Hafod Trails named UK Trail of the Year 2025 — small park, big win
iBikeRide.com is delighted to announce that Hafod Trails on the edge of Brechfa Forest in South Wales has claimed the UK Trail of the Year crown for 2025.
In a rider-voted shake-up, the family-run Hafod Trails edged out BikePark Wales to take the prize. Over a thousand ratings and reviews shaped this year’s leaderboard — and the big story is focus. Hafod targeted a clear audience and delighted them: fast, efficient uplifts; a compact but varied trail menu; and a welcoming, family vibe. BikePark Wales — the UK’s largest MTB destination — remains a phenomenon for scale, variety and progression, but 2025 shows that dialled, rider-first venues can beat the giants.
Over the past eight weeks, more than 1,000 riders from across the UK rated and reviewed the trails they rode in 2025. The Top Ten reflects the unfiltered voice of the MTB community, celebrating cutting-edge bike parks and traditional trail centres that keep reinventing themselves.
This year’s Top Ten also shows how the scene is evolving. The best venues mix it up: gnarly natural feeling and technical trails (often unofficial) beside classic reds and blues; downhill lines next to skills parks; sessionable features woven into longer loops. Beginner to pro, with equal attention. Go broad, go deep, build inclusivity — and you build communities that stick, progress and keep coming back. Focus on just one segment — ability or style — and you risk falling behind.
This year’s Top Ten features five English, four Welsh, and one Scottish destination, with a healthy mix of world-class bike parks and re-energised trail centres. All share a commitment to welcoming riders, encouraging progression, building community and continually maintaining and improving their trails.
Daniel Mintz, Founder of iBikeRide, commented:
“Hafod will have surprised many to take this year’s crown, and it’s their standout commitment to families, inclusivity, and progression at every level — from first laps to advanced riders — that truly set them apart.
This year’s Top Ten shows the breadth of the scene: big hitters, progressive regional bike parks, evolving trail centres, and spots where sanctioned and unofficial trails blend into one seamless experience. The standouts mix technical challenge with accessibility, cater to all abilities, and keep riders engaged with variety. Build somewhere that can grow with a rider, make moving between flow, tech and airtime feel effortless, and put inclusion at its heart — including the big-send stuff, without being defined by it — and you create a community that lasts.”
The winner also receives a commemorative plaque for their trophy cabinet.
For the second year running, each Top Ten trail will receive a confidential rider-feedback report to support future development.
Charlie Kingswood, Hafod Trails, commented:
“Trail of Year 2025, wow! We are truly blown away and it means so much to us as a small bike park. For us, it’s never been about just digging trails in the dirt – it’s about building a community, encouraging adventure and progression and of course having fun! Our brilliant community brings our trails to life and reminds us why we do what we do. So this win belongs as much to them as it does to us. Thank you to each and every one of you for your support!
We’ve never really thought ourselves to be in the same league as some of the bigger, more established venues, so to come out on top is just bonkers! We are very proud of what we’ve achieved in a short space of time, humbled by the recognition and inspired to continue being us and doing what we do.”
Later this summer, we’ll publish our first — and what we aim to make annual — State of the Nation: UK Trails Report 2025, based on over 1,000 anonymised rider responses. It will be free to trail communities and related organisations, and available to registered users.
Congratulations to Hafod Trails, and to every trail team and volunteer keeping the UK riding scene thriving — and a big thanks to all the riders who rated and reviewed their local trails.
🥇 UK MTB Top Ten 2025
1st – Hafod Trails – Carmarthenshire
A relatively new name, Hafod Trails are clear proof a fresh, rider-focused venue can make waves. Opened in spring 2024 on private land at Hafod Wen, on the edge of Brechfa Forest, this is the new uplift-assisted name in town.
Why they scored so highly is clear from rider feedback: Hafod feels genuinely different. “Dynamite comes in small packages! The place packs a lot of fun into a compact operation!”, “Great venue with a mix between hardpack ‘bike park’ and unofficial trails feeling trails.” The uplift is a standout — “Best uplift solution anywhere.” The welcome is consistently praised — “Super friendly, family-run vibe — nothing was too much bother.” And it works brilliantly for mixed groups — “Three generations of differing skill levels… we went home grinning.”
What’s on offer? Seven trails, full spread: Floverload (green); Peek-a-Blue, Space Melon (blue); Reddy Steady, Earth Pig, Mud Life Crisis (red); Life’s a Beech (black). The mix of machine-built hardpack and hand-cut natural sections delivers both flow and that unofficial trails character, with a clear progression ladder.
Just a few miles from Brechfa’s Gorlech, Raven and Derwen trails, it’s a tidy base for a full weekend. In its first season, Hafod’s thoughtful design, progression focus and warm community feel have turned heads.
