My first visit to a trail centre and my first experience of mtbing in the UK for a long time.

As it was my first time I decided to try a couple of routes, so off I went green to warm up, blue and then red. As a confirmed jeyboy I have to say that I did enjoy the red, in general quite fast and nice flowing lines but nothing technical, difficult or likely to put too much pressure on the heart or lungs. A nice long, steep climb would have been very welcome.
Next time I’ll be taking a look at some of the black.
Enjoyable and I’ll be back for more.
The idea of a closed and controlled trail centre is a bit strange for me and I’m not sure I’d be too happy having to pay for car parking though. 👿

The car park pays for more trail to be built, look at it as an investment. 😉

So you’ve gone to a private forest, parked outside, ridden the trails, will be back for more but object to contributing towards the trail development and upkeep?

I’ve just had over a decade of mtbing where the trails where built by mother nature herself and not one penny did she charge. 😉

I was at Llandegla last Thursday, for the first of five days and five centres (Llandegla, Brenin, Brechfa, Afan, Cwmcarn). We did the Red with the black additional parts. My only previous TC experience was Cannock two weeks prior, I was on an 853 Inbred with 100mm recon races and Alfine 8sp hub. Really enjoyed it.
The food there was good too; good portions (Adventure burger) and good price.
As for paying for parking? It’s hardly a lot in the scheme of things, and trails don’t look after themselves…

The UK has such amazing trail centers. Coming from Australia where most mountain biking is illegal, underground and poor quality rather than the professionally designed trails you have here, I would love to pay a few dollars to ride what you guys take for granted in this country.

I sometimes find free food from mother nature when out walking in the countryside, not sure I should help myself to farmers crops, steal a sheep or shoplift in Tesco.

You tight arsed git! 😉 Llandegla is great fun! It’s like a big BMX track 😀

What binners said. Jaysus, you paid for fuel to drive there – if youre that hard up, leave the car at home 🙄

Also did Llandegla last Thursday on my way to Newtown, found the red and black a good mix of trails, about right length for a 1.5 hr ride.
Was on a raw ’09 DW 5 spot, unfortunately had to work the next day or would have tackled another trail, probably Penmachno.
I dont disagree with paying for the car parking, it is reasonable there, half the price of Dalby at £7!

You tight arsed git! Llandegla is great fun! It’s like a big BMX track

😀 You’re not wrong.

Jaysus, you paid for fuel to drive there – if youre that hard up, leave the car at home

Nowt to do with being hard up, maybe I will leave the car at home next time as it’s within riding distance, it’s just I can’t get my head around the arse about face access laws to get there that you have here, which is more inline with my point.
As for paying for trail building and maintenance, the worst bits for me were the manmade bits

As for paying for trail building and maintenance, the worst bits for me were the manmade bits

Not sure which parts of Llandegla aren’t manmade, guess its the fire roads?

The mountainy bits?

Ok!

You can do so some bigger routes and take in Llandegla as part of it Simon. There’s some good riding to be had round there! Just get yourself an OS map

I was talking to a chap on Saturday, binners, who said that there are plenty of trails towards the Horshoe Pass. It’s just going to take a bit of time (and a map) to settle down and find some routes. Apparently there’s some good stuff towards Glyn Ceiriog.
Probably best I stay away from Llandegla, eh? I don’t want to upset the natives. 😉
I think I wear too much lycra for Llandegla anyway…

If your feeling particularly naughty you can go and ride it at night, park in the road and hoy your bike over the fence. Ahem…apparently 😉

I can’t imagine that going down too well. 😀

As a confirmed jeyboy I have to say that I did enjoy the red, in general quite fast and nice flowing lines but nothing technical, difficult or likely to put too much pressure on the heart or lungs. A nice long, steep climb would have been very welcome.
Next time I’ll be taking a look at some of the black.

Llandegla, more so than anywhere I’ve ever ridden, has got its gradings way out of kilter. The Black routes are not black in the sense of anywhere else, they’re just a little bit steeper than the red bits, that’s about it.

I think I wear too much lycra for Llandegla anyway…

I wouldn’t get drawn in by the “ATGNI” fashion at Llandegla. You seen how many of the people riding 6″ full sus bikes, wearing 5:10’s, covered in Armour etc. can actually ride a bike well there? Last time I was there, I saw groups kitted out as I just described walking down a couple of bits of trail.

You tight arsed git! Llandegla is great fun! It’s like a big BMX track

Whilst I agree about the tight arsed git bit (Trail centres need to earn money to upkeep the trails somehow), Llandegla leaves me very cold overall. Whilst it’s commendable how accessible it is to newer riders (even the red and black bits), there is just nothing there for more experienced riders really. I’m not talking big gap jumps, tabletops, or that kind of thing, there’s just no extra little bits anywhere that provide any kind of a challenge. Also, went there recently for the first time in a while, and everywhere has just got smoother and smoother! All the little features on the trails seem to have been filled in like potholes, and it’s as smooth as a racetrack now!

Maybe I should take a BMX to the Big BMX track next time for some fun! 😕

What about the freeride area? That seems a logic place for experienced riders to have a play.

Was massively underwhelmed at LLandegla. Went for first time last year and no better than Gisburn which is on my doorstep. Wont be going again (and I didnt mind paying for it either)

Degla is great. If you’re really cheeky, you can go at night and camp out near the lake and get some riding in before/after the masses. Just watch out for all the little frogs on the trails.

Don-if you want a play away from the man made stuff,drop me a line.We’ll have matching lycra :0)

Rorschach, that’ll be a goer, can you find something with plenty of climbing, good, long steady climbing. 😆
You’ll find my email on this page.

I have to agree with hugor… I emigrated to sydney 11 years ago, and there really is nothing like the established trail centres you get in the UK here. The only places to ride are a loop round a dam (shared with walkers) and fire trails up in the blue mountains 2 hours out of sydney. How I crave for the likes of coed y brenin or llandegla. I have an orange 5 literally gathering dust in my cellar. 🙁 suck it up and stop whinging.

suck it up and stop whinging.

😆 That funny.

You pay for parking not access, two different things.

The black runs are a bit more like it, even for a jey boy like me aren’t they?

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the carpark fee goes to TillHill not OnePlanet.
As for Llandegla being overly smooth, then it’s a bit like saying Coed Y Brenin is a bit rocky! That’s the nature of the trail. If it’s too easy, go faster…

Loads of great natural trails near Llandegla, just get a good guidebook or speak to the locals.

And going down the Horseshoe pass to the campsite at 40 odd mph on High Rollers is one of the most memorable things I’ve ever done on a bike.

Old Horseshoe or New? Blew a front tyre clean off going down the old last week. 😯

Just the new one DS, down from the Ponderosa caff.

We used the Bikefax book for route advice and got some good tips from some locals too.

it’s just I can’t get my head around the arse about face access laws to get there that you have here,

Access laws on open land are much over-rated. More so the further West you head into Wales.