Purpose built vs "natural" trails; the debate

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  • NikB
    NikB Posts: 243
    There seems to be a lot of people on here with some narrow minded views about trail centres, especially considering that some haven't even been to one. Personally I love going to Dalby forest and doing the black and red runs. Sure you aren't at one with nature (or whatever you'd like to believe) but you have a good test of bike skills. I ride Dalby on a Tuesday and so far I've only actually met 1 rider on the trails so you can feel quite lonely just like you would on a moor or wherever on your own. For me it's safer because I don't have anyone to ride with there is more chance that I will be found should something happen to me.

    I've spent the last week on the Purbeck coast in Dorset and did some rides on natural terrain there. Some of it was great but a lot of it involved gates, roads or sections that were so overgrown that you couldn't ride them which basically spoiled the flow of the ride. You don't get that at a trail centre which I think is to their credit. The other thing about riding a natural route is that I was constantly having to stop to check the map and see where I was going next - again you don't need to do this at a trail centre.

    If there was more decent riding near me I would certainly spend more time just riding the hills like I used to do in Rivington but the nearest decent hills basically means a trip to the Dalby area so you might as well go to the trail centre.
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