Am I right in saying that the new rules allow us to take a day trip from Manc to Wales over Christmas?

Exciting stuff. Never realised how much I liked the place…..

You probably need to read the details of the new rules. My understanding is that you can travel between UK countries and tiers for the purpose of visiting family over Christmas. I don’t know if the rules explicitly state that must be the reason for travel though.

Manchester heading for tier 3 it appears, so whatever those rules suggest!

Why would you go all that way to LLandegla when you have the peaks on your doorstep?

Why would you go all that way to LLandegla when you have the peaks on your doorstep?

Good point. The simple answer is the kids. The little one really loves jumping and flow, which Llandegla has loads of.

The Peak has some excellent routes, but most of the ones I know require serious effort/ skill to get up the hills. I love that aspects but the kids are much more ambivalent about it. There is little fun to be had pushing a bike that weighs a third as much as you do up a boggy, rutted hillside again and again. A lot of the time they manage it well, for example last week we did the Ladybowr to Derwent Edge climb, but it is a lot to ask for them to do three of them back to back.
At Llandegla they can ride all the ups.

Also at Llandegla there is the fact that they know it. They know exactly how far they have to go and what is coming up. This makes them relax and enjoy it. They don’t have that unknown worry that they always have on new rides. It’s hard to explain, but perhaps someone else with kids can explain.

They’ve done loads of riding in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Torridon, Cairngorms, Laggan, Lecht, Golspie, lakes, Wales, Dartmoor, Glentress yada yada yada, but sometimes they we just want something fun

And Llandegla, for all its myriad limitations, provides that. Which is sometimes appealing, especially in this day and age…

You’ve explained it very well. Not just kids that love Llandegla. I see a lot of “proper” mountain bikers looking down their noses at it, but I love the place. I haven’t been since before lockdown 1, so keen to see the changes they’ve made. Well maintained trails that are fun for mere mortals, best trail centre cafe I’ve ever used, friendly staff. Works for me.

The changes at degla are minimal but certainly better. They have just changed some of the jumps on the blacks to be more vertical so rather that just hitting them fast you have to really learn how to jump properly to get the best from them (i’m still working on this)

Degla is great. Peaks are great. I spend more time in the peaks but if the weather is a bit off then Degla offers fun with more protection from the elements.

I still get confused when people give stick about Swinley, Degla etc… They’re awesome, just awesome .

Sorry. Just that it’s one of my favourite photos. 6 years ago at least.

Your a lot younger than i expected

I agree about Degla being a good spot to ride, it’s a spot me and my son ride together, along with Farmer Johns, I can’t convince him to ride the peaks with me yet.

I’m not fully up to speed with the new Tier arrangements, however I would imagine moving out of a Tier 3 into a Tier 2 area is frowned upon, so that may kibosh your plans.

In the same boat here, would love to go with my lad over Christmas, however I think we’ll just end up waiting until things blow over.

As I understand it, for that period of 5 days where the govt has said everyone can go nuts (or words to that effect) – all the limitations of tier 1,2,3 with regard to travel are gone, and replaced with a new set of rules that allow you to travel anywhere in the UK for those 5 days only. I’m not clear on whether you’re only allowed to travel for the purposes of visiting friends/family for christmas or whether you could use the 5 days of freedom to head to llandegla for a spot of biking.

I guess the llandegla biking option is probably far lower risk than going to visit some friends etc.

That was exactly my reading of it.
Some families will spend the time eating Christmas dinner together, some will go for a local walk, some will go to Llandegla together.

Was fully intending to take my nippers to Llandegla at least once this year, great place, bloody ‘rona.

Llandegla is great fun and no matter how busy the parking is trails always seem quiet. Loved Farmer John’s as well when I was riding there.

I would normally be in the ‘just ride peaks (or lakes)’ camp but i appreciate the merits of Degla. Personally if ive got a full day to ride somehwere it would be far from my first choice but it is a fun day out, especially if you chuck worlds end in the mix.

absolutely no comparison to Swinley tho!!

julians
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From https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family

“Between 23 and 27 December, you may travel between tiers and other nations of the UK if necessary to meet with other households in your Christmas bubble or return home. Once at your destination, you should follow the rules in that tier.”

From https://gov.wales/written-statement-approach-festive-period

“Travel restrictions across the four administrations and between tiers will be lifted to provide a window for households to come together between the 23 and 27 of December.”

If anyone wants to play Philadelphia Lawyers with that, then fair enough, but it seems clear to me that it isn’t intended to be a free-for-all.