Ever be a Mountain Biker without riding them 😉

Week off next week so thinking about going to both. I don’t normally do Trail centres, but I’ve spoke to loads who rave about ‘degla and I’ve always fancied nipping to Cannock.

Going on my own, bit of a coward on the bike unless I know what’s coming up on the trail and not particularly good at jumping but I do like going downhill and don’t mind climbing.

Any advice ? Done a search on here and it came up with people doing big damage to themselves on the freeride at llandegla so I want to be careful.

Cheers

Both are a piece of pass as long as you ride within your limits. Nothing you can’t roll……unfortunately 😥

You can be a mountain biker without ever visiting any trail centres. Just go ride some mountains.

Llandegla is very enjoyable if you like that kind of thing. Faster the better but careful on the jumps. The free ride section is optional so leave it if you’re not sure.

Whilst Cannock is OK, ‘degla is a fair bit better (imo).

Both good fun for typical trail centres

Both rideable on a hardtail but llandegla has more options to push yourself a bit. I’ve only got one bike and its bouncy at both ends but it made no difference to my levels of enjoyment

Do em – then you’ll know if you liked em.

Cannock is more groomed than degla, there’s bit on degla where there’s loads of stones and it’s all clattery, there’s nothing like that at Cannock. my tip for cannock is do the whole monkey, if you just do the dog you’ll end up back at the carpark wondering what the hell happened, it’s very short. If you have a whole day at cannock and the weather’s nice you could do the blue trail (flat family run) inbetween bits of the main trail, look for the signs just before you get to the campsite.

The blacks at Cannock are black, the bits at the top with all the rocks are awful and shatifying without a full suss and your saddle way down, so give them a miss if you’re not too confident, otherwise you’ll be walking down them and get someone shouting at you. The blacks at degla are like Cannock red, easy peesey.

Most of all have fun.

I am 20mins away from Cannock and ride it once or twice a week.

Dog is very tame and only 30mins worth of riding. The Monkey has far better climbs and descents and has some Black runs. The first Black is worth doing…the others just shorten some very good fast flowing descents.

But what most people miss is all the stuff not on the main trails. Cannock is a big place well worth exploring.

Llandegla is good fun but as far as I am aware there are no “off piste” areas.

Both worth a visit though.

As Jekkyl says Cannock Black is more Black than Llandegla!

Both are alright but a bit boring. Imo Llandegla isnt worth the drive if cannock is closer. The black is highly overrated and I basically just left thinking “was that it?”

The jumps there are designed a bit odd, bordering on dangerous despite being pretty small – over shooting is a problem! You can roll them but be prepared to have to suck them up well as you gain quite a bit of speed.

there’s loads of good stuff off piste at cannock, be crazy to miss out on it, if you have a week off, pitch a tent and make two days of it, you’ll need a yocal to show you round…and you’ll need a two day permit 😆

I’m a Cannock local (well, it’s my nearest half descent riding spot). It’s ok, better with the monkey trail but it does get pretty busy these days and there seem to be a few more knobbers riding there. It always amazes me that people drive a fair distance to ride there up maybe I’m just jaded from riding it a lot.

There is some really good off piste stuff if you follow your nose although it can get a bit claggy if the weather is bad.

Haven’t done Llandegla so can’t compare it (I would like to go there and intend to do so this summer).

Coed y Brenin Red is more black than Llandegla black

Natural trails at Long Mynd rather than Cannock any day. Give it a whirl, nicer scenery as well,

Drop me a line if you want a natural route which you can do with degla included, its a stunner!

Agree with East. I rod Long Mynd fir the first time at the weekend and loved it; big climbs but they’re worth it.

Can only speak for Cannock, don’t think you have much to worry about doing it on your own. I rode it solo on my first visit, nothing too hairy on either the dog or monkey and I’m distinctly average.

Good fun mind, hope to get up there again this summer.

Nothing to hairy on either, plus there’s nearly always someone on the course. I tend to just ride the Monkey now, as currently the Dogs best bits are being seen too.

The natural Degla route sounds good. Bland, I sent you an email asking about your stunner.

Dave

Go and ride them. I haven’t been to Cannock, but Degla is fine for the riding you’ve described. It isn’t a technical gnarrfest, but it’s a decent climb followed at least on the Red route by some fast singletrack. No big drops that I can think of, but some good fast berms and twists, and the last section has some interesting bits. The black is jumpy but roll-able, as long as you watch your speed. Some woodwork as well.
There are many who will tell you it’s boring, but that depends on your skill and experience. Don’t forget some folk would have you believe you haven’t been challenged until you’ve ridden Blue Pig blindfolded on a unicycle, after pushing your bike for seventeen miles uphill over rocky bogs and had to pick your way down rock gardens you wouldn’t walk down without ropes.

Thanks for all the replies.

I’m going to give them both a go next week hopefully. I’m just not used to riding trail centres as most of my stuff is Rivi or bridleways / bits of singletrack.

Will report back 8)

Cannock isn’t a place I’d say you have to ride before you die. If you’re local, it’s fine enough. It’s got some fun. Monkey trail is the better part. There are black options there that are more challenging than blacks in some other places, though found there’s no flow in them and they become a pain in the arse technically rather than fun technically.

It’s a typical average trail centre and busy and for me down in the south to travel there I’d rather travel to Wales and get far better trails, or do more natural stuff (though I have that on my doorstep).

It’s like round my way. I wouldn’t recommend someone does a long drive just to visit Swinley. Maybe not even a short drive 😛

I’ve ridden them both as they are both more fun than you can find round Cambridge. There’s nowt to worry about on either of them so just relax and enjoy the ride. They are both worth riding even if just to say you’ve one it, and they will be quieter on a mid-week ride.

Like Llandegla for some brain out fun. Riding them will not make you anything, avoiding them might make you a snob 😉

If you want to be an all round mountain biker then the newer man made stuff needs visiting, the older man made stuff in the mountains is fun too. Having lived in the lakes with “real” mountain biking in one direction and trail centre in the other I didn’t care which I did.

Definitely just give them both a go, you will never know what they are truly like until you ride them for yourself.

Both have there good parts and bad parts to be fair but both are worth the trip and if you don`t like them just tick them off the list but never feel like it was a wasted trip, enjoy them for what they are.

Well I survived degla

Really good ride out. Just did the Red.

Bit disillusioned at first on the fire road type bit but, once in the trees it was great fun. I’m still a bit scared when there’s big drops on the sides and I tend to freeze and chicken out and did that once on the roller coaster part, I think its called that.

Thanks goes out to local lad Lee who I got talking too and showed me round and waited for me about 3 times so, if you are on here, cheers mate it was good to have someone who knew the trails.

The climbs took me by surprise but its defiantly somewhere I will visit again.

You should of done the black. It’s really not that scary and it’s all rollable. So satisfying. Try it next time.