which area would be better to live in for access to mountain biking? also which would be the better place to work and live?

B/G would give you easy access to South Wales, Forest of Dean, 417 Project (when it opens), Malvern Hills, Quantocks.
Depends what sort of riding you’re after?

Don’t forget Ashton Court/Leigh Woods, Leckhampton, Cleeve Hill, Cranham, Standish, Stinchcombe and North Nibley for the B/G area.

Lots of pockets of good riding on your doorstep in the Bristol area, plus it’s a short drive to some great bits of the country. I suspect the same is true in Manchester so probably worth considering other factors too, which for me means Bristol wins easily.

Peaks, North Wales, Scotland and the Lakes all nearer to Manchester (I live in Bristol).

Dont think anyone can say one is “better” than the other, depends what you’re looking for.

Ok thanks i’m currently living near Bristol and i can see there’s some great riding around. is there anyone from the Manchester area who could tell me whats around. i know there’s the lake district, north wales, peak district and pennines. would this be better than the b/g area?

also whats the local riding like near Manchester i’m guessing the closest riding is the peak district

Ok thanks i’m currently living near Bristol and i can see there’s some great riding around. is there anyone from the Manchester area who could tell me whats around. i know there’s the lake district, north wales, peak district and pennines. would this be better than the b/g area?

Depends what you prefer – Manchester is better for escaping into proper hills, as you’re handy for the Peaks and the Pennines. Bristol wins IMO as you can be on decent trails within 20 minutes of the centre, plus there’s easy access to good trail centres in S. Wales and FoD.

It depends on whether you are looking at north or south Manchester , to the north you have the west pennine moors which you could spend years exploring especially the Rivington area

South you have the peak district

I live about 15 miles north of Manchester and can ride to Rivington , no car required.

how would the brecon beacons compare to the peak district and pennines? thanks

Manchester has a massive variety of riding – much more than just the Peak.

Starting in the south, you have good riding around Bollington, then moving anti-clockwise there is good riding to be had all the way to Bolton/Horwich in the NW. In terms of accessing good riding direct from the city centre, Bristol (in my very limited experience) is probably better, with Ashton Court on the doorstep.

Not many bridleways in the Brecon Beacons, lovely area but slightly disappointing as a MTB destination in my opinion. Not saying it’s bad, just not the choice that you have in the Peaks or , say, Exmoor. If you include the Black Mountains (part of the NP) then that opens things up a little.

thanks

Manchester itself is pan flat, but as I look out of the office window I can see the Peak to the east and the Pennines to the north. We’re literally surrounded by good riding, just take 20-30 mins to get there 😀

Oh and we have rocks, so ner!

Bristol is lucky to have Ashton Court / Leigh Woods on the doorstep (plus lots of other good spots) but they can get pretty dull after you’ve ridden them a lot. Also very good access to Quantocks, S. Wales, and FoD. Brecon Beacons / Black Mountains are good, but not as much riding as the Peaks. From Manchester the Peaks and Pennies are very close, plus all the riding to the north and southeast, North Wales, and the Lakes / Dales up the road too. Plenty of jobs up there too…and cheaper that Bristol.

Ive lived a good few years in both and they are both fantastic places to live. Bristol is a much more relaxed city in comparison….but with far less going on culturally and economically (jobs). Manchester defiantly has the very large, urban feel to it…in many parts of Bristol you can live within 20 mins walk to the centre or 15 minutes on a bike to the countryside.

I suppose it depends on your riding preferences, but I wouldn’t put too much stock into SC/LW. It’s quite flat and the trails aren’t especially long or exciting. Don’t get me wrong, the builders have done a very good job with what they had to start with but it won’t compare to the peaks, or the welsh trail centres.

B/G would give you easy access to South Wales, Forest of Dean, 417 Project (when it opens), Malvern Hills, Quantocks.

Don’t forget the Mendips and Exmoor. You can also be on Dartmoor in 1&3/4 hrs.

I struggle to get too excited about Peak District riding – the ‘classics’ are enjoyable enough but not amazing (and getting steadily levelled by the sound of it). Some great stuff in the Pennines.

Manchester is reasonably near the Lake District though which has some really amazing riding.

James

Depends what sort of riding you’re after?

Give us a hint go on…

what do you like? Uplift only, forests, moors, gert big ‘ills 😆

I’m quite new to mountain biking so I’ve only been to a few trail centres, foreat of dean, haldon forest, Leigh woods and aston court. I think I like cross country riding and single track type stuff but would like to try downhill in the future.

Well i live in gloucester which is pretty cheap and ok for a young family, whats your situation?
Young single like going out? stay in brizzle or move to Manc.
Looking for somewhere to retire? cheltenham/glos probably the FOD if you never have to travel (takes forever to get anywhere at 8 or 5.30!)

Cheltenham/Gloucester sounds good. I think I’ll stick to bristol for now.

Isn’t it always dark, cold and wet “oop north”? 😉

Manchester = Peak, Lake, N.Wales, lots of rocky natural goodness.

Brizzle = S.Wales trail centers, natural stuff is more rolling hills.

There’ll be flatter stuff near manchester, and rocky stuff near Brizzle too. Unlike Reading, where the only rocks are the Sticker rock garden (the only one in the UK to correclty use the singular or Rocks).

Don’t forget the STW favourite trail centre, Llandegla, is pretty close to Manchester (certainly as close as Cwn Carn is to Bristol), with Delamere closer, Lee/Cragg Quarry, Gisburn Forest easily do-able too.