I've got two weeks in the lake district..wat shall i do?

nick-hawkins

Hi, ive got two weeks in the lake district to spend mountain biking...
I want to do downhill and the tougher xc trails (such as the north face trail)
I've bin to grizedale so apart from that wat shall i do?
Thanks,
Nick.

320DMsport

Hi Nick,

There is alot of quite good natural stuff in Grizedale but if you want tougher XC trails (As the North Face is abit boring) you need to get to Kentmere area, Garburn Pass over into Troutbeck.

Wheelbase bike shop is a good starting point, for a set off point and directions.

But Sadgill and Garburn are good climbs and descents.

If your in Ambleside area goto Bike Treks and they will point you in the right direction round there.

Or KMB in Keswick will give you details for the Borrowdale Bash which is a good route!

There are always ride outs on ridethelakes dot com, not sure of your level of fitness but there maybe some rides next week as there a few people off work, i've suggeted a route for Monday but it's 30 miles or so with 1400 metres of ascent, great route but wouldn't want to drag you on something if your not happy with that sort of riding.

nick-hawkins

320DMsport wrote:

Hi Nick,

There is alot of quite good natural stuff in Grizedale but if you want tougher XC trails (As the North Face is abit boring) you need to get to Kentmere area, Garburn Pass over into Troutbeck.

Wheelbase bike shop is a good starting point, for a set off point and directions.

But Sadgill and Garburn are good climbs and descents.

If your in Ambleside area goto Bike Treks and they will point you in the right direction round there.

Or KMB in Keswick will give you details for the Borrowdale Bash which is a good route!

There are always ride outs on ridethelakes dot com, not sure of your level of fitness but there maybe some rides next week as there a few people off work, i've suggeted a route for Monday but it's 30 miles or so with 1400 metres of ascent, great route but wouldn't want to drag you on something if your not happy with that sort of riding.

Thanks alot, that should be helpfull...but i'm going a bit later on in august.

320DMsport

In that case check out the site i said, there is always a wed night ride and something going on at weekends, friendly bunch and a fairly social pace on the night rides.

Best way to do the best trails without getting lost.

I've been riding out with them for about 10 month on and off and they are very friendly.

nick-hawkins

great..sounds good. I'll check the site out.
Thanks.

GHill

320DMsport wrote:

you need to get to Kentmere area, Garburn Pass over into Troutbeck.

Wheelbase bike shop is a good starting point, for a set off point and directions.

I'll second that one.

There is also a good shortish route round the side of Skiddaw starting in Keswick that's pretty technical XC if you're happy to head to the North Lakes.

In fact, you're pretty much spoilt for choice, if you want a book try Gore and Stanton's Lake District Mountain Biking (VG Guidebooks).

Yeti575

320DMsport - is the North Face a bit crap then? We were told it was first rate and are planning a trip up there later this month.

320DMsport

Yeti575 wrote:

320DMsport - is the North Face a bit crap then? We were told it was first rate and are planning a trip up there later this month.

It's defo not first rate, i find abit boring and not very technical, my wife rides it no problem and she is just a beginner to MTB.

We tend to use it to link up more intresting natural stuff in the forest like the fox, lawsons park, and moore lane.

The forest is great, but compared to the single track in Kirroughtree the North Face is abit pants as there is nothing testing at all.

The Whinlatter trail is worth a look but not finished yet and then do the loop round skiddaw which has been mentioned, some nice technical bits on there, think it's the lonscale loop in that lakes mtb book.

If your up Yeti go on our local site ridethelakes and mention what weekend your up and i'm sure there will be someone out to show you the best bits.

dave_hill

Yeti575 wrote:

320DMsport - is the North Face a bit crap then?

Fine for beginners, if you're reasonably experienced you'll knock it off in no time and wonder what all the fuss was about. I've done the whole loop once and not done it since. There's tons of far better natural riding all around Grizedale so it kind of makes the NFT redundant.

320DMsport

Yeah as Dave said, ok for beginners.

We just use it for linking up natural stuff rather than pounding the fire roads all the time.

nick-hawkins

well those rides around skiddaw will be good as i'm staying right next to it!
Thanks for the comments,

SiLanc

Depends what you want. The North Face is an excellent, fast, slightly technical swooping trail if that's what you're after...there are no doubt better trails out there but I defy anyone to ride it and say they don't enjoy it....I regularly train up there and it never fails to put a big grin on my face. I like it as it is quite similar to the xc race courses I'm training to race on so it suits me fine. Don't go there expecting big drop offs and huge North Shore, free-riding and a Whistler looky-likey it is not. I found the Back of Skiddaw route a bit dull if your heading further North...it has it's moments don't get me wrong and it was a horrible day (torrential rain) when I rode it so maybe on a clear day it would be better....either way the descent past Dash Falls round the back of Skiddaw is big grin time...watch out for the drainage gulleys though!

Try the North Face trail, I'll be surprised if you don't enjoy it

Rode the new Whinlatter trail a few weeks ago...not that impressed, pretty dodgy in places (razer sharp slate on off camber corners anyone?). I like a challenge but some parts of that trail aren't a challenge, they're plain dangerous and ill thought out. Ask the two people air lifted off it since it opened a couple of months ago. I think it will bed it well but some parts will cut you up horrible if you come off on them. I don't normally wear armour on xc trails in the UK but would probably wear it if I return to Whinlatter so save my knees being shredded on the slate.

