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Late Summer Holiday

lukeatlarge0lukeatlarge0 Posts: 12
edited February 2008 in XC and Enduro
Anyone got any ideas for a week long late summer holiday for 4/5 ageing blokes (yes it must be mid-life crisis). We were looking at Les Gets but the lifts close in early September and we can't go till late September (after school holidays). We all have a moderate amount of off road experience and might even have some clue what we're doing by late September. A mix of XC and (not too mental) DH riding is what we're after. We would like to drive there (it's easier to take all the kit we may want), but don't want to spend half the holiday driving from and then back to London. Ideally we want somewhere "abroad" with "real" mountains to add to the adventure.

Posts

  • lost-timelost-time Posts: 549
    I know you want to drive but what with cheap flights these days you could consider Southern Spain. Have a look at www.sierracycling.com for a good weeks riding. There are other places further up in Granada too. Have a look in the back of some of the MTB magazines and check out the websites both for France/Alps and futher afield.
  • endurojcbendurojcb Posts: 170
    Me and a mate drove to Les Arcs 1800 (Bourge Saint Maurice is the nearest Town) last summer (further south than Les Gets). We left at 2.30am and got there at 6.30pm (we missed the ferry check in by 2 minutes). It was a long old day. I wouldn't recommend it!

    Have you thought about Wales instead?? I did Les Gets in 2006, then Les Arcs last year, and this year we're doing the whole of Wales, staring in the south and working North. There's loads of good trails. You can camp for £5, or stay in hostels for £15 a night, or go up market with hotels. I'm sure you can even rent a house for the week.
    2007 Merlin Malt 4
  • Chaka PingChaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Here's another recommendation for Spain. There are so many more mountains than most people expect in southern Spain!

    Never been to France for biking though, I must admit.
  • lukeatlarge0lukeatlarge0 Posts: 12
    Thanks all. Am looking into Spain now. I've checked out the sierracycling website and also switch-backs which looks pretty good on the web. Has anyone been with either of these companies? As for Wales I think we're going to do a weekend earlier in the summer as a bit of a warm up.
  • xcracerxcracer Posts: 298
    I think the Sierra Navada in Spain would definitely be for you - it has the sort of riding you're after. The weather in late September would be perfect too - warm but not too warm. I've just been and had a great time. 8) There are loads of links to firms on the Singletrack website.

    It's really easy to take your bike on the plane too. If you fly with BA they will take one bike per person for free. I think Monarch are quite bike-friendly too. Ryanair will charge you a fortune obviously.
  • lost-timelost-time Posts: 549
    lukeatlarge0 wrote:
    Thanks all. Am looking into Spain now. I've checked out the sierracycling website and also switch-backs which looks pretty good on the web. Has anyone been with either of these companies? As for Wales I think we're going to do a weekend earlier in the summer as a bit of a warm up.

    Last went with Sierracycling in 2005 but will be heading out there again in April. the impressions I get sierracycling is more relaxed than some of the others. Dunno if that's true, just how I percieve it from the the websites.

    Lots of singletrack in forests, olive groves and more open farmland. Great riding for all abilities and including different abilities. Most of our rides had harder technical singletrack or calmer tracks...both led to the same place, the choice was yours.
  • Chaka PingChaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Xcracer -It was you who was going out there after getting redundo, wasn't it? Did you go solo or with a firm in the end? Where did you ride?

    I'm just about to book myself a guided week for early April, only six weeks until I'm back on the labour market - and I can't wait!

    :D
  • xcracerxcracer Posts: 298
    Chaka Ping wrote:
    Xcracer -It was you who was going out there after getting redundo, wasn't it? Did you go solo or with a firm in the end? Where did you ride?

    I'm just about to book myself a guided week for early April, only six weeks until I'm back on the labour market - and I can't wait!

    :D

    Yes, it was I. I went here: http://www.bikingandalucia.com/

    A lovely part of the world.
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