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Off to Uni in Leeds today and I have no idea where's good for mountain biking locally. Any recommendations of places to ride would be excellent, I'll be in Headingley and won't have a car so things need to be within riding distance.
Also, what areas would you recommend that are within reasonable train journeys of there?
Thanks!
Just join their MTB club?
They used to be fairly strong, you'll then get subjected to a nicely rhyming politically incorrect heckling at races 😉
Plenty to go at, depends what you like, Baildon Moor, Spring woods , Thackley woods, Stainburn are all great fun.
http://www.mbr.co.uk/routes/northern-england/shipley-gps-route-download/
Plenty of good stuff in and around Leeds.
You can link up lots of bits of urban woodland to make a decent loop. Try and meet up with some locals from this forum or look for segments on Strava, start with the area around Adel/Meanwood.
Bingley/Harden, Shipley Glen/Baildon Moor, Ilkley Moor, Esholt/Calverley, Otley Chevin are all easy to get to by train.
The MTB club is meant to be good. They are incredibly touchy about having "LEEDS LEEDS SPECIAL NEEDS" chanted at them at races though, the bunch of mincers.
get thee self 'ont train and head north to burley/ilkley area. I'm not a local and never ridden in that area but as I understand it there is plenty of riding around and north of that area. Also try out towards skitpton. I have lived in Otley but wasn't into mtbing then but the chevin which lies above Otley seems to have some bridleway and elevation for some fun. Otley also has a shed load of pubs!
Oh yeah, don't forget Stainburn, difficult to reach without a car but well worth a visit.
Keep off the the bridleway on the Chevin to find the best bits 😉
They used to be fairly strong, you'll then get subjected to a nicely rhyming politically incorrect heckling at races
You'll get that whichever club you join to be fair.
The Chevin will be your main area for a quick hit, by linking it up with other trails around esholt, apperley bridge, pudsey and so on you can make some really good big loops.
Then there's loads accessible by train: Stainburn from Huby, Shipley Glen from Saltaire, Ilkey Moor, Settle everything east of, Boss Moor from Skipton.
The road riding is also great from round there.
Oh yeah, don't forget Stainburn, [s]difficult to reach without a car but well worth a visit[/s] easy 40 min ride from Harrogate station. Which is 30 mins on the train from Headingley
ftfy
Decent fixed gear scene
Hebden/Tod are no distance away by train, where anything on the map that is a wiggly line is pretty much fair game.*
Oh, and spend a chunk of your first loan payment on bike insurance and a bunch of massive locks, they'll steal the fillings out of your teeth round there.
*(This isn't [i]strictly[/i] true, but you get the idea)
My daughters loved Leeds Uni, one stayed on and is now working up there. Can't help with the riding explicitly (they did publish some mtb routes on the council TdF website though) but standard student advice is find a mate with a car and share petrol costs. I would second the security advice, if it's a half decent bike buy a duff bag and keep it in your room.
Good luck a very exciting time in your life.
I used to do a 20 mile loop from Headingley to Meanwood, Scotland Wood, Adel Wood, round Eccup Reservoir, Harewood estate and back again. Perfect oldskool XC hardtail riding.
Stainburn is an easy half hour ride from one of the train stations near Harrogate (I've forgotten which one though).
Never got out to the Chevin myself but others recommended it.
Leeds the city itself is a bit of a dump, but the surrounding countryside is absolutely beautiful. You're also close to the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors (my ancestral homeland) so plenty of riding.
Can't help too much, but Stainburn is huge fun. I've only been there twice (meetings in Harrogate) but had a hoot both times. Can't wait to find another excuse to ride up there again.
One useful resource you've got as a student is the Bike Hub where there's workstands, tools, lubes etc. Just leave a little donation when you're done
[url= http://www.leeds.ac.uk/velocampus/workshop.html ][/url]
Stacks of natural riding out of Ilkley, Skipton, Settle, Horton, Ribblehead, Clapham. Gisburn is a 40min pootle away from Long Preston station.
Leeds the city itself is a bit of a dump
Not been there in a while then? or you've only been to belle isle........
Excellent! Thanks for all the suggestions, that was exactly what I was looking for. I'll join the club when I'm there. Currently wedged in the the car next to a Cotic Bfe which will be living under the bed.
This is the link you need pal!
keep an eye out for rides on there.
As above, for local riding, the Meanwood valley trail, out to the Harewood estate and then BW network to bob out in East Keswisk, circle back round in through the other side of the estate and back along the MVT. Enough different lines and routes through meanwood to keep in interesting.
As above Stainburn, but for trains you'll find monetarily you want to avoid getting any train the crosses the Wharfe into North Yorkshire, but there's good riding from train that goes to Ilkely. Calderdale just 1hr by train as well. Great pubs.