Forest of Dean Family Cycle Trail

"Great day at a very well run and maintained park. Everything you can need is here on site...
Arrived at the car park which was very well signed and paying was easy. RingGo, cash and card payments accepted: £5/2hrs £7.50/4hrs £9/All Day.
Toilets on site for men, women and baby changing facilities.
Cycle shop for any last minute new parts, equipment or clothing. Trail pocket maps are available here for £3 and money goes towards the maintenance of the cycle park.
Food shop available with hot and cold drinks along with hot and cold food, even ice-cream and fresh baked goodies. Indoor and outdoor door seating available.
Free water for drinking from the fountain outside and even dog bowls here too.
Places to spray wash your bike on those muddy days.
At the pedalabikeaway shop you can rent bikes from hard tails to full suspension e-bikes, safety kit and water bottles even kids seats and trailer options available. There are on-site bike repair options for your own bike too. Staff here are very helpful and informative. See their website for booking ahead to avoid options not being available on the day.
As for the biking itself there are multiple options from long cross country trails, blue and red with some technical areas within including up hill climbs. A dedicated e-bike uphill technical area. A pump track, easy and moderate skills areas to play or warm up on. Green trails for kids and new riders with some blue options thrown in to build yourself up to the main trails or downhill sections.
The downhill areas have a dedicated push up path leading to the top and start of most of the trails and it is well signposted all the way. The downhill trails are all posted from start to finish and connect nicely, again sign posted at the start and finish of each trail. These range from Blue through to double black.
Information boards at the top and bottom fully explain the technicalities of each colour and what to expect.
The colliers yellow trail is an option to take a more relaxed ride through and around the forest with a bit of history and culture thrown in. Beautiful scenery to absorb too. The trail has some blue options along the way to give older kids and adults something extra to their gravel track ride.
This route does involve a road cycling section but this is only along a long car park entrance and also one main road crossing.
Everything is well maintained along all the trails thanks to the fabulous team and volunteers here. I had no issues in the 6 hrs I was there where I covered the green to red cross country routes and blue to black downhill sections, colliers trail, pump track and skills area, including new blue skill zones."

Aaron Clarke

"Fantastic place for all abilities. Flatish routes to ride around all day. Also the bike park area is super. Maintained trails"

Nigel Howard

"Absolutely love this place. The trails are brilliant and well managed, plus everything is well signposted along your travels on various routes.
I know my limits, so stay well away from the double black runs, but thoroughly enjoy every other run that I can find (although we still can't find Elephant Man!). Managed everything up to Corkscrew so far.
Only thing I would say is that the heavy braking zone on Launchpad is getting progressively more bumpy, to the point where it's almost uncomfortable for the kids so needs a bit of TLC!
This place is so much better than some pay for trails you can go to!
Update I forgot to mention that the signage also contains What Three Words locations, which I absolutely love. Any need for emergency services will get them straight to where they need to go"

Aidy Muttram