Whinlatter & Grizdale

Lowride

Me and a couple of mates are thinking about driving up from Warwickshire and staying one night in the Lake district. The plan is to do Whinlatter then Grizdale the next day.

I've been searching through threads on here but there's literally hundreds and hundreds. I've read quite a few and 99% of people seem to say Whinlatter is the better of the two. Is it worth staying the night and doing Grizdale? I've not really heard too much positive speak about it, quite a few people say there's a fair bit of fire road.

We've ridden nearly all the trail centres in Wales and Scotland as well as Cannock, Dalby, Forest of Dean, Sherwood, Ladybower and Cutgate etc. Is Grizdale worth going to?

The Real Radioactiveman

whinlatter is ok but short. Grizedale is a lot of effort for not much fun.

Some amazing rides on natural terrain it would be a shame to miss out

The Northern Monkey

Whinlatter is my favourite trail centre by far.

frankspencer1979

Whinlatter is worth a visit IMO, I really enjoy it. I'd say spend a day there, night in Keswick, the YHA is decent, plenty of boozers, then do Borrowdale Bash on day 2. Be a good trip that.

mcnultycop

Whinlatter is great, well worth the trip.

I've never ridden The North Face trail at Grizedale but I've read so much bad stuff about it, perversely, it makes me want to try it.

frankspencer1979

Or.... Whinlatter day 1, stay in keswick, gisburn on your way home on day 2. Grizedale's a nice place, the centre is good, but the trail was a bit disappointing when i did it. Although, they have opened the black run since then.

Lowride

Thanks for the replies so far. Did a route planner and it would be too much to drive to Whinlatter, ride and drive back in one day. In the region of eight hours driving!

Any decent campsites near Whinlatter? I'm searching online but some knowledge/recommendations would be helpful

Thanks

YIMan

Scotgate Holiday park in Braithwaite is at the bottom of Whinlatter - less than 5 minutes drive or if you ride along to Thornthwaite you can ride up to the trail centre through the woods.

Antm81

I really enjoyed Whinlatter, just don't do what I did and ride from Keswick to the trail centre, the climb up to Whinlatter is a killer (good fun on the way back down though).

Lowride

Antm81 wrote:

I really enjoyed Whinlatter, just don't do what I did and ride from Keswick to the trail centre, the climb up to Whinlatter is a killer (good fun on the way back down though).

We pretty much DID do that mate, we rode from Braithwaite where we camped to Whinlatter. There was also a mega steep road climb early on in the Borrowdale Bash route. It's all good training lol

Lowride

YIMan wrote:

Scotgate Holiday park in Braithwaite is at the bottom of Whinlatter - less than 5 minutes drive or if you ride along to Thornthwaite you can ride up to the trail centre through the woods.

We stayed here, great facilities and location. Sweet little pub a few hundred yds walk too

Lowride

We ended up riding winlatter on saturday and the borrowdale bash on sunday, both really different but both excellent in their own way. Borrowdale is real mountain biking, totally natural terrain with some big, rocky descents. Would like to do both again some day