I want to take my new Enduro to some ‘big mountain’ country, somewhere to do nice long rides amongst epic scenery. Not into DH (I’m too chicken really), but I wouldn’t mind going somewhere that will challenge me and force improvement(maybe a course would be a good idea?) Looking to spend less than £500 inc flights etc, is this feasible?

I’ll probably be travelling by myself, I can’t see my wife being MTB capable enough for it, so probably need to join a group? Anyone heading anywhere interesting and have a spare spot? 😉 😀

What would ya’ll recommend?

Scotland.

Do Fort William, then travel across to Aviemore area.

😉

I thought about Scotland, still haven’t been up that way yet… Should fit into the budget I’d think?

We have places on our Northern Highlands and Skye trip.

One week in and around Torridon and Skye starting 8th August for £395. Probably the biggest mountain scenery you can get in the UK. Absoluetly fantastic trails too – miles and miles of rocky technical singletrack

Details here:
http://scottishmountainbikeguides.com/guided-holidays-scotland/highlands-skye

Some pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishmountainbikeguides/sets/72157609051622801/

Phil

^ do it!

South West England. Dartmoor, Quantocks, Exmoor. Epic riding, beautiful part of the world, great produce, wonderful beaches, always great weather in September.

Scotland? In August? Hope you like midgies!

Don’t like midgies 🙁 they devour me…

What about further afield? Like the Alps or Spain, something like that?

cheers for the advice chaps 😀

I don’t think you’d get something abroad for under £500 inc flights tbh.

Sounds like you should go to Mijas in Spain with trickydisco then your partners can go out in the daytime and not be bored! Sorted 🙂

I don’t think you’d get something abroad for under £500 inc flights tbh.

I thought that’d be a reasonable budget 🙁 I could go a little higher, but not much really… maybe I should ‘just’ do a week in Scotland (though the midgies worry me!)

BikeVillage at the end of August would be a little over budget. Or a lot, depending on flight prices. You would get to meet me though, so that would be an advantage money can’t buy.

Aviemore would be good too. I’m hoping to spend a week up there in June. The midges aren’t that bad*.

*Will doesn’t get eaten by midges

Psychle – you could probably squeeze a trip with us in for that. Fully-catered holiday (including guiding, van uplift, etc.) for £325-£385, leaves you a reasonable flight budget. Mountain Bike Holidays, French Alps

What’s the best airport for the BikeVillage (can’t seem to find it on your website?).

And for Mountain Bike Holidays I guess it’ll be Geneva?

cheers 😀

Sounds like you should go to Mijas in Spain with trickydisco then your partners can go out in the daytime and not be bored! Sorted

Sonuds like a plan Simon 😀

Really?

I am in no way affiliated with BikeVillage, I’m just on holiday there in the two weeks from the 29th August, when the rate drops.

You fly to Geneva, the price includes transfers.

Switchbacks XC/All mountain biking holidays in September would get my vote

Dales Bike Centre, why help wreck the planet with flying when you could stay at home give yourself a bit of a scare on the ups and downs of the Dales.
tel: 01748 884908
http://www.dalesmountainbiking.co.uk
http://www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk

Ask for Stu or Benda

BTW we are off to Italy in September.

And for Mountain Bike Holidays I guess it’ll be Geneva?

Yeah, Geneva is best for us (in the summer at least). Airport transfers included in the price.

I’m with Johni. I went to spain with switchbacks and it came in under (just) £500 + spends, but it was cheap to eat and drink. The cycling is amazing, great singletrack and nice weather. Mike who runs it is a good guy as are the rest of the guides. If you can afford it you will love it.

Iam probably going to Crete on package and riding with martinbike.com while she spends the day on the beach, by the pool or in the cafes in a place called Elounda. big mountains and much more likely to be sunny. Plus if you go on package you would both get there for about £500, plus car or taxi to move bike (although they do have fs scott bikes) and pay for the day rides you do. I am going to do three or four and spend a few whole days with the other half, plus every evening. Best of both worlds.

aaargh… too many choices! 😀

Bikevillage looks fabbo (love the sound of the food), Whiteroomchalet is excellent value, Switch-backs sounds like fun (“…the sheer amount of singletrack we ride” sounds right up my alley, plus the coaching side of things sounds good!).

What to do 🙁 This’ll be my first trip to Europe for riding, I want it to be unforgettably epic and awesome and mind blowingly good (is that too much expectation? 😀 )

BTW, my budget can stretch to £600 now (had a nice word with my other half)… does that open other doors for me?

Thanks for all the suggestions folks, appreciated!

Once you’re here you really don’t need much cash (£50-100 is fine) so it really would be just hol price + flights to worry about.
Unforgettably epic and awesome and mind blowing is pretty much our stock-in-trade – you should expect it!

Just go to bike village, the riding is insane and you will not regret spending the extra! The local hospital is very nice, I had the privilege of staying for two days last Sept 🙂

I’ll second the Scottish trip with Phil.
If you go in Sept. the weather can still be pleasant, as for midges MTFU.
Seriously though. Cover yourself in that Avon product stuff (name escapes me) and cycle faster than 4 mph.

Unforgettably epic and awesome and mind blowing is pretty much our stock-in-trade – you should expect it!

Yeah, but we do free beer AND unforgettably epic and awesome and mind blowing… 😉

We should hook up for a beer sometime Sam, we pass through Landry now and then.

Free beer? that’s tempting to an aussie 😀

Thanks for the info folks, now I just need to make my mind up and book something 🙄 🙂

Another vote for Scotland. Not only fantastic trails but also some of the most stunning scenery in Europe. Midges only a worry when there is no wind or you are not on the move. Avon Skin so Soft is the stuff.

I admit to never having done a bike trip abroad, but I find £500 difficult to believe as a budget when you add in:
Transport to airport and parking
Air tickets
Fuel surcharge/tax (£50 per person)
Big surcharge on plane
Transfer from airport
Foreign travel insurance
Food and beer – remember the exchange rate you get now is about 1:1 so mainland Europe is no longer cheap for subsistence

Five of us drove to the Zermatt valley in Switzerland last year & hired a chalet then rode all week with lifts & trains – it cost under £350 each including fuel, ferry, tolls, & a beer/food kitty that paid for pretty much everything.

I admit to never having done a bike trip abroad, but I find £500 difficult to believe as a budget

As mentioned above, an off-peak trip with us costs £325 for the week. This includes airport pick-up, van uplift, food, beer & free guiding. That leaves £175 for a flight + bike charges, dinner on our night off and maybe the odd lunch. Very do-able.

On peak costs a little more, plus there’s lift passes to pay if we’re using the chairlifts, but you could still do it for £600.

Currently we are doing a 30% discount so a week with us would cost just 315 Euros. !00 pounds would get you a return flight to Malaga so plenty left for spending money. Free transfers & free bar included.
Check us out on http://www.sierracycling.com.

September, if you can push it end of September, the Alps are just great for Autumn. No nettle, all dried up, great colors, no thorns, best time for riding. Scotland is great in August as not too hot compare to the Alps.