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Evening all,
My wife has decided (perfectly understandably) that we should have a family outing to celebrate her Gran's 90th in Prestatyn in September.
I have decided (hopefully equally understandably) that it would be nice to extend this to include some riding whilst in the area!
My question is, could someone who has ridden both compare and contrast English and Welsh definitions of red grading for me?
My middle son (10 this summer) in particular has recently become hooked on trails riding as well, and has happily sailed round the red trails at Bedgebury and Haldon Forest with no problem at all on his hardtail (and his 12yr old big sister also did Bedgebury on a rigid Islabike), so they're keen to join me.
The most obvious place to ride from what I've found so far on Google seems to be Coed Llandegla, but from reading the description of the red trail there on the MB Wales website, I rather get the feeling that Welsh red isn't necessarily the same as English red!! 😆
The description of the blue trail, on the other hand, sounds rather tame, so I'm concerned about whether my lad might fall somewhere in the middle of the two in terms of keeping him amused but not breaking anything!
I've ridden both haldon and Llandegla. I'd say that the Llandegla red is a fair bit more technical than the haldon red.
Start him on the Llandegla blue, as blue loops go it is right up there in terms of fun!
It's all pretty subjective. For a start, Llandegla Red is pretty tame compared with some of the Scottish reds. In fact Lladegla Black is, in places, tame compared with parts of, for example, Dalbeattie Red. Anyone riding the likes of Sherwood Pines Kitchener red route would be shocked if they thought that was what red trails are all about. I've never ridden Haldon or Bedgebury, so have no idea what their trails are like, but my advice would be this: Llandegla is testing because of the initial climb. It goes on a long time, but in terms of technicality, there's very little that couldn't be ridden by a confident youngster. There are no unavoidable drops or jumps, it can all be rolled. Go and ride it, it won't kill any of you, and enjoy the sense of achievement that tackling the route brings.
It's been said before, but trail grading in the UK is a bit of a lottery.
To me, it's not at all clear whether it's based on technicality, length, climbing or some combination of all three. It certainly seems relative to each centre rather than some objective standard.
Compare for example.
Thetford reds (one of which used to be a black!)
Cannock red
Llandegla red
Laggan red
Antur Stiniog red
Nevis red
Having said that, Llandegla red is good fun and not that tough (as was said, it's all rollable/avoidable and I find the initial climb fairly comfortable if draggy). I would think a confident kid on a half decent bike should scoot round it no problem.
Kermit, I am a 'degla local, and I have ridden most of the trail centres in the area (Coed y,Marin, Penmachno).
If you head out to Llandegla you could try him on the skills area, if he feels out of his depth then the blue may be better.
the Blue is a nice trail, just nice fast and flowy, so he won't be too disappointed.
Saying that, the red has very few technical features, and these can be ridden around. towards the end of the red is where he may struggle, as there is are a fair few steep/sharp climbs.
Many thanks chaps, that's pretty much exactly what I was hoping to hear, especially the part about there being no obstacles that can't be rolled or bypassed! 🙂
As for the short, sharp climbs, despite looking like being the one of my three kids who as my genetic disposition for being adequately insulated for a British winter, he's already turning out to be a pretty decent climber!
I've only ridden Llandegla red once (in the p*ssing rain/cold) a few weeks ago, but I don't remember there being any obstacles at all!
They aren't obstacles, they're "features", and ideally suited to novices.
I've ridden both haldon and Llandegla. I'd say that the Llandegla red is a fair bit more technical than the haldon red.
I seem to remember reading that Haldon's grading is based around family rides. Certainly when I rode it I thought that my 7 yr old daughter wouldn't have a problem with it at all, not something I think when I'm on a Welsh (or Scottish) red.
Yea, probably about right, the haldon red is more like a blue imho. Good for a quick blast but certainly nothing challenging.
Bedgebury red would be a blue anywhere else.
That's my thinking. Forestry Commission places seem quite consistent in their grading, but also grade for XC hardtails and/or families.
Coch, that's the main difference 😉
Trail Centres 'should' all be the same - bike parks / DH stuff is different again, the Red DH track at Cwmcarn for example is a different kettle of fish to its Red graded XC equivalent next to it.
Most of the time though it's down to how you feel about certain obstacles, I for example love jumps, but don't like drops much - a red full of drops and I'd be moaning, a red full of jumps and I'm happy - there are very few drops in South Wales TCs