MTB

MTB Coaching and Guiding in the UK

The TWC directory of places around the UK to help improve your skill and take you on new adventures

At some point during our MTB lives, we’ll consider taking on some expert coaching to hone our skills and progress on to more challenging trails in a much safer manner than just ‘winging it’.

Along the way, we’ll also get the itch to venture further afield to explore new trails and get down and dirty in the beautiful flows and contours of the UK. But when it comes to MTB coaching and guiding, where do you start looking?

Check out our ‘Where to ride MTB’ archive for inspiration

We’ve collated a number of reputable MTB coaches and guides around the UK who offer expert tuition and adrenaline-fueled adventures have you flying confidently down new and exciting routes.

England

Katy Curd – Forest of Dean (Coaching)

World Champion 4X rider and World Elite downhill racer, Katy Curd has done it all and so, she has a lot to offer on her coaching sessions.

Primarily based in the Forest of Dean, Katy runs mixed and women’s specific courses which are 3 hours long but she also offers 1:1 coaching too. Whether you want to learn to jump, drop or just find your flow, she’ll have you feeling pumped about riding in no time.

Courses: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Women’s Only / Private
Prices: £60pp per course / £30 ph for 1:1 coaching

Website: Katy Curd Coaching

ALine Coaching – Sheffield (Coaching)

With a team of qualified mountain bike coaches on hand, the ALine team aim to get you riding smoother and faster by filling in any gaps in your skill.

Courses run for approximately 6 hours and are structured to take you from bottom to top, starting with MTB fundamentals and progressing onto more advanced techniques. If you need some specific tuition, ALine off private sessions also where you get 100% of the focus to overcome any obstacle.

Courses: Fundamentals / Flow Trails, Jumps and Berms / Technical Trail Riding / Private
Prices: £80pp per course / £120 Half-Day Private / £210 Full-Day Private

Website: ALine Coaching

MTB Instruction – Bedfordshire (Coaching)

Operating out of Woburn/Aspley Woods in Bedfordshire, MTB Instruction offers not only skills coaching but a great deal of community input also through their involvement in local projects and the Women’s Flow MTB Race Team.

MTB Instruction offers a wide variety of day courses (approx. 6hrs) covering a broad spectrum of ability in both mixed and women’s specific groups throughout the year. And if you want to get your little ripper off to a flying start, enrol them onto one of their kid’s sessions as well!

Courses: Introduction / Intermediate / Advanced / Women’s / Kids / Private
Prices: £80 pp per course / £120 Private tuition

Website: MTB Instruction

Helen Gaskell – Hamsterly (Coaching)

She’s got over ten years of downhill racing experience with just as much coaching years under her belt, so you may have already head of Helen Gaskell if not from racing than from coaching at many public events.

Sessions last for three hours in which you can expect cover a multitude of features out on some stunning natural trails, like roots, drop-offs, off-camber corners and switchbacks.

Courses: MTB Coaching Sessions
Prices: £90pp for 3-hours / £200 per day for local guided rides

Website: Helen Gaskell

Spring Cycle Coaching – Chilterns / Surrey Hills (Coaching)

Holly Seear is your ultimate cyclo-holic. She can just about ride anything with two wheels to an exceptional standard and now, she coaches you to follow in her tyre tracks.

Not only does Holly offer women’s specific courses, MTB and even road coaching, but she’s the one you go to for race preparations too. Having completed gruelling MTB stage races herself, she’s got heaps of experience to share.

Courses: Women’s Novice Road Racing / Time-Trial Masterclass / 100-mile Prep / Women’s MTB / Women’s Road Confidence / Breeze Bike Rides
Prices: Contact Directly

Website: Spring Cycle Coaching

Endless Trails MTB – Peak and Lake District (Guiding)

If you’re looking for an adventure MTB holiday around some of England’s beautiful and natural trails, then this is it.

Julia Hobson is the woman behind Endless Trails MTB with a wealth of biking adventures, guiding and racing under her tyres. She offers mixed and women’s only guided breaks around the Lake District and the Peak District, with some single-day and multi-day excursions, even Beginner Women’s bike-packing!

For more information on the guided holidays, head over to Endless Trails MTB here.

Ireland

Rock and Ride Outdoors – Northern Ireland (Coaching / Guiding)

Ran by a climber and mountain biker, Rock and Ride Outdoors is a popular skills school based in Northern Ireland.

Offering a range of skills clinics, maintenance shops and even MTB qualifications, Rock and Ride Outdoors also offer a range of guided rides around the local area. All skills courses are approximately three-hours long and in mixed groups.

Courses: Beginner / Intermediate to Advanced / Race Specific
Prices: £85 individuals / £120 for pairs / £150 for 3-6 people

Website: Rock and Ride Outdoors

Biking.ie – Wicklow (Coaching / Guiding)

Wicklow has played host to the Enduro World Series so you know the trails are going to be good. Biking.IE offers MTB coaching and guiding at the heart of this incredible Irish network of trails.

Each MTB course runs for approximately 3-hours in mixed groups no bigger than 8-people. If you’re looking for a handy guide to show you around the Irish sites, you can choose from a range of disciplines to suit your riding style with prices starting from just €35pp.

Courses: Beginners / Core Skills / Trail Craft / Enduro / Private sessions
Prices: €50pp per course / From €90 per private session

Website: Biking.IE

Scotland

Swift Trails – Tweed Valley (Coaching / Guiding)

Founded by qualified MTB coach and guide, Lucy Husband, Swift Trails offers a wide variety of courses in the MTB Mecca of Scotland, Tweed Valley.

