Mountain Biking Trail Centres The Guide by Tom Fenton is one of those dead handy books to adorn every mountain bikers book shelf from new to the sport to pretty warn and dusted. The guide includes classics such as Afan, Cwmcarn, Innerleithen, Mabie, Chicksands, Surrey hills. Swinley, Dalby, Coed y Brenin and Glentress, lesser-known centres such as Balblair and Coed Trallwm, together with some of the latest developments like Whinlatter, Rossendale (Adrenaline Gateway) and many new trails at existing centres.

The guide book is written by experienced rider Tom Fenton (who rode them all lucky guy) and has an inspiring forward by Steve Peat. It focuses on cross country riding and singletrack but does highlight some downhill trails and bike parks. It is broken into 4 main sections i.e. England, Scotland, Wales and Bike Parks. It pulls out the top ten trails to start out on as well as the top ten flowing singletrack and the top ten tricky trails so there is something for everyone regardless of the riding stage they are at. It also has some useful insights into what goes into building a purpose built trail centre. 

Each trail centre has a simple format. It points out from a grade out of 1 -3 what there is for both beginners, intermediate and advanced riders. So at a glance knowing your riding level, you know if the centre is 1, 2 or 3 out of 3. This is novel and really useful, as it recognises the differing levels of riders. It lists the facilites, directions, grade colour (and even adds an extra grade for effort and technicality), points out the nearest bike shop and summarises what is good and bad overall.

This author Tom Fenton is likely to be the only person to have ridden every trail centre in England, Scotland and Wales covering 1000's of miles of singletrack. That is some sweet singletrack.

Website : http://www.v-publishing.co.uk/