Top 5 trips to explore on a mountain bike

In the city, relying on two wheels for transport can often get your further than relying on four. A good bike is just the thing for nipping in-between traffic and taking unscheduled short cuts when the road ahead looks too congested. But if you have a mountain bike, just using it around the city or town will rarely be enough, as that’s like just using a four-by-four car just for the doing the morning school run, and after a while you’ll feel the need to hit some top mountain biking trails.
Even if you’re not a mountain bike enthusiast or an extreme sports junkie, a mountain biking holiday can be the perfect way to combine epic scenery, a relaxing pace of travel and the freedom to go off-road and see exactly what you want without ever having to stick to the itinerary. In Britain, there are hundreds if not thousands of tried and tested mountain biking routes and trails, some long and winding, others short and exhilarating, but all of them let you take control of your trip.
Undoubtedly some of the UK’s most challenging, popular and accessible mountain biking courses can be found at Glentress, near Peebles in Scotland. For pros and amateurs alike, Glentress is the ultimate mountain biking destination and, because of this, it regularly hosts national and international cup championships. With beginner trails for the uninitiated right through to the most hardcore downhill routes you’ll ever find, plus extensive onsite bike and equipment hire, this is the one stop adventure shop for mountain bikers.
For a beautiful woodland mountain bike trip like none other, take yourself away down to Coed Llandegla in North Wales for a weekend. Enclosed with a private woodland, stunning scenery is punctuated by many different levels of trails, from a scenic 12 km bike ride right through to some tasty stretches of downhill and jumps.
North Face is a brand usually associated with mountain faces, snow-capped peaks and high-altitude durable gear, so when they put their name to a mountain bike trip, you know it’s going to be a challenging one. The North Face Trail in Grizdale Forest, in Cumbria, is 10 miles of some of the best mountain biking scenery in England. However, as worth it as the vistas are, don’t let them fool you – as they traverse some seriously steep ups and downs along the way. But what other mountain biking trips come complete with a range of forest sculptures?
For anyone even remotely adventure minded, the name Fort William probably won’t be unfamiliar. The small Scottish town, set deep in the Highlands, is the definitive hub for extreme sports. With everything from ski centres and dog sleds to white water rafting and ice climbing nearby, it makes sense that Fort William has some quality mountain biking up its sleeve too. Annually, bikers come here for the Mountain Bike World Cup but, luckily, the same routes are largely open throughout the rest of the year for amateurs to try out too. If you’re feeling brave, head towards the Nevis Range Ski Centre car park, and then get ready for the 15 KM Witch’s Trail: a rocky, fast and tough descent which will put you and your bike through the paces.
Finally, back in Wales the original Coed Y Brenin is still considered the best by many. With a café, changing rooms, loads of mountain bikes for hire and routes for everyone, it’s no wonder this destination is considered a must for anyone after a mountain biking trip to remember.