The Best of the Forest of Dean
Opinionated, local, and completely unofficial. Here's what we'd point you at.
Best descent on the XC trails
The Dragon's Tail (Verderers)
The final descent of the Verderers, and the reason people ride the whole loop. Fast, flowing, and genuinely one of the best blue-grade descents in the UK. On a dry day it's pure joy. If you only ride one thing here, ride this.
Runner-up: the technical drops on the back half of Freeminers — rawer, rootier, and more of a challenge.
Best downhill run for your first DH lap
Launchpad or Countdown (Blue)
Both are graded blue, mostly rollable, and the right place to get your eye in before stepping up. You don't need a full DH bike or the uplift to enjoy them.
Step up to: the black runs — Sheepskull, Corkscrew, Ski Run — once you're comfortable.
Best trail if you've only got an hour
The Verderers
Park, ride, back in time for coffee. Seven miles, mostly flowing, one brilliant descent. The best ride-to-time ratio in the forest.
Best trail for a wet day
The Verderers, again
It's the all-weather banker. Engineered to drain, so it rides brilliantly even when everything else has turned to porridge. Skip Freeminers when it's wet — the roots turn to ice.
Best trail to bring the family
Old Bob's + the Family Trail
Old Bob's is for the little ones and beginners, and the Family Trail is for a gentle roll along the old railway lines. Add the pump track, and you've got a full, low-stress day. [Link to Family Riding page]
Best café stop
The Pedalabikeaway café at the centre
Good coffee, hot food, and a wood-burner in winter. Genuinely good, not just convenient. Worth sitting in rather than rushing off.
Off-site: Dean Forest Cycles' café in Parkend if you want a second stop, or the Fountain Inn & Woodman in Parkend for a proper post-ride pint. [Link to After the Ride]
Best thing about riding here (the honest one)
The off-piste
The waymarked trails are great — but the Forest of Dean's real magic is the huge network of unofficial singletrack hidden through the trees. Get the official trails dialled first, respect the trail-builders, and when you're ready, find someone local to show you the rest. That's when the forest really opens up.
