How is Landegla red / blue as a track for kids? Mine are nearly 5 and 8, and happy round Clayton Vale, so thinking of something different.

Recall there’s a decent drag up at the start – is this badly discouraging for the young uns? Thinking more of my 8yo lad, as I’ve perfected the Dad push to help the younger one cycle up stuff.

8 yo should be ok on the red, 5 yo not so much. The blue is a bit more interesting than it used to be, so good first choice.

However, as you say, you need a failsafe way of getting them both up the first hill. My 8yo could do it ok on his own, but then he wouldn’t enjoy the rest of the ride, so I generally push him up some of it. Up until a few months ago I would tow him up the fire road that goes parallel from the top of the car park.
Up till last year I would tow him and then the 10 yo a little bit. Meant we could all get some exercise and enjoy the rest of the red/black as appropriate.

I think even if you’re just doing the blue, towing the 5yo would be a good plan. I wind very thin rope round the handebar grip, italtian friction hitch round my stem, through the seat rails, friction hitch round the kid’s stem then round his handlebar grip. Makes it much much easier to pedal and if either of us lets go then the rope drops to the ground.

Much much easier than pushing him with one hand, and you can either tow them bot at once or do the wean first then go back for the 8yo (who should by that point have got up half the hill on his own)

Thanks the g. Was thinking of a family outing where my wife could take youngest around the blue, and I’d go round the red with eldest and meet back up.
Having googled Italian friction hitch I think I understand your towing set-up. Wouldn’t have occurred to me tbh, but I guess is quite simple and is then just a bit of rope to carry in your pocket.

More detail on that short cut up the hill:
If you try to park in the top car park, and then cycle through the rest of the car park, past the gate and then up the fire road. You’ll see the red/blue trail through the trees on your left. Follow the fire road up the zigzag, along the flat, up another bit, then another flat and then one final uphill. You’ll then see the red/blue come in from the left at a big bermy turn. The red/bue crosses the fire road at that point from left to right. Bin the fireroad at this point and join the red/blue for the nessie bumps.
At the end of the nessie bumps, the blue goes off right and the red caries on. Don’t miss the blue turnoff as it’s a pain to get back to.

IF the 5 yo fancies a bit more action then I’d really recommend carrying on the red at this point for the first hairpin and back. Basically it does a long striaght on, followed by a sharp turn and then a long straight on back to nearly where the blue dives off. So a long straight in a westerly direction, u turn, back east, then as it does another u turn back west, nip up the side of the berm and you end up on the fire road again. Go up that 200m, then drop through the trees to the end of the aforementioned nessie bumps and then take the blue.

Also, take a map just in case 8yo gets tired on the red. There’s a few chunky hills and there are lots of shortcuts if you know where you are.

Also, only 1 turn of the rope on the handlebar grip. It’s surprisingly sticky and the rope won’t come off if you do two.

enjoy.

My 9yo I wouldn’t take near Llandegla red, but he’s not a confident rider. Its just that bit too long and too steep in places unless they are reasonably confident and enthusiastic. Definitely recommend riding knowing where the shortcuts are, but from experience when my chain broke and I had to push / coast back, you’re never quite as near to the cafe as you thought you were!

He manages the drag up well enough and really enjoys the blue. It’s a shame really that the 3 mile drag up is necessary for both the blue and the red so there isn’t a really easy option for tired young legs.

TBH all my gang (4 boys, 7 – 16) enjoy the skills area and pump track for a good period of time whenever we go up, so make sure you allow time for that too. Plus the cafe is superb!

My 10 year old can proper smash the red .
The blue is fine for all plus there’s an orange horse trail which is okay for families etc.

Delamere in Cheshire is also ideal for a family bike day

I was there yesterday afternoon.
Trails nice and dry, apart from one deep puddle that gave me wet feet!

There’s no way I’d take my 4.5 year old there, that 3 mile climb will take the fun out of it for him. Hell be saying daddy I want to go home after ten minutes.

Oh and 3 chain drops!! Looks like it’s time to get rid of 3×11, don’t know how I’ll do some of the climbs though!

Delamere is our home stomping ground, I think its one of those places where if you know where to look, there’s some good stuff. And great for a generalised family round around with no stress.

But if you just turn up at the main car park you could end up missing the decent bits. I’ve not been to Clayton Vale, but I’d imagine that CV would be better than Delamere as a trail centre for a youngster.

The blue is fine for all

This is not true.

It’s a shame really that the 3 mile drag up is necessary for both the blue and the red so there isn’t a really easy option for tired young legs.

This is true

There’s no way I’d take my 4.5 year old there, that 3 mile climb will take the fun out of it for him

This is also probably true.

There is a huge mismatch of effort versus enjoyment/interest on the blue. If you tow a small kids up the drag then it’s ok, but I can’t imagine many kids who are bad enough to find it interesting but fit enough to do the first climb and easily enjoy it.