Currently being over exposed to hairy, fat, tattooed swimmers at Centre Parcs so managed to negotiate a day pass to get to Whinlatter tomorrow.

Not been there before so is there anything I need to know?

Is there a cafe?
Is there any snow or ice?
Are there any bits of trail that will scare me?
Anything else worth knowing?

Ta

Frank

nothing shud scare you ! 😉

last updated 6th feb

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-79YFHN

Great cafe, open from 10am.

Nothing scary, there is a little bit of ‘exposure’

There may be a little snow after today, but not of great consequence.

Have fun!

Do North, South and Blue makes a great ride.

It can be the slippiest place on earth, sometimes

Do the blue as a warm up, it’s great fun. Trails are a little battered at the moment but still good.

For me the only slightly scary bit is the climb on the North loop! You’ll see what I mean. 🙂

If you fancy something a little different park at the bottom of the hill and cycle up, meaning you can do the excellent singletrack BW down to Thornthwaite at the end of the day.

If it is/has been raining heavily (not unknown in the Western Lakes) then the trails can be like riding on oiled glass at certain points.

On the Red North loop there are a few sections that are sharp turns cut from the living rock, take care on these if they are very wet.

The South loop can be ‘interesting’ on the ascent if it is particularly windy – 40-70mph gusts can be quite scary i found! 😯

Cafe is ace if a little expensive, bike shop is good with a jet wash if you require it.

We’ve had a bit of light snow this afternoon – from about 350 metres up

The local Hospital is just off Crossthwaite roundabout (A66),but theres no Xray theatre,you need to go to Carlisle for that. 🙄

Its much safer to stay in the cafe all day and read Singletrack magazine,just keep changing seats and the staff wont get suspicous..

Thanks a lot for the answers!

Heading out first thing tomorrow, got the escape route planned and itching to get going. A whole morning ‘off site’ from Centre Parcs. Can’t wait. Was dragged to the Spa last night kicking and screaming. Spent a fortune to sit around in a dressing gown and get covered in mud. WTF was that all about? One of the most boring, awkward and pointless three hours of my life.

hey..come to think of it,we ride from the pedlar cafe in keswick 1830 tuesdays,we could show you some proper mountainbiking!!,come along!,bring beer money,(theres quite a few of us) 🙂

Well I managed both reds and then the blue so if I can do it then so can you! It’s a brilliant trail, great cafe, and I am sure you will have one heck of a lot of fun. I was very impressed with what had been built, and would happily ride there again.

I would do the blue at the end when you are tired!

ON the north loop climb there is a bit where you come off some singletrack go up a fire road for about 20 meters then climb up singletrack again. As you climb there is a drop to your right – it gets bigger as you go along.

Don’t wait until just before you turn left to have your front wheel slip on a root and point you off the big drop. You’ll fall a far way and possibly break your wrist.

If you do this you will discover that the local hospital does have an x-ray, but they don’t have doctors all the time so you get a cast then go to Carlisle the next day to get it re-done.

It’s my fav trail center though, good total length if you do the three routes but you can set the length of ride by doing different routes.

Prepare to get v vet n dirty 😉

+1 on the slippy issue. When it is dry it is fantastic, but when it is wet / damp it simply aint fun. we went last year (3 experienced riders), i nearly had a horendous crash, god knows how I stayed on, one mate fell off twice, one quite hard, and the other had 2 small offs followed by a third horendous crash slitting his arm open badly. All crashed were tyre wash outs on the greasy surface.

Maybe we are just crap!, but it was like pure ice on some slaty sections. My brother went 6 months ago, again in the wet, and found it “interesting”

Definately worth a trip, but take care!

Kev

Rag Ti –

When was this? Reason i ask is because the last time i was there in October i think, my g/f & a female mate set off to do the Red South whilst i did the Red North.
Rode the North then set off up the South loop, catching them up right at the top where the Black section ramp is.
My female mate is a physiotherapist & trained 1st-aider & when i found them she was bandaging some poor blokes arm where he had ripped himself apart on the v.sharp slate alongside the exit from the ramp.

Wasn’t you lot was it?

No, we were there late March time, sounds familiar though!!!!. The exposed areas are Ok, it is when you get into the damp woods were it becomes tretchorous.

Kev

First time i rode Whinlatter was Feb last year. Bike was shod with Conti Mountain King Mk1’s. They had come in for a lot of stick on these forums but i’d found them pretty good on my local sandstone/millstone grit rocky trails.

Soon found out that they were awful on wet slate, then again i reckon any tyre that doesn’t have a coating of glue will be awful up there in the wet!.

Me and my mate both had wet / winter tyres on….no affect whatsoever. Just try and keep the bike as straight up as possible, dont lean into corners!!!
Kev

It’s actually best in very heavy rain as it washes all the mud off!! (V Serious about that one) great ride up there pop in the shop and say hello and must do the Blue

Mikes right,Its much better after a good shower of rain and to be fair its a great place to ride,just take care and do the blue last as simon says..have a good one.

Its near Keswick.

It’s amazing how the same trail can be perceived so differently. I am really a red route rider in terms of ability, and a mediocre one at that, but I had a huge amount of fun in the cold and wet at Whinlatter last year. Maybe I was just going too slow or something compared to you guys, but I guess it is just a case of taking care and riding within your limits. It’s a great trail and people should not be put off by these tales of woe!

After saying that, I think it is the North red, there is a steep s bend on the way down and I had a comedy “over the handlebars” moment, no damage done at all, so yeah, some challenging bits but it is a great trail.

I agree, the slippy surface issue needs to be in your mind, however to me, a day out riding is not all about the riding, i.e…

Great Cafe
Great Location
Option of North or South Loops (or both)
Stunning views over Brotherswater on the first climb
Plenty of great vantage points for a dinner stop en route
Some good Black (optional) sections
Great singletrack and jumpy sections
Good exposure
Well maintained tracks with a natural feel
Oh and Great Cafe again, when you finish.

Enjoy !
Kev

ps: Simon….you ride too slow!! 😆

Ah but the great beauty of my style of riding is that I am able to enjoy the lovely views 😀

It’s all relative anyway – I went down quite quickly for me and if I get an adrenaline rush pootling down well that’s fine isn’t it as I am not someone telling other people how to ride or what to wear etc 🙂

And if I can ride all three loops then I reckon most people should be able to too! (Although I was a bit pooped and had nothing left in my legs trying to climb back up the blue to the car park). It may be a blue but it is great fun too.

Hey franksinatra – how did it go? Are you still in one piece? What did you think?

Apparently (according to mates who live nearby) there is snow on the tops down to about 500 metres or so – could have been an interesting day…

I guess his “pass” doesn’t extend to internet time tonight 🙂

Another plus side is on the South Loop ascent you get to stare at the paths on the peak in front of you, thinking ‘one day!’

Great trails, even in snow. Always seems to be icy when i go (must go in summer!) North loop feels very natural.

Went for the first time a few weeks ago. Two quite different loops. The more natural feeling North was a tad icy/slippy but didn’t really have any moments. However, there is one left hander into a rocky gully just before you get to the final fast donwhill switchbacks. Did not like the look of that at all so got off – smooth, wet and icy.

Well, I went and enjoyed. Plenty of ice higher up but still very ridable. Loved coming out onto the ridge at the top of the climb on the south loop.

Not sure if the rocks are any slippier than any other wets rocks. If there is a problem with slipping, l didn’t notice.

A great morning out. And agree about the cafe, hope the new GT cafe is as good 😉