Coed Llandegla or Bike Park Wales for MTB weekend?

[Slowped]

Hi,

Please could I have your opinions on both of these MTB locations.

I'm planning a weekend away with friends at the end of May, and could do with picking one or the other. The distance doesn't feature much as a deciding factor, there is only about 20 minutes between the 2, as most of the party will be driving from Nottingham.

Any tips for accommodation at either location would be appreciated too.

Thanks!

[Kieranv]

I'd go for BPW, I've never been but I was at Llandegla last weekend and really didn't enjoy it. There were a lot of climbs with not much reward for them. Every descent quickly turned back into a climb.

Depends on your skillset and what you're after though. I do enjoy climbing, but it becomes tedious when there's no reward.

[P-Jay]

Llandegla is our usual weekender, but then I live in Cardiff so BPW is 20 mins for me.

'degla is great, the trail is fun, but there's only really one XC trail with different options based on difficultly, the Freeride is short and fast, but doesn't suit all levels.

As good as it is, it can't compete with BPW, the range of trails available is much greater and they're all good, it's really a vast development and growing all the time - there's a good uplift service (pre booking is well worth while) and if you want more Cwmcarn is minutes away and Afan about 40 mins down the M4.

Where Llandegla wins is North Wales is just much prettier than South Wales in terms of places to stay - just avoid Wrexham, it's a mental asylum.

[wobert]

I'm fortunate enough to live c15 mins from Llandegla, and as such it's my weekly run out.

I can't diagree with the comments above, regarding it's a single trail with sections added on for variety.

Have you considered mixing it with the Marin trail or Penmachno over towards Betws-y-coed?

[Slowped]

Hi, thanks for your comments so far. I am pretty new to the scene and I don't know of many other options. I would welcome any other suggestions.

[anonymous-user]

Coed y Brenin is about an hours drive from Llandegla and boasts some awesome singletrack, Llandegla is good, its worth a trip if you havent been before becuase the black sections are great but I got bored after a day and wouldnt go back in a hurry.

[P-Jay]

Slowped said:

Hi, thanks for your comments so far. I am pretty new to the scene and I don't know of many other options. I would welcome any other suggestions.

It's worth being realistic about you skill level if you're still pretty new to the game - as a rule to enjoy most of Bike Park you need to be confident if your bike leaves the ground and able to tackle drops that are very slightly too big to roll down. You also have to accept there will be times when you won't be able to stop safely because its steep and muddy, only very short bits, couple of meters, but once you commit to a line you need to ride it, saying that the Blue trails are epic fun and suitable for most, just be sensible with your speed, they really suck you in in BPW, even really good riders like for example the guy who runs our LBS has met a few trees at speed because he was going faster than he thought.

In regards to venues Wales has two great groups, North and South, Coed y Brenin is the original trail centre and has great trails and isn' a million miles from Llandegla if you want to mix it up.

South Wales has Cwm Carn and Afan (there's also Brechfa for a more leftfield choice) by May there will be 2 great XC trails at CC and 4 or possibly 5 at Afan and of course Bike Park.

[Digga]

I would say, if you're up for the weekend and fairly new to mtb, Llandegla would be a gentler, more variable (to abilities) option.

When I've been with a group, we've had people riding all sorts of different options, but still being able to meet up for lunch etc. at the trail head and, IMHO, apart from the difference in length - as a rule, the harder the trail, the longer it also is - this works really well. Plus there's the freeride and skills areas to dick about on too.

As has been said, I look to stay away from Wrexham itself. IIRC, Coed LLandegla have some accommodation links.

[Slowped]

Thanks for these ideas. I've been riding for about 6 months, but most of my experience is at Sherwood Pines.

I went to Cannock Chase a few weeks ago and stacked it badly a few times on the black section, before snapping the mech hanger about 5 miles in.

[P-Jay]

Slowped said:

Thanks for these ideas. I've been riding for about 6 months, but most of my experience is at Sherwood Pines.

I went to Cannock Chase a few weeks ago and stacked it badly a few times on the black section, before snapping the mech hanger about 5 miles in.

Don't let Cannock put you off, it's to my mind anyway, miles of fire road linking S&M grade black bits - perhaps that missing delivery of flow will arrive there one day.

Any of the places you've mentioned will be a laugh, just build up your speed rather than giving it the full Rémy Métailler out of the gate!

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Video-Remy-Metailler-...

[Digga]

P-Jay said:

Slowped said:

Thanks for these ideas. I've been riding for about 6 months, but most of my experience is at Sherwood Pines.

I went to Cannock Chase a few weeks ago and stacked it badly a few times on the black section, before snapping the mech hanger about 5 miles in.

Don't let Cannock put you off, it's to my mind anyway, miles of fire road linking S&M grade black bits - perhaps that missing delivery of flow will arrive there one day.

Any of the places you've mentioned will be a laugh, just build up your speed rather than giving it the full Rémy Métailler out of the gate!

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Video-Remy-Metailler-...

Llandegla is much more fun and the red & black bits, whilst being enjoyable, are IMHO a bit more forgiving than a lot of the Cannock black sections. not sure what it is with our local trail builders (I've never done any on the XC, only downhill) but they do tend to "go big" on the obstacles.

