If you could relocate anywhere in the UK, where would you choose for decent mtb trails?
Keswick.
Although I have never been cycling in Scotland so my experience is limited.
Currently on the south edge of the Dales, Skipton area, so roughly:
Dales: on doorstep
Lakes: 90mins to 2hrs
Peak: a couple of hours
NYM: a couple of hours
N. Wales: 3hrs
Mid Wales: 4hrs
Scotland: 3hrs upwards
Moving further west to somewhere in the Kendal - Lancaster - Settle area so not far from the M6 would knock an hour off most of those times. So depending on whether you prefer urban or rural living, Kendal or Kirkby Lonsdale, Ingleton.
Where i am - Edinburgh. ~maybe go south side tho rather than leith. Cyeleable access into east and west Lothian and the pentlands. 40 mins by car to the tweed valley, an hour or two into the highlands, good trains.
I love where i live in West Berks... But i imagine 90% of STWers would die of boredom riding here 🙂
Bruges.
I'm not playing by your rules... I'm going road cycling and drinking beer on the Continent instead.
Forest of Dean.
I did.
I moved to Aviemore.
Too far away from civilsation Scotroutes. 😉 I mean do you even have a Waitrose let alone supplies of organic hummus and avocados?
Where I live: South Wales. I used to live in Manchester, and still go up to visit my mother and other family, and while I love riding out from the Rossendale Valley onto the moors, I still prefer my home turf.
The same goes for road riding. Although I also like TSY's suggestion.
Too far away from civilsation Scotroutes. I mean do you even have a Waitrose let alone supplies of organic hummus and avocados?
M&S Food [i]en route[/i] - small steps TJ, small steps
(although I'd prefer a Lidl or Aldi TBH)
inverness.
Keswick.
mach.
Aldi is currently under construction too.M&S Food en route - small steps TJ, small steps(although I'd prefer a Lidl or Aldi TBH)
For [i]from the door [/i] mountain biking, Inverness isn't that great. Access is superb though.ton - Member
inverness
🙂
Good question. I'd have to ride more places in order to answer it accurately. However I used to live in the Chilterns which was nice for bridleways and the like. Moved up to the eastern edge of the Peak 10 years ago and loving the riding, both on road and off road. Also like the differences between the white & dark peak. If we moved now (unlikely with three school age children) local riding options would play a considerable part in any decision.
Swindon. Obviously.
Inverness isn't that great
it is a lot nicer than south leeds.......... 😆
Aldi is currently under construction too.
*woo hoo*
I know its not UK but Dublin is pretty good.
I doubt it's the best, but I'm in the Derbyshire Dales and it's got a lot going for it - cracking riding on the doorstep- Wharny/Greno/Peak a short drive, Either end of Wales do-able in a day
Calderdale, moved for work, but could (within reason) choose where I was based. Haven't regretted it for a minute.
Edinburgh or Inverness
Great question OP. I've ridden in north and south Wales, the Lakes, the Scottish borders, Torridon, Cairngorms, the Dales, the Yorkshire Moors and of course - my home - The Peak District. Whilst I've undoubtedly had some amazing days out in all of those places, i never forgot how central a location the Peak District is for great riding (on and off road) *and* for access to all those other fab places. The Peak District is not - IMHO - the best riding in the UK, but it's hard to beat as a central location.
lakes ,
scotland,
wales,
dales,
Peak district,
One of those i reckon
I'm happy where I am on the north side of Derby. Bridleways/gravel and towpaths and road rides out the door. Less than an hour to the White Peak, Cannock and Pines. 2 hours to top of Dark Peak, Yorkshire Dales and NY Moors. 3 hours can get you to quite a few Welsh trail centres, even the Lakes.
For those who have answered the OP's question, do you look for doorstep riding or are you happy to travel? I think a truly classic location *has* to have riding from the doorstep. Where I live in the southern Peak District, the good stuff involves 30 minutes of road riding to get to, so I wouldn't recommend it as a classic MTB base. You don't need to go many miles up the road to be in the thick of some great stuff though.
MBR did an article on this a few years back and I think Bristol came out top or near the top.
