Delamere Forest is home to an extensive network of trails perfect for mountain biking. From sweeping single-track to steep hills, rutted forest paths to gravel fireroads and a bike park to hone your enduro and downhill skills – there really is something for everyone, if you know where to look!
This guide covers the main sections in the forest, including Manley Hill Bike Park, Old Pale Hill and the Blue graded Mara & Mondrem trail.
- Manley Hill Bike Park
- Manley Hill DH Track
- No Brains
- Nettleford Wood
- Mara & Mondrem trail
- Old Pale DH
- Old Pale climbs
Manley Hill Bike Park
Manley Hill Bike Park at Delamere Forest is made up of a relatively small albeit fun skills area incorporating a 4x track, dirt jumps and berms. A run from top to bottom will take 30-40 secs. Some riders will spend a few hours sessioning the features, others will simply pass through as part of an XC loop of the forest. Even if park riding is not your bag it’s still worth the detour, as the features are easily rolled or avoided as necessary.
The trails appear to get very ad hoc maintenance, and it’s not uncommon to see a group of local riders grooming them with spades. With the emergence of the newer Mara & Mondrem trail, it’s unclear if any future investment will be directed to Manley Hill! Update (Jan 2026): the sign pictured above has gone AWOL – perhaps a early indication as to where the dollars will (and won’t) be directed moving forward!
How to find Manley Hill Bike Park?
Manley Hill Bike Park Trailhead: ///darts.flats.fizzy
Google Maps: Manley Hill Bike Skills Area
Manley Hill bike park can be accessed from a fireroad towards the bottom of Ashton Road – head into the forest via Manley Hill Gate, it’s almost opposite the Outdoor Education Centre. Stick to the main fireroad and you’ll arrive at the bottom of park – lookout for the signs. Lay-by parking is available along Ashton road.
The trailhead itself is located towards the top of a rutted and sandy path – see above for w3w.
Manley Hill Downhill Track
Adjacent to the bike park is a short downhill track – which has slowly fallen into disrepair over the years! There are a number of lines to choose from, incorporating a few berms but mostly just rutted and rooted steep terrain amongst overgrown foliage – Its OK but nothing special. Access via a track that runs off the right side of the main bike park (towards the top).
No Brains
For years I’d heard tales of No Brains, some kind of mythical run hidden deep in the forest and ridden only by those who knew of and kept its whereabouts a strict secret. When I eventually found No Brains, it was pretty much none of those things!
Essentially No Brains is a short steep run which initially appears quite daunting, mainly due to the gully one has to navigate at the top. After that it’s just a bumpy fast run that soon fritters out – it’s good fun though!
The No Brains Freeride area is what I call the longer runs surrounding No Brains itself. There is some decent riding here, with some trail pixie jumps throw into the mix. There are various runs and lines to choose from, a highlight being over to the left from the top of No Brains.
How to find No Brains
Its a secret…. only kidding! From the bottom of Manley Hill Bike Park, head left, up a hill and then its on the right – over a low wooden fence (a little exploring and you’ll find it!)
Nettleford Wood
Nettleford Wood is the section of forest between Old Pale Hill and Gresty’s Waste car park (off the A54). There is a good (and fast) natural run through the wood, with a few small jumps and even an optional drop-off over a sandstone edge (its maybe a 1m drop – so not as bad as it may sound!) – I call this the Sandstone drop-off.
How to find Nettleford Wood
Nettleford Wood Trailhead: ///found.outraged.community
It’s easy for me to find, a little trickier to describe! From Pale Heights head away from the visitor centre side of the forest along a wide track. Initially downhill it will flatten, before a noticeable short right-hand descent – passing through a hedgerow. A little further on, head left onto a grass track (if you reach the Sandstone trail you’ve gone too far) and then you’ll see some single-track heading right into the woods – easy peasy !
Mara & Mondrem Trail
The newest addition to Delamere Forest, the Mara and Mondrem Trail is a 10km waymarked mountain bike trail. Signs direct you on a roughly circular lap of the forest (graded grey – think easy and mostly flat), with optional sections of blue graded single-track accessible directly from the main trail. These moderate trails offer a combination of climbs, descents, roots, rock steps, jumps and berms – whilst it sounds impressive it’s all pretty tame, and best suited to less experienced riders. It’s debatable whether the amount of pedaling required is paid off in smiles! I’d suggest an e-bike would enable you to get the most out of this trail!
