The trail at Hurstwood is currently very short totalling around a kilometre of trail with a 600m fire road return to start. If you're just starting out with your mountain bike or you've got a younger MTBer in the family it's an ideal place to get some confidence riding a man made trail, getting to grips with short slopes and berms.
However a number of longer routes lead out from the Hurstwood car park meaning you can have a play on the purpose built trail and then get out and explore the natural riding the area has to offer.
The mountain bike trail is a small part of a £ 300k effort to transform Worsthorne Moor by United Utilities to upgrade the facilities for all sorts of users including walkers, equestrians and mountain bikers.
The project is also conserving the fragile peat environment of the moor to reduce erosion and protect the quality of the water supply to Burnley.
The project has been a joint initiative between United Utilities, Pennine Prospects and Lancashire County Council.
The trail opened in early 2012 and although short is actually an important recognition of mountain bikers as legitimate countryside users alongside the more traditional groups. Hopefully this will be a stepping stone to great access and trails on United Utilities land.