If you like all mountain stuff then there is Helvellyn and also a real classic, Walna Scar road....big hard rides and very rough in places but on a good clear day the views are stunning. Another awesome full days riding is High Street but as with Helvellyn and Walna Scar, go kitted out for a day in the mountains...a banana and a can of coke won't cut it.

Most of all....Enjoy!

jam1e

Get yourself into Claife Heights as well. Its the forest on the far side of windermere, loads of trails criss cross it - its like a wilder, spookier version of Grizedale.

If you're going to do Garburn you really need to do it twice (on different days obviously ), once from each direction. One side (Kentmere) is a lot steeper and more technical than the other (Troutbeck) so its 2 completely different rides. I lived there for years and only ever did it from Troutbeck, did it from Kentmere the other week and was amazed at the difference...

ed_arnold

Hi Nick,

If you're going to Keswick give the Borrowdale Bash a go. You can either start from Keswick (the LBS has route maps) or drive a mile or two towards Borrowdale and there's a layby to pull up in before the trail leaves the road. Once you're on it it takes you up above Derwent Water before heading towards the Rhosthwaite pass which is truely awesome to ride. There are some massive decents across all sorts of terrain once you've gained the height - very technically challenging in places and views are spectacular if you get the good weather (yeah right!).

SiLanc

jam1e wrote:

Get yourself into Claife Heights as well

Claiffe Heights was my first ride when I got a MTB. It's a great and very easy introduction to riding in the Lakes. If you've been to the Lakes before and are after a challenge it's missable...Garburn, now that is a challenge. Try and clean it...you're a better man than me if you can

passout

Biketreks (excellent bike shop in Ambleside) do group rides a couple of times a week. I think Kewsick MounTain Bikes might do the same. Ring up and ask.

If you want easy (but nice) stuff then Claife Heights - parking at Hawkshead.

Garbun is excellent - park in Trouteck or Troutbeck Bridge (if you like climbing) - link this route into the excellent Jenkins Crag which drops you into Ambleside.

Also in the South lakes is Iron Keld - at the back of Tarnhows - which can link easily to Claife Heights.

Walna Scar Road near Coniston & Skiddaw near Keswick both cracking rides too.

I'don't have maps to send and navigation is not always easy depending on how good you are with a map. Personally, if I were you, I do the group rides first and then go back and repeat the bits you like on your own later (with a map). Or buy a guide books - they are plenty now. All the local bike shops will have them.

edzio

Looking at going with my gf over the bank holiday weekend, she is pretty much a beginner and I was just wondering where would be best to take her? Somewhere like Whinlatter or the North Face Trail?
Also, are bike rentals easy to obtain? Where is the best place to stay, bear in mind we live in Cambridge so have no clue on the area!

dave_hill

edzio wrote:

Looking at going with my gf over the bank holiday weekend, she is pretty much a beginner and I was just wondering where would be best to take her? Somewhere like Whinlatter or the North Face Trail?
Also, are bike rentals easy to obtain? Where is the best place to stay, bear in mind we live in Cambridge so have no clue on the area!

If she's an absolute beginner, the NFT might be a bit much. You can rent bikes from Grizedale Cycles, but it might be a better idea to keep to the ordinary waymarked trails in the forest - there's four of them, all on easy-going fire road which would ease her in to it more gently.

Whinlatter is a lot more hilly compared to the South Lakes / Furness area which tends to be more rolling.

As far as accomodation goes, you'll be very lucky at this stage - Bank Holidays in Lakeland are booked up months in advance. Best bet is to do a bit of Googling for B&B, camping, etc. If you're looking at the South Lakes/Grizedale area, try for places such as Satterthwaite, Newby Bridge, Hawkshead, Esthwaite, Sawrey, (which is also where Beatrix Potter's farm, Hill Top, is located - at least you can take your gf for a bit of girly-time too), Finsthwaite and Lakeside.

It won't be cheap either, unfortunately...

HaworthBantam

Wow, reading some of these replies has reminded me of many a fantastic ride in my youthful days in the Lake District.

I got myself back into Mountain Biking late last year after about 10 years out of the saddle. It was my girlfriend that reactivated the "fire in my legs". She decided to get a bike and wanted to explore.

As a tester, after some pretty dull Leeds/Liverpool spinning, I took her up to Grizedale and we did the NF Trail. I would say that your girl friend will probably be ok with it, mine was, although a little tired at the end. It's not that technical, and to be honest, I'd rather stick to the "natural" stuff.

Certainly try the NF Trail, but also take the advice posted on this forum and get out on the bridleways. Enjoy

edzio

Cheers for that guys, Grizedale it is then!!
Any good suggestions for camping places nearby, doesn't really matter though as long as we have a pitch then thats all that matters!!
Are the bridleways good around the grizedale area? How easy is it to get lost, I am a pretty competent map reader, but are the bridleways clearly marked as such?

dave_hill

edzio wrote:

Cheers for that guys, Grizedale it is then!!
Any good suggestions for camping places nearby, doesn't really matter though as long as we have a pitch then thats all that matters!!
Are the bridleways good around the grizedale area? How easy is it to get lost, I am a pretty competent map reader, but are the bridleways clearly marked as such?

There is a campsite at Satterthwaite, just down the valley from Grizedale - website HERE. There's a pub in Satterthwaite village for bar meals, etc.

There's more than enough trails in the forest (both man-made and existing bridleway) to keep you entertained for the weekend. Some are way-marked, others aren't, but if you can read a map you should be OK.