Off to the Lakes in 10 days and planning to ride Whinlatter.

Have read on here that it can be slippery under wheel in certain conditions.

Should I just stick with my normal trail centre tyres (i.e. Blue Groove/Nevegal) or swap to something else?

Yup – the blue route is like an ice rink after any rain. Not sure this can be countered with any tyre change – I'd just stick with what you have and avoid the blue route if it's wet.

…or ride a wee bit slower and improve some skills.
Why do so many people have a problem with trail centres feeling a bit 'natural'. Skiddaw slate is not a grippy rock, add some trail builders silt and it becomes slippy. If you ride it confidently it's less slippy.
Your tyres will be fine. Don't avoid the blue, it's great fun.

On a lighter note – if anyone goes and is looking for really good beer and bar food, drop down the other side of the hill and check out the Wheatsheaf Inn in Lorton. They do a double burger, which even a veggie like me is impressed by – two big local beef burgers, with bacon and loads of salady bits, served with proper 'from the potato' chips. The only snag is you have to eat it with a knife and fork, 'cos it's too big to fit in most mouths. *other dishes available*

They have a camp and caravan site too!

I wouldn't avoid the blue, it's fine in the wet. Maybe take a few PSI out of the tyres if you can get away with it.

North loop is the slippy bit imo – some roots there that can catch you out but it's fine really.

Fair points above. I stick by what I said though. We did both loops and found we still had time for a quick blast round the blue. It started raining half way round, and the difference was immediately obvious.

Every corner had to be ridden with the assumption that you were going to go sideways, even at low speeds. Just wasn't that much fun really.

Here is an idea, why not ride it and worry about tire choice afterwards? 🙄

I'm off there on Saturday. Not changing my tyres, or pressures. I'll let you know if I kill myself.

Seems to bo ok when bone dry, not bad when pouring rain slippery after rain. More greasey. I agree with above just ease off a bit. It does tend to be quite a fast place to ride anyway. What do you do in the winter when its a bit frosty under the tress? Just ride according to the available grip. I expect your kenda BG`s will be fine MAxxis minions & high rollers also good. Dont miss it, its worth a ride. Everyone has opinions on which section they prefer, personally I like the north and i find the grip more consistent plus if you dont like it slippery, they have repaired (spoiled) the nice rooty section at the top by burrying all the roots!

Have fun PS where else you riding in the lakes?

Cheers for all the advice (… well most of it anyhow! :-))

Fully intending to ride all of it, whatever the weather, as not going all that way (5 hrs each way) for nothing.

I'm no stranger to unseen slippery roots (regularly ride Swinley at night) and slippery off camber, so looking forward to the challenge.

However, I do believe it is worth matching tyres/pressures to conditions. Why wouldn't you? when it is one of the most fundumental aspects of setting up your bike correctly.

Wheatsheaf sounds like worth a visit.

FieldMarshall – Member

Cheers for all the advice (… well most of it anyhow! :-))

Fully intending to ride all of it, whatever the weather, as not going all that way (5 hrs each way) for nothing.

it's an ok place but not worth a 10 hour trip imo.
it is slippery – as said above slate and silt offer little friction, esp. in the wet.

Just get the berms railed and let the bike slide, loads of fun, just ready yourself for a quick foot dab. Don't think it's as bad as some folk on here make out and i've ridden in all conditions.

As grumm says watch out for roots as they do get slippery and the odd wee off camber rocks that appear on certain parts of north loop too.

I run highrollers front and back if you were wondering.

it's an ok place but not worth a 10 hour trip imo.

Well hopefully it will be worth it. Going to ride Cannock on the way up and Grizedale on the Sun.

And meeting up with some others who live up that way.

Just thought it would be a nice change from Afan, CYB etc

I ride Whinlatter alot, I had been using the UST blue groove/nevegal(must be different from tubed version) combo and they were awful up there, poor everywhere to be honest.
I've been running a Conti Queen 2.4 ust chilli compound on the front, couldn't put one on the back, wouldn't fit, they are massive. But the grip it was giving was amazing, especially in Whinlatter. The difference on the south top section is unbelievable, BTW, theyv'e been doing a bit of work on the south top section lately, laying it in with stones, reckon it will be good when they get it finished.

Only used it once, but I've changed to a Maxxis Ardent up front – better than others I've used and big volume.

Have ridden it about 6 times in the last few weeks. TBH i was riding on semi slicks to begin with and they struggled big time. Thats chute/berm at the end of the North was impossible as my bike just slid down it without slowing down at all.

I have my Kenda kinetics ont he fron and Maxxis advantage on the back (No better worse than Nevegal/Blue Groove) and there is no grip problems. Roade the complete route last night and its all ok.

Oh and i was chasing a pal on similar bike with same tyres on and he was definately not having to slow down due to lack of grip. Sometimes we try to make up for our own deficiences with extra gear when we just need to try to be better riders.

Well hopefully it will be worth it. Going to ride Cannock on the way up and Grizedale on the Sun.

Not worth it for a day trip but if you are staying over then I reckon it would.

