easy off road rides for my 11 yr old son Gloucestershire

girvin856
girvin856 Posts: 3
edited September 2013 in Routes
anyone have any easy-ish off road rides around Gloucestershire that I can take my 11 yr old son on. He rides a 24" wheel Specialised Hotrock A1FS with front suspension. Not very confident, but keen to learn.

Comments

  • Take him to the family cycle trail at beechenhurst lodge in the FOD. Perfect start 17k in length nothing too taxing. My then 8 year old managed it with no problems back in the day
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    as said above. you could also tackle the blue trail aswell. apart from the final 2 descents it's all nice and rolling. there are a couple of reasonable hills for a young lad but nothing he couldn't push up if he was struggling.

    there's loads of fireroads there so you could even just mix and match :D
  • I agree.. took my 11 year old for the first time this week.... he loved it up there.... not so much the climbs!!! :D
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    My 8 year old daughter cycles the family trail with my wife and I. She moans after a while, but my daughter loves it. Just the right ammount oc climbing and downhills for a learner!
  • thanks very much all for your replies. We already ride the FOD family trail (were there today) and am planning to try him on the blue trail next time, but ideally would like something closer to Gloucester (FOD is a 40 min drive from us).
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    There is a family trail around South Cerney lakes if thats any help? I have not ridden it myself but i hear its pretty good.
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    Don't know the area but if the trail centre gradings are fairly universal then he should be OK on blue runs and most of reds. My son does both with me and he's 10. there are some sections of red that he wheels his bike through just because 24" wheeled bikes don't cope well with rocky sections.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

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  • girvin856 wrote:
    thanks very much all for your replies. We already ride the FOD family trail (were there today) and am planning to try him on the blue trail next time, but ideally would like something closer to Gloucester (FOD is a 40 min drive from us).

    Anything perhaps closer to London? ;-)
    Good family rides with an 8 year old - she managed to do Epping forest 9km loop - twice (on different occasions, included some huffing and puffing...)