My family bike ride in Sherwood Pines.

In honour of National Bike Month, we're sharing this wonderful blog from Helen about her family bike ride in Sherwood Pines again. With the sun shining, hope you're feeling inspired to get out and on your bike also! Let’s get this straight... I’ve not been on a bicycle for about ten years. But yesterday I got back in the saddle and oh yes, I can feel it in my thighs today. Having had many requests from my stepson to go on a proper family bike ride, where everyone cycles (not just walks alongside), my husband and I finally caved in and agreed to an August Bank Holiday jaunt. Our destination, the impressively family friendly Sherwood Pines Forest Park. With only two bicycles - yet two adults, one nine-year old and an 18-month old to seat comfortably - we needed a trip to the onsite cycle hire shop where we got swiftly kitted out with bikes, helmets and child seats. Beginning at the Sherwood Pines Visitors Centre we followed the three-mile Family Cycle Route, signposted along the way with easy to spot numbered green signs. Following a slightly wobbly start and frequent use of the brakes, I can confirm that you never forget how to ride a bike. It was so much fun that we were even tempted at one stage to join the blue Adventure Trail route, before being swayed from that course by our rumbling stomachs and imminent picnic on the Forest Lawn. The buzz was so great that after our al fresco feast we decided to cycle the route backwards - a bit exhausting, especially the big hill that we’d so enjoyed freewheeling down. But we all eventually made it back in one piece and still smiling. Sherwood Pines has been one of our favourite places for a long time. Initially we used to stick to walking the waymarked trails followed by outdoor games and picnics in the clearings. But one year we tried the high wire excitement of Go Ape!, and started taking advantage of buying our Christmas tree straight from the forest, attending open air summer concerts and realised that there’s so much more to do throughout the year. A quick note for parents - the three wooden adventure play areas are really inventive and keep kids of all ages entertained for hours at a time, even on windy rainy days. Just grab a coffee from the café and make sure you wrap up warm. You’ll be there a while.