Up to the lakes with the missus this weekend for some gentle biking and thought we’d give this place ago. How does it compare to welsh Centres and Cannock?

Similar to the Welsh centres – Whinlatter’s a good trail. Not ridden it for ages, but remember it being very slippery (it was wet).

I like it, its pretty short but mostly climbing followed by descending.

It’s good. The blue trail is well worth doing as well as the red loops. It’s pretty cut up at the moment though.

The blue is a good warmup. Also fun to session the first bit of the blue (the bit that starts near the shop). I’d say the north loop is better than the south if your time is limited. It is wet and quite rocky which makes tyre choice interesting, the chaps at the shop there swear by maxxis advantages.

I’ve found this particularly important for trail centres, make sure you’ve got your tire choice bang on the money.

You’ll have an awful time if you havent.

Check conditions before you go at this time of year, it seems to have a bit of a chilly microclimate – possibly from being in a north-facing valley.

I popped in for a quick morning blast on way home from the Lakes the other Monday and everything from the car park to almost the top of the south loop was covered in sheet ice. Above that it was snow.

First ride I’ve ever done where the climb was far more dangerous than the descent.

That said though, it’s great fun and I still had an enjoyable and challenging ride.

If you want to add a little extra to the ride, park down in Thornthwaite and follow the C2C marked bridleway (just on your left after the old garage). There’s also a few other options on the return trip that are worth keeping an eye out for (try following Comb Beck and you should find them 😉 )

I’ve found this particularly important for trail centres, make sure you’ve got your tire choice bang on the money.

You’ll have an awful time if you havent.

Eh ? Have you missed a smiley or a sarcastic wink from your post ?

Yup the BW down to Thornthwaite is great fun. No snow/ice on the blue or south loop on Sunday but that could change.

parkedtiger, what are these options you speak of? 🙂

its awesome, hit the northloop its the best ;p

Cheers for the info. What are the loop distances?

Ref tyres – can never be bothered to take my Mud X’s off between October and April and the missus will make do with Nobby Nics 😀

parkedtiger, what are these options you speak of?

There’s the marked bridleways I’m guessing you’ll be aware of Grumm – there’s also a couple of cheeky options further around towards Barf and some nice drops off the road (if you know where to look 🙂 ). I wouldn’t use them during the day though – too many walkers.

Ta, I’ve done the BW to Thornthwaite quite a few times. Is the BW that starts lower down (Knott Head?) worth doing?

Stuff towards Barf I’ve not done – I see a FP down Becksides Gill?

Last time we were there we rode up from Keswick on some cheeky stuff and then back down on “Seldom Seen” (I think that is what parkedtiger is referring to). Best bit of trail at Whinlatter IMO and a good tip.

You can find it off the lowest point on the blue route a short ride/push along a walking path.

Not sure there is a tyre combination for the Red north, Blue trail to Seldom Seen and then for the natural decent to Thornthwaite though, not to mention any road work necessary to get back to Keswick etc….

Is the BW that starts lower down (Knott Head?) worth doing?

Just before the viewing point / ice cream van ? It’s fun at the moment as it’s so cut up from last year’s floods – however, there’s a digger in there now so it looks like it’s under repair. From the top of Barf is good, and the path down to the old pub (not quite following the gill on the ground) is nuts.

If XC’s your thing, there’s a path across the tops from Lords Seat over Broom Fell, Greystones, and Kirk Fell (I don’t think it’s marked on an OS map), then you can cut north off the summit of Kirk over to Ling Fell and Sale Fell (Wythop Moss can get a bit boggy), drop through the woods to Beck Wythop, and down the old road to Thornthwaite.

watch for the car park charges!

paul

all the loops are about the same really 🙂

anyone ride here today to comment on any ice, heading there tomorrow and want to do North/South and Blue but would prefer ice free 🙂

its ace, probably one of the best trail centre rides in the UK in my opinion.

We stopped of there on the way to Scotland I have to say I found it quite dull and not even worth the short detour off the motorway.

“the chaps at the shop there swear by maxxis advantages”

I rented a bike with smart sams from them – slippy fun! “you aint ridin if you aint slidin” they said

Its great fun, i stopped on the way back from scotland and thought it was well worth it. Good climbs followed by great flowing descents, imo.

You will get Really wet and dirty 😆

Won’t be ice free today, but won’t cause problems. May be loose and soft due to frost.

Hi Boxelder !!!!!

Did the Red North, then the Red South to the option and didn’t fancy the extra climb and to top of a lap of the full blue loop.

Was some cheeky ice in places, a real nice bit was the ice over the roots 🙂 , but the ground being frozen nice and hard, couple of wet places and at the end of the ride mud on the downtube frozen on.

Good ride and was pretty busy out today too, made a nice change.

A bit limited with time, but impressed with the Trails – Blue, South then North give a nice step up each time. Found them in good condition to be fair. Friday did the Blue with the missus – very impressed – really liked the slate bits which cut the corners on the climbs, although failed on one! Then i went off to do the north loop on my own at 3.30pm. Nice technical climb to start with, fire road climb a pain, but the rest pretty decent,if slightly icy quite natural feel apart form the final zig zag decent, although a bit icy in places and on my own and getting late actually got off at that scetchy loose tight corner near the end

Sat, met up with friends again late, and redid the Blue and then the South loop at 4pm. Long but untechnical climb but thought better to bail out at the return before the top. If i knew that it did not take too long to do the fun final decent we’ve had pushed on to the top, although the last 10m had a nice ice streamn down it.

tragically1969 – Member

I’ve found this particularly important for trail centres, make sure you’ve got your tire choice bang on the money.

You’ll have an awful time if you havent.

Eh ? Have you missed a smiley or a sarcastic wink from your post?

😀