Hamsterley Forest

During the 1930s, the forest was planted and tracks were built by unemployed men supplied through the Ministry of Labour. Most came from the mining communities and shipyards of the North East of England. They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry, most of them on Forestry Commission property. By 1938, the Ministry had 35 such centres across Britain. These were basically work camps, where unemployed men carried out heavy labour and lived on site in wooden huts. The centres were closed in 1938 as unemployment declined in the run-up to war, but some of the huts can still be seen around the visitors' centre, which was originally built as the camp's refectory. The visitors' centre was part of a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War.

A number of Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age flint tools have been found in the forest in Doctor's Gate Quarry. An area of the forest is probably the site of a 15th century iron ore processing site. An area next to Linburn Hall Wood was the site of a medieval convent.

An episode of Time Team in 2008 examined a large stone structure known as "the Castles", with walls five metres thick. It appears to date from the late Iron Age and may have been an animal enclosure.[1]

Mountain bike trails are developed in the forest by Hamsterley Trailblazers, which were constituted on 5 January 2004. There are three official routes: Blue (moderate), Red (Difficult), and Black (expert), all of which are waymarked with colour-coded marker posts. A previous Green (easy) route has since been removed.

"The Loop" is a skills development circuit that includes features such as rock gardens and north shore obstacles. Features are graded from blue to black; therefore, helmets should be worn, and it is not suitable for occasional/family cyclists.

A map showing areas used by mountain bikers

Descend, a private club established in 2000, operates mountain bike 4X and downhill courses in the area south of the grove.

See also Beyond Hamsterley for more mountain bike rides in the area.

The forest is home to other activities, such as walking and horse riding. The forest has also been host to the RAC rally over many years as well as other rallies, including the Hamsterley Stages Rally, which has been known since 2009 as The Tour of Hamsterley Rally

Durham Fell Runners are active in the forest, with regular events starting at the visitors' centre.

• The Forestry Commission
• Outdoor Centre
• West Hoppyland Farm
• Keys To The Past - Hamsterley Forest
• Tour of Hamsterley Rally

Field, J. "Learning Through Labour: Training, unemployment and the state, 1890-1920, 1992, University of Leeds, ISBN 0-900960-48-5