The best places to ride MTB in the UK...

Britain might be a relatively small country, but one thing we're not short on is beautiful places to ride a bike. Whether you're a roadie, mountain biker, gravel rider or pretty much any other genre you can invent or think of, there are plenty of fantastic places to ride and keep you smiling while you pedal. 

We've asked some of our ambassadors where their favourite riding spots are and their answers might give you some inspiration for your next day out...

Danny Hart

The former UCI downhill World Champ has ridden (and tamed) the most challenging courses all over the world, but his favourite place to ride in the UK is right in his back yard…

“My favourite riding destination in the UK would have to be Hamsterley Forest. Apart from having our own family run bike park, there are a whole host of enduro/xc trails to play with as well.

“The uplift in the bike park is very efficient, so yeah, the tracks are short, but you get lots of runs on all sorts of different tracks, big jumps, technical DH - it has it all!”

Kerry MacPhee

As a pro rider more people know the sight of Kerry MacPhee from the back, disappearing into the distance as all their hopes of holding her wheel evaporate. She won the Three Peaks Cyclocross last year so if she says a place is good to ride, you can be sure it wont disappoint. Based in Stirling, her favourite places to ride aren’t too far from home.

“My favourite place right now (because it changes all the time) is the woods in my back garden in Stirling. A stone’s throw away from my flat in Cambusbarron are some mega trails the extend up to North Third.

“Trail forks marks out heaps of runs but there are no obvious signs or entrances so many of them are well kept secrets amongst smug locals, and I count myself as one! You can go out and do laps all evening and never touch the same descent twice. Equally, you can spend the evening sessioning and working up to the big jumps in the quarry or up Polmaise Road.

“The trail fairies have been super busy this summer and I’ve lived here for years now but still keep finding new stuff. My favourite thing on a mountain bike is that excited nervous anticipation of turning your pedal on stuff you’ve never ridden, and I still get that buzz on Stirling trails.

“On the other side of Stirling in Mine Woods are jumps that scare the hell out of me! Behind there sits Dumyat hill that rewards a brutal climb with a spectacular descent and views across the Forth Valley, Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. It’s a pic a mix of stuff and if you happen to run into another local, I’d guarantee they’re friendly and you might be lucky enough to get guided onto a trail you didn’t know existed.”

Phil Stasiw

With his partner Polly Clark, Phil Stasiw runs MTB Wales guiding people around some of the most beautiful places in the UK on adventurous rides that will challenge even the most seasoned of MTB riders. It might be a little surprising, then, that a man who knows more about riding in Wales than almost anyone else has opted for something north of the border in Scotland as his favourite place to ride. Here’s why…

“Being born and bred in mid Wales, I might be a little biased by saying that Wales would be my favourite place to ride. The wild and remote Cambrian Mountains to the lofty tops and rocky slabs of Snowdonia. Not to mention world class trail centres, bike parks and off-piste forests trails like Dyfi. We have it all, and love every second riding here.

“But for me adventure is far more than just a 'ride' out into the wilds. A journey to and from is just as important, immersing yourself into the local community, meeting new people and sharing experiences. For me, the Isle of Arran ticks all of these boxes.

“Firstly a 5hr car journey up the M6/M74 to Scotland and Ardrossan. The ferry crossing to Brodick always gets me buzzing with excitement. The island has so much to offer, from techy trails in the forests above Lamlash to big mountain days off Goat Fell. You can ride across the whole of the island off road in a day too, stopping for quick refuels in lovely cafes and bars.

“The wildlife is also amazing. Our favourite time to visit is at the end of our guiding season in late October, just after the stags have finished their rutting season. Chubby looking seals, red squirrels all in view wherever you ride. It truly is an island where you can ride from summit to sea on either side. Then finish the day with a pint or two from the Arran Brewery, and a wee dram from the Arran Distillery in Lochranza. A perfect way to finish a ride.

“An adventure island for every style of riding, just don't try and ride after a few wee drams!”

If you fancy having a weekend indulging in some of the best riding Wales has to offer, you should check out MTB Wales. Offering great riding and even better company, you wont regret it.