Looking at mixing up Grizedale trail centre with some of the brilliant natural riding around the forest. I’ve done a few natural rides round the forest but not the trail centre (apart from that new black descent thing) and wondering what options people know about for mixing it all up.
Also are there any less known about descents around?

The routes I’ve done include the VP Lake District Book “route 20 – grizedale and esthwaite” and this loop: http://www.strava.com/runs/11153155

Comparison to whinlatter too?

The other 30kish VG guide route is really good too. There’s an ace descent not on that route though – going from Parkamoor back over to Satterthwaite. It crosses the fire road twice. I don’t have a route planned out with it in but its easy to go from there up Breasty Haw and link to other stuff.

Start at the VC and do the first two sections of singletrack on the NFT then turn off left to Parkamoor. You could then follow the VG route or go back down to Satterthwaite. Or park at Moor Top and do the last descent sections of the NFT down to the VC first, then as above.

There’s some good footpaths too, apparently. 🙂

Some combination of the above is probably my favourite riding in England – once you get to know the forest you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Fine in pretty much any weather too.

You can combine the Grizedale and Esthwaite route very nicely with most of the red route:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://www.ex-parrot.com/~pdw/cycle-routes/gpx/20100406-grizedale-marathon.gpx

The single track climb of the trail centre is a great replacement for the original dull fireroad climb.

I think the trail centre trails at Whinlatter are better overall, but Grizedale has more options for mixing in bridleways.

These two routes include using some of the Grizedale red for the ascent and include a fair amount of my favourite bits of Grizedale (EG Dad, Grandad, the Dentist), Both sides of the valley are worth riding and you can include the red route to get into and out of the visitor centre.

http://connect.garmin.com/course/2483906
http://connect.garmin.com/course/2483900

That’s just a tiny bit of what is there.

Come on Grum, you know that’s what I was angling for. Not that I’d ever ride footpaths of course. Is the Parkamoor/Satterthwaite descent a bridlepath? If so I think I can see it, if not – any other hints?

PDW – great gpx, I like how the red mixes in there, love it. Looks like you can add the black descent in too if you’re keen.

Go at night and do the northface backwards mwahhahaha

Grizedale has loads of riding but is nestled among lots of other good rides that can be tagged on such as Hawkshead, Wray, Claife, Sawrey, Coniston etc.

Fill yer boots here boggies route list

A good footpath to make sure you don’t get tempted to ride: if you climbed up from Satterthwaite on the Breasty Haw BW, then rather than carrying on on the BW crossing over the fire road, go left uphill on the fire road. Short distance along there on your left is a footpath that ends up at the Bogle Crag car park. Nice descent, quite techy in places.

I mean it would be, if I’d ridden it, which I haven’t.

Dont forget the bits at Lawson Park, Ickenthwaite and Graythwaite.

Some good route guides on the Ride The Lakes site, can’t link from work.

Did this the other week…
http://app.strava.com/activities/28293941

Takes in the Red Mist descent and the Hole In The Wall over the Breasty Haw side – both of which are fantastic.

Gutted the Boulder Alley descent didn’t show up on Strava as I had a great run at it.

🙁

I’ve not managed to find anything as good in Whinlatter, but I’m not a local. The only real off piste route I know if “Seldom Seen”, which admittedly is very nice!

I have climbed up to the visitors centre from Braithwaite, which hits the south loop at some point.

I’d be interested in getting off the beaten track there – maybe towards Grizedale Pike or Lords Seat?

Best avoiding the west side of the forest this Saturday, as the rally is on.

Vroom

I’ve previously tried ignoring the ‘forest closed’ advice on rally day, and yomping the bike cross-country between the fire roads to get to the various bridleways. All I can say is, popping out of the trees and finding yourself in a drainage ditch, on the outer apex of a bend, as an ex-WRC Focus screams past at head height, is a most terrifying experience.

there’s a pretty good all weather all BW route, red route up, parka moor, satterthwaite, breaty haw (fnar fnar) slack wood, claife, colthouse, hawkshead, onto the moor, bit of red route and then drop back down to visitor centre. Can even quickly go up to do the black run after if you want.

Found it, this one done it a few times now.

is this the one I should be avoiding grum?

This is useful:

http://www.ridethelakes.co.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=704

I’ve not managed to find anything as good in Whinlatter, but I’m not a local. The only real off piste route I know if “Seldom Seen”, which admittedly is very nice!

Nice descent – there was a big old landslide over it last time I went down there though, and some of the rest of it was pretty washed away.

is this the one I should be avoiding grum?

Yeah, although the 1:25k makes it look like it just disappears – if you zoom out you can see where it goes but it’s easy enough to follow. There’s a little blind crest where it goes uphill slightly followed by a steep rooty/rocky bit which is my nemesis. Never managed to ride it cleanly. Or at all in fact, obviously…..

good link agent, couple of new ones to me on there, might have to do a bit of an explore.

Lawsons Park…NFT builders take note, this is a flowing trial

apart from the multitude gates along it! Would love a clean, traffic free run of that.

cheers grum, will give it a wide berth

apart from the multitude gates along it! Would love a clean, traffic free run of that.

there’s a couple of descents at lawson park, the one to the left of the house has no gates!

Heading up from Bristol for a week over New Year, cant wait! I love the Fox decent and the continuation over the otherside of the Hawkshead road. Grizedale is a good Plan B in the winter if the snow comes.