FACILITIES
Car park and charges: Yes; free with permit
Cafe: No
Toilets: No
Showers: No
Bike wash: No
Nearest bike shop: Bedford has a selection of cycle shops
Bike hire: No
Accommodation: B&Bs and hotels in Shefford, Cardington and Bedford.
Other trails on site: There are a multitude of natural trails around the woods; the north end is where all the action is and the south side is a no-cycle area.
Ordnance Survey map: Explorer 208.
ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL
Beginner: 7/10
Intermediate: 5/10
Advanced: 5/10
Permits: Day tickets costing £5.00 can be purchased from a course manager on arrival, these are required on all days of the week including holiday periods. Or you can buy an annual membership:
Senior (16+): £60.00
Junior (15 or under): £40.00
Family (max 2 junior & 2 senior): £120.00
Getting there: Rowney Warren/Chicksands trails and jumps are located a mile west of Shefford just north of RAF Chicksands. There are two car parks, located off the A600: the first one as you approach from Shefford is down a side road on your left and is a good start for taking in the XC loop; the second car park is further along the A600 at the end of the wood on Northwood End Road. This is the bikers’ car park and a better location to park if you just want to ride the jumps.
Grid ref: TL 11470 41575
Sat nav: Chicksands
More info: www.chicksandsbikepark.co.uk
XC TRAIL
On-site grade: Red
Clive’s grade: Blue with less than 10% Red sections
Distance: 7km
Technicality: 3.5/10
Ascent: 112m
ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL
Beginner: 8/10
Intermediate: 6/10
Advanced: 4/10
There are a multitude of natural trails in the area, but unfortunately the signs for the original Red loop have now been removed, making it hard to navigate around the forest. From the car park at Northwood End Road follow the boundary with the road to your left. You will notice on your right-hand side various single-track trails disappearing off down the hillside. You can pick up any one of these trails and, keeping the boundary to your left. At this point the trail starts to dip downwards through a gully and there are some interesting narrow sections with stumps, roots and low-slung trees to navigate around. The trail then bears to the right and dips down, crossing a walker’s path in the bottom of the dip. You should take care when approaching this section!
To your left, the single track continues running parallel to the boundary fence, which is next to open fields. After a few hundred metres you will come to a fork in the trail. Keep left here, and the trail enters some tightly packed trees before climbing up with houses to your left. As you crest the hill you come onto a forest break where you need to take a left then a right turn into another section of single track. You will now be near the 4X car park with a country lane (Northwood End Road) to your left. To get back to the start point either retrace your steps or head south-east with the main A600 to your left.
A lap of the boundary is approximately 7km long. You can make your ride much longer by criss-crossing the forest using the network of single-track trails that have developed over the years. The forest only covers a small area and is easy to navigate around.
Be aware in the summer months as there will be more users, caution should be taken at the bottom of each descent as there is usually a multi-user trail crossing over at this point.
JUMP PARK AND DOWNHILLS
Clive’s grade – jumps and downhills: Orange/Black
Distance: N/A
Technicality – jumps: 6–10/10
Technicality – downhills: 5–7/10
JUMPS: ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL
Beginner: 4/10
Intermediate: 7/10
Advanced: 9/10
DOWNHILLS: ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL
Beginner: 7/10
Intermediate: 5/10
Advanced: 4/10
The 4X track, jump spot, and dual slalom tracks are located opposite the car park on the Northwood End Road. Here you will find a multitude of lines to choose from including a 4X racetrack, dual slalom track, and multiple dirt jump lines. This area of the forest is fenced off and is exclusively for bikes. You will find some very challenging sections within this area of the forest but the forgiving nature of the soil means you can play to your heart’s content and progress in relative safety.
There is also a series of downhill tracks. The Bull Run starts with a 3-metre-high drop and is a very fast track that takes you through bomb holes and incorporates large jumps and some tight turns. Another track, the Snake Run, starts in the same place as The Bull Run. This trail has sweeping berms, large gaps, moguls and rooted sections. This is another fun, although short, downhill trail.
You never know who you may meet out on the trail. I bumped into an old friend (Mark Lee Sing – right) at Chicksands and we hit the dual course for some head-to-head racing action.
A tight single track follows the forest boundary
Tom Dowie coaches a rider through bermed turns on the 4X track