This ride is a great little ride with a bit of everything, and includes one of the best off road downhill sections in the Vale of Belvoir. We would suggest that it is an intermediate ride, however the downhill section needs to be taken with caution unless you are an experienced rider.
Start the ride at the Car Park at Belvoir Castle. We don’t recommend parking here as there is a very confusing charge system, so we suggest either parking in Redmile and riding ourt of the village towards the Castle up the hill, or riding from Grantham along the Sustrans Route 15 to the Dirty Duck, and then using the road to get to the Castle Car Park. Simply ride past the Dirty Duck, at the road turn left, follow and then turn right up the hill towards the Castle just before Woolsthorpe Village.
From the Castle Car Park (Coffee available here) continue alongside the Car Park with the Vale of Belvoir on your right. Follow this road, which eventually dips down and turns left, keep following uphill slightly until the road bears right and you have a gate on the left and a grassy track on the right, which is signposted as a Bridle Track. Turn right and follow this uphill. The track does level off eventually and then drops down again. You will go past a little cottage and then continue straight on. Just simply follow this track until you reach the road. Once you reach the road, just right and you will see a sort of parking area, at the back of this is another track, take this track and follow it. If you turn right and go downhill, you have gone wrong, and it is a killer hill to ride back up.
The 2nd track will take you back towards the ridge over the Belvoir Vale, bear left and follow, admiring the view if it is a nice day. Towards the end of the track you will bear left through the woods, and meet a slight incline towards the gate at the end of the track. Once here you will see another track on the right that goes downhill, take this track. BE CAREFUL, this is not very steep, but can be fast. The surface is gravelly and you can lose traction easily, and your brakes won’t save you, so be cautious for the first few trips anyway. This can be a fast downhill, however halfway down there are 2 footpaths which cross the track, and ramblers do just appear out of nowhere. Be aware of this, we know from experience how dangerous this hill can be when taken at speed. Follow past the Graveyard until you reach the Red Lion pub (Closed). Follow the road straight down and turn right at the end. Follow past Stathern Garage and continue on this road until you reach a T Junction outside of the village. Turn left here, go under the bridge and turn immediately right. Follow this road towards the Dove Cottage, and at the Canal turn Right. Follow this road, through Plungar, then Barkestone Le Vale and continue until you go past the Canal and come to a T Junction that looks like a Crossroad, don’t follow the track, turn right towards Redmile and then either finish there or continue straight on over the crossroads back up to the Castle.
Helmets should always be worn, but are a must for this ride.