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Ae was pretty guff.
Ae was pretty rubbish.
And lastly Ae was below average.
Carron Valley
Kielder
Ae
thetford
bedgebury
cannock
Just back from a quick blast round CV, cracking wee quickie trail, handy for the east end of Glasgow..
Pollock is billed by the council as trails but it's a poor attempt by the parks dept.. Did their best tho! 3/10.
Er, didn't enjoy Ae apart from Omega man which is great. Bad erosion around a lot of it last time I was there earlier in the year but at least it was being worked on. 6/10 due to the final descent.
Er.. Prob don't have a third least fav, have only really ridden trails in Scotland so not sure bout down sarf!
Number one, without a shadow of a doubt, has to be Bedgebury.
They've all got their pros and cons. Much rather they are there to moan about than not there at all.
Worst 3 trail centres?
Ae, 3 times.
DALBY
DALBY
AFAN
My least favourite of all time is Coed y Brenin. I've only been once and I dislocated my shoulder before I got to any good bits. Though I guess I only have myself to blame for that.
2nd is Kirroughtree. Really didn't do much for me, there was one bit that really upset me.
3rd is Afan. I actually liked the riding when I got some open space, but it was just too busy with tedious groups of lads.
So not the worst 3 trail centres, but the 3 trail centres I had the worst time at when I visited them once in the past. I think in general that I don't really like spending a full day at a trail centre. The ones I like are the ones that are good for tooling about for a couple of hours, rather than the big ones with 6 different red routes
Thankfully no one has mentioned it which probably means I am one of a few to make the trip.
The Ben Aigan Hammer at the Moray Monster trail centre is probably the most dull I have ever ridden. I feel bad saying it since it is volunteer built but it is just mundane. There is a section called 'The Widow maker' which could be named 'the modest slope' and numerous jumpy bits on uphill sections.
It was at the end of a week of great riding but it just wasn't at the standard we had come to enjoy.
keppoch.
Definitely what keppoch said. The "Mast Blast" was a buzz at the end but if I'd have known the rest of it was going to be that pointless I wouldn't have bothered. What is it with putting "jumps" on uphill bits? I thought maybe it was a 2 way trail at some points. Some fun bits but overall-a bit disappointing.
Lincolnshire. All of it.
"You're doing it wrong"
+1
A fair number of these I really quite like. Granted some have some pointless and dull bits, some are overly rough and/or hold mud/water a touch too well for too much of them but negative bits seem to overuling all the good bits
I question what people think trail centre trails should be exactly? (or what they shouldn't be/consist of) granted I'm not a fan of fireroad downs either
They're all rubbish. Natural trails walk all over trail centres. I hate trail centres for what they have done to the sport - introduce so many new people the natural trails could never cope.
No doubt the trade and mags see it in a different light - the more people the better. Yes, good for capitalism, good for fitness of Mr Average, not good for the soul of MTBing.
P.S. Glen Tress is the worst, because of the crowds.
Surely trail centres keep the mass's away from natural trails? Don't really understand your logic.I hate trail centres for what they have done to the sport - introduce so many new people the natural trails could never cope.
Same here, people who want to have a go, families, bikers who only want that experience etc will go to a forest where it's all laid out for them. All the rest of us will head for the hills, don't get what your problem is.
Your post reads like it's been carefully worded just to try and create 5 pages of pointless arguing.
Blimey, obvious troll is obvious.
It's all good as long as you're riding your bike.
My closest 3 trail centres are ones most of you would class as shite (Wakerley (barely even a trail centre in the accepted sense yet), Thetford, Sherwood), but they let us ride and have fun, make the most of what we have round these parts, and on the whole are actually more fun than our natural trails.
I wish I was in a position to moan about the likes of Brechfa and Dalby (both of which I've ridden and in terms of challenge and balls-out fun piss all over our local stuff) being not very good.
Stop moaning and ride your bike.
slainte 😛 rob
Llandegla - BMX track
You say this like it's a bad thing 🙂 Never ridden there but I love hardpack fast flowy jumpy stuff so it seems awesome. Not a huge fan of natural rough and rocky stuff, I love berms, drops and jumps too much.
Sherwood Pines and Bedgebury are almost identical in their blandness. Any 'trail centre' where you share a red trail with families using pull- alongs can't be good...
the issue with man made trails is that each metre costs money. That money is better spent on descents rather than climbs, so its natural to use fire road etc where available. It might be dull for the bulk of it but sometimes its the only way to get anything on the ground at all.
