So it’s looking like my usual jolly off to the Alps is off the card this summer, so I’m planning a UK based week.

This is fine by me, but the one thing (apart from the sheer scale of riding)is the lack of proper switchback trails- you know the big long, tight rocky descents, as in the Alps/Molini, etc….

Anyone have any hints of big days out in the UK (preferably lakes) which take in such features? Please direct me to similar threads if it’s been done before…!

Find something as steep as possible and make some.

Dollywagon
Rossett Ghyll
Langstrathdale
NanBield

Only a few sets at a time but then – it’s not the alps

There’s plenty about the place, but largely they’re on cheeky trails, so you’ll only find them with local knowledge.

The Postman’s path heading to Reinigedale on Harris – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGgDN9JpN8M

those on harris are really tough! switchbacks with big drops on them, and big drops to the water below too…

Not the lakes, and certainly not the Alps, but the Rangers Path on Snowdon has a few.

Other end of the country but Cardinham Woods in Cornwall has a couple of sections with tight rocky switchbacks. Why not take a trip to the Southwest? Lots of epic riding on a Dartmoor, Quantocks, etc.

this is just behind the Nation Wide in Swindon….

[video]http://vimeo.com/58731630[/video]

There is a challenging looking set on stakes pass, on the descent towards borrowdale. Was pushing/carrying up them the other weekend when going the other way towards langdale.

Mega tight (looks like endo turns mandatory in places) with bonus decent sized drops off one side of the hill if you mess up, and loose gravelly surface in places. Not very rocky though, but definitely heading on for alpine standard and i’d guess something like 20-30 switchbacks on the trail?

Gawton in Devon is a great alpine training ground imo, you’ve got the two flowy reds with lots of berms and jumps, and then the two blacks with lots of steep, tight switchbacks. Egypt especially, has dozens of them. A couple of uplift days there also gets your body used to the bettering it’ll take in the alps! 🙂

Some good ideas here thanks! Most switchback stuff I thought would be cheeky trails- which I’m ok with… Happy to be shown about with local knowledge…?