Ride Llandegla for the first time post Covid a couple of weeks ago.
I know it’s a managed forest area but the landsca,e has been ****ed over to the point it’s like riding the moon.
Totally ruined the feel of the trails so I’m on the hunt for somewhere new within 1 hr drive of Liverpool (speke to be exact). Blue/red but not black grades.
I’m up there every 2 weeks so like to take the time on the eve to ride.
Bickerstaffe woods I think has some trails
Lots in the Clwydians.
https://www.ridenorthwales.co.uk/agents/the-clwyds/?pagelist=1
https://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/north-wales-mtb-routes/
Gisburn close enough?
Delamere is within striking range. If you need someone to show you round one evening, (and you do, none of the good stuff is signed) shout me up.
You're probably just about an hour from Ramsbottom, Rivington and the western chapter of MNPR too.
Gisburn close enough?
No, it's a arse of a place to get to. Miles from anywhere.
Lots in the Clwydians
This. Though the navigation is harder than most routes since lots if it is on permissive bridleways and some bits don't match the map.
Be sure to go when it's properly dry, ie now. I did the mbr killer there a few years back an thought it was meh. Returned last weekend with the missus and the hard packed solid mud trails were great. Not very technical, and with some ferocious climbs though.
Not very techie...
https://flic.kr/p/2nm11Sg
I had a nice autumn xc ride in the clwydians. Definitely worth a visit.
https://imgur.com/gallery/oKrezID
Bickerstaffe woods I think has some trails
Yes they do. They are about this long though
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(Drawn to scale)
Clwyds is the closest to Liverpool that’s decent. Small area but good riding in the dry. Llangollen not too far. Rides like Worlds End think Flat Tyres MTB has a version of it. The red and black are not too different really at Degla but others may argue. Rivington is an hour but never been a fan really. I was in Liverpool but now over the water, gravel bikes are great locally if you don’t want to drive or pushed for time lots of parks, paths and seafront to link up, or on a MTB of ourse.
@tthew if you fancy taking a newbie round Delamere I’d be interested, moved to the area recently and have yet to explore there by bike! I assumed there wasn’t much of any real interest there..
Send me a message @bassmandan and we'll sort something out. It' not greatly technical, but there's enough for a few hours, more if you break out of the forest a bit, e.g. Primrose Wood on the south side of the A54.
Plenty of natural riding aright next to Llandegla, masts, scree run, Airmans grave etc.
They ruined the trails at llandegla, JJ's and B-line in particular - they made a right balls up of 'improving' those. The new reds are awful and don't work either. Absolute shite now.
@frankiesdaddy your post proper made me laugh. I went to degla in January and left with exactly the same impression. I'm from the other side of Liverpool and from what I can tell your best bet is over the m6 towards the white peaks.
Thursday nights = Delamere MTB Club. 6.30pm Delamere Main Car Park. Very friendly club. PM me if your interested.
I'm surprised anyone is riding llandegla for the scenery. Surely it's all about the trails. There's only about 3 views all the way round. Doesn't the new lack of trees mean you can now see more landscape?
It is a bit weird how the whole character of a trail changes when the trees are removed. I think some of the sensation of speed is lost with no points of reference close by. You lose that Return of the Jedi speeder bike effect ☹️
I thought that about lower cliff at Cannock, (think that's what it's called, the last fun descent on the Monkey before you cross back over the railway) when they felled all that some years ago.
Im North liverpool, and know all the above mentioned very well.
Also happy to show you round Delamere but sounds like a group ride could be on the cards!?
My preference recently has been Rivi, the trails there have developed over the last couple of years and you can put a good few hours in now doing all the best lines!
Worth considering the Marin if you’re in speke, probably just over an hour but a classic trail centre with some good sections.
I always tend to stick to the same bits in Delamere, @tthew - across Ashton Road from the Blakemere side. Is there much more to be found?
I took my 12yr old lad there for the first time 2-3 weeks ago and did the red with him.
He isnt great on a bike so the downs were not speedy, however it just felt like climb, decent, climb, climb, climb. It didnt help that somne of the sections that had been logged had a massive head wind that really slowed you down... but still
Trail centres should be about fun, and I didnt get much fun on the red.
Unfortunately I dont think there is anything else near by that offers similar trails. By similar I would say Sherwood Pines, Gisburn, trail centres in Dumfries & Galloway
This is all great - thanks for everyone's replies.
There's a few above I'll reply directly to especially the Delamere group ride option. its always better to ride with friends.
Clwyds sound interesting too - only 48 mins from the office.
@davros - it is about the scenary some times. im not a pro rider (far far from it) so i go to these places not just for a good red ride but as a metal break too. being in a beautiful landscape is as important as the ride itself.
I see where you're coming from OP. I've got the opposite issue with having the peak on my doorstep (can't complain!) but no trail centres nearby, so trail centres are always exciting for me as they're so different to my usual rides.
I've not been to llandegla since November so I've not seen all the felling but the closed black section looked very different with no trees. I'll be going back soon so I'll have to see if it changes the experience for me.