Sherwood Pines
Given what they have to work with, I don't think it's too bad. It's maybe not worth making the trip over from Sheffield when you've got a couple of billion miles of footpaths to ride in the Peaks, but if you're coming the other way from Lincolnshire then I would imagine it's wonderous.
Cwmcarn
Cwmcarn
Cwmcarn
Just.... well... rubbish for me.
Can I also vote for Ae 3 times? All crap apart from the final drop from the very top down the singletrack and into Ae line. Shredder is pretty good too but the previous ##km of riding is a waste.
The likes of Grizedale (which I quite like for a quick blast but I know its cool to hate it) are excellent in comparison (and the new stuff thats getting built there looks good).
Black route at Bedgebury
Moray Monster trail centre is probably the most dull I have ever ridden. I feel bad saying it since it is volunteer built but it is just mundane. There is a section called 'The Widow maker' which could be named 'the modest slope' and numerous jumpy bits on uphill sections.
+1 total yawn fest and the uphill jumps were mind blowing.
Bottom 3:
Moray Monster - total yawn fest and the uphill jumps were mind blowing.
Learnie Red Rock - if only for the compuslory high woodwork with the level of grip akin to an ice rink.
Bedgebury - massively underwhelming and expensive car park
If I can have a fourth: AE - just dull.
I haven't been south of mid-wales, but here's mine:
North Face (Grizedale)
Ae (apart from last descent)
Marin (apart from a couple of bits)
Dalbeatie - the rocks are good, but everything in-between is meh.
Afan - Very, very dull
Dalby - Good start but the rest is boring
Marin Trail - Again pretty boring and too much fire road. Not been in ages though.
I was tempted to put Gisburn in after trying the Hope line for the first time at the weekend. Why put dirt style jumps at an MTB venue? Very disappointed.
To jump? The Hope line is a skills line - jumps, berms, drops etc.
I've not been to Whistler but some of the drops and stuff there look far too big for me. Hence I'm going to say thats my worst trail centre.
haven't ridden any of the trail centres outside of Scotland but honestly don't get the negativity about Ae and Kirroughtree??
Can see why some people may be a bit underwhelmed with Dalbeattie as it is not like Glentress type stuff in that there isn't much bmx type swoopy downhill sections (at least there wasn't when I was there a few years ago) and there is quite a bit fo fireroad but even still I enjoyed it.
seems like folks should be doing uplift days so they can just ride downhill all the time??
I haven't ridden many designated trail centres but fire tower trails in Argyll wasn't great, lots of fire road and not very much singletrack.
People who have been to both, is llandegla worth the trip from Brum in this nasty weather we're having or should I just stick to Cannock?
Can't believe Whinlatter got a mention on here! Seriously?
Grizedale always gets slammed, partly because people think it's not very good and partly because of all the natural stuff that's around there. I'd never bothered with it because of it's reputation. However, I was passing about 6 months ago and needed a quick ride, so I stopped on the road near Iron Keld and biked over to Hawkshead, then up into the forest. Didn't really know where I was going, so hopped on the NF trail and it was great. It's perfect if you're on an xc bike and want to hammer it for training, though I can see how it would be boring if you were going slow on your mince-rig.
Same with Llandegla too, good if you blast it, but can't work out why you would take something big and then ride it slow there as it only really comes alive when you attack it properly.
I'm so glad this post came up because a few of the trails mentioned here are on my "bucket list" for me to tackle when I supposedly retire next March. Guess I might just have a quick review!
I went to Thetford last year and did the black. Couldnt believe how f*ckin boring it was so did it again. It was still boring.
I've not been to Whistler but some of the drops and stuff there look far too big for me. Hence I'm going to say thats my worst trail centre.
There's something about being in Whistler that makes you push your limits and comfort zone a bit 🙂 By the end of my stay there I was doing way bigger jumps and drops than before!
seems like folks should be doing uplift days so they can just ride downhill all the time??
They probably don't have the technique for proper DH.
llandegla is pretty good IMO, better than Cannock. OK, its not the most hardcore rail, but its like any other trail in that the quicker you ride the better it gets. it flows well, has got some nice little jumps in and hasnt ever been overcrowded when ive been there. the new bits are also a good addition. try it, if youre used to cannock then you'll like llandegla.
and the cafe is pretty good too!
