Grizedale North Face Trail ?

It still exists, and was 'mostly' open last time I was around there a few months back. It was hit quite hard by the storms in winter 2021/2. I've also ridden (with care) a couple of sections that had been marked closed for six months or more, and they were all passable - stuff like small sections of busted boardwalk.

It's waymarked, and I can't think of anything else in the area which requires zero navigation.

I know it doesn't get much love here but.

You'll get the usual sneering 'not gnar enough' responses, but it depends what you want.
I've done it a few times and enjoyed myself. It's not that technical, but it does have a few fun, fast flowy bits, and the last section is good fun.
If you want to get out and ride without having to think about it, then do it. Waymarking was good last time i was there, but granted that was a couple of years ago

Not riden there in years but I do remember the sausage and caramelised red onion sarnie in the cafe being very good 😋

I'd echo that. Its a nice afternoons potter if you don't fancy getting the maps out. Theres some nice views from the top of the climbs. I really like the last section as well.

Well if you are wanting zero navigation and insisting on a way-marked trail then go for it. But it is crap.

I do remember the sausage and caramelised red onion sarnie in the cafe being very good 😋

Told my wife about them just this morning. Bloody lovely. We always had one after the Grizedale mountain bike challenge. Really miss that event.

Whinlatter would be the other option but no idea if it’s all open

Used it to climb to the top of the forest on Saturday. It's not wonderful, but in the slippy conditions it wasn't as easy as I remember and a bit tricky in places. Quite enjoyed it, but we didn't do the descent.

Whinlatter is open, btw. Considerably better than the North face, IMO.

The FC website says the last two sections - the descents - are still shut due to storm damage.
Given than Storm Arwen was 15 months ago one does wonder who hard they are trying to reopen the trail?

I had a little look in June. I'm not surprised it's still not open. Epic number of big trees right across the track, with barely 50m of riding before i'd have to climb over a trunk.

It would've been a nice way to finish off a day's ride I think. But the guys at the centre sent me up some off-piste stuff down the road instead.

Echo the positive stuff ^above about the end - be a bit unfortunate if it was still out of bounds.

I quite liked the first section - a fire-road climb straight into a technical climb - the middle bit was a bit meh with a nice view over Coniston - the end kind of made up for the rest of it.

I'm with the OP - this is not orienteering.

sneering ‘not gnar enough’ responses

Last time I rode it the group behind needed medical help when one of them hurtled off the step down on the first climb and broke his patella. Bits of it are unforgiving of dither and indecision.

Thanks all I will go and have a look.

Whinlatter is 1/1.5 hrs away so not really an option!

You could climb up the NF to the top, descend down Lawson Park, climb up the next bridleway back into the forest and then follow it over and back down to the visitor centre.

There were quite a few big trees down on that section from Bank Top Car Park down towards the visitor centre - part of the trail signposted as closed - I went through anyway and instantly regretted it 🙂

Easy to avoid and go around though - wouldn't stop me going

This….
failedengineer
Full Member
You could climb up the NF to the top, descend down Lawson Park, climb up the next bridleway back into the forest and then follow it over and back down to the visitor centre.

Posted 2 days ago

Managed 99% of the trail. The section with the trees down is now clear, just a couple of big stump holes. On the return leg there were still 2 ‘closed’ sections, the first was just worn out from traffic and needed lots of TLC. The last section actually had people working on it with machinery. The very polite man wouldn’t let me through because he was concerned the digger might not see me and eat me or something!

really don’t remember there being quite so much fire road !

I'm not sure that Lawson Park BW is open yet, there were still a lot of trees down on the upper half of it late last year. The next one to the north is fine though.

Lawson park was open about 2 weeks ago, couple of trees still down across it but easily passable and no closed signs.

Probably not a good idea to tangle with an excavator. Despite the mirrors good operators can still misjudge things and you are very soft and squishy.