I’m thinking about having a trip up there this weekend, whats it like? Trails good? It’s either that or keep on going and go to glentress

Glentress is better. Much more choice. Riding is still good at Kielder though so its up to you whether you can be bothered with the extra miles.

its only about another 45 minutes to glentress, although I’ve never ridden kielder, whats the best trail/s?

It gets a slagging on here but I really like it. Good climbs, some really nice techy bits to get your teeth into, bit different to your average trailcentre. Only ridden the Deadwater side- don’t bother with the topmost part (climb to viewpoint), the climb is grim, the descent is poor, and the view isn’t worth it! But otherwise, lap of red and black, good stuff. Good skills playground too.

I am tempted as like I say I’ve never ridden there

It’s not in the same league as GT, but I still quite like it. Lonesome Pine is a nice trail, especially the Skydive descent. The blue is good too, flows nicely. If I’m up there on my own, I often string together lonesome pine, deadwater (minus the top climb/descent) and the blue for a long day out. Alternatively, the cross border route plus newcastleton trails is 45 miles of XC riding. Feels properly remote.

yeah just looked at the cross boarder trail, is that a good one to do? 30 ish miles

3 kielder trails: https://www.strava.com/activities/14886905
Cross border + newcastleton: https://www.strava.com/activities/13655200

I did the cross border last week and the return leg was closed because of forestry work, ie go back the way you came. The route is just forest roads really but has more of a mini expedition feel to it and you can, of course, ride the Newcastleton trails too. If you do that and the Lonesome Pine stuff you’ll do more like 45 miles.

Cross border is more about the mileage and the remoteness ather than out and out fun (although I liked newcastleton, and the route includes the lonesome pine trail). My Strava link above reckons it is 39 miles.

although i’m liking the idea of a good ride out, my mate wouldn’t be over the moon about mile and miles of fireroad. I’d like something around 30 miles with some decent tech riding too.

Which of the trails would be best to tackle first?

I like Kielder, its good to get some miles on the legs. The black descent after the pretty grim descent from the top of Deadwater is ace, flows with enough rough stuff to keep it interesting. The Blue has some ace little runs in it too.

There are trail closures at the minute though, was there at the weekend. The up and downy black section is closed (before the Deadwater ascent) as well as the last few black descents, so not the best time to go to be honest – dunno when they’ll be opened again.

Can be properly sinister out there, especially if its still and starting the get dark, think it must be the quietest place I’ve ever been! Good for the soul and all that…

hmmm maybe hit glentress this weekend then and go up to kielder when all trails are open?

Ok if we’re stravaring http://www.strava.com/activities/75370792

We did it on ‘cross bikes, it was lashing down and my son is 13.

Lonesome Pine is ok, Deadwater is ok and together they’re probably about 30 miles. There certainly aren’t the crowds like GT.

Lonesome Pine, Deadwater and the Osprey trail will give you around 50k (and plenty of opportunity to stop at the cafe).

legolam are they all open?

Osprey was all open at the weekend. The Kersey Cleugh section on Deadwater was closed the last time I was there (end of June/beginning of July), but you’re not missing much there. However, at that visit, the Up and Over trail (again on the Deadwater trail) was open for the first time in ages. Not been on Lonesome Pine for a while so can’t comment on that.

Why don’t you give The Bike Place at Kielder a ring (or post up on Kielder Trail Reavers’ forum)

Some QoM’s you have there, Legolam! Another local.

yeah i enjoy Keilder when i’m up there, as most people on here have said – definitley miss out the top section to the view point – it really is not worth it, unless its a really nice day – in which case i’d push/ride up the descent to the observation point

My 10yr old son and his friend enjoyed the Osprey blue route despite a bit of moaning on a fire road climb slog. I thought it was really nice and has bedded in well so feels quite natural. A good warm up for the more ‘built’ red sections. I was also interested to see that the Deadwater hill has been regraded from red to black since I last bent my wheel there.