3 worst -
1)Sherwood pines (but theyve done well with what they have to work with)
2)Afan (massive ballache imo, just a bit unimaginitive)
3)Marin trail (as others have said - too much bloody fire road)
The built trails as Grizedale are less than inspiring but Grizedale has some of the best natural bridleways and by-ways in Lake District.
Personally Whinlatter left me cold and I wasn't convinced by Dalby.
Hamsterley is my local centre and needs local knowledge to get the best from it otherwise the black would seem too short and the large parts of the red too dull.
Frankly I given a choice I get far more fun riding natural trails - NYM, the Dales etc.
I'm sorry but having Kirroughtree as one of the worst trail centres is just totally unacceptable to me and I'm not having it!! 😀
I can understand that some people don't enjoy centres, but there has to be a point where you can recognise a well designed trail which is enjoyed by people who like to use their pedals, and Kirroughtree is just amazing if you enjoy peddling, it just flows and flows and flows.
And as for Ae, well I can understand how people may have felt it was over hyped, but the Omega Man is great if you add in the shredder.
All you have to do is look at the smiles on people's faces, even on tamer centres. If they are not for you then that is fine, but really, I think they are amazing for what they are, which is places to have fun and to help people get into mountain biking in a controlled environment!
Re: North Face (Grizedale). I actually really enjoyed the climb. It made a nice change not to be doing it on fireroad and the bends and slightly technical nature made it go faster.
However, once on top, it never let you have any fun. Always controlling your speed. It's only the last 500m where it gets good.
Ae's getting a bit of a bashing here - I rode there recently for the first time in 6 or 7 years and really enjoyed what I rode (albeit I was there with Tyred Jr and we did an edited version of the Ae Line red at his speed rather than mine). I think there's been a fair bit of work done there since I'd previously been, just wondering if those criticising it have ridden it recently?
This strikes me as an odd thread TBH. Some places are obviously better than others, but folks seem to be harshly critical which seems a little misplaced when you consider the amount of work and cost that goes into something completely unnecessary artificially created out of the natural environment FOR YOUR LEISURE at very little direct cost to you!
(I thought Grizedale was rubbish as well)
1. Ae. It's seen some recent improvements, but somehow it just never seems worth the effort.
2. Carron Valley. OK for a quick blast and the last descent is good fun, but the remainder just seems like too much of a compromise. Apparently the Eas Dubh descent was actually intended as a blue-graded climb, which goes a long way toward explaining how frustrating it is to ride. Also the last third of Cannonball Run (yay, uphill jumps!). As has been discussed at length elsewhere, it's a criminal waste of the area's potential.
3. Lochgilphead Fire Tower Trail. Haven't been in a long while, but when I last visited, it featured the longest, dullest fire road climb ever, comically poor signage and rather disjointed layout.
Fun though it is to moan, I suppose it is a bit of a slap in the face to those who bothered to pick up a shovel, or lobby for permission to build. Especially as I've done neither. 😳
Seems harsh to critise peoples hard work that I pay a couple of £ and get to ride, but
1 Northface at Grizdale was bland apart from the end
2 Moray Monster - for lots of reasons.
3 Afan - The Wall is fine at the end but the first hours or so is rubbish, a new bridge by the trail center would help fix it mind.
Other notable mentions
Thetford - Although its not their fault that it flat.
Keilder - Is their fault cos its not.
Kirroughtree, rode it 3 times and just seem over rated to me
KIrroughtree. I'd looked forward to riding it for years, found it a bit dull, then fell and sliced my arm open. I've now resorted to road riding to get my cycling kicks. Must be a natural evolution...or some might say regression 😆
Also the last third of Cannonball Run (yay, uphill jumps!)
Maybe you need to learn to carry more speed from the earlier sections 😆
Dalbeattie - always find it gets pretty repetitive by the end; "oh look, more big blocks to ride over". I've ridden there a few times, and I always start by enjoying it, but end up longing for it to finally end as there's very little of interest in the last few miles.
Carron Valley - I appreciate the work the CVDG did just getting the existing trails, but it's really frustrating that the FC scuppered the chance to have a decent trail centre close to Glasgow.
Glentress - each time I go down, they seem to have converted more of the Red route into a BMX track, replacing the eroded trails that were actually engaging to ride.