Access the trail from close to the visitor centre, or you can pick-up the trail at various points within the forest – look out for the blue signs.
Old Pale Downhill
Old Pale Hill juts out of the landscape to a height of 176m, and is the high point for miles around. Expansive views from the summit (known as Pale Heights) include the forest canopy as well as many distant landmarks (including the mountains of North Wales) – all are listed on the orientation markers within the stone circle at the summit.
What goes up must come down and the Old Pale Downhill runs are in dry conditions a highlight of Delamere Forest.
The high speed descents are a test of skill and endurance – chaotic in parts as they weave amongst trees via bumpy and rutted single-track, mid-way down traversing an open plantation on ungroomed double-track.
Variations in line are plentiful, with the track splitting in two within the top section of woodland to provide a completely separate run – rejoining lower down the hill. Of course choosing your line and sticking to it is key, a mistake could see you in very close proximity to a tree (or lay in a bush)!
How to find the Old Pale DH runs
Old Pale DH Trailhead: ///jazz.rainfall.coasters
Approach Old Pale from the visitor centre, up the Old Pale Climb (see below). Close to the top near the masts there is a hedgerow and narrow track on the left of the path. Approx 100 metres along that track is the trailhead.
Old Pale climbs
Old Pale can be approached by multiple paths, each are steep in places and can be descended at speed (when safe to do so). Below are the 3 main routes to the summit, from the visitor centre side of the forest.
Note – I’d personally recommend ascending via Old Pale Climb and for a high speed descent try Cheeky Old Pale Climb.
Old Pale Climb
Distance: 0.8 km (0.5mi) / Avg Grade: 8% (Max 20%)
Strava Segment: Old Pale Climb
The Old Pale Climb is accessed far right behind the Old Pale Car Park. This obvious gravel path is steep in places as it winds its way up to the summit. The loose gravel can make cornering interesting on a high speed descent!
Radio Tower Climb
Distance: 1.1 km (0.7mi) / Avg Grade: 7% (Max 18%)
Strava Segment: Climb to Radio Tower
The Cat 4 radio tower access road is deceptively steep and is guaranteed to get your heart pumping! The single-lane road starts off as loose stone and transitions into tarmac as the gradient begins to ramp up. As you reach the top of the steep straight road, bare right on the access road which leads to the radio masts.
Cheeky Old Pale Climb
Distance: 0.6 km (0.4mi) / Avg Grade: 8% (Max 33%)
Strava Segment: Not up to the Mast 🙂
Continue along the Old Pale Car Park access road (rather than turning left into the main pay & display visitor centre car park), after approx 300 metres turn left onto an obvious wide path. This climb is steep in places and will undoubtedly test your climbing credentials! Bear left at the top of the climb towards the masts.
Further Info
Getting to Delamere Forest Sat Nav Postcode for Delamere Forest is CW8 2JD. Free layby parking along Ashton Road, or there is paid parking at Old Pale by the visitor centre and Whitefield opposite Blakemere Moss lake. Delamere Train station is on the mid-cheshire line, with direct access from Manchester and Chester.
Delamere Forest Visitor Centre offers the usual array of hot beverages, cakes, snacks and ice-cream. There are also toilets here. If you want to escape the crowds try Station House Cafe, at the train station.
Hazards
Please do be aware the trails at Delamere forest are mostly multi-use. Expect the unexpected is a good mantra to follow – I’ve previously encountered angry cows, horses, dogs, riders coming in the opposite direction (often pushing their bike) and a nutter running up Old Pale with 2 kettlebells. I’ve even had families and dogs walking up the trails at Manley Hill Bike Park (which in theory are dedicated mtb trails).
Delamere is a working forest with forestry and felling work ongoing, it’s not uncommon to encounter trees blocking the trails, in particular after a storm, and indeed sometimes heavy machinery does destroy sections of the trails.
Remember – we cannot highlight all potential hazards when out in the great outdoors. Safety is ultimately down to you. Educate yourself in safety, weather reports, navigation and equipment specific to the activity you intend to undertake and conditions/terrain you may encounter! Check out adventuresmart.uk for general outdoor safety considerations – and activity specific guidance for hill walking, paddle boarding, mountain biking and open water swimming.
