Dalby for the first time

will8

Evening all,

I am off to Dalby for the first time next sunday, I have never rode a trial centre before.
I have only been riding 6 months and that is XC around the lincolnshire wolds, Iam pretty fit i tend to do 25miles every sunday.

Been thinking about which route to try, Blue or the Red, should a beginner tackle the red route or should i waitt until i get there again after abit of experinece. ??

Any advice would be a help. Thanks.

Are the routes easy to find and follow once you get there. ??

I will be going on my own, so if any one wants to meet up and help me out that would be great.

Thanks Will

Briggo

Dive in head first, the red isn't that bad its all rollable, the blacks sections are optional but fun, Dalby was the first trail centre with real hills that I done too.

Only thing I found difficult was the steep uphill switchbacks, not in terms of technicality but in terms of physically getting up a hill as you can't build a rythm.

There is plenty of escape routes clearly waymarked if you find the going is tough.

Hairy Bob

I ride there most weekends and to be honest if you get a map of the forestry from the visitors centre you can see that there are "get outs" all over if you become over tired. They have also marked Escape routes (orange markers) that show quickest way back to the carparks. Dont miss out any of it where possible, done in its entriety it is one of the best routes around and a pleasure to ride again and again.

If i were you i would dive in head first, its not that hard if ridden comfortably and take your time however you can attack it and really test yourself. My old man is nearly 60 gets round in just under 4 hours, there are plenty of easier rest bits in between the hard sections to get a break. There are also sometimes two coffee stops if they are open. 1 at dixons hollow theres sometimes a butty van and at Jingleby Farm theres a cafe a little off the red route but worth it if its open, check with the visitors centre first. And obviously the cafe at the visitors centre, i think the butty van had something to do with the centre so they should know, not seen it for a while though! Hope this helps.

I'll be up there Saturday and Sunday early morning so maybe see ya, have fun

will8

Thanks guys,

Looks like its the red then, cant wait.

Quick one on the car parks, i know its £7 but i will be coming in a big van, is there any height limits to the car park.

Thanks

Hairy Bob

Nah, theres no height restrictions, worst you will get is some low branchs but people rock up in vans (transit size) all the time, the big trucks for the world cup can get there so im sure you will have no trouble. Where are you coming from? I think the sat nav route takes you "around the back roads" to get there.

Head to a village called Thorton Le Dale and follow the sign posts from there. its on the A170 east of Pickering.

will8

Cheers Bob,

Iam comimg from Grimsby, about 2 hrs away.

I will find it, use to finding places with my job, I will get a map of Dalby to help me out.

I will report how i get on next sunday.

Andy B

This is the most direct route and probably the quickest, I use it when travelling to Dalby

Basically Grimsby > Humber Bridge > Beverley (bypassing the town centre) > Wetwang > Malton > Thornton Le Dale > Low Dalby

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 062439&z=9

The red is 24 miles long, can be a little bit technical in places, but you can roll over everything if you get your weight over the back wheel on the drops

Get a map from the visitors centre so you know where the escape routes are, even though they are signposted a map will be useful to see how far round you are

Have fun.

abductee

It's £4 parking in winter

The blue trail is all fire road so not worth doing IMHO and parts may still be closed due to fallen trees. Also some escape routes may be blocked.

The red is fully open, 34km and mainly not too technical but it does have a couple of features which may cause concern for inexperienced riders. The overall impression is more of an endurance trail than a technical one so you will appreciate it if you are fairly fit. However if all the technical features were compressed into a normal (shorter) length trail you would not feel technically short changed. The red route is easily one of the best in England but Scotland and Wales do have the edge.

And the bike wash 2 bikes £1 is awsome compared with other places.

Map here
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/eng-dalb ... tb-map.pdf

hammy7272

Hi,

Go for the red it is great. It was my first ever trail centre and me and my mate started on the blue but bumped into the red route and I have never looked backed!

enjoy 8)