[Closed] Lakes Trail Centers for both beginners and myself

Do you actually want a trail center (Grizedale, Whinlatter, Gisburn), or just route advice?

Because going to the Lake district to ride trail centers is like going to the Lake district to go to the gym and use the treadmill.

It has to be Whinlatter. Progression is blue (which is one of the better blues anywhere), bottom half of south red, north red (probably). You could do both reds in an hour and a half.

Borrowdale Bash has bits which will be not much fun for a novice (arguably not much fun for many riders), although you could probably make something out of the return leg along the Allerdale ramble from Grange which would be very scenic and easy to ride.

There are only two trail centres in the Lakes, and I wouldn't drive far for the one at Grizedale, although there is a lot of good riding in the area.

I'm sure we could come up with a not-particularly challenging 'natural' loop that would give her a taste of Lakes riding without terrifying her - perhaps something low level around Little Langdale/Elterwater way with a bit of climbing, a couple of pubs and some top views.

There's some easy riding on Blawith Common to the south of Torver. But it's the other side of the Lakes to where the OP is staying and requires getting through the Central Area.

Claife Heights would also offer a short, easy route with great views.

Whinlatter is the place for you OP.

Fitness depending there's a nice loop if you ride up from Coniston on the Walna Scar road (its steep but tarmac, hence fitness depending) which levels out and becomes a byway, then head left down the bridleway into Trover which passes through a few old buildings. Then head over Trover Common.

You could then either go back up either shore of coniston on the road or (and it's a bit of a push as it's not rideable) from High Nibthwaite to the top of Grizedale Forrest.

A nice low-tech loop, but does rely on SWMBO having a bit of an appetite for type-2 fun on the first climb and the push up to Grizedale.

If you’re staying near Bass,then whinlatter is well worth a visit & sounds perfect for what you want.
I wouldn’t drive to grizesdale from there.
There’s also a great little loop overlooking loweswater which is good for keen beginners. It’s short and can start/finish very near the Kirkstile inn. 😉

Some diversions on the Blue at Whinlatter I noticed at the weekend.

Yep, Whinlatter all day long if you're already staying at Bass. Maybe Threlkeld/Glendaterra loop from Keswick for a easyish natural ride. And of course the Borrowdale Bash.

Thanks for all the suggestions, while she is reasonably fit (she's running the London marathon in April) and definitely fitter than me however she hasn't done massive distances on the bike.
Whinlatter sounds like a winner.

Some nice gentle scenic loops around the lakes etc might be a really good idea to get her out and pedalling as well.

If people have maps or tracks of possible loops that would be ace.

Also FYI we are based in the Midlands so anything within an hour or so of the north Lakes is fair game the lakes are just a jumping off point for stuff that is too far north to be able to easily get to normally. For example Kielder is only an hour and a half from where we are staying but 4 and a half from home so if it's worth a trip I don't mind a drive as far as I'm concerned!

Well if you want to go to Kielder ...there is the 27 mile Lakeside Way ..which in terms of technicality is easy..however the trail surface is very energy sapping after a lot of rain / snow ..

The Osprey Trail ( Blue ) is excellent ..spoilt slightly after the initial singletrack due to the amount of fireroad that follows ..but gets better again after a couple of miles ( this would have had singletrack but the budget got swallowed on the lonesome pine trail)...

<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> http://fattyres.co.uk/routes/lake-district/ambleside-little-langdale</span>

The video shows a slightly different route to the map - turning right a bit earlier after Hodge Close to go straight to Little Langdale (I would do this with a beginner). I'd also miss out the slog up the A593 and the grind onto Iron Keld, heading up the minor roads to the east, which also gives the opportunity to pop into the Drunken Duck for a pint.

It's a nice route, not too challenging, couple of rocky bits, lovely views.

It's worth a ride round derwent water as well, if you're both into running the paths round derwent water are great too.

Whinlatter is perfect if you are in Bassenthwaite.I took a group of newbies from work there and they loved the Quercus trail.

There are plenty of low level paths and routes that are not a complete gnar fest if you want something more natural.

Thanks, a nice lap around the lake sounds good.

I really want to try and get her to progress on to doing some more natural less firetrack type stuff so I'll see how she gets on at Whinlatter, maybe through in a pedal around a lake and then try one of the more natural loops suggested though low level and less gnar sounds good.

Update/debrief

So last time we went and rode the Whinlatter blue trail and the one day did the South section of the red and fair play to her she pedalled up all of it (apart from the last section to the top above the fireroad as there was too much snow) and got down most if it apart from a couple of rocky bits which in all fairness were icy and snowy.

