29 Locations You Can Legally Ride Off-Road In The UK + Tools

Legally riding off-road in the UK is essentially limited to green lanes (i.e., off-road trails), MX tracks (i.e., motocross) and enduro track riding.

That being said, if unfamiliar with the term “green laning”, then do not worry; as today you’ll learn exactly what green lanes are, and how you can legally ride them.

I have also included a list of tools and tips later in this post to fast-track your planning.

However, if you’re more the “thrill-seeking type”, then make sure to check out our list of 29 off-road motocross tracks that you can book and ride right now.

As we say here at Piston Tribe; “rev up your engines” and ride in!

What Is A ‘Green Lane’? And How Can You legally Ride One?

Green Lanes are public properties (i.e., roads) that are prepared and managed by local highway authorities to comply with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act).

The CROW Act is a legislation that defines the public rights to use or access particular public roads and footpaths across England and Wales.

This information is commonly presented in the form of a ‘definitive map’, which is a legal digital document that outlines the specific routes for ‘public rights of way’.

Meaning, the general public is welcome to use and operate these routes subject to complying with the local bylaws (set by the local county, council or unitary authority) of the area.

Because of this, to legally ride through any of these routes, you are also required to have the appropriate license, valid tax, MOT, and insurance for the vehicle being operated.

Making sense Of “rights of way”

A Right of way is simply the method(s) of transportation that is permitted to use on a particular route or road.

The varying ‘rights of way’ that you might typically come across includes;

Right Of Way	Method(s) Of Transport Permitted	Additional Notes
Footpaths	Foot traffic (i.e. walking)	Temporary or permanent additional restrictions may be applied with a TRO.
Bridleways	Walking, Cycling, and Horseback riding	Temporary or permanent additional restrictions may be applied with a TRO.
Byways Open To All Traffic (i.e., BOAT) – A track which is too minor to be referred to as a road, but is “open to all users”	All types of traffic, including; Cars, Quad bikes, and motorbikes	Temporary or permanent additional restrictions may be applied with a TRO.
Restricted Byways	Roads that can be used for walking, cycling, and horseback riding. But not used for mechanically propelled vehicles (such as motorcycles and cars)	Temporary or permanent additional restrictions may be applied with a TRO.

How Do You Know If A Right Of way Is “currently” Legal To Ride?

While understanding ‘rights of way’ is important, it’s also just as important to check for any temporary (or permanent) restrictions being additionally applied on particular routes.

Additional limits and restrictions can be applied to public rights of way with a legal document called a TRO.

What is a TRO?

A TRO (i.e., traffic regulation Order) is an official bylaw (in line with The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984) produced by local authorities to temporarily or permanently prohibit or restrict traffic on particular roads, motorways and highway networks.

Reasons Of why A TRO Might Be Used

Possible reasons of why a TRO may be placed on a route includes;

Reason	Purpose
Safety Concerns	To reduce accidents, improve pedestrian safety, or address specific safety hazards on a particular route.
Traffic management	To alleviate congestion, improve traffic flow, or manage traffic during peak hours.
Environmental concerns	To reduce pollution, noise, or other environmental impacts associated with traffic.
Community development	To support local development projects, improve access to public transport, or create safer cycling or walking routes.
Event management	To manage traffic during special events or festivals.
Emergency situations	To temporarily restrict traffic flow during emergencies or incidents.

Specific Examples Of TROs

Common TRO’s you can typically expect to find include;

TRO	1	2	3	4	5
Safety	Speed Limits	Pedestrian Crossings	One-Way Streets	Bus Lanes	Cycle Lanes
Traffic	Parking Restrictions	Loading Bays	Traffic Signals	Roundabouts	Traffic Calming Measures
Environmental	Vehicle Restrictions	Emissions Zones	Noise Restrictions	Vehicle weight Restrictions	Electric Vehicle Charging Zones
Event-Related	Temporary Road Closures	Diversions	Pedestrian-Only Zones	Emergency Route Restrictions	Temporary Bus Lanes

How To find out if a TRO (Is In Place) on a route

Up to date information for local TROs can be located by;

• Contacting the responsible local council or transportation authority
• Checking credible online databases
• Reading the local areas newspaper
• Traffic Management Websites
• Physical signs and notices displayed on specific routes

However, if you plan to ride (off-road) on private land, then you can do so when the following criteria’s are met.

