A perfect day for the whole family
For Everyone
The traffic free Family Cycle Trail in the Forest of Dean is the perfect place to ride with family & friends and is directly accessed from Pedalabikeaway. This gentle bike trail follows old railway lines with opportunities to stop at viewpoints to learn about the area’s historical heritage. You can shorten the trail with Hicksters Way Loop (approximately 4 miles)
Need bike hire? We have that too, so you don’t need to transport your bikes for your holiday or day out!
Family Cycle Trail
- Difficulty:Green
- Trail Length:11miles
- Trail Time:1hr 30m to 3h
- Highlights:Severn and Wye railway line, coal mines, Mallards Pike Lake, traffic free
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A surfaced, circular route, suitable for all ages and abilities. The trail is best ridden in a clockwise direction, with link routes connecting to nearby villages and picnic sites.
The Family Trail is one of the most popular traffic free cycle routes in Britain. Visitors can spot some of the local wildlife including wild boar, roe deer and even goshawk.
HIRE FLEET
We have a massive range of bikes for hire including e-bikes, leisure bikes, tandems, gravel bikes & mountain bikes for every ability & trail. We also offer children’s bikes & accessories (including kids seats, tagalongs, trailers) to ensure the whole family can enjoy the forest together. For less confident riders or those with mobility challenges, we can provide adult trikes or a tandem on request.
HIRE A FAMILY AND LEISURE BIKE
THE ROUTE
The Family trail gently follows the Cannop Valley before climbing gradually through ancient oak (planted in Nelson’s time) and beech woodland to Drybrook Road Station. Want a break on the way around? Visit our cafe at the beautiful Mallards Pike Lake for homemade breakfast, lunch or light snack and fantastic, locally roasted coffee.
Time Travel on the Family Trail
Step back in time during your trail ride with the FREE “Hidden Heritage of the Dean” app which follows the Family Cycle Trail route to highlight points of interest.
Developed through the Foresters’ Forest programme, fading ‘Then and Now’ images enable both locals and visitors to discover the Forest of Dean’s rich history.
Download from the Apple iStore or Google Play Store.
For Wildlife Spotters!
The forest is bursting with wildlife at every turn. You will definitely see evidence of our resident wild boar as you travel along the trail – uprooted and disturbed soil on grass verges means hungry pigs have been in the area. If you’re really lucky you might even spot one. In the summer you’ll often see lots of thumbnail sized shiny Dor Beetles on the actual trails themselves – this is a poo eating dung beetle so don’t get too close! Other wildlife in the area include deer, pine martins and birds of prey including the elusive goshawk. In spring and summer watch out for over 30 varieties of butterfly.