STANDARD LOCATION GUIDE
Plan the ride
Dalby Forest is a long woodland loops destination in North York Moors. Use this stable overview to choose the ride, then check the live operator page before setting off.
- Grades
- Green · Blue · Red · Black
- Route scale
- 3 km to 34 km
- Live status
- Check operator before travel
- Parking & facilities
- Verify on official visitor page
- Booking / uplift
- Confirm directly where required
- Research checked
- 30 August 2026
- Precise area
- North York Moors
- UK country
- England
- Trails & grades
- Green · Blue · Red · Black
- Route scale
- 3 km to 34 km
- Riding style & terrain
- Long woodland loops
- Suitable rider level
- Mixed-ability groups: easier routes sit alongside genuinely technical options.
THE FAN VIEW
Why riders remember Dalby Forest
This is the kind of destination where a group can build confidence, repeat sections and finish with everyone wanting one more lap.
- Choose a first loop below the group’s limit
- Reassess conditions and fatigue before adding distance
- Keep time for bike cleaning, food and an unhurried return
TRAILS & TERRAIN
What to expect
Long woodland loops. The currently recorded route scale is 3 km to 34 km, with indicative grading of Green · Blue · Red · Black. Grading is relative to the venue, so read the operator's route descriptions as well as the colour.
Flexible enough for a half-day or a fuller visit, depending on the route and pace you choose.
ACCESS · FACILITIES · BOOKING
Check before travelling
Before travelling: check live trail status, parking, weather, facilities and any forestry or event closures.
- Live trail status, seasonal closures and diversions
- Route names, current maps, grades and waymarking
- Arrival point, parking charges and public transport
- Toilets, food, bike wash, repair and changing facilities
- Bike hire, uplift, passes, booking and protection rules
If the official source does not list a facility, this guide does not assume it exists. Operational details can change at short notice.
OFFICIAL DETAIL EXPANSION
Named routes and trip facts
Source records checked 31 August 2026. Live conditions and operating details still require a same-day check.
Dalby offers an unusually broad progression ladder, from an easy-access multi-user route and green family loops to blue singletrack, long red riding and a World Cup line. Most rides start around Low Dalby, but individual route pages identify the correct trailhead.
Ellerburn Trail
Easy access · 2.8 km short / 4.5 km long
A mostly flat multi-user forest-track route suitable for disabled cyclists, children learning to ride and mixed groups.
Official route recordAdderstone Cycle Trail
Green · 12.9 km short / 19.3 km long
A gentle plateau tour for beginners and novice cyclists; the longer option adds viewpoints and more forest-road distance.
Official route recordJubilee Blue Trail
Blue · 11 km / 6 miles
Singletrack with roots, rocks, berms and a steep zig-zagging descent; starts from the Low Dalby courtyard.
Official route recordRiggs and Dales Trail
Red · 13.8 km / 8.5 miles
An intense singletrack route linking parts of the blue, green and red networks with technical climbs and descents.
Official route recordDalby Red Route
Red · 34.3 km / 21 miles
A long expert ride with technical features, sustained climbing, fast singletrack and tricky descents.
Official route record- Access and arrival
- Use the signed A169 approach and postcode YO18 7LT for the Visitor Centre at Low Dalby. The forest has multiple car parks; use the Visitor Centre car park for the main facilities. ANPR pay-on-exit parking operates and current charges should be checked before travel.
- Public transport
- There is no public transport directly into the forest. Forestry England identifies the nearest Coastliner stop at the Fox and Rabbit Inn on Whitby Gate, about one mile away; plan the final mile carefully. Entry is free for car-free arrivals.
- Facilities
- Listed facilities include toilets and accessible toilets, a Changing Places room, cafés, information point, shop, bike wash, picnic areas, accessible parking and all-terrain mobility-scooter hire.
- Bike hire and support
- Dalby Forest Cycle Hub provides on-site cycle hire and support in Low Dalby Courtyard. A customer bike wash is also listed; charges and opening times can change.
- Booking
- The waymarked cycling routes do not have a general booking requirement. Pre-book hire, mobility equipment and commercial activities, and confirm any event restrictions before setting off.
- Seasonal and live-status note
- Forestry operations, events and weather can change route access. Use Forestry England's current trail pages and know-before-you-go information rather than treating this guide as a live status board.
PRACTICAL FACILITIES
What is known—and what still needs checking
- Public transport
- Nearby option mentioned; verify the final mile
- Food & drink
- Nearby option mentioned in the directory notes
- Bike hire or support
- Not confirmed — check before travelling
- Uplift or advance booking
- No requirement recorded; verify with the operator
- Parking, toilets & changing
- Use the official visitor page for current availability and charges
Forestry England · land manager. Source last checked 30 August 2026; use it for live closures, facilities, booking and access.