Dalby Forest MTB Centre worth a visit?
Discussion
Its 35 mins away from me, so is a local place for me to ride and can recommend. Not sure what sort of riding you're after but the red route is about 21 miles of mix terrain, nothing too technical if you're an experienced XC or trail MTB'r. https://www.strava.com/activities/4014300404
Majority of riders on the red are on trail bikes but an XC around there is just fine.
If you want something more extreme, then you'd need to have a dig around some of the DH forums to find out where those trails are. The green and blue's are definitely more XC and family orientated.
Best get there early (well 9am ish) or early evening to avoid the most riders, but its 8000 or so acres
Majority of riders on the red are on trail bikes but an XC around there is just fine.
If you want something more extreme, then you'd need to have a dig around some of the DH forums to find out where those trails are. The green and blue's are definitely more XC and family orientated.
Best get there early (well 9am ish) or early evening to avoid the most riders, but its 8000 or so acres
I've only been once last year, and its not very very 'bike park', no jumps to speak of, not much downhill, only a very few techy bits and managed the red and black with ease and very very few bits were you really have to think and choose your lines. (disclaimer also was on an EMTB so tec stuff esp climbing tec can just be clarson style powaaaaaaarrr'ed over a lot of the time)
I'd say it was an ok day out and I would go back, but places I've enjoyed more if you've been to any, Thrunton, Newcasteton, Chopwell woods, Hamersterly, Whinlatter.
I went to kielder last month and really didnt enjoy that. Miles and miles of climbing and fireroads with very little downhill.
I'd say it was an ok day out and I would go back, but places I've enjoyed more if you've been to any, Thrunton, Newcasteton, Chopwell woods, Hamersterly, Whinlatter.
I went to kielder last month and really didnt enjoy that. Miles and miles of climbing and fireroads with very little downhill.
I'm localish in York so ride there pretty often. The red route is easy but quite long for a red - theres nothing on it that I can recall that even a pretty inexperienced rider couldn't handle. My 8 and 11 year olds ride certain sections of it to make a smaller loop with no problems.
Not done all the blue but its pretty short - was going to take the kids on that sometime one night after school.
If you want something a little more extreme, try and find a guide/strava stalk etc for some bits to the south of the main trails and out towards Allerston. The off piste stuff out there is extensive and amongst some of the best stuff I've ridden in the UK even with the elevation limitations that Dalby has.
Not done all the blue but its pretty short - was going to take the kids on that sometime one night after school.
If you want something a little more extreme, try and find a guide/strava stalk etc for some bits to the south of the main trails and out towards Allerston. The off piste stuff out there is extensive and amongst some of the best stuff I've ridden in the UK even with the elevation limitations that Dalby has.
Oh and its mentioned above but the main car park by the visitor centre gets rammed. If you go past there, past the small car park by Go-Ape theres a much better/quieter car park just after that on the right, plus theres always LOADS of parking if you continue for another couple of miles up to Adderstone Field where you can access the red and world cup trails as well as the quarry which has some basic jumps and a pump track etc.
witko999 said:
I'm thinking of heading to Dalby this weekend for the first time since about 2008. Should I be on my summer or winter tyres? I changed to summers about a month ago but the non stop May rain means some of my locals are a bit of a slop fest.
Its 100% hard pack so there'll be very little mud. Summer tyres will be absolutely fine. Forecast to be dry between now and Saturday which means it'll be pretty dry by then at Dalby.witko999 said:
I'm thinking of heading to Dalby this weekend for the first time since about 2008. Should I be on my summer or winter tyres? I changed to summers about a month ago but the non stop May rain means some of my locals are a bit of a slop fest.
I imagine there will be shed loads of standing water but forecast looks great for riding. Its not changed massively, just sanitised. I have been riding in Dalby on and off for 30 years ... its been well developed. Having not had an MTB for the past 9 or so years until last year, I've found that the trails are in far better condition than previously, smooth and cambered so that you can really get to some indecent speeds on the flat sections, probably helped by modern 29ers.
Personally I don't think its as challenging technically as it used to be but if you enjoy riding sections flat out then its a real buzz.
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