When Is It Legal To Ride On Private Land?

Private land can be legally ridden on, when;

• The landowner has given you permission to do so
• The land has been used as a public right of way (i.e. when BOAT has been applicable for motorcyclists) for at least 20 years, and no person has asked riders to stop via the route

A Message To Private Landowners!

NOTE: If you’re a private landowner, then click here to learn more about your rights and responsibilities of open access land management.

Researching & Planning To Ride Off-Road 

Now that you understand the legalities, it’s time to prepare for your first off road experience . 

The earliest part of your research should be focused on the difficulty of the route and your level of riding experience.

A great way to gauge the most suitable route to ride is by researching the style, length and weather conditions of where you plan to ride.

Now if you’re riding on a well-managed track, then most of this is done for you, as many beginners get their feet wet (no pun intended) by riding a motocross or enduro track and then go off riding on their own or with fellowships later on.

You can also join a fellowship where you can ride with others of the same or higher experience level using off-road trails and your own bike, but more on this later.

Side note: I tend to use a definitive map in conjunction with Google maps. I first check the route via the definitive map, then map out the actual trip (from my location to destination) with Google maps.

Below are two videos that are great examples of how to plan for an off-road experience.

Tools To Help With Planning Your Routes

So earlier I mentioned that you can join a fellowship (i.e., a club comprising other trail riders) which is also a great way for gaining access to tools.

Many are on a subscription basis and come free as part of a package when subscribed to the fellowship. Not only that, but they’re also a great source of inside information as many fellowships know of routes that are not available to the public.

In the following section is a list of my recommended free and paid tools you can use for planning an off-road trail ride.

County Council websites (definitive maps) 

While councils are required to produce and update their definitive maps, you may still encounter arriving at a location with a TRO. This is simply because the council may have not updated their website which is why it’s good to network or speak to others before setting out to ride.

>> I compiled a comprehensive list of the definitive maps for local counties (i.e. comprising local authorities and councils) across the entire UK.

TRF Green Road Mapping Tool (comprising byways and unclassified roads)

The TRF (Trail Riders Fellowship) is an organisation based in the UK made up of riders from different counties that come together, share and ride trails with one another (to say the least, they are much more than just an “organisation” as you’ll find there are many people within this community that are useful far beyond the scope of trail riding alone).

The TRF Green Road mapping tool is particularly useful for its accuracy and consistently updated information as you can see both new and existing routes from current users.

So if you’d like to ride in a specific area, then this tool will give you access to all the recorded routes for the given section of the country.

Viewranger

Vieweranger is a free online route planning tool that allows you to plan and create off-road riding routes or download existing routes created by others (but make sure to do your research as routes created by others are not always legal to ride). 

Each route will contain information on distance, level of difficulty to ride, estimated time to complete as well as waypoints (i.e., stopping points within the route).

Now while you can use Viewranger as a standalone application, the TRF has in fact teamed up with the company to provide riders with offline mapping, group navigation (i.e., you and a group of others all ride together with real-time locations), and a network of rights of way officers that consistently update legalities.

The app is compatible with both android and iOS and also offers web-based route planning.

This means when you plan on the computer (in full screen) the route is also automatically synced to the mobile app in real-time.

OS Maps Website and App (perfect for new riders)

Ordinance Survey is the national mapping agency for Great Britain that creates digital and paper maps for businesses, governments and consumers. Their maps contain detailed information about towns, cities, byways, A & B roads, motorways, rivers and woodlands. 

I find the web application (desktop) is better for planning and the app more useful for riding.

Planning a route is as simple as selecting the start and finish points of the byway you’d like to ride via desktop. And the app will then sync the route to the mobile app with information about the distance (in ‘km’ or ‘m’, you choose), estimated time to complete and the varying gradients included (i.e., “elevation”).

Flight mode (or “fly through mode”) has to be the coolest part of this app, as it allows you to visualise your route in 3d (via web version only) with information on the total ascent, low and high points and points of interest along the route.

Price: £39.99 for a 12-month subscription

>> Check out OS Maps services over on their official website here

TrailWise 2 By Green Lane Association (TW2) 

TrailWise 2 is a web-based route planning application created by the Green Lane Association (GLASS) which is an organisation that works to protect the ‘rights of way’ for motorised users (i.e. riders and drivers), walkers, horse riders and cyclists.  