If you go to Grizedale though PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for your own sake don't stick to the NFT – there are some superb trails in Grizedale, the NF is not really one of them.

what grumm says

Hobo has some route maps somewhere on line methinks.

and hereroutes

Not anymore John. fotopic took down my site due to lack of use about 12mths ago.

I was at whinlatter on Sunday – when it started lightly raining after a dry spell I believe. Slate with a coating of greasy mud is a bit different but was all rideable (except some of the "extras" that are comprised of big slate slabs – these were way too slippy for me). North loop muddiest/slippiest.

I think it'd be better after heavy rain as somebody said – if the mud washes away, that is.

(seems a shame to me that the blue loop has a quite long fireroad descent (shortly after the start) rather than going through the foresty bit to the side – is it too boggy in there or something ?)

I finally swapped my Fat Albert (a fairly hard compound tyre) for a Panaracer Rampage SC. This came on advice from the shop/ cyclewise instructors. I'd actually been told on two seperate occaisons to try a soft compound tyre and only took note after I needed a new helmet from stacking on the north Loop. 😳

(The shops a Cube dealer and some of the Cube bikes come with Alberts on them as standard) The SC tyre made a massive difference and I think its well worth you swapping to get the most of riding there in the wet. My Alberts go back on for Gritstone regions and fair up well.

scaredypants – Member
(seems a shame to me that the blue loop has a quite long fireroad descent (shortly after the start) rather than going through the foresty bit to the side – is it too boggy in there or something ?)

There's a cheeky shortcut by the lodges that takes you down to the bridleway to Thornthwaite (Seldom Seen) – you drop too far though and would end up having to ride up a similar amount of fireroad.

I don't find Whinlatter more slippy than anywhere else around here – I was on Dodd and Ullock on Sunday and it's the same root / slate. Just what you're used to I think – I'm rubbish on wet grass and am on my bum in under 30 secs.

I was at Whinlatter last night and did the South loop of the red and the blue. They've completed the changes by the look of it – some stones laid near the top of the red and a couple of bits changed on the blue. They've changed the end of the first section of blue just as you come out of the trees – nearly caught me out in the dark, but it will be safer as there was a nasty gully there that caused a few spills.

As it happens I was on Panaracer Rampage SCs and they were fine (barring some sloppy technique..)

There's a cheeky shortcut by the lodges that takes you down to the bridleway to Thornthwaite (Seldom Seen) – you drop too far though and would end up having to ride up a similar amount of fireroad.

You've not got a gps record of that have you? I'm trying to work out ways into/out of the forest from Braithwaite.

I rode up that bridleway (if it's the one from the main road) – couldn't guarantee to find it again though 😳

Try:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24121

and

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24120

Click on Download Route, bottom right

And a (steep-ish) one down to the old Swan pub:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24122

Many thanks, all downloaded.

It was slippery on Dodd hey PT!!! Great fun was had by all…

The smilies seem to have gone!

Mark and I might be off up Whinlatter now Stoney – might see you at the bank later 😀

I rode Whinlatter Blue and South (Red)Trail 2 weekends ago in the wet and I had a Larsen on the back and a high roller super tacky on the front, yes they did have their moments, mainly while climbing on loose wet rock but on the downs, awesome, rear did wash out a few times but a quick dab soon righted that,its fun to slide too! A mate on Kendas proper washed out, shyte tyres.

I can highly recommend the trails at Whinlatter, I think they were very well done and provided us with an excellent afternoons riding, we were short for time.

Enjoy.

I will watch out for you as i`m going up there now. One of my lads is up there with Cubs!!!! 😛

Smilies are back 😛

Anyone ever have a spin round Setmurthy? Not far from whinlatter. nice bit of single track but not way marked.

i rode it last week, and found it slippy,but on the south dropped psi, and found it was alot better,wouldnt drive over 1hr to do it again, saying that i have gisburn forest, calderdale, hebden bridge and tod on my door step.Has anyone got any good routes for Grizdale they could send me

tyres – well avoid conti mountain kings at all cost. By far the worst tyre ever used

Cheeky, then the BW to Thornthwaite

The vids lifted from you tube – its not me riding, i'm not that good.

You can park for free at Powter How Wood car park (South end of Bassenthwaite Lake) take the road to Thornthwaite, then cont up into the village and pick up the BW along Comb beck. The BW ends where the Wooden bridge is on the vid. From there you can follow your nose to the Visitor center, or keep right and push up the blue walking trail. This bit above this bridge is a footpath, and starts not far from off the first section of red. Its busy with Walkers, so if you cheeky it choose your time wisely. 😉

There's a good climb from the Old A66 (Swan Inn?) that climbs up onto Sale, you could go from here onto Lords Seat and drop onto the top of the Red Loop – this would be a good climb.

That video above is cool, brings back memories! Though last time I rode it I wiped out at 2mph going over one of the bridges and had to have 10 injections in my knee so they could scrub it clean!

It's tricking getting over to Lords Seat from Sale / Wythop Hall these days paulrockliffe – the best way I've found is to go cross country from behind Ling Fell onto Broom. Much more fun in the other direction though 😀

Where does the footpath in that vid start from (so I know to avoid it obviously 😉 )?

Done the bottom bridleway section and it's ace fun.

As you come off the first section of the North loop and hit the fire road, it's just on your right (on the bend).