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Whinlatter Trails - which order?

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 ChrisJD 11 Oct 2012

Going up the Lakes later this month and fancy going to Whinlatter (mixed group of us).

If some of us wanted to do all three trails (2x red & 1x blue), any suggestions on best order to do them?

Blue, Red South, Red North has been suggested.

This could be good as some people could bail after the blue (like I said, mixed group!)
 Chris the Tall 11 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:

>
> Blue, Red South, Red North has been suggested.
>

Sounds like a good plan. The blue starts from the car park and leads into the red south - at which point you could bail. After red south you'd be back at car park and cafe, and the red north probably has the most testing sections.

I did it RN, B, RS, RS again, RN again, or at least that's what I meant to do, but somehow missed a section on RS both times - make sure you go right at the top of the switchback climb. I did wonder why I done it so quickly, but just thought I was going well ! The BW down to Keswick is pretty good, but watch out for the drainage ditches - I managed to rip a knobble off my rear tyre !
OP ChrisJD 11 Oct 2012
In reply to Chris the Tall:

Cheers chris
 Horse 11 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:

We usually start at the Mas Mill car park (OS grid NY21382447 ), it is free unlike the main one. The Blue passes through the car park, then round the South Red and over to the Cafe followed by red North. Back to the car park on the start of blue.

Plan B. Ride up the road and do as above but finish down the Bridleway that starts at NY21312489 and finishes in Thornthwaite. Check in shop it is all rideable, when I was there at end of September the bottom part was shut due to a lanslip so ended up on a forest road.

Plan C as the first but then ride back up to South Loop and get out on to the fell and ride push up Grisedale Pike and ride the whole ridge back down to Braithwaite, best late in the day as it rather cheeky.

Also note that judicious use of the fire roads mean the North Route can be shortened to miss out most of the harder sections for those wanting an easier time of it.
 MHutch 11 Oct 2012
In reply to Horse:

Ditto your advice. Park here rather than the visitor centre, follow the blue round to the VC, then the half of the red that starts next to the cycle shop, back for lunch, then the other loop, then the start of the blue back to the car park.
In reply to ChrisJD: Id do Blue Red North then red south. it matters not really as the red south is quite short anyway but is the most fun IMO
OP ChrisJD 11 Oct 2012

Cheers everyone!

How does the Red at Grizedale (which I've heard you can extend out on BW) compare to the Whinlatter trails?

We're travelling up sat morning from Peak and was planning to do Grizedale Sat and then Whinlatter Sunday. Mixed group, so don't want to put some of them of biking for life
 brokenbanjo 11 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:

Grizedale is a doddle, but does have it's good bits. It's my regular got a quick hour to burn on bike route.

Whenever I've done Whinlatter, normally done the north first, then the south. The north has more climbing. If you can, try and get to gisburn. Hully Gully is awesome!
OP ChrisJD 11 Oct 2012
In reply to brokenbanjo:

> If you can, try and get to gisburn. Hully Gully is awesome!

Did that the other month - now that was a hoot: how high up the banks!

The rock slab thing further back up the trail was fun as well - straight in, no brakes

 Chris the Tall 11 Oct 2012
In reply to Horse:
Jeez, what is it with climbers and car parking charges.

These trail centres don't build themselves ! If you are prepared to drive up there, and give plenty of money to the oil companies, shouldn't you at least give a fiver to the people who developed what you have travelled all that way for ?

And no, spending a fiver on cake doesn't count
 brokenbanjo 12 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:

Heading down there again soon, only been mtbing 10weeks or so and second outing me and my Bro-in-Law headed to Gisburn. We tried Black Slab and well, he ended up being Mountain Rescued off the hill, with a perforated stomach and rather serious laceration to his knee...

Finally did Hully Gully a few weeks back. It was pretty amazing. You could, I guess, fit all three in one mega-weekend. Drive up from peak, do Gisburn. Then head to Grizedale and finish at Whinlatter...
 Horse 12 Oct 2012
In reply to Chris the Tall:

It isn't a fiver, last time I was there it was £6.50 for a day, which over a few days mounts up.

Also I have found that during busy periods, like half term, you can't actually get a parking space in the main car park.
Removed User 12 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD: Would largely agree with Horse especially if you've a mixed group i.e Mas Mill - visitor centre via blue or, from visitor centre ride the blue then south red. North red last and if you want more blue to south red again.
IMO (totally my opinion) Grizedale is better. Much more flow especially compared to the North red at Whinlatter, more options to include superb natural trails e.g Parkamoor. For either it's worth downloading/buying the trail maps and packing OS map as sections can be missed/repeated etc using fire roads.

STW forum has some great loops if you search threads for Coniston, Grizedale etc.
Removed User 12 Oct 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:
>

>
> This could be good as some people could bail after the blue (like I said, mixed group!)

Oh and rereading your question, TNF trail at Grizedale is technically easier than the Altura at Whinlatter although both red. Both my lads have ridden the majority of TNF trail except the initial singletrack climb at 7yrs ish on a 20" Kona and seen a few folk on cyclocrossers there as well. There is now a part black at Grizedale as well although more jumps than scary techy drops etc.
The blue at whinlatter is by far the better of the two routes there, again IMO.

Have fun!
 Chris the Tall 12 Oct 2012
In reply to Removed User:
Only really explored the trad trails at Grizedale this year, but agree they are stunningly good - Parkamoor to Nibthwaite in particular, along with the stuff around Bresty Haw.

However, as much as I like the TNF trail, I was pretty impressed with Whinlatter, and how little fire road you had to do.
 Chris the Tall 12 Oct 2012
In reply to Horse:
Wow £6.50 a day. How much did you spend on petrol getting there ? And how much on beer ?

And why would you go there on several days, you can ride it all in an afternoon...twice !
OP ChrisJD 12 Oct 2012
In reply to Removed User:

Cheers Ian. One of the guys has ridden at Grizedale before (I think I did, once, but that would have been over 10 years ago!?) and he also said its worth adding in a 'natural' loop - will check it out.

Was hoping to get out in the mountains proper, but with mixed group now going (and no doubt typical Lakes October weather), thought best to play it safe and head for prepared trails.
 Horse 12 Oct 2012
In reply to Chris the Tall:

You obviously don't go there with teenagers.

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