As above really.

Want to take the van (and the GF) on a jauntfor a few days to a decent trail centre or two. Which in your opinion is worth the drive from the east or England?

Both happy riding bike park type trails (minus the road gaps).

Please don’t suggest Thetford. I’ve been there. It didn’t set my wheels on fire.

Cheers in advance.

Hadleigh is ok, with a range from easy single track and ball tingling technical bits with nothing in between but you have to ride it at speed to appreciate it.

Epping forest is current on top adrenalin rush swoop through the forest Ewok style mode, but you’ll need a knowledgeable guide to get a decent single visit out of it, if you do there’s 3-4hrs rising in it. Or probably the best mix is the Surrey Peaslake stuff. Again advertise for a guided on here first.

http://hadleigh-park.co.uk/

Isn’t the answer you want either, but it’s less travelling.

Depending on how far you are willing to drive and how long you have, I would head to North Wales via Cannock Chase on the way.

Then you have Llandegla, Penmachno and Coed-y-Brenin once you get to Wales.
There’s also Antur Stiniog in N Wales if you fancy an uplift day….

I see a long drive in your future.

Hadleigh is on the cards, but it’s only a day trip.

Thinking two or three nights away.

Are the trail centres really concentrated in Wales and Scotland? Not that I mind the drive. Have got the van to eat and sleep in.

I’m sure there are some great spots to ride in England, but can’t be arsed with the hassle of maps/tracks and would like to see what all the fuss is about.

Oh sorry, I mis read the title. I thought he wanted a trail centre near Essex. Oh well, it’s Wales, Cannock or the Peak District basically.

Just jump in your bimmer and drive to Afan like everyone else from Essex.
Make sure to bypass any good natural trails on the way there. 😉

Scotland. 7 Stanes. But avoid 2 of them and do the other one instead.

If you’re gonna go driving for riding, go somewhere memorably awesome.

I would go to Afan. The drive isn’t too onerous,I do it from North London in 3.5hour,with a stop for a wee&breakfast.
Go and ride all the trails ,there’s plenty to do for a couple of days& you could stop off on the way home at Cwmcarn(sorry I may have spelled that wrong).

Most of the Welsh ones will be a swine from East anglia. You either have to go d down to the m25 and round then almost the whole of the M4 or across the A14 to Brum and then to North Wales.

Having said that you could do Cannock then travel on to N Wales depends how many days you have and you appetite for driving.

I haven’t lived in EA for 20 years now but used to do a regular Afan trip and meet riding friends from that area there. It was certainly doable as a weekend but did mean some late night drives

Not counting the drive there I personslly would head to North Wales. You have loads of trail centres in a smallish area plus you can show your gf Llandudno to see what a typical Victorian seaside town is all about!;-)

Having said that I took a German friend to Afan a few years ago and he was more amazed about the Black mountains as he’d never been riding on mountains not covered with trees.

+1 for North Wales via Cannock or Shropshire.

We eagerly await your chip-on-shoulder report about how everyone else there was a ****.

The nearest trail centres are probably Cannock or Swinley, but for more than half a days riding you want Wales South Wales Afan and Cwmcarn
Or North Wales ride Coed Y Brenin, Penmachno or Marin trail at Betswy Coed and llandegla on the way back
The 7 Stanes in the Scottish borders are also well worth the trip, but its a fair bit further

Having lived on Cambridge for several years I feel your pain !

I’d take up another hobby, or move house.

Make sure to bypass any good natural trails on the way there.

Where are these trails just off the M4 and M25 that are as good as south Wales for riding?

“Having lived on Cambridge for several years I feel your pain !”
Haha

Where are these trails just off the M4 and M25 that are as good as south Wales for riding?

There’s more to South Wales than Afan you know…

Not sure where in Essex you are but when I was I East London it was always Alan etc would suggest making a weekend out of it too we have camped and rented a cheap house.

fortunately i’m only visiting from southern Bavaria… there be hills mountains.

have been up to Scotland with the GF before, but never been to Wales… so, looks like Wales is on the cards.

don’t mind a bit of a drive… will prob leave here late and drive through the night.

assuming we are away for 4 days, where would you recommend?

is there a general site for the Welsh centres?

cheers.

Good place to start http://www.mbwales.com but there are plenty of other places, either semi natural or independent pay to ride places.

For a few days away as people have said you can wiz around the M25 and along the M4 to Afan, BPW and the many trail centres of South Wales.

You could come to Berkshire and Surrey for Swinley forest and the Surrey Hills which is a lot closer. But you’ll need some assistance navigating the Surrey Hills. A lot of it is very akin to a trail centre, just a lot better!