2nd – BikePark Wales – South Wales Valleys
BikePark Wales remains the UK’s largest MTB destination, offering around 50 trails that span everything from beginner greens to full-blown pro lines. Riders can choose between flow, tech, blend, or plus (bigger features), and lap the hill via a slick uplift or a 5km pedal-up.
Progression is built into the hill itself — from the Quarry Skills Area with graded drops, jumps, and rock rolls, to sessionable step-ups like Air470 and Dragons Back. Off the bike, the experience is backed by a well-equipped café, shop, hire/workshop, coaching, adaptive MTB access, and e-MTB charging. Continuous investment keeps the park fresh and evolving — a key reason riders keep coming back.
Riders say it best: “Perfect place to ride — from beginners to the best in the world.” “A taster course took me from blues to reds.” “Disney Land for bikes!”
3rd – Glenlivet Mountain Bike Trails – Cairngorms National Park
High in the Cairngorms, Glenlivet blends classic trail-centre loops with gravity lines and hand-cut unofficial trails — all designed around progression. The 9km blue rollercoaster rewards pumping and flow, while the 22km red loop to Carn Daimh delivers a 6.5km singletrack descent with optional black features. Gravity fans can hit the 1km Orange Freeride, the Mini DH (with a new top section due in 2025), the hand-built Glendura (black), and Kieran’s Line — a pro-level XL jump trail.
Facilities include a pump track, skills area, bike hire, the Coffee Still café, 24-hour toilets, and a bike wash — with parking fees helping fund trail maintenance.
Why riders voted: progression and variety from flow to tech to XL jumps, with a welcoming base. “Best jump lines in Scotland… plus the cafe is bangin.” “Great food, facilities, jumps, tech and flow… family friendly.” “Something for all ages — quick laps or steep and technical.”
4th – Forest of Dean Mountain Biking Trails – Gloucestershire
The Forest of Dean is a classic UK trail centre, kept fresh by its variety and the sheer graft of its riding community. It offers something for everyone — from fast, flowy blues to steep, technical descents — all anchored by a welcoming hub and strong volunteer spirit.
Verderers (Blue, 11km) brings fast, rollable flow and big berms with optional red add-ins; Freeminer (Red, 11km) is rooty, technical singletrack. Family Cycle Trail (Green, 11 miles) and Old Bob’s Trail (Accessible Green) bridge adaptive riders, families and first-timers. Skills area and pump track at the Cycle Centre.
The DH area packs 10+ short runs from blue to double black (Ski Run, GBU), plus Launchpad for adaptive MTB. Beyond the posts: a much-loved web of natural/unofficial trails.
Why riders voted: value, progression and vibe — “most complete trail centre,” “best free fun,” and “Turn up, relax and ride.” Inclusive progression, consistent maintenance, welcoming hub, quality coaching; new Old Bob’s Trail and Boneyard keep it fresh.
Pedalabikeaway anchors the hub, Flyup run the uplift, and the Dean Trail Volunteers keep it evolving.
5th – Risca Bike Park & Cwmcarn – Near Newport
Two distinct riding worlds share one valley — each offering its own flavour of trail magic. First, the rider-built Risca web: steep, loamy, unofficial trails lines (Busy Lizzie, Wacko-Jacko, Mayhem) — raw, creative, locals’ knowledge. Across the way, Cwmcarn’s polished, waymarked side: Pwca (blue) warm-ups, Twrch and Cafall (reds), Y Mynydd/Pedalhounds DH, plus a kids’ pump track and friendly trailhead hub.
Why riders voted: variety, volume and community graft. “unofficial trails is amazing thanks to Risca Riders.” “Best variety of trails… superbly maintained.” “So many amazing trails.” Regular asks: stronger trailhead facilities and (for non-eBikers) uplift — but the riding covers everything from steep tech to feature-packed flow.
6th – Dyfi Bike Park – Mid Wales
Carved into 650 acres of Dyfi Forest and shaped by Dan Atherton and the Dyfi Diggers, Dyfi Bike Park brings big-mountain energy to the UK. It’s built for serious progression — but here, progression starts at red and goes up.
Long, sculpted descents up top include jump-stacked 50 Hits, race-pace Race Track, and the more-natural Original DH. High-consequence hits like Slab Track and Oakley test commitment, while punchier laps lower down — El Hippo, Turns in the Ferns, and Third Degree Berms — deliver flow. Fire in the Booth and Helter Skelter serve up steep, rooty tech. Uplift keeps laps turning, views are pure drama, the café gets love, and toilets are basic portaloos.
