Rutland Water

waby1234

Hi all!

I'm thinking of riding the Rutland Water cycle loop this weekend - more of a fitness/training ride than looking for any serious off-road stuff. Has anyone ridden it? If so, what's it like? Where would be a good place to start?

Any thoughts/experience appreciated!

Cheers

phz

It's a decent enough ride, but what off-road there is is pretty tame (although there are a few nice short flowy sections). As you say though, good for fitness etc. The longer route that takes in 'the 'peninsula' is more worthwhile and takes in more of the non-blacktop bits.

I always start at the Normanton car park (where the Giant shop is, and a reasonable little cafe too) and cycle round anticlockwise. Whichever way you ride round you will face at least two little stingers of road climbs (and their respective fast descents).



slainte rob

DIESELDOG

Be rude not to comment I guess

Yes, it is a tame enough route, personally I start from Whitwell, and ride anti as it saves crossing the road at Lyndon Top near the garden centre, it also means you can hoon down in to the nature reserve there :oops:

Just make sure you apply brakes at the bottom *ahem*

If you're after a red then there is one not too far from there, ask at either shop and they will gladly tell you all about it I'm sure.

Love n hugs

DD

waby1234

Thanks for that guys, it'll do my fitness some good and I'll definitely ask about the red! Cheers

waby1234

Well thought I'd report back - I rode the full route including the peninsula. Nice enough route, nothing too testing. I started at Normanton and rode it clockwise (started there as the South shore is nearer to me!). There are lots of nice fast sweeping turns on gravel tracks, a couple of road sections, some steep-ish hills to climb, and plenty of midges!!

The peninsula section was very enjoyable, and very quiet. In fact the whole route was fairly quiet apart from the section between Whitwell and Normanton (lots of walkers and recreational cyclists).

I tracked it as 22.42 miles which took me 2hrs and 17mins. An enjoyable ride if you are in the area and fancy something not too strenuous!

u05harrisb

im a local and ride there alot, worht checking out the bridleways around the water too. my favorite is start at whitwell go through from there to egleton then instead of going into the natur reserve head to the main road and cross straight over it and theres a railyway line, cross that too and your on the bridleways. very very good route! 2 parts to the bridleways, on that goes straight from the traintracks near egleton to manton at the top of the hill. and the other is that same track but halfway around has a big hilly route that loops round and backonto the main shorter loop. worth getting an OS and taking a look at it.

PM me if you fancy anything more in depth