Might gave the opportunity for half a day at Dalby next week.
Looking at the website the red looks an ideal length at just over 20 miles but seems to be split into 3 sections. I can’t see a trail map so was wondering if they all flowed on from one another to form a loop or do they start from different places?

Also what are conditions like if anyone’s been recently?

Cheers

It is all one loop. can be quite hard work as it is up n down lots. i like it

It’s shit. I refuse to ride there but went last year to avoid the snow. It just compounded my hatred for it.

Theres a map on the Singletraction website Dalby Map

It is one big loop and it should be pretty dry up there at the moment.

Yeh, never seems to be affected by the weather too badly. Its one big loop but there are options to cut bit short (for example, theres a massive fire-road loop at the top end which I usually miss). Its a pretty tough workout as the best way (IMHO) to ride it is to go for it. There aren’t any massive downhills or climbs so just attack it. Good for all sorts of bikes too – its as much fun on my full sus as it is on my rigid SS.

There are better but the section until the black tails off is good. Once you head back south from the top it is a little bit of an exercise in distance but, its off road riding, with no gates, cars or gimmers in red socks and walking poles. Wish it was on my doorstep.

One continuous loop.
It’s great if you accept it as fast single track (with a few bits of fire road) but if you want long fast descents or epic views forget it. There is one techy descent on the red and a few black sections.
It’s not up there with the Welsh centres & if ridden slowly uninteresting but if you hammer it you’ll know you’ve been round.
I wouldn’t bother on a sunny, unwindy day as I’d sooner be in the open so best saved for poorer weather when the trees provide shelter and the lack of scenery (you do get to see Fylingdales radar) isn’t an issue.
However, if I found myself up there with time on my hands and didn’t want to do an open country route I’d happily go there regardless.

Cheers guys

Kingofbiscuits – why do you hate it so much?

It’s boring. Incredibly boring.

The first bits are ok but out on the red loop I couldn’t wait for it to end.

Gisburn and Hamsterley are leagues above in terms of trail design and fun

It’s shit. I refuse to ride there but went last year to avoid the snow. It just compounded my hatred for it.

This is all you need to know.

Oh and

It’s boring. Incredibly boring.

+1 for boring.

I’d go one more time but very few section where you get up much speed. Just seemed to be a slow slog fest. Was pleased when we finished.

And if you go when it’s wet the sand will eat your bike

To be fair it’s ideal for a single-speed hardtail (which is what I would ride if I went back, which I’m not going to for many years)

I ride there a fair bit, Tend to go off exploring as there are lots of excellent natural trails.

If i do the red route I find it a better ride if I start at dixons hollow and do a full loop from there. This way means the main ups and downs are half way instead of at the end.

It is a full loop and there is also a black loop also thats pretty short and worth doing a lap off (At Dixons Hollow)

Its in pretty good condition at the moment and has had a fair bit maintenance done recently.

I feel sorry for people who find riding bikes in the woods boring.

Not my cup of tea at all. I can’t actually remember much of it, just the fierce sensation of wishing it was over after about 10 miles, even though I was still feeling fresh.

It’s sheer length makes it an excellent workout if you’re fairly local, but I won’t be driving two hours to get there again, even when conditions are poor elsewhere.

EDIT: Oh, and if, like me, you pay the seven quid to park at the start, it may compound the feelings. I think most locals ride in from free parking somewhere else.

It’s worth doing if you’re in the area.
I enjoy the red route, but do normally start pining for the end to come, the last bit does drag on a bit.
Conditions were ok when i was there on Monday, so should be similar now, just a few standing puddles and light mud. Though as said above the mud/sand combo turns into grinding paste on your drive train.

EDIT: Oh, and if, like me, you pay the seven quid to park at the start, it may compound the feelings. I think most locals ride in from free parking somewhere else.

The singletrack issue with eds bikes showed a good spot to park.

Otherwise £7 isn’t much for a car load.

EDIT: Oh, and if, like me, you pay the seven quid to park at the start, it may compound the feelings. I think most locals ride in from free parking somewhere else.

A benefit of living local I guess.

Its not really an epic downhill-oriented place so if that’s your cup of tea then forget it.

It is however a really fun 20+ miles of pedally singletrack with a couple of challenging places that works best if you attack it head on and all in one go.

If you rock up on a 160 mm travel tricked-out dentist special then you will be overbiked. Short travel / HT works best.

Been once and enjoyed it. Will probably go again at some point as its only 45 mins away but its not the sort of place you go every weekend.

Been going for the last ten years mid week mostly, there’s sooo much hidden secret stuff with some tasty huge steep rock drops in well hidden places, you can do a loop wth 60% of it of piste, make your own mind up, i show small groups where & how to find the good bits & go errrr ahem … adding to the trails shall we say.

have rode it once and not impressed lots of pedaling for little reward on the downs. Wouldnt rush back BUT it you like xc pedally type stuff you will love it.

As others have stated its a xc trail, some good bits some boring bits. Nice day out in my opinion and in no way would I say its shit, a lot of hard work has been put into the trails. There are some nice berms and a good few swooshy woodland sections.

As others have stated its a xc trail, some good bits some boring bits

Glentress red and black is also xc but is far better.