Why riders voted: world-class shaping, serious progression, standout vibe. “Quite easily the best bike park in the UK.” “Trails are some of the best in the world!!” “Best atmosphere… uplift swift, cafe mint.” Balancing notes: it’s red-and-up, queues on busy days, and basic loos — small trade-offs for the scale on offer.
7th – Phoenix Bike Park – East Anglia
Two bike parks in one, built for progression. On 15 acres, Phoenix Bike Park blends the original park (beginner-to-intermediate jump lines, big pump track, mulch jumps, dedicated Drop Zone with its own push-up) with North Summit across the A14 (nine advanced, feature-packed DH lines). Plus the Phoenix Lap: a lively 2km XC circuit with jumps, tables, rock features and drops.
Run by Phoenix CycleWorks, the site adds a full shop/workshop, hire fleet, café, year-round coaching and regular events. Book online before you go.
Why riders voted: friendly, rider-first vibe and relentless progression. “Amazing place to build skills — or hit the big stuff,” “immaculate trails… development is continuous,” “super progressive… forever evolving.” Community praise is constant (“Best park around 😎,” “everyone is supportive”) with the usual asks: stronger toilets and, well, East Anglia wind.
8th – Twisted Oaks Bike Park & Trails – Suffolk
Twisted Oaks blends grassroots energy with full-fat features across 42 acres in Suffolk. It’s built for progression — whether you're chasing XC laps, airtime, or head-to-head racing.
The XC red trail (6.4km/≈400ft) mixes drops, pits, woodwork, and tech singletrack, alongside a 1.4km blue and the Red Woods zone for mix-and-match laps. Gravity riders get a full menu: a skills zone with progressive drops and gaps, dual slalom, 4X, the weatherproof Mulch Zone, and Fairground — a machine-built jump line that delivers airtime at sensible speeds.
Facilities include the Twisted Spokes Café, Dialled Cycle Works shop and hire, toilets and water — all wrapped in an off-grid vibe with regular events and coaching.
Why riders voted: progression first, friendly scene, always evolving — and it rides in all weather. “Perfect for learning new tricks.” “Friendliest park in the UK… something for everyone.” “Small hill, huge vision.” Common asks: a permanent café setup and more loos near the car park.
9th – Hamsterley Forest MTB Trails – County Durham
Hamsterley Forest is a classic North East trail centre kept sharp by community graft from Hamsterley TrailBlazers. The waymarked network spans blue, red and black, with a tangle of natural/unofficial trails beyond the posts.
Why riders voted: variety across grades, trails kept sweet by volunteers, real progression (boosted by the new blue), heaps of natural/unofficial trails, year-round rideability and great value. “Best trails in north of England… Excellent work by the volunteers.” “Good progression now that the blue Squirrel Chaser is up and running.” “Great trails, compact footprint.”
Trails & riding: the classic blue from the Visitor Centre is a gentle intro; the new Squirrel Chaser adds 8.4km of flow (including ~2km “Oakey Cokey”) and is suitable for non-standard/adaptive cycles. The red is a figure-of-eight with forest-road climbs and rewarding singletrack; the black serves narrow, rooty descents and steep tech. “The Loop” is a short, sessionable skills circuit from blue to black.
The forest also hosts Danny Hart’s Descend Bike Park (independent of the XC network), giving the area a uniquely rounded scene.
10th – Wind Hill B1KE Park – Wiltshire
Based on the Longleat Estate in Wiltshire, Wind Hill B1KE Park is a compact but varied freeride and downhill hub where every trail drops from a single start ramp into a central push-up. From beginner blues to one of the UK’s wildest pro lines, it’s designed for progression at every level. Wind Hill also has history here — it won the iBikeRide Trail & Bike Park of the Year crown back in 2017.
Trails & riding: 10 named lines, from the flowy blue Blutopia to red favourites like Tina Turner and Empuru, and black tech challenges like Ark at Ee and Rootiful South. Big hitters head for the infamous Viagra Falls pro line with its 30–40ft features, or session the iconic Step Up. The variety means you can build a whole progression journey in one day.
Facilities: Push-up only (≈8.5 mins), Cabin serving drinks and snacks, small shop with Melon optics, Ride Concepts and Muc-Off gear. Basic portaloos; no fancy café or uplift — this is pure park life.
Why riders voted: smooth, flowy jumps; variety and progression; and a friendly local scene that keeps the park evolving. “Brilliant jumps and great community vibe.” “The whole park has something for everyone — from blue rollables to insane pro lines.” “Wind Hill gives you the confidence to have wings.” “Awesome jumps, challenging features, and a dig crew who never stop building.”
Runners Up
Runners-up who missed the top ten by a whisker include Antur Stiniog, Revolution Bike Park, and Tarland Trails Pittenderich.
