the top rocky section that you loop around before starting the descent back around

that Top rocky section.. is a bloody nightmare, never again for me.... then the rock slab at the end. NO. Don't even think it would make great footage, Hully Gully though im sure would make great footage filmed properly.

 

[H1 Dave]

that Top rocky section.. is a bloody nightmare, never again for me.... then the rock slab at the end. NO. Don't even think it would make great footage, Hully Gully though im sure would make great footage filmed properly.

I love that rocky section (Whelp Stone Crag). Great Fun

 

[steve_sordy]

@H1 Dave Whelp Stone Crag, I had remembered it as Whetstone Crag. Thanks for the correction.
Whetstone made sense to me because sharpening stones were made of hard smooth rock and were known as whet stones. Also as in "whetting my appetite"!

 

[Blue Moon]

A group of us have been today. Very wet but still had a great time and only an hour away. Definitely go again, hopefully when it’s a little drier.

 

[Gavalar]

Have some videos to shoot, how good is Gisburn? Thinking of heading somewhere new. Looking for 'enduro-ey' trails.

My preference is open spaces to get some good footage and drone shots. Mixed in with some forest stuff is OK too.

Cheers!
Rob.

Checkout the video / drone footage of "Long Way Down" at Gisburn, trails for every ability, take your own refreshments as the Café isn't always open, enjoy!

 

[StealthChesnut]

Did Gisburn today with my lad (4) on a tag-a-long round the red trail. It was hard going - tag-a-longs even with some MTB modifications aren't quite made with interesting trails in mind.

The trail surface is mostly like riding on randomly placed cobbles - lots and lots of stones in the paths making for bumpy going. The back side of the top of the 8 loop is severely rocky, and was probably the worst bit to get round. It felt pretty technical most of the way round.

There's a fair bit of forest, but the north end of the loop is pretty open. there was a great bit after Long Way Down where it dropped into some berms and a jump or 2 out in the open.

The Long Way Down and Park Wood trails got squeals of delight from the boy - lots of swooping berms.

Did see quite a few eMTB there today, and glad to say the main car park access road has been tarmaced.