[wobert]

P-Jay said:

Don't let Cannock put you off, it's to my mind anyway, miles of fire road linking S&M grade black bits - perhaps that missing delivery of flow will arrive there one day.

Any of the places you've mentioned will be a laugh, just build up your speed rather than giving it the full Rémy Métailler out of the gate!
,
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Video-Remy-Metailler-...

Haha, that is excellent!

[TedMaul]

pablo said:

Coed y Brenin is about an hours drive from Llandegla and boasts some awesome singletrack, Llandegla is good, its worth a trip if you havent been before becuase the black sections are great but I got bored after a day and wouldnt go back in a hurry.

I'd say coed-y-brenin too, much greater variety of trails unless you know you want blacks. I love Llandegla I have to say, went there for several day trips last year with a 2 hr drive each end and well worth it.

[Digga]

TedMaul said:

I'd say coed-y-brenin too, much greater variety of trails unless you know you want blacks. I love Llandegla I have to say, went there for several day trips last year with a 2 hr drive each end and well worth it.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility to do both in a weekend. There's a few decent places to stay near C-y-B, so in theory, Llandegla Saturday, drive down to digs and then C-y-B on Sunday is do-able.

Not used any of the bunkhouses or B&Bs near C-y-B, but did stay in one of these and it was decent enough and there's a nice pub on site; http://www.logcabinswales.co.uk/

[Mr Gearchange]

Slowped said:

Thanks for these ideas. I've been riding for about 6 months, but most of my experience is at Sherwood Pines.

I went to Cannock Chase a few weeks ago and stacked it badly a few times on the black section, before snapping the mech hanger about 5 miles in.

Down be too disheartened - Cannock chase really isn't the easiest place to ride especially for a beginner.
The black sections off the Monkey trail are very technical - when they state that they are for riders with a high degree of techical skill they are right - and the chance for injury on the rock garden sections is pretty significant.

[anonymous-user]

Whilst cannock is a bit techy, it's slow, and there is nothing you can't roll off. BPW, is like that on the reds mostly (there are a few drops, that if you roll them, you will need perfect body positioning to not hook up your chain ring and get sent OTB!), but the blacks have proper drops on them (~4feet) which require the correct technique and correct entry speed (they also have made a few of the landings from the jumps and drops a bit blind, which can lead to some last minute corrections!)

If you have a relatively "fit" group, then you won't miss the uplift. If you have a group with less bike fitness, the uplift at BPW makes for a fun day, as everyone can pretty much stay together, and all the trails start and finish in the same place, so people can choose their own runs each time.

[Digga]

Max_Torque said:

Whilst cannock is a bit techy, it's slow, and there is nothing you can't roll off. BPW, is like that on the reds mostly (there are a few drops, that if you roll them, you will need perfect body positioning to not hook up your chain ring and get sent OTB!), but the blacks have proper drops on them (~4feet) which require the correct technique and correct entry speed (they also have made a few of the landings from the jumps and drops a bit blind, which can lead to some last minute corrections!)

If you have a relatively "fit" group, then you won't miss the uplift. If you have a group with less bike fitness, the uplift at BPW makes for a fun day, as everyone can pretty much stay together, and all the trails start and finish in the same place, so people can choose their own runs each time.

TBFs given the OP's relative lack of flying hours, I was erring towards the side of caution in excluding BPW from his options for now.

[Flippin' Kipper]

I live near Welshpool so about 40 mins from Llandegla, personally I am not a big fan. It gets very busy, and there are only a few descents that I really enjoy.

MY favorite trail center is Nant yr Arian, much prettier than Llandegla and the trails (Syfydrin especially) gives you a really out there XC experience - and almost no crowds.

CYB is also decent, can get fairly busy, some decent technical descents on the longer trails (MBR, dragons back etc), whilst the Minotaur is a good quick blast for all levels of ability (very short though).

Penmachno is almost always deserted, and is always wet. The trails are ok, but I think there are better offerings nearby - Antur Stiniog is also nearby if you wanted uplift (also close to CYB).

Marin Trail- only done this once, seemed ok - close to Penmachno and CYB so could be combined in a weekend.

Climax - short but the last descent is pretty good, although they were felling last time I was there. If you want to you can link from Climax into Dyfi forest which has some awesome trails, but is not marked and you need to know your way about.

Long Mynd - some good riding over the Mynd, ride here often, and more than enough to fill a weekend, could also take in the Stiperstones and Eastridge at the same time. Maps of the trails are available at Blazing Bikes, as well as camping pods.

Elan Vally, the Rhaeder round is one of my favorite rides, and I guess not that far from Nant yr Arian, some awesome descents and a really pretty setting.

If you want to know anything else let me know.

[BoRED S2upid]

Wrexham have a new premier inn right next to the station, stay here cycle up to llandegla through coedpoeth do the off road bit then it's down hill all the way back to your hotel!

[phil-sti]

Do Antur Stiniog on Saturday and then Llandegla on Sunday.

http://www.anturstiniog.com