Deers Leap Park

Deers Leap is a 230+ acre park which was purchased by the Hobbs family with the intention of creating a space for recreation, including a mountain bike park, back in the 1990s. It is now run by Deers Leap Bikes Ltd, Director Steve Ranger. The Manager is Adam Falshaw.

Deers Leap is private land and we charge a small fee for bike riders for our trail maintenance – see ‘Mountain Biking‘.

Park Facilities 

Mountain Biking – Skills Tracks and ‘North Shore’

Schools and groups days out at Deers Leap

There are several areas within Deers Leap Park where man made bike skills areas have been constructed.
 
These include ‘Skills Tracks’, ‘Pump Tracks’ and general skills areas. There are areas of wooden bike track and bridges which are generically known in mountain biking as ‘North Shore’. All of these areas must be approached with caution – only ride on elements of these tracks which you are certain are within your ability and then with caution. As with all other areas of the park helmets are compulsory, and you must check out where you are going to ride before you ride it.
 
If you are about to ride a new area, dismount and check it out on foot before riding. This will not eliminate the hazard but it will reduce the likelihood of falling.

Outdoor Fitness Area

The outdoor fitness area consists of a variety of frames, ropes, tyres, obstacles etc on the south side of ‘Duck Paddock’. This must not be used by anyone unless you have signed the fitness area form in the shop. Users do so entirely at their own risk; Deers Leap accept no responsibility for use of the fitness area.

Pond areas

There are several seasonal ponds and a few permanent ponds in the woods at Deers Leap. Most of these are very shallow, but it would be possible for accidents to happen in them so please avoid them and supervise children in your care when near them.
 
The main pond where pond dipping occurs is in Duck Paddock. This pond can only be accessed via the gate except with extreme difficulty.
 
Children must be supervised closely at all times and be kept within sight in this area. Unaccompanied children must not pass through the gate under any circumstances. This pond is in fact very deep (over 2 metres) and you should not be deceived into thinking it is shallow water.

 

Deers Leap Park Safety

Mountain biking at Deers Leap mountain bike park is a great experience but you need to be safe. Whether going for a walk or mountain biking, there are things to look our for!

Deers Leap is a large (230 acre) area of countryside consisting of fields and woodland with some small and large ponds and a number of hedgerows. There are many hazards in such an area and all users must assume personal responsibility for their use of the park. It is impossible, and would be undesirable, to remove every potential hazard in an area of countryside and users must expect to encounter hazards including, but not restricted to:

Wildlife including deer, bee and wasp nests, rodents

Fallen trees and branches

Ponds and permanently muddy areas with shallow water

Sudden dips and drops

Rocks

Mud

Streams

Ditches

Horses

Dogs

Quad Bikes

Ticks

Users of the land must act with caution if they are unsure of anything and check it out before approaching, cycling or walking near it. If unsure, please avoid it! If you encounter anything you think unusual or is a hazard, please report it to the office as soon as possible.

Dogs at Deers Leap

Dog walkers – sorry, but we don’t allow dog walkers on Deers Leap any more. We have had so much dog mess left on our trails, and incredible rudeness and aggression from some dog walkers, that we have had to close the park to dog walkers.

We are dog owners ourselves and hate to do this, but a small number of people have caused such problems that we have reluctantly taken this decision.

If you walk your dog at Deers Leap, you are trespassing. Deers Leap is private land and there are no rights of way in the park.

Lyme Disease 

If you’re visiting the countryside, you should be aware of Lyme Disease which has been on the increase in recent years. We have not had any reports of people contracting Lyme Disease at Deers leap, but it makes sense that this can occur anywhere in the countryside so it’s worth knowing about.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. It’s usually easier to treat if it’s diagnosed early.

Many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a red, circular skin rash around a tick bite.

Ticks are tiny, spider-like creatures that live in woods and areas with long grass. They are found all over the UK.

Ticks don’t jump or fly – they attach to the skin of animals or humans that brush past them. Once a tick bites into the skin it feeds on blood for a few days before dropping off.

This can appear up to 30 days after being bitten by a tick. The rash is often described as looking like a bull’s eye on a dartboard.