Trails advise sought please.

Melch

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Myself and a good mate that I have travelled with for years, decided this year we fancied trail riding somewhere for a couple of weeks. We originally thought of the Pyrenees on the Spanish side. The plan was to sling the bikes in the back of my van, drive down, unload with tents etc on the back of the bikes and bugger off for a week or so.

We've since decided that it is going to be just too hot at this time of year that far south (my mate is a teacher so is tied to certain times re. holidays).

The latest thought is to stick the bikes in the van and try oop north somewhere, and or Wales. (I wondered about Scotland and searched on internet and concluded it is a bit of a non starter regarding motorised vehicles off road).

So, to get to the point, could anybody please recommend good areas/routes to try (preferably reasonably remote). The bikes we have are Drz400s and DR350. Standard pipes and no race numbers or other assorted silliness.

I appreciate that nobody is going to want to give out details of little known routes etc for obvious reasons. I am new to trail riding but joined the TRF last night. My mate is more experienced trailing than myself. Neither of us are into heroics or acting like idiots (at least not when it would impact on others).

Any help/advice most gratefully received.
 
If you come up to the N Wales TRF meet, you're sure to get a route from one of us.

Meanwhile have a look at this and gauge if that's the sort of trip but perhaps a little longer:thumb

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230220&highlight=doorstep

Thanks Tim – I had a look at the link and thought: Yeah, that looks like fun, how hard can it be? However, despite riding motorised velocipedes for all my adult life I can't help but think that for a large proportion of that route I may get an overwhelming urge to set fire to my bike when I get it stuck for the umpteenth time in 20 minutes. I did briefly peruse the TRF's code of conduct and didn't see anything about DO NOT 'Torch the Fucker' when on a trail.

I do like a challenge though and am up for many different thrills and hedonistic experiences but I can't help but think that may be a little ambitious for a man of limited technical off road/trail/slippy-slidey ability such as myself. In time I would be gagging for a bit of that action (possibly).

Do you have anything in a similar size but without quite as much attitude please. Ta muchly :D
 
hi pete have you thought about france ? supposed to be a lot of good riding from the middle downwards. or if its too not how about Ireland ? some good pubs with amazing countryside :D :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:
 
Tim,
Thanks for the interesting link to your Welsh adventures. Really enjoyed that. As a new GS'er with a developing taste for byways I will probably show up at the Welsh TRF meet sooner or later. For now having a ball exploring the easier routes on the GS, but working on a plan to get a smaller bike for some of those trickier trails.
 
hi pete have you thought about france ? supposed to be a lot of good riding from the middle downwards. or if its too not how about Ireland ? some good pubs with amazing countryside :D :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

Hi Peachy, yes I was in France (Provence) last week and it was bleeding hot. I thought that it would just be really uncomfortable travelling at a slow speed in bike gear with little shade. We actually had a ferry ticket booked but are going to try and defer it and maybe go to Morocco or Southern Spain in the Spring. In the meantime though I think we'll probably head up to North Wales, get some OS maps, find some byways and have a mooch about there for a few days. :beerjug:
 
In the meantime though I think we'll probably head up to North Wales, get some OS maps, find some byways....

Actually, there are very few byways, but more unclassified county roads, usually shown on a map sheet as ORPA (other route with public access).
Some of these can be tricky especially the further West you head.
ORPAs in the Snowdonia National Park area need to be given some caution as they get steep/rocky/watery/boggy in the blink of an eye, and if only 2 of you in the group, a bike recovery will be taxing.
Trails between Wrexham, Newtown, Bala and Vyrnwy should be fine though.....:thumb2
 
Actually, there are very few byways, but more unclassified county roads, usually shown on a map sheet as ORPA (other route with public access).
Some of these can be tricky especially the further West you head.
ORPAs in the Snowdonia National Park area need to be given some caution as they get steep/rocky/watery/boggy in the blink of an eye, and if only 2 of you in the group, a bike recovery will be taxing.
Trails between Wrexham, Newtown, Bala and Vyrnwy should be fine though.....:thumb2

Excellent, many thanks Timpo. That's exactly the type of info I'm after. :thumb2
 
have you gone today ? i saw Guy this morning loading his DR up are you off somewhere ?:thumb2

Yes...Just back yesterday. We went to Bala and camped there a couple of nights and found some trails. Then on Saturday we attended the Yamaha Off Road School (thanks to a recommendation from Daveg of this parish) for the day but used our own bikes. A cracking day it was as well and highly recommended. Then it was bikes back in the van and home – aching like buggery, partly from performing a freefall manoeuvre and landing in a crumpled heap and partly due to my fitness level being spectacularly shite at the mo. :thumb2
 

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The joys of open face whilst off road in a group. That'll be one lesson learnt then :D
 


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