As it’s looking like there will be no races this year I was thinking if guided rides are still an option I’d quite fancy it. Does anyone have any recommendations on who to use or where to start looking. Thanks In advance

Saddle skedaddle (sp?) have been great when we’ve used them, uk and abroad
We also had a guide from Afan lodge, if it’s still going, great riding around there, full day didn’t use one of the centre tracks.

Depends what you’re after I guess. Are you thinking a point to point / multi day trip, or a guide to show you the best trails in an area?

id go with someone local if you can as youll get a lot more bang for your book.

Trailmotions guided me round the lake district and it was great. Still one of the best rides ive had.

Whoosh guided me around the local area and even up helvellyn once.

both reasonable cost and properly planned route with a cafe (cake)stop and constant motivation (god i need it) made them both worthwhile.

I don’t know what it’s like in other parts of the country but the Highlands are awash with freelance MTB guides.

Has anyone had guided rides on anything other than legal rights of way? I’m wondering if any UK guides have permission from landowners to ride anything else.

Staying on RoWs is not an requirement in Scotland.

Any particular areas your looking at?

Tweed Valley Guides if you want to explore that part of Scotland.

Midlands based so anything around these ways. Maybe wales or Peak District too

Everything depends on what you’re after. I’m a qualified guide in Wales and I’m brilliant, but there are limits to what I can offer for insurance reasons.

First, what do you want to ride?

If you want big old-skool XC/wilderness loops, with or without gnar, that’s perfect, because that’s basically what we’re insured to do. (Although a gpx file will get you far without having to ride with a stranger.)

If you want full-on enduro/downhill on “secret” tracks, you need to tag along with a local or a local group ride. No professional guide is insured for that. (I organise a weekly ride on a group-of-friends basis where some choose to take in tracks like that.)

Sitting somewhere in the middle, we are allowed to take you on all “paths” in the forest. The definition of a path is up for debate. (I take a common-sense approach to that based on who I’m guiding.)

Next, do you want accommodation for that mtb holiday experience? That narrows down the list a lot. (I don’t do that.)

The fact that you are considering paying for guiding at all is quite unusual these days now that we can easily arrange to meet up with people online or follow a gpx file. Which is fine, but obviously a guide doesn’t just know where to go – we also know what to do if there is a problem, and we should be better at accommodating your specific riding preferences. We’re also more likely to carry a pump.

I’d recommend these guys for mid Wales trips: https://www.mtb.wales/booking

they’re fairly booked up until the autumn though.

Looks like Tom Hutton does guided trips in the areas your looking at as well https://tomhuttonmtb.co.uk/guided-rides/

A mate runs Peak Cycling UK if you fancy something that way

Id be interested in getting locals to show me around their patch. You cant beat local knowledge and they can show you the secret stuff / pixie stuff and cheeky stuff.

I would be happy showing anyone round the Chilterns for example – as a mate of course. Not as a guide.

I bet others on STW would be very happy to show people round their local riding spots – I would love someone to show me places like the Quantocks / Wales / Peaks etc. My alternative is making up stuff from my mapping software, or doing Trail Break events. I’ve done a few of them in Surrey and then gone back there later for some exploring.

Morecashthandash I’ve emailed them thanks.

Seems like most of the trips are cancelled or sold out atm

I’ve done some trips with Wild bike, father and son guiding team, both great riders and people to hang out with.

+1 for Wildbike

https://marmalademtb.com/ these guys are very friendly, did a surrey hills day a few years ago and was very happy with them.