Sidenote: I'm oblivious to why it's called "TrailWise 2" as opposed to "TrailWise 1" (or even just TrailWise), but I can only assume there was previously a version 1 that has been updated over the years. 

The app works by presenting information on BOAT (byways open to all traffic) in ‘RED’ and UCR’s (unclassified county roads) in ‘BLUE’.

This app is particularly useful for finding restrictions as you can easily access comments from others who have ridden the route and locate the available routes within a given area when filtering by postcode, longitude/latitude, route ID or grid reference (grid references provided on the app).

Unfortunately, the biggest drawback to using this application is that it’s purely web-based and nothing else.

This means there is no mobile application, so even when using TW2 on mobile you will still need to go to their website, log in to use the app, and view a desktop version on your mobile browser.

So there’s a little work to do there on their end, but regardless this is still a great app to have for its accuracy and updated information (i.e. restrictions) on routes.

Price: £44/year subscription and comes with an app called Trailwise

>> Check out the TW2 web-based app here

Google Maps

Maybe the most obvious but undeniably useful for planning a trip via desktop or mobile. Google maps is great for viewing byways, streets, and entry and exit points in closer detail.

As previously mentioned, I tend to use Google maps for just about everything outside of physically being on the trail. I use it to ride to the entry point, ride from the exit point home, drive my car to new locations and riding abroad.

It’s by far the most comprehensive broad information-based mapping tool but is not specifically designed for riders which is why I have listed other tools prior to this.

Tips For Planning And Riding an off-road trail

Supplies 

• Check weather and road conditions ahead of time
• Bring area-specific maps and route descriptions
• Carry plenty of water
• Bring adequate fuel (duh!)
• Carry a spare tire, jack, tools, shovel, blanket, etc.
• Remember that signing and fencing are for your safety
• Tread Lightly on the land

Gear 

• Full face helmet 
• Recovery Kit (i.e. drag rope and pulley for unexpected detours)
• LED flashlight  
• Boots 
• Body Armour 
• Knee pads 
• Gloves 
• Puncture repair kit 

A list Of MX Tracks, Clubs And Parks To Legally Ride Off-Road In The UK

We get to the all-important, the mighty, the… ok! maybe not that exciting but certainly exciting when you ride them, yes, it’s 29 locations that I’ve researched or ridden across the UK that you can book and ride too.

• https://www.wikiloc.com/offroading-trails/
• https://www.alltrails.com/ 

Sidenote: Just to be clear these are off-road motocross and enduro tracks that are organised and managed by staff (i.e., these are NOT off-road trails, as the previous part of this post explained how to find those) 

ENGLAND 

1. APEX MOTOCROSS (near Birmingham)

This a great all-weather track that’s suitable for both beginners to pro-level riders. The staff are fantastic with managing track conditions and provide you with a tremendous amount of riding time too. 

• Difficulty: Easy 
• Length: 1500m
• Price: £45 per adult / £35 Kids (per day) 
• Location: M5, Tibberton, Worcester WR4 0AA
• Phone: 07989098289 
• Website: https://apexmotocross.com/ 

2. ACTION TRAX, EXEDOWN (Kent Area)

• Difficulty: Medium 
• Price:  £55 (average event day price) 
• Location: Exedown Rd, Sevenoaks TN15
• Phone: 01732 850055
• Website: https://www.actiontrax.co.uk/ 

Click here to watch a video of this track (I was sold on going here after watching this)

3. ASHDOWN MOTOCROSS TRACK OXFORDSHIRE

This location has two tracks with one being for adults and the other for children. Both tracks are well managed and suitable for all weather conditions by friendly welcoming staff. 

The most challenging part of the track has to be the large hill on the adult track due to its blind spots over the approach.

• Difficulty: Medium / Hard 
• Location: Just off of the A417 Nr to Cholsey / Moulsford Wallingford, Oxfordshire
• Phone: 01235850108
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/AshdownOldSkoolMx/ 

4. ARNCOTT MOTO PARK (Between Oxford and Northampton)

Just the layout of this track looks fun and to top it off it’s well managed making the track suitable for all weather conditions.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many riding days held here within the year so it’s best to check their FaceBook page for updated information on public riding days before attending.

