I am off with friends to the central lakes in oct
any recommendations for self catering cottages
around Ambleside for 4 plus a baby? Found a
few on the web but wondered if anyone can unearth
a gem?
Also if you could only do one would it be whinlatter
or the north face?

Also if you could only do one would it be whinlatter
or the north face?

Personally neither as the Lakes is a feast of perfect trails, but if your limited to that don't bother with North Face dull as hell.

We've stayed here: http://www.cumbrian-cottages.co.uk/property-details.aspx?productid=40952

and here: http://www.cumbrian-cottages.co.uk/property-details.aspx?productid=145760

The first is up towards wansfell, and so is a bit of a trek into town on foot, but the views are amazing and parking is easy.

The second is more central – round the back of Bike treks / Zefferelli's area, stairs steep, a bit pokey and parking is on a permit.

Swings and roundabouts.

Yeah forget the trail centres… If your in Ambleside, you can ride from your door, Jenkin Crag over to Troutbeck and do the Garburn if you have time, Or the loop arond Loughrigg to Elterwater / Little Langdale and back along the Terrace (if its a week day)

If you want to do a trail centre definitely do Whinlatter, but from Ambleside there are loads of great bridleways without having to drive anywhere – as lowey says.

Go into Biketreks and ask for some routes, or get the VG Guide Book.

Grizedale itself is fantastic, but not really the north face trail – almost all the bridleways are great fun though.

Recommend a good but not to long ride then, or suggest where the
best downs are.

Ignore that you've beaten me to it!
Thanks for advice.

As said above, get the VG book. I was recently in the Lakes and if time is tight then Grizedale is worth a visit as there is plenty of stuff for the family to do. Great ice cream. The only downside to the NFT was the amount of forest road but I liked the singletrack. I would have liked to do the bridleways but I didn't really have the time to keep stopping and checking the map, but if you have the time there's lots on Grizedale in the above book.

There's some really good Grizedale routes in the VG book. Bogtrotters site is good for route ideas too.

Chameleon – Whinlatters red is on the upper scale of red, its a great trail, Grizedales is on the easy side but fun in its own right and as mentioned above lots of BW to add into it.

Whinlatters very slippy in the wet though. You could make a big day of it by doing the natural 'medium' grade route around the back of Skiddaw, then up to Whinlatter visitor center for some food and a mess about up there – its only a short car journey away.(theres also a short but good blue there now). Plenty of accomodation in Keswick. 😉

its all been said but if you want some first hand info call into biketreks in ambleside and ask them for some locals knowledge 🙂

Or the loop arond Loughrigg to Elterwater / Little Langdale and back along the Terrace (if its a week day)

+1 a beautiful little ride that. I did a figure of 8 from Ambleside with Jenkin Crag/Troutbeck in the morning then Loughrigg in the afternoon. One of the best days I've ever spent on my bike.

Also echo what folks are saying about Grizedale. I did the NFT as I had novices with me and we all found it a littlle dull with none of the usual trail centre payback for the climbs but the natural stuff in the forest is superb.

Some of the northface is OK, but only as part of a route with other paths in, eg go up to it from Hawkshead and use it to get further down Grizedale and up to Parkamoor. As a whole loop its pretty rubbish though

Yeah I often use the first climb and the next section to get towards Parkamoor. It's the descents that are pretty disappointing imo.

Possibly my favourite descent in Grizedale goes from Parkamoor back towards Satterthwaite – think some people call it Grandad, Dad and Dentist. The bottom section has been 'sanitized' but the first two bits are still fantastic. Really hope they don't carry on the work further up.