A group of us have just had 3 days in a very sunny and hot Wales visiting The Marin Trail, The Beast and Llandegla. We mainly ride the Lakes and the Dales and don’t visit trail centres very often, just perhaps a couple of times a year. I would just like to say what top fun it was, particularly the latter two. To all those who criticise these places: THEY ARE FUN.

Here here! Well said.

I agree and disagree

They are great fun, particulaly if you don’t go that often

But they don’t make for a balanced diet on their own

They are indeed FUN, Whenever I’m up that way I try and go to one.

I’m sure someone will be along to say they are utter man made sh*te and populated by people who can’t ride a bike.

I said that we only ride them a couple of times a year – it’s different to ‘real’ mountain biking, but more fun in some respects. No navigation issues, no ramblers, no thinking, ‘I wonder if I can get down this bit alive’. The point of the post was just to say that all thye criticism I’ve seen on here of trail centres seems unfair. They have a well-deserved place in UK mountain biking, in my opinion.

Couldn’t agree more, I rode the beast and Marin over the weekend as well and thought the beast was fantastic! I do quite like trail centres though, I also like natural stuff, it’s all good!

The carparks in some may be full of the midlife crisis Audi brigade, but for accessibility, year round usability and confrontation free riding, you can’t beat them.