How about Dundee/Angus:
Good climate, drier than most of Scotland.
Handy for so many parts of the Highlands and the Angus Glens, so epic Munro bagging and glen to glen riding; easy to get to Highland Perthshire and Aviemore, Fairly easy to Torridon, Kinlochleven and Skye. The UK’s biggest skiing is at Glenshee, only an hour away. Loads of ski mountaineering within an hour or two.
More singletrack in Angus than Surrey. Way less people too. Riding in and around the city itself, with easy access to heathery hills right on the outskirts. Kulture within easy reach, in Dundee itself, Edinburgh and Glasgow. For roadies- Snow Roads Audax territory.
Aberdeen Angus and Highland Coo beef. I’ll have no neigh sayers…

Postierich,

Been meaning to quiz you about Kendal. I am currently over in Ulverston and whilst it has a few charms it is getting a bit wearing now. We keep talking about moving somewhere that direction probably Windermere/Staveley/Kendal. The only downside was hearing people complaining about the locals (although the couple of people I know that way seem reasonable folk).

Going to give it a couple more years to see if the expansion at Glaxo helps house prices even out this side of the county a bit though.

Back to the original question though – Stirling. Still miss the place for the riding and riding buddies. It has some opportunity for decent work, and is commutable to Glasgow/Edinburgh/Perth. The local riding is pretty exceptional and it is generally a very nice environment to live in.

Not the new forest.

Its flat, there’s no ‘trails’ or ‘descents’ or ‘climbs’.

Sometimes there is sand, right now mud, in fact right now there is only mud, mind sapping, leg killing bollock breaking mud. Oh, and don’t forget the grim gravel tracks….

Don’t come to the new forest, ever… Unless you own a horse!

The above is a statement from the rulers of our kings private hunting ground 🙂

Where I live now – Peebles.

Peebles or similiar would be great- countless excellent trails nearby. But you lose centralness- even south wales is a fair old drive. What’s within a day’s striking distance is just as important as what’s on your doorstep I reckon.

Fair enough Northwind but, I can get to the Lakes in 90mins and get to Perth in an hour which give me all the variety I need.

Although I seem to moan about having no good local riding I honestly am pretty happy with what we have within an hours drive from me in Northamptonshire. Woburn and Chicksands with Aston Hill and Stile Cop a bit further away. Ok so its not really “mountain biking” but its the kind of riding I enjoy most anyway! Loads of great quiet road bike country roads straight from my door as well 🙂

Do we need a new STW, i.e. SouthernTrackWorld ? Riding up north’s just bleak, give me the tight wooded singletrack of the south (Swinley, Woburn etc) anyday.

At the risk of being unSTW and sensible,I think we can all agree that we are so lucky to have such diverse riding in such a small country.
If you drove 3 hours from where you are in Australia you will most likely still have the same type of trails as home.

I think somebody has already made the point that riding from your door is only part of the story. I ride from my door at least once a week but that is just for a quickie, if I want something different/more interesting etc. I would get in the car. If you just rode local you would eventually get bored even if you lived at the bottom of some awesome trail. I sometimes ride with local roadies and they drag round the same limited number of routes every week. When I suggested driving somewhere so we could access some different routes, I thought I would be lynched!
So, as ever with most things in life, it is a matter of balance, you need nice close trails but you need easyish access to different riding areas.

Sheffield… Amongst others we have

Peak district
Wharncliffe
Greno woods
Parkwood springs
Lady cannings
ShAFF
And with the addition of Evans last week probably one of the highest rates of bike shops per person

thepodge – Member
Sheffield… Amongst others we have

Peak district
Wharncliffe
Greno woods
Parkwood springs
Lady cannings
ShAFF
And with the addition of Evans last week probably one of the highest rates of bike shops per personI was already pretty set on going to Sheffield for University but that post has cemented it! Cheaper than everything dahn south too. 🙂

Spain

Home looking North

Looking South

Tell you Gods County 🙂