Great question OP. I've ridden in north and south Wales, the Lakes, the Scottish borders, Torridon, Cairngorms, the Dales, the Yorkshire Moors and of course - my home - The Peak District. Whilst I've undoubtedly had some amazing days out in all of those places, i never forgot how central a location the Peak District is for great riding (on and off road) *and* for access to all those other fab places. The Peak District is not - IMHO - the best riding in the UK, but it's hard to beat as a central location.
Hard to argue with that.
Well we've a BW that goes past the house so effectively it is "from the doorstep", well two bike lengths away. It's not a good BW though, short and doesn't really lead anywhere.
About ten minutes on road gets me onto a network of trails that link up using short bits of road but to get into the Dales is about half an hour of road and canal towpath.
Tweed valley for my vote. In scotland so right to roam applies, decent trail centres, hand made trails all over. Most town locations are only about 5mins from countryside, and a bike festival every year ( i may be a bit biased however)
Somewhere near Stirling....Bridge of Allan, Dunblane, Menstrie, Dunkeld
I moved from Tring several years back and miss it. Pretty reasonable trails from the door in several directions and Aston Hill 15 mins ride (off road).
I realise it's not mountain territory, but for the SE it was pretty bloody good.
I have some truly epic riding right from my driveway, plus, North Wales, The Southern Lakes, The Peak, and the Dales are all within a couple of hours driving.
The Surrey Hills IS bike heaven.
Some people know this already and others have not been here.
Although the Alps has a lot going for it too, although the beers not so good and it's unbridgeable for a third of the year.
Having just moved there I'm obviously bias, but I don't reckon you can beat the Quantocks for smiles per miles. Ace natural riding straight from the door, with manmade DH / Enduro-ey type stuff bang in the middle too. Ride-able all year round as well.
Exmoor (40 mins to the best stuff), Dartmoor (90 mins), South Wales (2 hours 15), Mendips (1 hour), FoD (2 hours) if you fancy an away day.
Kendal is perfect for the Lakes and the Dales, but I would like to live in Perth for access to the Highlands and the freedom of access!
Just need the Mrs to get a new job up there!
Seriously, no mention of Sheffield yet?
A small but diverse city that caters to all tastes with amazing riding in every direction? Been here about 6 months now. Wish I came ten years ago when I was fit (and single).
I'll go for Dunkeld, great out the door riding and within 3hrs of just about everywhere else worth riding in Scotland. Nice place too.
Strathspey: I believe there's a Waitrose in Stirling, I know there's a Sainsbury in Nairn and decent fish in Buckie.
Sheffield here too - I moved here 20 years ago and haven't found a place that's tempted me away yet
If I really was moving I'd pick either:
Snowdonia
Brecon Beacons, or
The North York Moors
Quite happy with Newtonmore as a location - I can even sit outside in the summer with no midges (it is a little breezy, of course).
Keswick
Hebden Bridge
Can't think of anywhere else that comes close to these for striking a balance between trail density and quality.
Obviously plenty North of the border but maybe not the density to make a single place stand out in the same way as those two do.
For me it's got to be either pretty much where I am, Edinburgh- Tweed valley is close to perfection for me, I could genuinely ride for a year within a few miles of Innerleithen... and there's a lifetime of riding within a couple of hours drive, plus decent XC riding from my door, helped massively by our access laws. And most of the UK is reasonably accessible.
But South/East Wales has a huge amount going for it too- lots of uplift venues, a similar concentration of trail centres, tons of natural and #enduro riding, better access to much of the UK... If I knew the rough area from the Forest of Dean to Afan better, I'd probably like it even more.
Tweed Valley, endless trails and ride well in all weathers.
FOD would be another choice, loads of places to ride.
I live near clitheroe, which perhaps doesn't cater for my ride from the door needs.
I'd suggest tweed valley too for natural riding plus I love the innerleithen uplift hill. And you're right in amongst the 7stanes and relatively near fort bill/kinlochleven and the eastside of Scotland venues.
I'm a bit obsessed with Galloway forest but don't know about the natural riding there tbh
Coniston, like Keswick but less ****s
Edit & Apols; fewer
+1 Calderdale/Hebden. It's not perfect, but it's getting close, especially if you want easy access to cities and culture as well as great riding.
Inverness. Easy access to all sorts of awesome riding.
Peebles.
i ride Surrey Hills a bit, they're great, but not there is nowhere near enough elevation to be bike heaven!