Forum menu
Morning folks,
I'm heading to Perranporth for a short break - Monday - Saturday in September for a family wedding and will be taking either my road bike or mtb but I'm not sure what the riding is like down there so can't decide...
Are there many decent MTB trails in the immediate area or would I need to drive somewhere? If so, any recommendations? Are the trails along the coastal paths any good?
I live and ride in the Peak District so I'm pretty spoilt for road and MTB already. MTB is a 100mm full sus and I'm pretty competent up and down most things and happy with big 100km MTB rides of 2-3,000m ascent. Equally happy with a blast for a couple of hours. Any GPX or links would be appreciated for both on and off road recommendations.
Cheers
I understand there are MTB options in Cornwall, moreso if you're more XC than 'Enduro Bro', but I'd be taking the road bike to enjoy some of the great climbs (be prepared for steep and short!) and equally gorgeous views.
I took my hardtail for a 5 day trek around Cornwall during the 2003 heatwave. Cheekily rode a lot of the coastal path mixed in with a fair bit of road and general XC. A beautiful place to explore for sure and I reckon a road bike would be cool, but IMO the ability to go off the beaten track with a MTB or gravel bike would be my preference.
loads to be had in Cornwall.
The coast to coast has Poldoce, Grogley off them.
Sure there is more.
Cheers guys, I do have a 650 x 47 Gravel bike so that's always a 3rd option!
650 x 47 Gravel bike
Good plan I reckon!
In summer the coastal path will be very busy and it's frowned upon to ride it at the best of times. There are loads of other rides around if you can piece something together on a map, I'm not to sure of what's around Perranporth but Singletrack did do a route around Poldice and Carn Brea a while back.
If you like a bit of road too I'd be tempted to take the gravel, the coastal roads are a wonder, and the mining trail network is close by that is perfect gravel terrain, do the coast-to-coast and Flat Lode loop around Carn Brae/Carn Marth.
Alternatively if you take your MTB, the Coast to Coast has Poldice and Unity, Grogley/Bishops/Husyns is by Bodmin, and BikeParkKernow is close and well worth a visit.
But yeah, don't bother trying the coast paths: they'll be rammed with walkers.
Definitely gravel bike. Am just back from a bikepacking trip around the Lizard and Lands End. The roads are horrible to ride (too many dangerous drivers), the lanes are Ok and the tracks are good but don't require a MTB.
Grogley is where I'd go for some enduro trails when down there, but perfectly fine on the bike you have, but its 40mins away or more depending on the summer traffic! I think your best bang for buck would be the road bike from the doorstep with no driving involved.
Route wise Padstow aka Pad-stein is other side of Newquay from you, if you pick up the B3276 from Newquay towards Padstow thats got a quite few good climbs on it, FYI - I am not a full roadie but driving that way has some climbs which are tough in the car and its what I would fancy tackling.
mtb, even if its just to go to "The Track"
I'd prob bring the MTB in summer. Plenty of places close by to go like Llanhydroch etc where there are MTB trails, nice cafes etc.
My folks live in Cornwall and from experience I'd avoid the roads like the plague around there in summer the way tourists drive around.
We are currently down in Perranporth. We came last month for a weekend too and bought the hardtails. They were great for the coastal paths and a few hours at woodys bike park. However we did have a better afternoon at FOD on the way home. With the amount of vehicles and pedestrian traffic at the moment, id avoid the bikes altoghter. But saying that, september should be quieter for you
If you avoid the honeypot areas like Land's End and 500m of any car park, you should be OK. Used to holiday a lot in Cornwall and take a bike - some of my favourite bits of coast path are from Sennen to Cape Cornwall, Cape Cornwall to Botallack and from Portreath to St Agnes Head. Careful if it's wet grass, a German tourist slipped and fell to his death near Land's End a few years ago. Gravel bike would be my choice - low gears and grippy tyres.
Normally holdiday every year down there and previously rode Grogley near Bodmin and also Cardinham Woods Trail Centre on my 120mm hardtail. Both are about 30 mins from Perranporth however if you are on a short break and thinking about the traffic maybe take the gravell bike. There was an mtb Cornwall feature in the mag (issue 126) which is worth checking. Hope you have a great hol and get the weather!
My folks live in Cornwall and from experience I’d avoid the roads like the plague around there in summer the way tourists drive around.
Was going to post this, rode to and from Lands end in a wriggly way a few years back down some back roads and likewise some A roads, and the state of the driving was "challenging" if you're on a bike
It's alright for MTB, but nowt to get overly excited about.
Cardinham Woods and Lanhydrock are OK, nothing to write home about, but if I were you I'd bring your gravel bike, that way you can mooch round the stupidly hilly coastal roads and then have a wander onto the coastal path if you fancy it.