Cannop Cycle Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cannop Cycle Centre |
|
|---|---|
Visitor centre
|
|
| Type | Cycle Centre |
| Location | Cannop, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK |
| Operated by | Forestry Commission |
| Open | All year |
The Cannop Cycle Centre is a fun place for bike riders in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK. It's a woodland cycling spot with lots of trails, a visitor centre, and places to park. You can even get a lift to the top of the hills!
This centre is built on the old Cannop Colliery site in the Cannop Valley. The village of Parkend is about 3 miles away. In 2012, the centre got a big upgrade, including a brand new bridge for cyclists.
Contents
What Can You Do at Cannop Cycle Centre?
It's free to use the visitor centre and the bike trails. However, you might need to pay for things like parking or washing your bike.
Here are some of the cool things you'll find:
- Visitor centre with shops and food.
- A special uplift service to take you up hills.
- Big car parks for your vehicles.
- A nice picnic area for snacks.
- Information boards to help you find your way.
The Visitor Centre
The visitor centre is run by a group called Pedalabikeaway. It has everything a cyclist might need!
You can find:
- A café for food and drinks.
- A bike shop to buy gear.
- Bike hire if you don't have your own.
- A workshop to fix bikes.
- Showers and toilets.
- A bike wash and compressed air for tires.
The centre is open all year round. From April to October, it's open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM. From November to March, it's open Wednesday to Monday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
The Uplift Service
The uplift service is run by 'Flyup Downhill'. It uses a mini bus and a special trailer. This service takes riders and their bikes to the top of the downhill tracks. This means less pedaling uphill and more fun riding down!
The uplift service is also open all year. From April to September, it runs Friday to Tuesday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. From October to March, it runs Friday to Monday, from 10 AM until dusk.
Exciting Bike Trails
Cannop Cycle Centre has three main trails that start and finish right at the centre. They are clearly marked, so you won't get lost!
The Freeminer Trail
This trail is about 3.5 miles long and can be ridden in all weather. Volunteers and the Forestry Commission helped build and look after it. It's a challenging trail with tricky climbs, rooty sections, and sharp turns.
The Freeminer Trail is graded RED by the CTC. This means it's best for experienced riders. Mountain Biking UK magazine gave it a great review in 2008.
The Verderers' Trail
Many people say this was the best new trail of 2011! It's about 7 miles long and is known for being fast and flowing. It has flat-out corners, big berms (banked turns), and rollovers.
This trail is graded BLUE by the CTC. But it also has some RED sections if you want an extra challenge. It gently goes uphill, then has a fast, flat section, and a steep, wavy downhill part called the Dragon's Tail. Mountain Biking UK magazine reviewed it in 2012 and loved the berms, calling them "the very best they'd ever ridden."
The Family Cycle Trail
This trail is about 11 miles long and connects to several local villages. It uses wide, gravel paths, so it's good for riding all year. Most of the trail is flat, with only a few short climbs. It's perfect for all ages and abilities!
The route follows an old railway line, passing former stations. You can also see old coal mine remains along the way. In 2007, The Guardian newspaper called it the number one 'Best British cycle route'. In 2009, The Daily Telegraph voted it the best 'family cycle route'.
There are also two more routes you can follow with a guide:
The Iron Road
This is a 5-mile family trail on wide gravel paths. It's mostly flat with some gentle climbs. This route is great for younger children.
Rally Around the Forest
This is a more challenging 14-mile circular route. It follows some of the wide gravel tracks used by the famous Wyedean Rally. It doesn't have tricky technical parts, but it does have long climbs and fast downhills. This trail is for fit cyclists and not suitable for young kids.
Downhill Tracks
Besides the marked trails, Cannop Cycle Centre has seven or more amazing downhill tracks. From the visitor centre, a short path leads you to these tracks. Look for white arrows on a yellow background to find your way.
Most downhill tracks are easy to find. Many start near the top information board. Shorter trails begin further down the hill. All downhill tracks have difficult sections, big jumps, and steep drops. For example, 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' has two very tricky drop-offs. Other downhill tracks include 'Endo', 'Mr Rooty', 'The O.C.', 'Flatlands', 'The Corkscrew', and 'Sheepskull'.