Go, make your own mind up but I won’t be rushing back. Last time I went we combined it with a ride out to the coast on natural trails. That bit was much more fun.

As others say, it’s a pure old skool XC route. Basically, it’s one of the original trail centres from when trail builders were still learning about making the most of a trail (I think it’s over 10 years old??). It’s lacked investment since then, other than a small area for the world cup trail. On top of that, some bits which were technically challenging have been removed, possibly because they were poorly designed in the first place (see above). You can still make a worthwhile circuit using a combo of the red and old black route. As said above, new trail design techniques/layouts at the newer trail centres ( ie whinlatter, Gisburn) have now upped the game.

Ok, sounds like it might be a bit of a disappointment , but I’m here now (visiting family nearby) and the bike’s in the car is might as well give it a go.

Please tell me at least it’s clearly marked! I won’t be a happy bunny if it’s dull AND I get lost!

I go to Dalby pretty regularly and whilst it isn’t Dalbeattie it is still fun and I enjoy riding round. Just get out and have fun. I think people are a bit hard on the place but it seems to me that a lot of people put a lot of effort into keeping the place rideable… and for that I’m grateful.

Just to confirm the above I found it very boring 2x visits. Unless the weather is against you, riding the many great trails in the the moors is a much better option.

If you rock up on a 160 mm travel tricked-out dentist special

What’s one of them? I fancy a new bike 😉

Legoman writ:

Ok, sounds like it might be a bit of a disappointment , but I’m here now (visiting family nearby) and the bike’s in the car is might as well give it a go.

Report back with your opinion please.

It’s not that it’s dull – it’s just underwhelming if you’re used to other places. Get the bike choice right and it’s actually ok

And yes – very clearly marked.

We have just spent a week in Lower Dalby and it has been excellent. The tracks are now almost totally dry and with them all on the doorstep I have spent quite bit of time exploring. As others have said there are some long bits of the red loop that don’t have much in the way of features, but that is what you get in most places. If you do all of the red in one hit then you will know you have been for a ride.

If you only have a few hours then you won’t get lost, it may well be sunny and there are is definitely some fun to be had around the loop.

Try the green route. Tom Pratt loved it.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/EnglandNorthYorkshireNoForestDalbyForestAdderstoneFieldGreenCycleRoute

I love it, go there with my dad everytime I get chance. Probably 4-5 times a year. Sometimes on my 120ht but more recently on my cross bike as Ive had limited bike storage space but another set of wheels is easy to fit in to ride the roads. Its a good slog out, take between 2.5 hrs to 5 hrs depending on how much or a beast you are.

Ok, so I managed a circuit of the red on Sunday morning.
I left with mixed feelings – I really enjoyed a few sections but a lot of the steeper descents were badly cut up. It did seem like a bit of a slog towards the end, but that’s no bad thing if you’re looking for a good workout.

I don’t ride a lot of trail centres so my only real point of reference is Swinley, I’d say the Swinley guys have made much better use of terrain which has much less potential – they’ve got far less altitude to play with but you always feel like there’s a fun bit just around the next corner. At Dalby some of the fire road links seemed endless.
Also £7 to park is taking the piss a bit when I can ride 4 hours at Swinley for £2.

I was there early and crossed over with the same 2 or 3 groups/ riders at various points – all were friendly & they were mostly locals who rode there frequently. The only guy I met who was a Dalby virgin like me, also commented how rough some sections were.

Overall, glad I went and I’ll probably go back if the opportunity arises but I wouldn’t go too far out my way for it.

One wierd thing – when I synced my strava time at the end of the run it showed a total elevation gain of 4,250-ish feet. Looking at it now, it shows just over 2,000 ft. What’s happened there then??

like a bit of a slog towards the end

Felt like a slog most of the way around last time I did it. Something about the sandy surface there that’s very draggy, especially in the wet. Also whenever there’s a fun bit it seems to get interrupted far too quickly with some awkward flow killing uphill switchback that you don’t really expect or see until it’s too late.

I think Dalby is a great place to ride. I was up there last week.

A reasonable length loop around the red, with the option of adding in some extra black sections, if you’re feeling up for it!

Plenty of nice long flowing singletrack sections and a couple of optional trail features to keep you on your toes!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/n7y8ri]DSC05104[/url]

Can you still ride the World Cup course and is it still marked? Was thinking of a trip up there on the way somewhere but not sure really.

It is marked and you can ride it. You pick it up from around dixons hollow I think. Not sure it’s still 100% the WC course but I think most of it’s there. There are some surprisingly tricky bits for an xc course, especially when wet.

Also £7 to park is taking the piss a bit when I can ride 4 hours at Swinley for £2.

The £7 is an entrance charge to use the forest drive which I recall paying for 20 years ago or more, long before the bike trail development or anything else existed except a scenic drive. Does seem unfair these days tho, paying £7 to visit the visitor centre, Go Ape etc which you’re going to be spending money in/on as well, they should have some sort of money back voucher if you use the facilities rather than just the scenic drive (maybe they do?). It’s free if you don’t use the forest drive.

You don’t have to park in the forest. Always do though as 7 quid doesn’t seem like a lot of money to ride some maintained trails.

Its a toll road. The riding, parking etc is free. The £7 is for driving on the road.