Devon
United Kingdom
Company: Wheeldon Off-Road Centre
Costs: From £199
Dates: Year-round
Experience level: Beginner to intermediate
Contact: www.wheeldontwo.co.uk
South Devon is home to cream teas, scones, miles of ship-wrecking coastal cliffs interspersed by glorious sandy beaches and Europe’s only public purpose-built indoor motocross track - all 30,000 square feet of it at the Wheeldon Farm Off-Road Centre.
Skill levels and ability are quickly perceived during our first sessions. As road bike riders we sorely lack any serious off-road riding skills, but that’s normal here and nobody laughs. Much. They video your performance here and we review the tapes as a howl of cackles echoes through the barn. “Sit further forward, get your elbows out, shift your weight, straighten your legs, push down harder on the bars, dig that front wheel in”. It’s confusing at first but is all constructive criticism that helps you to develop your skills.
For the second day we opt to ride on the intricate network of green lanes that crisscross in abundance across Devon.
Andy and Jim Savery run a tight ship at Wheeldon Farm, with a complete fleet of the latest Suzuki off-road machines varying from the small-wheel RM85 through to the full-on RM-Z250. This place is a haven for off-road fans, with every type of off-road riding catered for, from green-laning to red-blooded action on the indoor circuit.
