Macc Forest Hard

This mountain bike route of 24.6 miles is a variation of the Macc Forest Classic that takes in Tegg’s Nose and a couple of different trails around Three Shire Heads. The extra trials give the route a real kick with some tough rocky challenges to try and clean. Even with the variations it still retains all the good bits from the Classic route.

1. Start from the Trentabank car park near Trentabank Reservoir (GR961711). Turn left out of the car park and descend to a junction by the reservoir. Turn right and follow the lane, keeping the reservoir on the left, to the junction at the Leather’s Smithy pub. Turn right and climb the lane to a gate at the start of a wide gravel track on the left (GR959717). Go through the gate and climb the concessional bridleway into Macc Forest. Bear left and go past a gate on the right to a forked junction. Take the right hand track and continue climbing to the next junction, a four-way junction at a stone building. Turn right and climb the steep gravel track that immediately bears left. Continue along this track to a gate at the edge of the forest (GR961727).

2. Go through the gate then turn left and descend the steep lane. Where the lane finishes at a house bear left and descend the rocky singletrack. Halfway down follow the track right and continue descending to a ford. Go through the ford and up a short climb then descend to a lane by a farm on the left. Climb a short way up the lane to a junction at the far edge of the farm (GR951726). Turn left and follow the dirt track past the farm, on the left, to a gate. After the gate descend the track to a set of long steps that end at a ford. Go through the ford then up a short climb to a junction (GR951722). Go straight on and descend the track to a junction at a reservoir. Turn left and descend the lane to where it ends at a junction in the village of Langley (GR943716).

3. Turn right and follow the road through Langley. At the next junction, by the church on the left, bear right and continue along the road for a short distance to the following junction at the village hall, on the right (GR940715). Turn right and climb the steep lane out of the village. At the next junction bear right and continue climbing. The lane eventually flattens off and comes to a junction (GR942730). Turn left and follow the road over a little dip, then turn right at the junction immediately after. Climb the lane to the next junction (GR942733).

4. Turn right and climb the lane past a house, after which the lane soon turns into a wide grit stone track. At the top bear right to a junction with a lane (GR950734). Turn right and descend a short way to a junction with the entrance to the Tegg’s Nose visitor centre on the left. Turn left into the visitor centre then go straight on through the car park to a track on the far side. Descend the track, which immediately bears right and goes over a section of lumpy bedrock. After the rocks the track becomes paved with rocky cobbles all the way to the junction with a lane at the bottom (GR951728).

5. Turn left and descend the lane through a dip, then climb steeply through the bends. Continue following the lane all the way to a junction with the A537 at Walker Barn. Turn right and climb the road a short distance to the next junction with a lane on the right (GR957738). Turn right and climb the lane, immediately bearing left past a track on the right. The lane eventually flattens off before going through a tight right hand bend to a junction (GR962731).

6. Turn left and climb the gritstone trail along the edge of the forest. After reaching the crest enjoy the fast, rocky descent that finishes at a tarmac crossroad in a group of houses (GR974921). At the crossroad turn left then ride past the right hand side of a chapel to take the double track that heads of to the right. The track soon bears left down a steep descent. Take care with your speed, when the track bears right the ground turns from grassy double track to loose gravel with steps, where it can be difficult to slow down. At the junction with the lane at the bottom turn left. At the next junction turn left and climb a short way to the junction by the Stanley Arms (GR980724).

7. Turn right for a long climb to a junction with the A537. At this junction turn right and follow the main road all the way to the top, at the Cat and Fiddle pub (GR001719). Turn right, where the road turns left around the pub, to follow a straight gritstone trail across the moor. After reaching the top of the hill follow the track left and descend the fast Danebower Hollow bridleway. The track finishes at a gated junction with the A54 (GR010700). After the gate turn right and descend the main road to a junction, just before it starts climbing again (GR005694).

