Best Trail Centre?

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  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    POAH wrote:
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Back on subject. Has anyone been to Haldon Forest in Devon?

    no too expensive :lol:

    Lol!
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Is it worth a 90 mile drive?
    I know they run an Enduro 1 round there so it can't be too bad.
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  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    https://www.ibikeride.com/england/1593- ... ail-centre

    Red trail is only 10km, black is 1km... imagine its o e of those places you need a local to show you around some more natural stuff?
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    a few friends went last month as they were down that way anyway. they said it wasn't up to much, but ok to get out and ride if you were in the area
  • BloggingFit
    BloggingFit Posts: 919
    May check out Halden when I next visit the parents.

    Queen Elizabeth near Petersfield another I want to check out as been 15 odd years since my last visit. From memory not technically challenging but plenty of gradient.
    Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL
  • buffoon
    buffoon Posts: 49
    Nobody mentioned Gisburn Forest? Had a go there recently and thought it was superb. Beautiful scenery as well as brilliant riding. The only downside is its in the middle of nowhere.

    Dont understand all the negativity surrounding Cannock. I go there most weekends and think its brilliant. Certainly much better than FOD, which is good but rather limited (excluding the downhill bits which i didnt try).
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    QEP is (IMHO) pretty lame - I appreciate the efforts of the volunteers and so on in building trails but the actual route is average aside from one ok downhill section. Its treacherous in the wet and really short unless you want to run a good few laps. I spent a summer midway between QEP and Swinley and I would usually pick swinley in preference.

    I assume Cannock is the Swinley of the midlands - not been there but that has been my assumption, a good ride if you need something easy and formulaic with no route planning.

    For me the best trail centre needs good variety of routes or at least one exceptional red, a bit of wilderness feel at its far flung parts and good scenery. And a good cafe which ideally serves beer too! I camped at Afan last year and enjoyed a good feed and few beers in the cafe there after a days riding some nice trails albeit not as nice as they used to be.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    The Quantocks for me are better than any trail centre. Miles of superb trails, all legal as well. A great uplift service if you want it. Downhill trails which are so brutal and challenging that just about every pro racer in southern England trains there. Some of the most amazing scenery in England. Most importantly, a brilliant pub (Blue Ball at Triscombe) just off the hill.
    Everything you need from a trail centre and all natural (except the pub).
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  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    What you got to compare it to though (experience), some bold claims.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Briggo wrote:
    What you got to compare it to though (experience), some bold claims.

    Afan, Brechfa, Whinlatter, BPW, FoD, Cwmcarn, Llandegla, Cannock and Swinley and that one with the Marin trail.
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  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Briggo wrote:
    What you got to compare it to though (experience), some bold claims.

    Afan, Brechfa, Whinlatter, BPW, FoD, Cwmcarn, Llandegla, Cannock and Swinley and that one with the Marin trail.

    So to claim its better than any trail centre isn't quite accurate as you're missing quite a few, especially ones like Coed Y Brenin.

    (Marin Trail is near Betwys Y Coed, not a trail centre per se just a trail in middle of nowhere, which is kinda near the Penmachno trail, both top trails though).
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I stand by my claim. It's in Somerset, home of the greatest cider in the world (Thatchers Cheddar Valley) as well, that has to be worth a lot.
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  • Rigga
    Rigga Posts: 939
    10 pages and not one mention of Dalby forest?
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    I stand by my claim. It's in Somerset, home of the greatest cider in the world (Thatchers Cheddar Valley) as well, that has to be worth a lot.

    Because of the small area a lot is crammed into in the Quantocks I get the analogy but I'd rather ride the Peaks for the longer descents and trail variety, so my vote for best "trail centre" is Edale or Hope and the surrounds plus some good beer to be had in the area too!

    As for Dalby - its in yorkshire so surely the Dales and Moors present so much better riding than Dalby can muster unless you cant read a map? If I lived near Dalby it would be ridden infrequently because there are too many other options. Not ridden Dalby but I have ridden the Dales.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Rigga
    Rigga Posts: 939
    paul.skibum wrote:
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    I stand by my claim. It's in Somerset, home of the greatest cider in the world (Thatchers Cheddar Valley) as well, that has to be worth a lot.



    As for Dalby - its in yorkshire so surely the Dales and Moors present so much better riding than Dalby can muster unless you cant read a map? If I lived near Dalby it would be ridden infrequently because there are too many other options. Not ridden Dalby but I have ridden the Dales.

    Well yes but thread title says best trail center.
  • HebdenBiker
    HebdenBiker Posts: 787
    Rigga wrote:
    10 pages and not one mention of Dalby forest?

    I honestly find it boring. For trail centre riding, Gisburn is much better. But then, neither of them are any substitute for natural riding in the Pennines.
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