I'm toying with the idea of visiting a bike park this year. Usually I'd prefer to do big natural rides in the Lakes or something, but the idea of lots of descending is... Tempting.
But which one?
I'm a very average rider, don't really like jumps, moderately okay (but trying to get better) on techy stuff. Did Bike Park Wales ages ago and enjoyed it, mostly blues and reds I think.
Bonus points if there's some good natural routes nearby...
You've mentioned it already but BPW is great in my opinion. I'll be heading back in June probably with my eldest when he's finished his GCSEs as he wants a couple of days riding there but we are thinking about maybe trying Dyfi on our way back home for a day too. BPW has a massive number of trails for all abilities - it just covers all the bases...
Other option which i've done and loved was Innerleithen uplift but use it to access the off-piste trails there and then you've obviously got the huge amount of natural and built trails within 10 minutes of there too.
BPW probably has the most variety and lots of runs from easy to very hard
Innerleithen is still great and a good mix
Dyfi has some biiig jumps but also some fun non jumpy lines
Antur is great some good tech, but suffers from being so exposed, if the weathers bad you really feel it there
Our usual is BPW, which everyone knows is good.
Tried Dyfi last year (in the wet) and the routes we stuck to - mostly reds and one black* were fine. In fact I was thinking they'd be ok on a HT. Obviously there is some big stuff but easily avoided. We really enjoyed it.
*Can't remember which black, but we think it only got a black grading due to a slippy slab, which was fine if taken carefully
Cool cheers - looks like BPW is the default choice (kinda figured it would be, but no harm asking right?).
BPW is the answer, personally I prefer Dirt Farm but that is jumpy.
I might learn to jump better one day... Maybe.
Loads of new stuff at BPW if you haven't been for a while. Can't wait for our annual trip in the spring.
BPW has the most trails and best variety so unless you're bored of it then it's probably the best option. They're constantly building as well so it will be very different if you've not been for a while. I'd watch some of the trail videos online first to get an idea of what you want to ride, there's too much to do everything in a day and you can see if it's jumpy or tech. There's plenty of reasonably tech stuff if that's you're preference
BPW has the most trails and best variety so unless you're bored of it then it's probably the best option. They're constantly building as well so it will be very different if you've not been for a while. I'd watch some of the trail videos online first to get an idea of what you want to ride, there's too much to do everything in a day and you can see if it's jumpy or tech. There's plenty of reasonably tech stuff if that's you're preference
New one just out this morning - Watts Occurring I think? Looks superb - mix of natural type stuff, some really good jumpy bits, some "classic" BPW looking stuff etc. Can't wait to have a go.
Don't think I've been to BPW for about seven or eight years so I can't really remember what we rode when I was there, tbh.
I would guess I was probably riding the easier red tech trails and most of the blues - I think I tried one big jump line and it really wasn't my thing!
I think the point has been made already but I've not been anywhere with the range of trails and grades that BPW has. For a one off trip it's hard to beat
I might learn to jump better one day... Maybe.
When that day comes I think Dirt Farm is great for its range of jumps from small to **** that in a very concentrated area. Next to zero tech though
Make a weekend of it;
Day 1 - BPW
Day 2 - Dirt Farm or Forest of Dean uplift
Dirt Farm is more wheels-on-ground friendly than you might expect, the blue lines are limited in number, but sublime. FoD I have not been for a few years (as have switched for Dirt Farm for my annual dirty weekend away), but lots of options form the uplift drop-off point including the Blue XC trail final decent.
BPW is great I can't wait to go back but I'm waiting to avoid the worst of the weather.
I've ridden there in snow, ice, torrential rain, freezing cold and it's always fun.
But, one time we went, it was warm and sunny and the sky turned blue. We were literally giddy with excitement, riding in t-shirts and dust. Battering down Roots and Boomslang. It was one of the most fun days I've had in years.
Also yes, Watts Occurring just opened. I loved the bottom half so hopefully the top bit is good.
Make a weekend of it;
Day 1 - BPW
Day 2 - Dirt Farm or Forest of Dean uplift
Dirt Farm is more wheels-on-ground friendly than you might expect, the blue lines are limited in number, but sublime. FoD I have not been for a few years (as have switched for Dirt Farm for my annual dirty weekend away), but lots of options form the uplift drop-off point including the Blue XC trail final decent.
I agree with this and the guys I ride with typically do 1 or 2 days at BPW with DF or FoD on the way there or back as they are pretty well on route.
