The Sherwood Shakedown

Yesterday, I took a lengthy drive upto Sherwood Pines around a closed M42, which didn’t help other than add an extra 15 mins to my journey, for The Sherwood Shakedown. A #NewEvent I’ve created for this season.

A recce last week allowed me to finalise my route and round it out to around 50 miles for the main route.

There had been rain overnight but not enough to moisten things up. A dry n dusty ride still beckoned. I rolled up at just after 9.30am and quickly got ready then rolled over to sit in the sunshine for a bit while we waited for others. The signs said it would be a decent turn out and it didn’t disappoint with a healthy-sized group ready to tackle the trails.

Pre-ride pleasantries done, I rolled out with Grahame and embarked on the initial loop around Sherwood Pines on some nice, wide forest roads sheltered from what would be quite a windy day. I hadn’t actually ridden the first loop before so I was pleased it all pulled together ok.

Sherwood Pines done we then headed out on a loop of Strawberry Hill with some nice soft, sandy sections to test the skills and make the bike squirm a bit.

Then we headed back into Sherwood Pines briefly past Sherwood Golf Club on a trail that looked like it had seen quite a bit of 4×4 action in the past and a bit of a fly-tipping spot too. Sherwood Pines done we dropped in Victor Water Country Park where I briefly took us the wong way. That particular section I find quite confusing.

We zipped across the bridleway that tracked the back of Clipstone village and then picked up the first real tarmac up through some houses to pick some nice singletrack through Cavendish Wood and Peafield plantation. I lost Grahame briefly as his pump had come loose but he was soon on my wheel.

We exited the woods and after a very brief section on the A6075 it was left onto the Strada Bianche of Oakfield Lane which dropped us into Market Warsop. A couple of trails allowed us to avoid the main roads but as we crossed the main road to pickup NCN Route 648, we were riding straight into a monster headwind which was worse when we got to Carter Lane where we passed a group of short-coursers.

Carter Lane was only short thankfully. Back offroad the trees gave us some respite from the wind but as things opened up again on the route into Shirebrook it made for some more tough pedalling.

Through Shirebrook we picked up The Archeological Way, my favourite trail on the ride. As we turned North the headwind became a cross-tail and the speed went up. We had the trail pretty much to ourselves, slowing down when we needed too.

Just outside Langwith we crossed the road and climbed up and over Poulter Country Park which was very quiet but nice wide gravel paths that dropped us just outside Creswell. The right turn here meant we had a nice, lengthy section of tailwind now as we picked our way past the walkers through Creswell Crags. It was busy but not enough to hamper us too much.

We crossed the Mansfied Road and after the initial tarmac headed back offroad around the edge of a field passing some nice horse riders. Then over Shrubbery Lake on a pin straight section of field to the edge of the forest to pick up the Drinking Pit Lane byway which is a superb section of trail. Fast, flows well and uninterrupted.

At Ollerton Road we crossed into the Clumber Park estate which was busy as expected. Once we got away from the car park though the trails thinned out. At Hardwick village we stopped for a coffee and watched a few riders pass through. Ironically, it started raining here but only drizzle which was quite refreshing in a way.

The trail from Hardwick back to Clumber Bridge is almost all exclusive for cyclists and pan flat too. At Clumber Bridge we stopped for a photo then began the draggy road climb to the edge of the estate before right onto NCN Route 6 which is another really nice gravel trail.

At Hazel Gap we turned south and hit the rollercoaster ups and downs on the straight route. Fast and slow in equal measure.

At Sherwood Forest we detoured for a km to see the Major Oak. 1200 years old and looking a bit worse for wear now as its dying or dead but still a sight to behold. We climbed back up the drag to get back on course then set about another section of pin straight fast gravel before popping out in Kings Clipstone.

Across the road and through the pub car park we hit our first closed gates of the ride. We were back into the wind now and my legs were beginning to smart. We skirted Victor Water again and headed back into Sherwood Pines on one of the disused railway lines again . The last steep kicker onto the forest stung the legs a bit but then it was fast, wide forest road again for a couple of kms before ending up back at the visitors centre where we started.

An awesome day out. The rain didn’t dampen anything, the spirits or the dust.

See you all on the next one!

Adios