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Got a day off in a few weeks, so was thinking of having a full day at Dalby. But are the official routes worth the journey? Its nearly 20 years since I last rode there but didn't really enjoy it then, so has it improved enough to have a good day out and worth the drive? Or would you suggest somewhere else?
I don't want to go finding unofficial routes, as I'm likely by myself I just want to easily follow the marked routes.
Other ideas are:
• glentress - probably 15 years since last went, but really enjoyed it. Has much changed?
• Mabie - never been
• Dalbeattie - never been
• Kielder - about 20 years since i last rode there but thought it was shit and not worth the journey. Has it improved much?
Normally ride at Hamsterley, on a mix of black and red routes and a few unofficial routes, so that is not a suggestion. And recently had a full day at Whinlatter which I enjoyed but want to try something different. Also normally ride in Yorkshire dales and moors, but just want a trail center for a full day out by myself, without spending a day out in hills following routes on gps or map.
Cheers
Some fun bits, some peddally bits. I liked it the last time I went, decent length route if you just want to follow a route.
Parking was £7 (may have gone up since) which felt steep
You could tick off Mabie and Dalbeattie in a day. I'd do Dalbeattie first, it's a fair bit longer and you'd probably find Mabie a bit easier going afterwards.
I think it's quite good.
But I think me an t' chap above are in the minority.
Let the slating begin...
Certainly Dalby is infinitely better than Mabie. Perhaps I expected more given its illustrious neighbours, but it was shit.
I specifically remembered one particular corner/drop as it was the only bit that actually needed to be awake for.
I enjoy Dalby, the full Red is 35km, plus you can add in the World Cup stuff, a play on Dixon's Hollow, and the Blue is surprisingly good fun - the last blue descent has bigger, steeper berms than a lot of the red.
As someone else suggested, Dalbeattie and Mabie in the same day make a good combo as well, and they're only about half an hour apart.
If your normal is Hamsterley, and you're prepared to go up to the Stanes, do that IMO. Dalby is OK, but quite XC in nature for quite a bit of the loop - it's worth getting a GPX for the 'best' version that misses out some of the boring stuff at the top end.
I think Dalby rewards you the fitter you are. There is flow but only if you can pedal hard.
With a bit of research Glentress has a great mix of trail centre and off piste trails.
Dalbeattie I find interesting but the bigger features I find too scary when they are wet.
It's a pretty good mainly xc pedal around on its own merits. But there is much better around, and I wouldn't travel for hours to get there.
I think Dalby rewards you the fitter you are. There is flow but only if you can pedal hard.
This.
It is fun in many places.
It also has some bits that feel more than half-assed and lack fun.
I’m of the view that any bike ride is better than not riding and actually quite enjoy Dalby. But the red run is vs w lot longer than most reds and I can’t help thinking that if they could somehow lose the padding and include the best bits it would make a great 20km red
For me it’s a similar drive to the Peak District or South Lakes. So that’s where I usually go for a day. But in winter it’s lower, sheltered in the woods and well drained it can make a good alternative
I tend to turn right at Dixons on the forest drive then straight forward on the dirt road where the forest drive turns sharp left. Follow this to the end, turn right and you are back on the Red.
If you didn't like it 20 years ago you probably still won't as it is still pretty similar. Saying that, depends if it was really 20 years or more like 15 as it was changing a fair bit back then.
I like the first 2/3rds but find it runs out of ideas in the last 1/3rd. Still, worth a trip though.
If it is a comparison between Dalby and a trip up to the Tweed Valley, then it’s no comparison IMO. If you are stuck on a trail centre then Glentress is way ahead and even better if you are prepared to venture off the mainstream official tracks.
Too xc for me, too much flat pedaling when you're not sure if it's going up or down. I can imagine it might be more fun on a proper XC bike when you're quite fit but for your average rider I think it's pretty rubbish and not worth the trip. I would choose 7 stanes or Hamsterley over it every time.
Was at dalby today and loved it I’m there a few times every month as it’s only an hour away. But of the choices listed it’d be glentress for me. If you haven’t been to glentress for 15 years there’ll be some new stuff like berm baby berm but the old stuff from spooky down is as good as ever. And a bite to eat at the glentress hotel is recommended too.