UKC

I've got an urge to throw myself down some technical descents, but most of the stuff around here is pretty tame with the odd exception. So could you recommend me some good technical stuff to go and have a ride on?

I'm after stuff all over the uk, as I'm willing to travel, and may be able to sort out a road trip later in the summer to go and sample some of the best stuff around.

Anyone ridden on the Isle of Mann?

To be clear, the longer, rockier and rootier and more natural trails the better.

A few on the list already are:

Sticks pass
Snowdon Ranger
Some bits on Exmoor I've ridden before (don't know what its called, but its fun)

In reply to balmybaldwin:
Might help if you narrow things down a bit. Also where do you find tame ?

Heres a good circuit in the middle of the peak http://www.v-publishing.co.uk/blog/v-publishing-blog/2014-01-20---free-down... , which can be extended by including stuff around ladybower (and even cutgate if you want a long day)

Alternatively, if you're on a rod trip, there's some great stuff just north of Sheffield in Greno and Wharncliffe Woods - possibly not that long, but certainly rocky and rooty. Close to the M1 and good for doing short loops.

As to the lakes, I've not done the big passes - not into hike a bike or pushing - but did do Garburn Pass last year, mostly rideable from the west, great descent to the east, along with other stuff around Kentmere. Also did High Street - long push up from Troutbeck, but brilliant long descent to Ullswater and then a very technical section along the lake back to Patterdale.

But mostly in the lakes I've done a load of brilliant riding south of Langdale and around Grizedale - there's a lot more there than the North Face trail

In reply to balmybaldwin:

http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/20-best-mountain-bike-trails-uk/

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Thanks Chris, that's the sort of stuff I'm after by the sounds of it. By tame, I'm refering to most trail centre stuff (Even black routes tend to be scalectric tracks most of the time) and most bridleways tend to be pretty smooth too. Certainly most of the tracks in the Surrey hills are pretty plain, with the odd gem around.

Sound like lake district will be a good place to go and explore. I don't mind a big climb/hike-a-bike as long as its worth it on the other side!

In reply to balmybaldwin:

Of those 20 here's some notes on the ones I've done:

4. Cut Gate, generally steady until the drop down to the Derwent valley. It's an out and back so you'll have to ride up this! Best after a dry spell.

8. Quantocks, loads to go at, basically every combe has a track down it. Piccies here - http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=quantocks never desperately technical

12. Gunnerside Gill, mostly old mining roads and workings. Pretty much all of the rides around Swaledale are all weather rides so worth considering if it's been raining. http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=swaledale http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=harkerside http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=lowmoor

14. Howgill Fells, i.e. Bowderdale. Brilliant! 7Km of singletrack There's a bit of hard work in getting to it but it's just about all rideable. The best ride I've done in England - http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=bowderdale

16. Afon Doethie, Another long section of singletrack that feels *really* remote. In fact we did this at the weekend, at the moment the track is submerged in bracken - it's a bit like skiing in chest high green powder! I'd like to do it earlier in the year when the bracken is lower. Not got a slideshow up yet but here's my blog post about it - http://bobwightman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/red-kite-central.html

17 Long Mynd, I was a bit underwhelmed by this to be honest. Minton Batch was OK but not the great experience it's made out to be. http://bobwightman.co.uk/bike/slideshow.php?s=longmynd

The vertebrate MTB guides have lots of good rides in them (including quite a few on the MBR list) so worth checking them out.

HTH

In reply to balmybaldwin:

Llangollen DH will test most anyone..... dunno what the access is outside of race hours.

In reply to balmybaldwin:
The Peaks has some real gems. But best to avoid daytime Sat/Sun if you want to get some real speed up or try a bit of cheeky.

But for long rocky descents - got to be North Wales & Lakes. I need to do more in both!


Also mustn't forget the 'Alpine tech' trails around Hebden Bridge - as popularised by Ed Oxley

In reply to balmybaldwin:

Thanks all for the replies, looks like a trip to n wales and the lakes is in order!

In reply to balmybaldwin:

P.s. to those that followed my previous thread, I bought the pivot mach 6, and after a week in the (wet, slippery) alps I love it.... it eats big trails for breakfast.

In reply to balmybaldwin:


Sounds like a great bike, nice.

In reply to balmybaldwin:

I'd be surprised if you thought the downhill at Aonoch Mor was tame.

I'd also recommend my local woods but they're a local secret so i can't.

In reply to balmybaldwin:

Head up north, hit the Inners orange grade DH stuff.

Check out the black trail at Laggan for some techincal devilishness.

Good stopping point on the way to some more natural, mental stuff in the Cairngorms / Torridon etc.

In reply to Bob:

Just out of interest, when did you ride Gunnerside Gill ?

The reason I ask is that I rode it in June last year and the rocky descent was a nightmare. I believe there had been a recent rockfall so there was no clear route down the scree - just a lot of very sharp rocks