There are a series of half-day sessions available to cater for all skill abilities, including bike maintenance classes and mini-coaching events. In addition to this, Lucy has built up a group of avid followers who regularly get together for social ride-outs and family fun days.

Courses: Intro to MTB / Intermediate / Going Natural / MTB Bitesize / Bike Maintenance / Private
Guided Rides: Tweed Valley; Melrose to Peebles
Prices: £50pp per course / £25pp for Bitesize and Maintenance / From £75pp Private

Website: Swift Trails

Trail Coach – Glasgow (Coaching / Guiding)

Based in Glasgow, Trail Coach primarily host their coaching sessions at the newly developed Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails.

With a team of qualified coaches and guides, Trail Coach not only offers full-day MTB skills courses and guided rides around stunning landscapes of Scotland, but they offer cycle therapy for individuals who may be going through a difficult period in their lives and those who suffer from mental illnesses.

Courses: Beginner / Intermediate / Jumps/Drops / Trials / Women’s Only / Private
Guided Rides: Tweed Valley / Borders / Perthshire / Cairngorms / Highlands /Torridon / Isle of Skye.
Prices: £95pp per course / £120 Half-Day Private / £210 Full-Day Private / Enquire direct for guided rides

Website: Trail Coach

Kirkhope – Fort William (Coaching / Guiding)

Home to one of the most famous downhill World Cup stages, Fort William is where Kirkhope Mountain Biking is based.

Offering skills courses to help you progress with confidence, Kirkhope also offers guided ride days, Munro by bike and bike-packing trips.

Courses: Introduction / Progression / Steep and Natural
Guided Rides: Munro by bike / Bike-packing
Prices: £100pp per course – Half day / £180pp per course – Full Day / £50pp Munro by bike / From £180pp full day guiding / From £400pp for overnight bike-packing

Website: Kirkhope Mountain Biking

Dirt Vixens – North East (Coaching)

Aimed at women, Dirt Vixens aim to improve your skills and confidence on the bike in a fun environment of like-minded people.

You can join in with a 2-hour group skills session or, if you prefer, book yourself a half day of 1:1 time for some intense and bespoke coaching. Most of the group skills clinics take place in the North East of Scotland; Moray, Aberdeen and the Inverness area.

Courses: Group Sessions / Private
Prices: £15pp per group session / Enquire direct for 1:1 prices

Website: Dirt Vixens

Go-Where Scotland – Borders (Guiding)

Founded by husband a wife team, Go-Where Scotland is the place you call for the ultimate mountain bike adventure holiday in Scotland.

From women’s only retreats to day trips and on to full multi-day adventures, the Go-Where Scotland team has you covered. Their guiding holiday packages can take you all over Scotland on two wheels, ensuring that the only thing you’ll need to focus on is riding your bike.

Guided Rides: Borders / Women’s Only / Enduro / Day-trips and more
Prices: From £395pp per trip.

Website: Go-Where Scotland

Wales

Campbell Coaching – South Wales (Coaching)

Based in Afan Valley, South Wales, Campbell Coaching is run by Ally, her husband Bob and their three-year-old, Fin.

With a dedicated skills park on hand, Campbell Coaching offers mixed and women’s specific courses catering from beginners to more advanced riders. Their full day events will have you feeling more comfortable on the bike, help you banish bad habits and learn a thing or two.

Courses: Core Skills / Jumps & Drops / Private
Prices: £95pp per course

Website: Campbell Coaching

Carbon Monkey – Snowdonia (Coaching / Guiding)

In the heart of Snowdonia, Carbon Monkey runs a mixture of skills courses, bike packing and guiding through some of Wales’ most beautiful offerings.

Carbon Monkey offer trail rider, wilderness rider and urban rider courses as well as jumps and drops throughout the year in North Wales. If you’re looking for more bespoke help then private courses are also available. If you’re more interested in being guided through some of the UK’s hot spots, Carbon Monkey runs both single guided rides and backpacking tours.

Courses: Trail Rider / Wilderness Rider / Urban Rider / Jumps & Drops / Private
Guided Rides: Snowdon / Cannock Chase / Dartmoor
Prices: £65pp per course / £110 Half-Day Private / £175 Full-Day Private / From £110pp bike-packing

Website: Carbon Monkey

Oneplanet Adventure – North Wales (Coaching)

Based in Llandegla, North Wales, the Oneplanet Adventure trail centre has a whole lot to offer in terms of riding bikes, great food and, of course, coaching.

With a team of qualified coaches on hand a dedicated skills areas around the centre, there’s a lot to take away from a day with the Oneplanet team.

Courses: Core Skills / Women’s Specifics / Jumps & Drops / Private / First Aid / Bike Maintenance / Family Skills
Prices: From £90pp per course / £160pp First Aid / £125 Private

Website: Oneplanet Adventure

Mountain Bike Wales – Mid Wales (Guiding)

Phill Stasiw and Polly Clark are your mountain bike adventure leaders who can whisk you away on some incredible Welsh retreats.

You and your bike will ride through some of Wales’ most epic scenery on endless natural trails. With a small group of eager explorers, you’ll ride, socialise, laugh and make memories to cherish for years to come.

Guided Rides: Cambrian Mountains / Brecon Beacons / Southern Snowdonia
Prices: £295pp for Trans Cambrian / £200pp for Elan Valley

Website: Mountain Bike Wales

So what are you waiting for? You have a directory of MTB coaching and guiding at your disposal; grab your bike, learn new skills and find an adventure right on your UK doorstep.

If you need some more trail inspiration, check out the TWC Where To Ride MTB directory here.