MTB weekend advice

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May 24, 2012, 01:39:43 PM

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[elbo]

Hello folks,

I am after a bit of advice if possible.
I am planning 3 days of riding this wknd, from Friday to Sunday, with intentions to camp Fri and Sat night.
My thoughts were to do trail centres, so wouldn't have to worry about sorting out and following maps etc.

I also intend to do shorter rides (<15 miles) on Friday and Sunday with Saturday being the main day for riding with aim of doing around 25 miles or so.

Our riding ability I would say is intermediate, with the likes of 'degla black being fun but not particularly challenging.

Where would people recommend? Also are there any campsites you could recommend too?
 
I have left it last minute to see what the weather was gonna be like

My thoughts on options were:
1) W.Scotland - Kirroughtree, Dalbeattie, Mabie
2) S.Wales - Afan, Brechfa, Cwmcarn.
3) E.Scotland - Glentress, Innerleithen, Newcastleton.
4) N.Wales - Coed-y-brenin, Machynlleth, Penmachno.
(in no particular order)

These are the trails I haven't done where I can see are a few trail centres in close proximity.
I may have missed some which is why I am asking u lot.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

[fly6154]

For me it would be the Brechfa one ,it is a brilliant trail not to be missed,hard to find you can easily get the wrong starting place ,but well worth the trip.

[iain1775]

1.
always be 1. Three really good trails there and not much driving betwen them, plus you have Ae, Whinlatter and Drumlarig Castle in the area too

[dgould]

GLENTRESS ..... Just F'INg GLENTRESS Brother...all day every day. Stay in Peebles, curry at night..... all good in the hood

[fly6154]

Brechfa beats the lot for fun easily.

[davy-g]

West Of Scotland for the 7stanes...

Castle Cary is situated about 15 min East of Kirroughtree  http://www.castlecary-caravans.com/tariff.htm#touring

Then there is Kippford, situated near Dalbeattie and right in the middle for Ae-Mabie-Kirroughtree-Glentrool 7stanes..  
http://www.kippfordholidaypark.co.uk/touring-park-kippford-holiday-park-dumfries-and-galloway-scotland

Gorsebank http://www.gorsebank.com/

If you do decide to hit the 7stanes and Kirroughtree in particular then lemme know and I will guide you round the Black Route, it's about 19-20 miles distance.. and has the famous McMoab in the middle of it...

just a little something to whet the appetite  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFtWaR3N_vs

[mc]

1 would be my choice.
3 as a second, but I'd make sure it was only a quick visit to Newcastleton.

[elbo]

Thanks everyone for your advice, I have decided to go with number 1. Not sure what order we'll do the trails in but gonna base ourselves somewhere central, probably near Dalbeattie, but we'll sort that out on the way in the morning. Excited! 

[iain1775]

leave Kirry until last

[elbo]

Well i had an awesome weekend!

Stayed in a small campsite in Dalbeattie called Islecroft. Quite small but only 2 mins into town for shops and pubs.
Rode to the Dalbeattie trail on friday and did that first. My first impression was that it was a bit dull, but then i changed my opinion not that long after as i started to enjoy myself more.
Did "the slab" with no problems, but came a cropper on the next slab which had a kind of landing at the mid point. Ended up spraining my ankle pretty bad actually, not ideal on the first day of a mountain bike weekend!
I actually got the incident on camera, and funnily enough is the only video of me riding. I will post it when i get round to it so you can all have a laugh!!   
Anyway, even though walking was difficult, i could actually still ride if i pedalled off my heal, so all was not lost...

Saturday we didn't do much other than mope around all morning, partly because we had a bit to drink the night before, partly because my mate had forgotten his riding shoes and refused to use his hiking shoes again as they did not grip his pedals enough so had gotten his shoes posted up to the campsite by special delivery and we had to wait for them, and partly because my ankle was quite sore and i wasn't sure whether it was wise to ride on it and make it worse and spoil my chances of riding the day after when potentially it might be better. (....breath)
Anyhow, his shoes (eventually) turned up and i decided to go for it, so we went to Mabie. Mabie, in my opinion was better then Dalbeattie. The first downhill section (can’t remember the name of it) and descender bender were amazing. Really fast and swoopy and the kind of think we really like. Really enjoyed it.

Sunday we went to Kirroughtree. One word, INCREDIBLE! The swoopy, pumpy forest sections were awesome. It was all awesome. Best biking experience of my life. (so far)

Even with the weekend going from disaster to disaster. What with my mate forgetting his shoes, then his shoes nearly not arriving so would end up being stuck in Scotland when we finally left on Sunday, with my sprained ankle, and the bloody rain! We had a cracking weekend and would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t been!
 

[dgould]

Should have gone to Glentress!

[elbo]

I def wanna do Glentress/Innerleithen. Are they better than kirroughtree?

[dgould]

I was only winding you up mate. But hell yes!!

[mc]

The Slab at Dalbeattie isn't really hard, it's just more of a mental mindf**k.
The Terrible Twins on the other hand have caught out many people. You've got to avoid the wheel catching dip part way down


GT/Inners are more fast flowy and jumpy than the west stanes, with the exception of the black option at Inners which is pretty rocky and techy, and GT Black which is a varying mix, with only a couple bits that could be classed as techy.

[elbo]

Ah, the terrible twins! They definately caught me out.
Check out the video if you want a laugh! 

GT/Inners sounds right up my street, and definately on my list of places to ride next!