Thinking of taking the wife to tackle the deadwater red trail at Kielder at the weekend and wondered what it was like difficulty wise? Are there chicken runs on drops/rocky sections etc?

She managed the new red Section 13 at Hamsterley, anyone know how it compares?

Cheers.

fairly similar – nice flowy sections not many drops that i can remember. She will easily manage the Lowensome pine trail which is crap – nice way to blow the 2m funding they got.

There's a black section which has some reasonable size drops (nothing too crazy) with no chicken runs as far as I remember. It's ace though.

Went back last week first time was over a year ago, anyway if I went back again would stick to the red it was more more fun than the black, mostly because there is no obvious way to get back to the red after the black. Oh and the pointless climb in the middle to only come back down what's that all about?

The wood work is great tho!

The black descent is the best bit of the whole trail imo.

I agree with grum, for all the black is short is really good with a few small drops, way better than the red descent imo.
We just ride it twice when we are there to do both descents.

It's a canny climb and some of the singletrack sections through the trees can be tough if it's been raining.

Check the route profile out using the link below,

http://www.nemountainbikeroutes.co.uk/mtb/Deadwater_Fell.html

Went back last week first time was over a year ago, anyway if I went back again would stick to the red it was more more fun than the black, mostly because there is no obvious way to get back to the red after the black. Oh and the pointless climb in the middle to only come back down what's that all about?

After completing the black section with steep entry and few drop offs, back along the road and I think its the second right. Slog back up the fire track back to the red descent with the big berms and all the woodwork.

I think it will be OK. You could consider the lonesome pine trail – totally non-technical but might test fitness for a beginner.

I liked the deadwater trail – I was on a family holiday in Kielder so only had my cross bike with me, minced round the deadwater red on it and thought it looked good – wished I had the MTB. There's this loop up to the top of the fell that it pyar sh_te though. I did it in a proper rainstorm, raining stair rods, and it was just a fireroad grind up to a radio installation, then a rough fireroad back down again, which I duly got a puncture on 🙁 Well pissed off with this, but I was still smiling by the end.

Deadwater is fine. Everything is rollable or avoidable. I take my Gf all the time, was one of her first red runs. Just ride in front as she may get anasty surprise in a few places if she just rides blind round corners.

Get hold of the map, some bits can be easily missed (like the climb to the very top) if she's getting tired or it's too much.