I think DF has a really good mix of well made fast and flowy lines, some short techy/drop off lines and jumpy lines. I quite like a bit of tech but I am not a jumper by an standard. However I did carefully watch a few people doing the first proper gap jump after the road bridge, which looked huge to me, and went for it. Managed to keep my fingers off the brakes and thoroughly enjoyed the sensation. Need to go back, repeat and maybe take on the next 2 or 3 jumps on that line.
FoD is also good fun. It has become an ebike paradise resulting in the number of mtbers doing uplifts dropping dramatically since covid. Personally, I'd avoid taking a DH bike at FoD because of the pedalling from the uplift.
I use an enduro mtb at BPW, DF and FoD.
Lots to enjoy.
I'm boycotting BPW over their ridiculous Gift Voucher policy. Not that they'll care but there's plenty of other bikeparks out there that can have (rather than steal) my money.
. . . their ridiculous Gift Voucher policy. . .
Do you mean the one year expiry? Tell us more.
BPW every time. Plenty of natural old school XC* stuff all along the M4.
*I mean 'Enduro' 😎
New one just out this morning - Watts Occurring I think? Looks superb - mix of natural type stuff, some really good jumpy bits, some "classic" BPW looking stuff etc. Can't wait to have a go.
I also dislike BPW's management. Namely the gigantic price increases for pedal passes, and more importantly, how they fired my friend over Covid instead of Furloughing, then tried to rehire him on lower pay.
Caersws is great and slept on imo. Really fun tracks there. Dyfi is probably the most full on uplift spot in Wales but good fun. Antur is also brilliant and not as challenging as some make it out to be. Really efficient uplift too as its tarmac. Revs is good but haven't been since they reopened. I am really keen too however. Probably between Dyfi and Antur in technicality.
Black mountains is fun if you can jump but otherwise there's not much there and you'll be losing flow. FoD and Flyup aren't really worth it as uplift spots imo unless on a dh bike. Short enough to pedal and lap.
Up North, the innerleithen tracks are getting tired now and aren't that fun anymore imo. Way better riding elsewhere in the valley. The Fort William uplift is as fun as ever. A bit of pot luck in going as the black track shuts if windy leaving only the WC track and the rather boring blue trail.
BPW is the obvious choice, but if you prefer tech to flow, then Antur would be a great alternative. Not as many trails as BPW, but easy to mix-n-match what is there and the uplift is silly quick and efficient.
Do you mean the one year expiry? Tell us more.
Exactly that - wife bought me a gift voucher I was planning to use in summer but then I knackered my shoulder and didn't want to do uplift type riding on it for a while. I knew there was a 1 year limit but didn't check the "expiry" and it passed a couple of weeks before I thought about booking something as far ahead as I could.
Now they've stolen £50 of my wife's money and my Birthday present from last year and that's ok because "policy".
I had similar with Dyfi some time ago and they were understanding and brilliant.
Anyway this is off piste for this topic - the riding is great there if you don't have a reason to hate the management.
It may be a little further west than you're willing to travel but have a look at Hafod Trails, well organised family run bike park and right next to the Brechfa forest.
It may be a little further west than you're willing to travel but have a look at Hafod Trails, well organised family run bike park and right next to the Brechfa forest.
Just saved that on one my Google map for future reference.
+1 for BPW, it's mostly a trailcentre with an uplift and that it turns out is really good. It has some of my favourite riding in it... Actually, last year I was there with freshly banged up ribs and so I couldn't ride any of the hard stuff properly, and I'd forgotten how good the blues and flow offerings are, I tend to shun them a bit but I had a lovely time even on those. And the overall package just gets consistently better- the uplift's faster, the trail network makes more sense (there's still weirdness in it but they've improved some of the really daft stuff). It's just really hard to beat, there is a lot of it and it's good. Soulless maybe.
Dirt Farm is fantastic, whenever you see videos it focuses on the jumps, I can't jump but the flow stuff there is fantastic, it's not long but there's so much crammed in, wiggle after wiggle, it puts most trail centres to shame, there's none of that "ride 100 metres and do a corner, ride 50 metres and do a jump" nonsense. The lower stuff through the woods is just a joy. There's some good tech too but not as much.
If I had to choose between those two myself I struggle, but for a rare trip it'd be BPW. (we usually do 2 days at BPW and 1 at Dirt Farm- the Dirt Farm day is absolutely mandatory, but the sheer scope of riding at BPW makes it reasonable to do 2 days)