Cannock is my local too , 1/2hr by car or 1-1 1/2 cycle up the canal and onto the monkey , I like that money does get spent on updating and improving the trails and that I can spend all day off piste and only see 1 or 2 people , but smiles for miles I take the 1 1/2hrs drive to hopton it may be short, but you get all kinds of surfaces and tech in that short loop , no café no toilets and very few people no matter when ive ridden it

The way you beys are eulogising about Haldon almost makes me want to go out to check if my bike is still in the shed (I haven’t looked since last year)

I quite fancy a trip to Hopton, but at a 3 hour round trip it’s too far for a day trip and not far enough away for a holiday.

Maybe when the kids are older I’ll take them/they won’t want to hang around with me so I can do one at the weekend.

Drumlanrig is nearby – I love the roots

It’s not to bad a drive tbh prawny as long as you’ve got enough time for a couple of laps it’s only about a mile longer than the dog but your legs feel like you’ve done the dog and monkey ,

Swinley would be my local and I so love the ginger and cobbles, and the ease of parking at the weekend, empty trails, and the awesome coffee 😈

Kielder would be mine ..20 mins up the road ..nothing but respect for the amount of work that goes into maintaining the trails there with only a handful of volunteers ..and sometimes not even that.
I still do the occasional trail build but not on ” official ” weekend Sundays ..but midweek with Ian ( The Bike Place )& Russell ( F.C.)..
As mentioned earlier it’s not uncommon to see not another soul..so if space & tranquillity is what you like it ticks all the boxes .
The riding is as good as any other trail centre ..but doesn’t get the numbers as it is so remote and to be fair is by-passed for the Tweed Valley which is only another hour or so up the road..
90 mins away is Hamsterley or Whinlatter both of which are excellent ..the new section of trail ( K-line) at Hamsterley should see it voted as trail centre of year as linked into Transmission etc it makes it the longest continuous red descent in the country ..great fun !