8. Take the lane on the left and descend to a farm. On a tight left hand bend just before the farm, go straight on through two gates, set one after the other, to enter a field (GR005692). Directly after the second gate turn left and descend the grassy double track beside the fence. Turn left in the next field and descend the track along the banked edge of the field. In the bottom corner of this field turn right and follow the track along the line of the wall on the left, down to a gate. It is a good idea to ride just high and right of the track as it is usually very wet and boggy. After the gate descend the rocky singletrack along the right hand side of the valley to a junction at the bridge at Three Shire Heads (GR009685).

9. Go straight on, past the bridge, for a technical, rocky climb that bears right around the hill. It is possible to climb the whole way up but it's not easy. Go through the gate at the top of the climb then turn sharp left and descend the steep lane. The lane eventually flattens off, passes a farm and finally comes to a junction with a road (GR996665). Turn left and descend the road to a bridge over a stream at the bottom. After the bridge continue along the road, go past the lanes on the right, and climb to the first junction with a lane on the left, which is by a house and opposite a footpath on the right that drops into the gulley (GR007663).

10. Turn left and follow the thin lane for a gradual climb that eventually comes to a junction with some tracks on the right at a crest in the road. Continue ahead and follow the lane through a right then left hand bend to a junction with a track on the left immediately after, just before the lane kicks up steeply (GR018669). Turn left and descend the steep concrete track to a farm. At the farm go through the left hand gate of the two directly ahead and descend the tight rocky singletrack. The track soon bears right to a gate followed by a stream crossing at a waterfall. After crossing the stream go straight on up the short boulder strewn climb, then continue climbing along the hard pack track to a gate. After the gate continue along the track for some tricky singletrack that ends at a junction with a lane (GR016674).

11. Turn left and follow the lane, as it bears right around the line of the hill, to a junction. Bear right and continue around the hill on the wide dirt track. At the junction after the houses on the right, bear right and follow the track for a long gradual descent, with a number of tricky rock sections, back to the bridge at Three Shire Heads (GR009685). Go over the bridge then turn right and climb the previously descended trail. Follow the track up the left hand side of the valley to a gate. After the gate climb up the right hand side of the field to the far corner then turn left. Climb across the bank at the top of the field, then follow the track right and climb steeply to the two gates set close together. Go through the gates. After the second gate bear left and climb the lane to the junction with the A54 (GR005694).

12. Turn left and climb the main road to a junction with a track on the right at the top, where the barrier on the left ends (GR003692). Turn right and climb through the gate to follow the double track beside the drystone wall. The track soon comes to the top of a long descent that gets looser and rockier as it drops into the valley ahead. Halfway down go through a flat left hand bend to a gate. Go through the gate for the rockiest part of the descent. After leaving the trees bear left through a ford before coming to a gated junction with a lane at the bottom (GR988697).

13. Turn right and follow the lane to a forked junction a short distance later. Take the right hand fork and continue straight on to the next junction. Turn right and follow the lane for about 1 mile, as it repeatedly crosses a stream along the bottom of the valley, to a crossroad junction (GR982713).

14. Turn left and climb the steep lane between the drystone walls to a junction at the top, on the edge of Macc Forest (GR978714). Turn left through the gate and follow the wide gravel concessional bridleway along the top of the forest. The track bears right and soon descends to a junction. Turn left around the derelict building and climb the gravel track. The track eventually descends to a junction (GR967704).

15. Turn left up a steep but short switchback climb. Continue straight on at the top. When the track starts descending it bears left to a junction a short distance later. Go straight on down the thin track signposted as a cycle track. At the junction with the wide track, which is on the other side of a small bank, follow the cycle track right for a fast descent through the trees. The descent eventually comes to a gated junction with a wide forest track (GR963708). Turn left and descend the forest track to a gated junction with a lane. Go through the gate and turn right then follow the lane a short distance to the next junction. Turn right again and climb the lane a short distance to finish the ride at the car park, on the right.