After a weekend dodging ice and biblical rain in Snowdonia, we stopped off a Llandegla today on the way home.

Wow – how much better is it now?

Did the Red and loved it – loads of variation, a rougher, rockier surface than previously and the trail really flows well.
Good, clear signage, some really excellent singletrack and jumpy bits that even I can enjoy – awsums.

Only about 11 miles, but apart from the initial climb it really is great.
Ms S hates trail centres even more than I do and even she raved about it. 😯
Not been for five or six years but will definitely be back soon.

Apart from riding across the Menai Bridge it was the biking highlight of the trip.

And people still slag it off – why?

They really need to replace that ridiculous fire-road climb at the start. Some nice singletrack climbs would do grand.

Interesting !!

I am taking a beginner there in a couple of weeks time, what trail would you suggest ? Is the red proper red or is it doable by a fit reasonably brave beginner ? Or should I stick to the blue trail. I have never been but I am looking forward to it. Unlike a lot of people on here I like a bit of trail centre action 🙂

a brave beginner would be fine on the red.

But the blue is good fun too, do the blue then if they want more loop back to the red after lunch

iain1775

That sounds like a plan, I really don’t want to put them off. I want them to have fun but still get the idea what mountain biking is all about. I don’t wan’t them to think mountain biking is just about slogging up fire roads.

bazzer, first fire road climb is a bit of a slog, but definitely worth it.

Ran into a dad ‘n’ son (son about 10) in the car park, both on cheaper full sussers – son had dragged dad round the blue in the morning, then they’d been for a bacon butty and had a pop at the red.
they really were buzzing, but dad looked a bit done in.
Great to see non STW types out – reminds you that you don’t need to spend a bomb to have fun.

Lots of BMW X things, a Porsche Cayenne and a very nice Jaaaaaaaaag in the car park though.
The new golf? Very possibly – wonder how long before the first members only private trail centres get the nod?

first members only private trail centre

There are a fair few places you need to join to ride, mostly for insurance purposes. Though they tend to let anyone in…

“a brave beginner would be fine on the red.” (Pook)

^^^^^this…..^^^^

I love the new red happy ending, but it’s the sort of thing an absolute novice will either love to bits, end up pushing or have to have a serious word with themselves over. I rode it a couple of weeks back and came across a lass standing by the side of one of the steeper plunges, with a “I’ll kill him when I get back to the car park” look on her face. I get the feeling she’d run out of “brave” and was likely to push the last km or so….!

Take a novice round the blue first and see how competent they are. There’s nothing on the red that’s unavoidable apart from the ‘shore after the jump section, but it asks a lot from a complete novice IMHO.

Agree with the OP – it’s loads better now.

The fire road climb isn’t exactly ‘ridiculous’, or a slog though, is it? Would you rather they spent money on building trails that go up or ones that go down?
I will admit though, the first climb does seem to take longer since they cut down all the trees. Weird.

‘Bravery’ in beginners is not necessarily a good thing. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of a friend had a bad crash at Llandegla. I don’t know the guy, but AFAIK they are all fairly new to trail centre riding – I don’t yet know exactly where he binned it, but he ended up having emergency surgery to remove a lump of wood from his face and reconstruct his eyesocket with ti plate. His brand-new full face lid was cracked right through. My friend’s a paramedic and reckons he’d probably have died there and then wearing a regular helmet…

Would you rather they spent money on building trails that go up or ones that go down?

Err, bit of both really.
Don’t mind fireroad climbs, but at just over 3 miles I can see how this might stick in the mind 😀

I love proper climbing – a nice interesting uphill, like the one at Whinlatter red is a really pleasant, interesting change at a trail centre.

Thinking about it again, I’d take a beginner on the blue first.
The new red really IS a red.
Better safe than sorry.

I’ve never really noticed the first climb. Its all pretty steady/chatting to your mates stuff isn’t it?

Must get back… not been since the new stuff opened at the back end of last year.

I witnessed a beginner suffer a seriuos neck injury on the red before it was changed, blue 1st IMHO

Did it a few weeks ago and was a bit underwhelmed (did red and black afaik). It was fun but honestly I think I enjoy Cannock more! For Welsh trail centres I thought CyB and Nant Yr Arian were way better despite their lack of jumps and “fun” stuff.

regarding beginners I went with 2 of my mates who have hardly ridden mtbs, they did fine there on the red/black, walked a few bits like the raised boardwalk drop bit etc but they really enjoyed it, probably more than I did.

I took my five year old around the blue last summer, he got round okay had one smallish off on a small downhill slope which knocked his confidence for a while, in hindsight it was a bit much for him but when we got back to the centre he was buzzing.

Went back for the first time since the Sunday before last (without the kid) and done the red and was well impressed with the new bits, lots of jumps and nice boardwalk.

Done the black on Monday and also really liked it although it was very muddy and wet, unlike the previous week of dust trails!

Anyone else find the JJ’s Jumps section had a disappointing amount of jumps?

A fantastic place,all the better for new trails too.
Cant wait to go back there again.it certainly test’s you to the limit that place!
Dalby first though 8)

I might pop over this Fri aft for a nosey.

Have they kept the corkscrew bit of trail? I’ve no idea what its called. It dips down/twists then climbs all at the sametime- its only for circa 10m’s but amazing fast.

The skills section is good fun too.