• Difficulty: Medium
• Location: Murcott Rd, Upper Arncott, Bicester OX25 1QH, United Kingdom
• Phone: 07377 988580
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/ArncottMotoPark

5. ASTLEY RACEWAY MX (Near Manchester)

This track is well maintained with great staff and a burger van that turns up on most days. Good solid ground to ride on, and open to all riders near enough every day of the week. For kids to adults, it’s a great place to ride for beginner to intermediate-level riders.

• Difficulty: Medium
• Location: Bridgewater Canal (Leigh Branch) Tow Path, Astley, Manchester M29
• Phone:
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Astley-Raceway-Mx/100064506680104/

6. HORSHAM MX TRACK (surrey Area)

I actually live near this track and still haven’t ridden here yet. That being said, the reviews for the track are mixed of good and bad but people I have personally spoken to absolutely love it. 

The track appears to be well managed, but there is a local walkway just right beside it which can annoy the locals with noise. 

Regardless, you can only ride this track on SMX (southern motocross) days which are run around 45 times per year. 

• Difficulty: Easy/Medium
• Location: Horsham Mx Track, Unnamed Road, Horsham RH13 6PH
• Phone: 07553 885849
• Website: https://www.southernmotocross.co.uk/

7. SWANMORE MOTOCROSS TRACK (Southcoast Of England)

This track is great for beginner to intermediate-level riders as there are no extreme jumps or unbalanced ground that you ride through.

Regardless, there are still many slopes, uphill climbs and angles that are great for improving your speed and handling on track days. The track is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM but I believe it’s also open on Sundays from 11:00 AM to 16:00 PM.

This track is slightly difficult to find information on as the company doesn’t really have much of an online presence (to say the least).

That being said, if you’re down anywhere in the Portsmouth area looking for a cool place to ride, then this is probably a great place to try out.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Location: Droxford, Southampton SO32 1GB

8. MICKLEFIELD MX TRACK (Leeds Area)

There are 2 tracks here which are both well taken care of with good clean toilets, polite staff and a cafe (always a nice touch!). This location is a lovely day out with the kids and is open from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

• Location: The 4ED, Great N Rd, Micklefield, Leeds
• Phone: 07471935533
• Price: Starts at £5/day (for under 5’s) up to £30/day (for juniors and adults)
• Website: http://www.leedsmotocross.co.uk/

9. UNCLE EDDIE’S MOTOCROSS PARK

Open from 9:00 AM to 15:30PM on Tuesday through to Saturday, Uncle Eddies MX Park has a great track, enduro course and kids track. It’s also well maintained during all seasons so you can safely ride during the winter months too.

• Price: £25/day
• Location: The Motorcycle Park, Bentley Moor Lane, Carcroft DN6 7BD Doncaster
• Phone: 07779 664046
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/carcroftmotocross/

10. WOOLEY GRANGE, MOTOCROSS TRACK

This track is always nice and dry and is open from Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 18:00 PM. Catering to all age ranges with kids track days and over 40s events.

Unfortunately, there is no contact number, email or website I could find for this track so it’s luck of the draw if you choose to pop your head in.

• Location: Brancepeth, Crook DL15 0TS

Other Clubs To Check Out In England

11. KICKSTART MX CLUB (Essex Area)

• Location: Watlington Rd, Benfleet SS7 5DR
• Phone: 07903519000

12. LITTLE SILVER MOTOCROSS PARK

Exceptionally well taken care of track with many events for kids during each season.

• Location: Days-Pottles Ln, Exminster, Exeter EX6 8BB
• Phone: 07828 180868
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/littlesilvermotocrosspark/photos

Republic Of Ireland 

13. DIRTBIKE TOURS IRELAND (Off-Road Tour Experience)

Dirtbike Tours is a great place where new riders can learn with E-motorcycles riding on and off-road with guidance. 

Note that you’ll probably attend this type of track as a one-off as opposed to a regular ride as it will set you back around £180 to £230 for a day’s ride.

• Difficulty: Easy/moderate 
• Price: £200/Average 
• Location: 15 Gortin Road, Omagh, County Tyrone, BT79 7DH
• Phone: 07801473775
• Website: https://dirtbiketoursireland.com/ 

14. DESERTMARTIN MOTOCROSS TRACK (North Of Ireland)

Click here to watch a video of riding the Desertmartin track

Many have reported this track to be the best in the world and a British Motorcross championship was in fact also held here back in 2011. This is a great track for all age ranges, is well-maintained and has varying levels of difficulty.

