Dalby Forest is situated on the southern slopes of the North York Moors
National Park. The southern part of the forest is divided by a number
of valleys creating a 'Rigg and Dale' landscape whilst to the north the
forest sits on the upland plateau. It is one of the most ideal places
to go for an adventure in North Yorkshire. The Visitor Attraction offers
much from walks, hiking, mountain biking, nature trails, or just pleasent
days out in amazing surroundings.
It is a home for birds such as the crossbill and that elusive summer
visitor the nightjar. Roe deer abound and badgers, are a very common but
nocturnal resident.
The signs of past residents are all around. Burial mounds, linear earthworks
of unknown purpose and the remains of a flourishing rabbit warrening industry
can be found throughout the wood.
A network of forest roads including the 9 mile Dalby Forest Drive provide
access to this outstanding landscape. Formed in the Ice Age and shaped
by the people from the Bronze Age to the present day, Dalby is very much
a forest worth visiting.
It is ideal for mountain bikers it features over 40 miles of man made,
all weather mountain biking trails. There are a number of routes The Red
route is approx 15 miles long and is good fun, mostly single track if
you can believe that. I have only ridden it after fairly long periods
of dry weather and it was still wet in some places but we live in Britain
so we have got to put up with it, but bare it in mind. The Black route
loops off of the Red route every km or so then joins back on a km or so
later. This ideal for mountain bikes and really good fun.
