417 bike park, or FoD

I really enjoyed 417. Did both in the same weekend and 417 was the more enjoyable of the two for me. 

I prefer 417 but maybe FOD is better if you want a whole weekend of riding? 

Interesting, thanks. Will try a day trip to 417 then.

They are very different. 417 is mostly flowy and jumpy, great if you want man made bike park features. FOD have much more varieties.

No idea how far is the commute from the train station for 417, but the FOD trail centre is not that close to Lydney (doable but I guess you may want to maximize time on the trails). Another option could be Cwmcarn, where there is a the train station nearby (but you may need to spend more time on the train as it's further west).

Can't comment on the journey part but 417 is a nice day out, but FOD with uplift is just miles better imo. Very different in feel, FOD is much more natural, rut-in-forest feel for much of it, 417 very bikeparky, more of an "uplifted trailcentre". Uplift is run by the same people. (FOD uplift looks like it might not be worth it, for such a small hill but because it's all on road it's really fast). There's tons more riding in the forest as well.

Put it another way, we go down that way every year and we usually do 2 days at FOD and could do more. We go to 417 every 2 or 3 years.

Not sure if they were just having a wobble, but last time we were there wasn't brilliant- still had a good day, don'twant to seem too negative, but the black was seriously beaten up, as if it'd been partly washed away (I think they were putting all their efforts into the new trail which wasn't quite open), the uplift was slow/overbooked, and the cafe had hardly any options and was all a bit halfassed (it used to be far better). It all just felt a bit second rate compared to every other time I'd been there.

I'm at FoD tomorrow... i've been loads...i've been to 417 a lot too. They're just 'different' to eachother. As above, fast flowy, jumpy... is 417.
tech, roots, loam, is FoD...

Pick from there... I'd happily ride either, and quite often do so 🙂

I live 10min from 417 but usually drive the 40+min to find as it has more variety of trails. 417 is good but has very little (if none) in the way of natural trails. Both uplifts are great, if pushing / riding up I'd definitely rather do FoD as you can session between fire roads and cut out the steeper sections of push up.
417 is a flat ride from Gloucester station - through Brockworth, no idea about FoD but it's cirtainly doable from Lydney.

I do 417 usually once a year at most, usually as a warm up for the start of the season. I have always felt they could do so much more with their elevation.
Fod is much more enjoyable with its rooty natural goodness.

Went to 417 once and wouldn't go back, maybe it was an unfortunate weekend but the tracks were all completely blown out. It's all loose stone and I struggled for any grip at all. Not good when even a small fall would batter you and your bike on rocks. Not for me I'm afraid, obviously others like it but it's FOD all the way for me. 

I live in Gloucester and whilst I used to go to 417 regularly before covid, I just can't justify it now with their pricing. I ride in the forest of dean as good as weekly and often go to just lap out the 'DH' runs. If you don't know your way around in the forest and want to ride a bike park I could justify visiting 417, otherwise I'd 100% be going to the forest.

I did 417 once and that was enough for me. Nothing particularly bad about it but there was nothing special either. The trails in FOD are just miles better imo.

If you can get there then FoD, no question. Even if you were closer I wouldn’t bother visiting 417.

I quite like 417... but only in the dry. If you are planning in advance especially in autumn that could be a bit of an issue.

As an alternative, perhaps train to Abergavenny and ride Dirt Farm (nee Black Mountains Cycle Centre)? Looks reasonably similar in terms of train journey from London and personally that's my favourite uplift venue in the South Wales/FOD area (aside from BPW - which is more 'totally different' rather than better).

Lydney station is a bit of a pain to get to from London. You either need to go up to Cheltenham & down, or along to the Severn Junction. By the time you actually get there, you could probably get to Cwmcarn & ride all the off piste.

Lydney to the cycle centre is probably a 45 minute pedal. It’s pretty flat all the way, although the road from Lydney to Parkend is horrible to ride along, which you don’t have much choice on - then you can jump on the family trail the centre. Or just ride some of the off piste stuff before you even get there.

I have watched a video of 417 & that was enough to tell me I never want to go there to ride.

I live pretty close and I've only ridden 417 twice; the first time was on a lovely sunny day and was ok, the second was gloomy and damp and was very much less than ok. For Park I'd go to Dirt Farm.