There’s no doubt that the energy and atmosphere at this track will dramatically improve your riding skills.

• Location: Rectory Rd, Desertmartin, Magherafelt BT45 5QW
• Website: http://www.cookstownanddistrictmotocrossclub.co.uk/
• Phone: 07731438170

15. GORMANSTON MX TRACK

• Location: Irishtown, Co. Meath, Ireland
• Phone: +353872352853

16. ROBINSON MX PARK (North Of Ireland)

Not much information can be found for this track, but you can find a lot of information on their social media regarding events and open track days.

• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Location: 87 Cumber Rd, Claudy, Londonderry BT47 4JA
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/northof.motorclub/

17. ETRAX-NI (North Of Ireland)

This is an indoor off-roading experience as you ride in an enclosed environment that has a dirt track with lots of bends for fun. It’s a little pricey for what you get as renting the E Motorbike and gaining track access will cost £25/day for those under 13 and £38/day for 14+ (adults included).

Open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 15:00 PM to 22:00 PM.

• Location: 20 Lisnabilla Rd, Moira, Craigavon BT67 0JW
• Phone: 028 9261 7321
• Website: https://www.etrax-ni.co.uk/

SCOTLAND

18. DUNS MOTOCROSS

Anyone with a 2-wheeled motorcycle can attend this venue and use the beginner track (i.e. kids and beginner adults) and practice track (for more experienced riders).

There are also mechanic workshops and race days held regularly that provide you with a consistent learning experience.

• Location: Langton Lees, Duns TD11 3NS
• Phone: 07900568365
• Website: http://www.dunsmotocross.co.uk/

19. TAIN MOTOCROSS

• Location: Tain IV20 1RT

20. DOUNE MOTO PARC

• Location: Deanston Stirling FK16 6EN
• Phone: 07890484787

21. CARDENDEN MOTOCROSS TRACK

• Location: B9149, Lochgelly KY2 5YF
• Phone: 07921857283
• Website: http://www.kingdomoffroad.co.uk/

22. WOODSIDE MOTOCROSS TRACK

• Location: Elgin IV30 8BN

23. STRAITON SANDS MX TRACK

• Location: Newport-on-Tay DD6 8RF

WALES  

24. HAWKSTONE PARK MX TRACK

By far this is the most popular off-road track in Wales (heck, maybe even within the entire UK) which is why some of the best professional riders from the UK have ridden here.

• Location: Hawkstone Park MX Track, Shrewsbury, SY4 4NA
• Phone: 07966 367456 (Gary Ford)
• Website: http://hawkstoneinternationalmx.com/

25. CEFN PARC MOTOCROSS TRACK

• Location: Ffordd-Y-Gyfraith, Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend CF32 0BS

26. BATTLEMX

• Location: Tynewydd Farm, Battle, Brecon LD3 9RW
• Website: https://www.battlemx.co.uk/

27. ABERBEEG ENDURO TRACK

• Difficulty: Very hard
• Location: Unnamed Road, Abertillery NP13 2ER

28. BWL MX

• Location: Llanwonno, Pontypridd CF37 3PH

29. BABELL MX

• Location: Unnamed Road, Mold CH7 5UN

Before you ride, ask yourself:

Here are a few questions I’d be asking myself before heading out to ride an off-road track or trail:

• Are there TROs on this route? if so then how do I locate up-to-date information for them (local council website)
• How difficult will this ride be? (i.e. length, gradient, waypoints)
• Shall I consider riding this with others?
• Will my bike handle this route?
• Do I need some practice first before heading out on a trail?
• What type of experience am I seeking? (i.e. speed, fun, random mix of both)

You might have noticed, a TON of effort was put into this post, so why not share it?

Im also open to feedback, as the goal is for this to be the best online resource to find places to ride off road.

The summary.

Whether you’re riding trail or off-road track, remember to plan, plan and plan ahead of time. Ride with a friend in the earlier days and even join a fellowship as it’s a great place to start and meet other like-minded individuals.

Happy riding and most importantly remember to stay safe.