Fort long loop (blue) — Sutton Bank MTB trails

The Fort long loop is a step up from the shorter loop, adding on an extra 3.6 miles (5.9 km) and turning what was quite a flat loop into a hillier one. There's also additional technical challenges, including roots, rocks and small drops, so this is certainly one for more confident riders.

Rather than turning left at the fingerpost to head back to the trail centre, turn right here, following the signs for the longer Fort Trail. Climb a little, gradually, hugging the top of Sutton Bank with marvellous views to your left. The track, which also forms part of the Cleveland Way, is grassy, so can get pretty squelchy when it’s been raining a lot.

Soon, you turn left for a fantastic singletrack descent, zig-zagging across the hillside to make the most of it. This finishes at the fire road, where you start to winch yourself back up the bank, heading south and into Town’s Pasture Wood.

The start is the steepest, and there’s a brief respite after crossing another track, where you descend a little, before the final slog up to rejoin the shorter Fort Trail at the fingerpost viewpoint.