It is looking to be one of those great Indian Summers up here in N E Wales so took my trusted Mountain King 2.4 Protections out to Llandegla. Once the best place for a ride when the weather was too windy / inclement on the Clwydians or Berwyns, I was sceptical over the last year about the effect of the large scale tree felling exposing the trails to the elements removing the shelter. The new felling on the climb if anything is providing great new lighting when the sun is out and after reaching the blue / red split. In the sun the heat is almost like California,and the now establishing trail side vegetation with no more dense tree cover is narrowing the tracks, the lack of trees has seen the sun burn the peaty trails dry, turning the dirt to dust exposing not only more rock, making the trails far better for a good ride, but opens up views of both the amazing terrain the trails have been cut through the forest as well as more epic panoramas of Snowdonia and the Clwydians...
Sure it's Llandegla, and yeah I was riding Conti's so someone is going to feel obliged to have a pop.. but but for anyone, other than the niche nerds, I think the felling is making Llandegla more and more the perfect horse, rambler, farmer and map free playground for great mountain biking. Forum Trail Gods who have convinced themselves it's pure scaletrix riding, feel free to continue to mislead yourself and miss a great ride.
