Forestry England have announced that they will be creating one of their popular Pedal and Play trails at Sherwood Pines in Nottinghamshire. The new facility has been designed to help the next generation of mountain bikers gain the skills and confidence they need to progress to an intermediate level and ride the blue graded mountain bike trail at the forest which has been a destination for off road cycling for many years. Work is due to start in early November, and it is planned that that the Sherwood Pines Pedal and Play trail will be open to visitors from Spring 2026.
Forestry England Programme Manager Sarah Walker who is overseeing the project said:
“The Pedal and Play concept first came about at Forestry England Cannock Chase when they hosted the mountain biking events in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Sherwood Pines has had a popular cycling skills area for quite some time, but this new bigger and enhanced facility is proving so popular elsewhere it felt only right for us to create one at Sherwood Pines to help bring the health and wellbeing benefits to young people in Nottinghamshire.”
Forest Centre Manager for Sherwood Pines, Neil Barnes, said:
“As a keen mountain biker myself, I am passionate about getting kids out into the fresh air and learning how great it feels to ride through the forest on your bike. Pedal and Play will allow people who are new to off-road biking to build confidence on different trail surfaces, start to master cornering and learn skills on berms and rollers. All out in nature, in a safe, traffic free forest, with lots of fun elements built in along the way!”
Pedal and Play is a series of ‘loops’ of cycle trail which build in complexity as the riders progress:
- Loop 1 will be a mini balance bike track featuring simple rollers and berms, and will be wide enough to allow parents to be alongside.
- Loop 2 will be wide enough to accommodate adaptive bike users as well as standard bikes, and will include four different options to maximise the skillsets that can be learned.
- Loop 3 is designed for once riders have developed their capabilities and self-assurance and will feature two mirrored lines to give the opportunity of racing other riders.
As the name suggests there will also be a bike-themed play area within the activity hub (bringing the number of formal play areas at Sherwood Pines up to five). This is being developed using the inclusive play principles used for King John’s Castle and Robin Hood’s Hideout and Workshop to make sure all children feel welcome and included, regardless of any additional needs they may have.
Forestry England currently has Pedal and Play trails at Cannock Chase Forest (Staffordshire), Hicks Lodge (Leicestershire) and High Lodge (Thetford). This new addition to Sherwood Pines is supported with funding from Defra via the Access for All Programme.
Sherwood Pines is one of the most popular forest destinations in the country. Managed by Forestry England it is already home to three walking trails, three cycling trails and an advanced skills area, four play areas, two running routes, a disc golf course, a bike shop, café, campsite and Forest Holidays cabins.
Webpage: https://www.forestryengland.uk/sherwood-pines/pedal-and-play-trail
Posted on 05 November 2025
