Gisburn Forest 10k
Gisburn is one of the few places round here where you can run fast on dry, purpose-built trail whatever the moor is doing, and the forest hub means coffee and toilets at the start.
Effort: Moderate distance, manageable climb
Underfoot: Some uneven or off-path ground
E2·T2 — how we grade routesA 10.4km loop through Gisburn Forest above Stocks Reservoir, on forest track and singletrack in the heart of the Forest of Bowland. Gently rolling, well-drained and easy to follow, with the reservoir never far away.
Gisburn is one of the few places round here where you can run fast on dry, purpose-built trail whatever the moor is doing, and the forest hub means coffee and toilets at the start.
The route
Start from the Gisburn Forest Hub at Stephen Park and pick up the forest tracks heading out through the trees. The route runs 10.4km on a mix of wide forest road and narrower singletrack, gently rolling rather than steep, with glimpses of Stocks Reservoir through the pines. It is one of the most reliable surfaces in the region: the forest drains well, so it stays runnable when the surrounding Bowland moors are underwater.
The forest
Gisburn sits in a clearing known as Stephen Park, where a farmstead dating to 1662 is now the forest hub. The wider forest is best known for its mountain bike trails, so expect to share the wider tracks with riders and to cross the odd bike-specific section. Stocks Reservoir, built in the 1920s over the drowned village of Stocks-in-Bowland, fills the low ground and gives the loop its centrepiece, with birdlife on the water and open views across it from the northern edge.
Why it works
This is the route for a fast, low-fuss session. The climbing is modest and spread out, the surface is firm and forgiving, and navigation is simple on waymarked forest roads. It suits an easy 10k, a first off-road loop, or a family outing, and the Hungry Pine Cafe at the hub makes it easy to build a morning around. The main thing to watch is the shared use with bikes on the busier tracks, so keep an ear out on blind bends and step aside on the descents. The forest is at its best on a bright autumn morning when the light comes through the trees, and after rain it holds up far better than the open fell, which is exactly why so many local runners default to it in a wet winter.
The wider tracks are shared with mountain bikers, some moving fast on blind bends and descents, so stay alert and step aside. A few sections are bike-specific and best avoided on foot.
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
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