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Verderers Trail - Forest of Dean

Voted Best Blue Trail in England by Mountain Biking UK. Here's why.

Quick facts

  • Grade: Blue (moderate)

  • Distance: 11.3 km / 7 miles

  • Time: about an hour; 1–2 hours comfortably

  • Type: XC — hard-packed and singletrack

  • Direction: ridden clockwise from the Cycle Centre

  • Best for: anyone comfortable on blues; the natural step up from the Family Trail

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What to expect

The Verderers gently winds uphill, opens into a fast, flowing flat-top section, and then delivers the descent everyone comes for.

Along the way: big berms, flat-out corners, rollovers, and enough variety in the surface to keep you honest. It's graded Blue, but don't mistake that for easy — there are some genuinely tricky moments in here, which is exactly why it won its award.

The Dragon's Tail is the final descent, and the reason people ride the whole loop. Fast, flowing, and it'll have you hooting and hollering all the way back to the café. Save your legs for it — don't burn out on the climb.
 

The skills areas

There are skill areas along the route if you want to work on something specific rather than just ride laps.
 

When to ride it

This is the all-weather banker. The Verderers is engineered to drain well and rides brilliantly even after a wet week, when the natural stuff has turned to porridge. If it's been raining and you're not sure what to ride — ride this. Best of all in summer when it's firm and fast, but genuinely good year-round. That can't be said for everything here.

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On an e-bike

Excellent. The climbs stop being a chore, so you arrive at the Dragon's Tail with fresh legs. Two or three laps in a session are very doable. [Link to eMTB page]

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Good to know

There's a Verderers shortcut if you want to trim the loop — handy if you're short on time or the legs have gone.

Ridden it recently? [Submit a ride report →]
Before you go: check the [live trail status →]

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