MTB: Llandegla black runs

I hadn't been to Llandegla before. My riding buddy had been a few years ago and wasn't too impressed. News of new black runs coaxed into making the journey.

The trail is a double-edged sword. The facilities are second to none: bike shop, toilets, cafe, bike wash, parking, bike hire, multiple routes etc but the flip side is that the experience is very 'manufactured'. The trails are all very sterile feeling. However, the journey is worth it for the black runs alone. I'm by no means highly skilled but loved them. They flow incredibly quickly and the design is perfectly measured. I would say the extra 6KM these sections add to the red route can be tackled by most people, providing they attack them with a modicum of common sense. I was surprised at the amount of people heading down them with no pads (or even helmet in one case) and therefore equally unsurprised to find a chap with a dislocated shoulder at the bottom of the first jump (having spoken to his friends in the car park after, at least he was enjoying the hospital morphine)!

For a hassle free and quick blast (1.5-2.5 hours for the combined 21KM red and black routes) with all the amenities present and correct, you can't really beat it. More info at the Coed Llandegla website

PS. You didn't think that photo was me did you? It isn't, I'm not that good! It's one from their website...

MTB: Penmachno trail in North Wales

What a fantastic trail this one is. Only 12 miles too. It's actually a little short on rocky technical challenges but there are some superb sections of flowing trail. One right in the middle and then the last section - it's so long I thought my arms were going to explode! If you haven't done this trail yet it is well worth the journey. Penmachno is located in Conwy County, North Wales (signposted on the A5 road 2 miles south of the popular inland tourist resort of Betws y Coed).

MTB: Marin Trail in North Wales

Finally got to ride the Marin trail a couple of weeks back. Only started riding this year and wondered what all the fuss was about. Now I know. Seriously good trail. Exciting without fearing death at every turn. Lovely, fast flowing hardpack. Few rocky patches but by and large just thoroughly enjoyable single track that makes every uphill seem worthwhile.

Find out more about the trail here: www.mbwales.com

MTB: Video footage of MTB rides

I recently tested 3 helmet based cameras for Digital Video UK magazine. If you head to the Gallery section here you can view 4 short video clips taken with the Blackeye2 camera fed into a JVC 77EK DV camera. Video was compressed with Squeeze 4.3. We were riding a great loop around the Edale valley in Derbyshire.
Most of the vids are a little slow as I don't yet possess the courage to go faster. Sadly by the time we got to the biggest rockiest descent and the camera was on the fastest rider (Michael Chafer) the tape had run out (and we didn't realise).
Still, one of the riders had a great idea on the way home - to put the camera on the back of someones helmet and therefore see other riders racing behind.
Expect some more vids of that ilk in the next few weeks.

MTB: Routes travelled, interactive map

Hopefully I'll be enjoying a few more jaunts on the good old bike across our green and pleasant lands this summer. You can see where I have been by taking a look at my interactive Google Map. I'm sticking a pin in after every journey. If you can recommend any in the locality be sure to add a comment.

Look at the routes travelled map