Robin Hood County

Dusty Trails & Sherwood Tales: A Weekend of Posh Bikepacking

Four riders, four mountain bikes and a weekend of almost uninterrupted trails between Church Warsop and Nottingham. And somehow, in the middle of October, we got dry, dusty gravel and blue skies. We’ll take that!

We rolled out of Church Warsop at 8am on Saturday, heading towards Nottingham with a full day of exploring ahead. Woodland tracks, gravel paths and hardly any road, just the sort of riding we’d come for.

The scenery gave us plenty of reasons to stop: autumn colours, impressive abbey ruins, old colliery headstocks and colourful graffiti tucked beneath bridges. This wasn’t a race to the finish; it was about enjoying everything along the way.

We reached our Nottingham Airbnb at around 5pm, with 57.35 miles and 2,615 feet of climbing in the legs. Dinner, a proper bed and a good night’s sleep followed. Bikepacking with a mattress, suitably posh.

Sunday started with a coffee at 200 Degrees Coffee Shop before we set off. A proper caffeine stop before another full day in the saddle, essential route planning, if you ask me.

Fuelled up, we took a different route home through Sherwood Forest and onto the Outlaw Trail. Another day of dusty tracks, woodland riding and autumn sunshine, with 56.15 miles and 3,389 feet of climbing before we were back in Church Warsop.

Across the weekend, we covered 113.5 miles and just over 6,000 feet of climbing. Great company, good coffee, mountain bikes doing what they’re made for, and two days spent mostly away from traffic.

October bikepacking doesn’t always look like this. Glad we were out there for this one. 🚵🍂