The Great North Forest refers to a semi-urban area with some tree cover centred around Gateshead and Newcastle. Gateshead Council has run an organised fun ride for some years now called unsurprisingly the Great North Forest Mountain Bike Ride. We've been doing it since it kicked off just for a leisurely day out in the sun.

It can still wear your legs out in places as there are a few steepish climbs and some long drags. The ride starts and ends opposite the Metro Centre at Whickham Thorns Outdoor Activities Centre and a good few hundred turn out for this one.

We were there on June 12th this year to see if we could hurt ourselves.