Haldon Forest on two wheels is nothing new to me. As a mountain biker it’s where I spend a lot of my time. But two wheels side by side powered by an electric motor, with a platform to stand on in between – that’s a bit different. Quietly confident and up for a new challenge, I set off with my family to experience a new form of two-wheeled travel on Haldon’s picturesque forest trails.

Segway Tours are a great activity to bring groups of all ages and personalities together, so long as you’re all happy being in the outdoors. They can be operated by anyone 10-years-old and upwards, with the upper limit non-existent and the bar currently set at 98-years-old!

As segways are controlled by your body movement and balance they’re surprisingly intuitive and, while at first they might feel a little alien, picking up how to control them comes quite quickly once you’ve had a bit of practise. We spent the beginning of our session with our friendly guide providing full one-on-one training, and we were soon slaloming around the cones set out and practising our starts and most importantly, our stops, ready to roll out onto the trails.

Two tour lengths are available. The Forest Tour is ideal for beginners and those looking for a taster of what segways are all about. These tours last approximately 40 minutes and take you around three miles of Haldon Forests more beginner friendly trails and out to a spectacular viewpoint. 

The Segway Safari is the longer tour lasting approximately an hour and covering nearly five miles. We went for this option and enjoyed the challenge of navigating some steep hills and trickier terrain as we avoided tree stumps, picked our lines through muddy puddles and dips, and carefully traversed rooty sections to test our new-found segway skills.

It’s amazing how quickly all members of our party adapted to whizzing around the forest like it was second nature. Everyone’s first comments afterwards were how surprised they were at how well they took to riding the segways.

The challenging sections are mixed in nicely with the overall enjoyment of breezing along the trails around the forest, giving you as much, if not more, chance to relax and enjoy the scenery as there is skills honing. Plus, thanks to electric power, all you’ll really hear is the sound of the gravel under your tyres so it’s a great opportunity to bask in the surrounding landscape.

Photo opportunities are plentiful too with the team more than happy to snap you at various viewpoints on your devices. There’s even chance to take your own Beatles’ inspired Abbey Road photograph on one of the crossings as you make your way out from the hub and onto the trails.

While I might not be replacing my mountain bike with a Segway just yet, these unique little vehicles are a great way of travelling both on and off-road and provide an exhilarating yet relaxing way to get out and explore the forest – even if you’re a regular. Give it a go!