Mountain Biking in Staffordshire

With its hills, moorlands and dales Mountain Biking in Staffordshire offers the keen enthusiast plenty of opportunity for challenging or easy routes.

There are several mountain biking clubs that offer assistance to newcomers as well as organisations to teach the basics.

If you are looking to hire a bike there are plenty of cycle hire establishments in Staffordshire that will help find the right bike for your needs.

Cannock Chase, which is located between Stafford, Cannock and Rugeley, has become a firm favourite with mountain bikers  in Staffordshire and has its own club of enthusiasts. The varied landscape of open heathland and mixed forests on Cannock Chase combined with some professionally maintained trails and pathways provides a superb cycling experience for all ages and experience.

Whether you want a technical cross country blast, challenging downhill or a relaxed family day Mountain Biking in Staffordshire you will find something to enjoy at Cannock Chase.

Cannock Chase is also home to the Midlands first dedicated mountain bike trail. ‘Follow the Dog’ is a seven-mile intermediate mountain bike trail aimed at competent mountain bikers.

Highlights of the trail include the Stegosaurus rock garden, the boardwalk and the chainslapper descent.

Follow the Dog is open year round (subject to maintenance closures) and is free to ride. The trail starts and finishes at the Birches Valley Cycle Centre.

Top safety tips for mountain biking in Staffordshire:

Make sure you are adequately clothed, with a waterproof top - especially in winter - and carry some food. You also need a map to find your way, and compass because many of Mountain Biking routes in Staffordshire are quite high and you could find yourself surrounded by mist and cloud, which obviously makes navigation much harder. It is also advisable to wear a helmet because many of the tracks are quite rough and all riders come off from time-to-time. It is also advisable to carry a pump and a puncture repair kit, plus a couple of spanners for taking wheels off.

Mountain bikes are not legal on footpaths and should only be used along bridleways, by-ways, cycle trails and roads both classified and unclassified