When you think of Nottinghamshire you probably think of forests. From Sherwood Forest, home of the legendary folk hero Robin Hood, to the county’s most famous football team, Nottingham Forest, the identity of this region is rooted in the woodland that covers it. But forests can be an obstacle: bandits, wolves and other dangers can lurk in the undergrowth, while the thick trunks of trees and gnarled roots that criss-cross the forest floor can make it difficult to find your way through the woods and out the other side. If only there was some vehicle that could tackle the tough terrain of Nottinghamshire’s forests! Well, you’re in luck. Quad biking has come to the region and offers the best off-road adventure around, turning the forests from a geographical barrier to a fantasy playground.

Quad bikes are fun, fierce and easy to get to grips with. Essentially, they’re a cross between an offroading dirt bike, which gives them their speed, and a small 4x4 car, which makes them hard to roll over. In Nottinghamshire you’ll find some top of the range models which can take on the challenges of the rugged terrain. With their intuitive riding style, all you have to do is get in the saddle, hit the throttle and you’ll be away, dodging tree trunks, scaling slopes and splashing through mud pits - it’s all part of the fun we promise! And there’s a whole lot of fun to be had here, with a range of locations, activities and prices, it’s practically impossible not to have a good time.

Where are the best places to go quad biking in Nottinghamshire?

• Sherwood Forest: the old hideout of Robin Hood and his Merry Men is a dense expanse of ancient woodland where the outlaws could disappear without a trace. Tearing through it on a quad bike is likely to grab a bit more attention, but no one will be able to catch you - unless they’ve got one too! You can speed around a track, face the obstacles of a trail through 60 acres of woodland and race your friends, family, or workmates in Sherwood. Or, if you want to take quad biking seriously, sign up for a training day to get a certificate that will allow you to use them for outdoor jobs.

• Nottingham: just outside the city you’ll find some of the best quad bike entertainment in the East Midlands. Climb aboard a powerful 300cc Yamaha Breeze and leave your tire marks in the mud on the outdoor track. Then you can go on quad safari, tackling every kind of obstacle that the Nottinghamshire landscape has to offer, before trekking back and changing into some clean clothes. But bigger isn’t always better, as you’ll discover if you join your mates on a fleet of micro quads for non stop fun and laughs. These little firecrackers have 160cc engines, enough to make it feel fast as you zip around the special track, without posing much of a threat if you skid off course, crash into the barriers or collide with an opponent!

• Langar: this town in the South of the county is a favourite for thrill seekers. Skydiving and go karting are both popular choices, but the quad biking is our recommendation for a day out for all the family. Children can enjoy speeding around the junior track, while for adults there’s quad trekking designed to put your balance and nerve to the test. You’ll be in the hands of a friendly team of instructors who’ll show you the ropes and keep you on the right track, and on the backs of modern, well maintained vehicles.

Requirements to do this activity

You can give your kids an early start in the world of off-road motoring in Nottinghamshire. Specially designed junior quads are safe without compromising on speed, and they can be ridden by children as young as six! They’ll love this petrol powered adventure, which will take place on level tracks rather than full off-road trails. All the quad bikes that you have the opportunity to ride here have automatic gearboxes. This means that they’re perfect for kids and teens, and also adults who aren’t used to driving with manual gear changes. On top of that, there’s no need to worry about selecting the correct gear at each moment of the course, and so you can focus on the terrain, the obstacles and the adventure.

Whether competitive or cooperative, groups always enjoy this experience. You can bring your friends for a birthday party or stag/hen do, your club or organisation, or the team from work here to break up the daily routine of the office! Each participant will have their own quad, so you can form your own group of merry men, women or children.

How long does a ride last?

- The most common length of a quad biking experience in Nottinghamshire is half an hour. That refers to the time in the saddle, which comes after a safety briefing and instruction session. You’ll be surprised at how much ground you can cover in just 30 minutes and it might be enough to get you hooked. If, on the other hand, you know that you like riding quads and you want a longer experience to really see what they’re capable of, you can also find activities which last an hour.

- Shorter rides are also easily found, anything from 10 minutes and up. Short experiences can often be combined in package deals with other activities in this great region outdoors such as go karting, buggies or archery.

What should you bring the day of the experience?

This is a first class outdoor adventure, so you should come prepared for what Nottinghamshire can throw at you in terms of terrain and weather. You should expect mud at all times of year, so don’t wear white, or anything else that you don’t want getting dirty. You’ll also need shoes that are appropriate for the outdoors - trainers or walking boots, and certainly no sandals. While torrential rain or arctic snow storms will prevent your quad bike ride from going ahead, a bit of rain or even a light dusting of snow isn’t enough to stop the fun! Just make sure you go prepared with gloves and scarves and anything else you need to stay warm for the duration of the adventure.

That’s all we need to tell you about this experience, now you just need to tell us when and where you want to go, and we’ll organise it!