Mountain biking in the Shropshire Hills

Whatever your mountain bike interest, Pearce Cycles, in the Shropshire Hills, near Ludlow, can be your one-stop shop.

This family business not only sells a huge range of cycles and mountain biking equipment – including some seriously “top end” super-bikes – but you can also hire a bike for off-road touring in the area, or take part in racing and events, organised by the company, in the Shropshire Hills.

Owners Dave and Lindsey Pearce organise mountain bike events at regional and national level, and run a very popular downhill race series, as well as regular “uplift days”. These are training days, on which Pearce Cycles provides transport to the top of the downhill forest courses in specially equipped Landrovers and trailers. You can hone your skills by descending as often as you want.

Pearce works in partnership with the Forestry Commission and runs events at three locations in the Shropshire Hills – Bringewood, near Ludlow; Hopton Woods, near Craven Arms; and Bucknell Woods.

If you’re more interested in letting the bike help you to explore places that you couldn’t reach on a road bike, then Pearce rents out the latest models from Specialized by the day, half-day or week, with bikes for people of ages and sizes.

If it’s your first go, or if you just fancy a ride while on holiday, Pearce can help you with suggested routes, such as this seven-and-a-half or 12-mile loop, which is part on quiet roads and part off-road.

Accommodation in and near Ludlow

The Feathers – historic hotel in central Ludlow

Accommodation at Bucknell

Baron at Bucknell – country inn with rooms, including luxury garden rooms

Accommodation at Hopton

Hopton House B&B – luxury bed and breakfast

This product has been developed as part of the Shropshire Hills Tourism Cooperation Project, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the auspices of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The project is delivered by Gravity Consulting Ltd on behalf of Shropshire Hills and Ludlow Destination Management Partnership.