Trails and trail centres in or near manchester

BurtonM
BurtonM Posts: 425
edited August 2010 in Routes
Is there many trails or trail centres. If so what are they like. Just wondering as thats where im heading for uni
yeehaamcgee wrote:

That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.

Comments

  • chedabob
    chedabob Posts: 1,133
    Off the top of my head: Cannock Chase, Lee Quarry (6 miles from Todmorden), Delamere Forest (bit of a bomb site apparently), Rivington and Healy Nab (near Chorley). All are relatively easy to get to by train.

    Manchester is as flat of a pancake :P
  • BurtonM
    BurtonM Posts: 425
    I have a car, which would probably make it easier. Ive never even thought about doing research into it until now... my bad
    yeehaamcgee wrote:

    That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.
  • ratty2k
    ratty2k Posts: 3,872
    The Peak district has IMO some of the finest riding in the country, 30-45mins travel from Mancs to Ladybower or Edale etc...
    My Pics !


    Whadda ya mean I dont believe in god?
    I talk to him everyday....
  • MarkLG
    MarkLG Posts: 189
    Your best bet is definitely the Dark Peak area - head out of Manchester to Glossop, then over the A57/Snake Pass to Ladybower and you're into one of the best MTB'ing regions in the country.
    Get yourself a copy of the Dark Peak MTB guide, OS Explorer Map number 1 and get riding. :)
    S-Works Enduro SL
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  • John Moore
    John Moore Posts: 580
    Llandegla is an hour away. The Marin is 30 mins more away
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    Also got Calderdale / Rossendale 40 minutes to the north, loads of natural riding and there's also Gisburn Forest, probably just over an hour away. Spoilt for choice really as long as you can drive to the trails.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • gonga
    gonga Posts: 225
    MarkLG wrote:
    Your best bet is definitely the Dark Peak area - head out of Manchester to Glossop, then over the A57/Snake Pass to Ladybower and you're into one of the best MTB'ing regions in the country.
    Get yourself a copy of the Dark Peak MTB guide, OS Explorer Map number 1 and get riding. :)


    which os map is more suited to mountain biking?
    the 1:25 000 scale one or the 1:50 000 scale maps?
    os explorer or the landranger maps?
    are they all the same dimensions when folded out?
    thanks
    :D
  • ratty2k
    ratty2k Posts: 3,872
    Get the guide book! Got route descriptions and maps.

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/boo ... gn=froogle
    My Pics !


    Whadda ya mean I dont believe in god?
    I talk to him everyday....
  • curlie467
    curlie467 Posts: 225
    Delamere forest is ok, the jump track/skills area is poor but i go to the forest nearly every weekend and it has lots and lots of good singletrack, not much in the way of hills up or down but there is a bit of fast stuff provided you know which way to go.
    You have to really explore delamere to find it all but like i said, singletrack stuff is all over the place.
    Let me know if you are interested and i can do my best and show you around what i know of, i am not the greatest rider out there or the fittest but we could spend a good amount of time in there going over the bits i know or just randomly exploring.
    Just pm me if you fancy a ride out on a weekend when you come up to uni.
    I will be venturing further afield to places previously mentioned in this thread and i havent met any new riding buddies yet.
  • BurtonM
    BurtonM Posts: 425
    Ah right thats sweet. Im not the greatest or the fittest either. PM me with an email address mate and il get in touch before i come up
    yeehaamcgee wrote:

    That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.
  • aguesty1
    aguesty1 Posts: 97
    chedabob wrote:
    Off the top of my head: Cannock Chase, Lee Quarry (6 miles from Todmorden), Delamere Forest (bit of a bomb site apparently), Rivington and Healy Nab (near Chorley). All are relatively easy to get to by train.

    Manchester is as flat of a pancake :P

    Manchester - flat as a pancake, only the city centre, head to north manchester and your out in the hills. Lee Quarry is 35min from City Centre in Bacup, Cragg Quarry is similar distance depending on where you want to set off from. Gisburn Forest in about an hour away. Mary Townley loop is about 30-40min away. Peak district as said previously is about 20-30 min from the city, as for Cannock Chase well thats nearer to Birmingham than Manchester!
  • curlie467
    curlie467 Posts: 225
    BurtonM
    HI, my email is johnbpowley@aim.com
    Drop me a line when you are at uni and fancy a ride out, i fancy going to lee quarry and new places anyway so we could try and get a few of us out but i will gladly try to show you as much of the forest in delamere as possible.

    Cheers, John
  • Duggan13
    Duggan13 Posts: 75
    There are also some trails to be found in and around the Roman Lakes area in Marple/Mellor/New Mills, only 20min from Manchester.

    Maps here:

    http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/peak_district.htm

    Choose the Mellor Magic and Mellor Mania ones for the Roman Lakes trails
  • jay12
    jay12 Posts: 6,306
    like they said. but what kind of riding do you do? if you want to do 4x,dh etc. then you should go to harthill. delamere is the same sort of place but much worse. it's actually been getting worse and worse due to $hit forestry commision not letting us build anything. so in winter we are planning on a massive rebel dig day :twisted:
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  • BurtonM
    BurtonM Posts: 425
    more of a dowhill orientated rider.
    just dont have the cahonas to ride full down hill.
    I like doing XC black routes. Glentress comes into mind as a favourite
    yeehaamcgee wrote:

    That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    You'll like Lee Quarry then.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • chedabob
    chedabob Posts: 1,133
    Healy Nab apparently has a black route too.
  • nick1962
    nick1962 Posts: 156
    The Peak District is full of classic MTB routes and is easily accessible from Manchester city centre by trains from Piccadilly.Just get one of the many books or online route guides
    Also have a look at this
    http://www.moredirt.co.uk/trail/North-W ... rails/211/
    if you like downhill
    Shaw has a train connection to Manchester too (about 30minutes) and Buckstones is less than 10 minutes ride away from the station.
    Also check out these all easily accessible from Manchester.XC orientated but lots of downhill rocky fun included
    http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/PennineB ... ticleId=37
    and these
    http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/PennineB ... ticleId=35
    complete with easy to follow maps and train links
    Horwich ,Bolton,Blackburn and Burnley all have lots of hills and moors too!
    Don't write off Manchester itself.There is a BMX type bike park right next to the Uni for honing your skills and if you ride south out to the River Mersey/M60 motorway then there are some decent trails to be found.Not very hily but around Chorlton water Park and even better Reddish Vale near Stockport and if you go North west then around Radcliffe near the M60 again where they have held Enduro events in the past.
    Also check out
    http://www.meetup.com/Manchester-Mountain-Bikers/.
    Oh and of course there's Farmer Johns downhill excellence in Cheshire,just check out you tube!
  • fyldesmurf
    fyldesmurf Posts: 412
    I think Manchester Student Union has a mountainbiking club as well whcih is probably free and they'll take you (and your bike) to trail centres. There's also the annual student downhill and cross country championships, i hears they might not be on next year though because someone burnt down Cambridge's tent at the last one

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