Shes also handling Follow the Dog at Cannock ok too.

We are heading back to the Lakes again next week again near Bassenthwaite and will be going to have another day at Whinlatter and have been recommended a ride to the north east of Keswich (used to use the old railway line I believe but doesn't anymore).

Think she would still rather ride trail centres until she is a bit more confident.

As we are most of the way there (and it's a long way from the Midlands otherwise) I'd like to strike in to Scotland as I have never ridden over the boarder. I was think of one or more if the Seven Staines if anyone has a recomendation?

cheers

If you want some non-trail centre riding then there's some very pleasant bridleways on the commons to the south of Torver in the south Lakes. A mixture of hard pack, grass and some tarmac. Best after a dry spell as there's some shallow stream crossings. Start and end in Torver where there's an ace deli (next to the pub!).

Torver area is nice but a long way round from Bassenthwaite - the natural loops around the back of Skiddaw are generally pretty amenable and a lot more accessible. (Yes the railway path is still out of action, the old back lanes through Brundholme woods are now the usual connection from Keswick to Threlkeld. Last time I was there those also still had barriers and "road closed" signs but thats just to keep cars off, it's fine to ride along.)

If you do fancy heading up the M6/M74 then Ae would be the obvious place to start or you could probably manage Glentress as a day trip (couple of hours each way).

Ae wouldn't be the obvious place to start as it's quite a bit more rocky & technical than Mabie which is a little bit closer to get to ..

If Glentress is within striking distance ..then the blue there is probably the daddy of them all ..its a red really without any technical features ..

You really have to do the Skiddaw figure of 8 .

Little bit of map reading required  but from bass.you can go over Binsey to Peter house farm& dash falls....ace ride imo.... nothing scary.

Loughrigg terrace route on the maps in all the shops natural and all rollable

Out of interest, how does the North Face Trail at Grizdale compare to the South red loop at Whinlatter in terms of technical difficulty?

Cheers

from memory, neither are particularly technical, and grizdale is easier.

That's good the know Swmbo got round the south red a Whinlatter last time and that was in March just after the snow and we had to push the last bit up as the snow was so deep, she just walked a couple of the rock sections as the were pretty wet, icy and snowy in variation!

Nothing that hard on NF. Sections are closed at the moment though and it will feel pretty boring in comparison to South Red at Whinlatter. A lot of fireroad.

If SWMBO managed OK on any of the bumpier bits at Whinlatter, then something more natural in that area would be fine and infinitely superior - perhaps a Claife Heights and easier Grizedale bits loop? Be happy to recommend some if you've got an OS map to hand.

I've got OL4 and OL5 East/West Keswick but nothing further south...

Also the itinerary currently looks like

Sun: Whinlatter blue + Red south / red North + south

Mon: Grizdale North face trail

tuesday: non-bike - Ravenglass steam trains for Miss Train Geek

wed: 7stanes / poss big drive to Glentress

Thurs: local non trail centre Keswick ride

Fri: pootle round Dewent + Keswick visit for shopping + afternoon tea

Sat: drive home via Gisburn and cake.

I cant really complain with my Proto-Wife choice currently...

Seeing as we are right next to Skiddaw I was 5inking we should do a bit of pedal around Siddaw if I can find an appropriate route. I found this one ‘back o’Skiddaw’ ( http://fattyres.co.uk/routes/lake-district/back-o-skiddaw) which I would have a crack at but I think it might be a bit long for Ms O_H_H could prob do with being about 20km I also found this one which is shorter but has a long road ride back to Keswick along the A591 which would not go down well... ( https://lakesmtb.co.uk/routes/back-o-skiddaw/)

ideally I could do with something starting and finishing near Bewaldeth and preferably including less road pedalling and if so minor roads.

Ive got the local OS but without knowing what’s pedalable and what’s hike a bike it’s hard to plan a route that won’t get me lynched...

OHH - your first route is straight forward but with one big climb past Whitewater Dash to get to Skiddaw House. There's a couple of km of moorland singletrack after that that might be tricky if you only ride trail centres. The second route has a couple of nasty steps along the side of Lonscale fell, there's been serious accidents here but you can walk them.

You could start at Mosedale, down to Mungrisedale, minor road to Scales, You've then got the A66 but there's a cycle path next to it and it's all downhill to Threlkeld so soon out of the way, up to Blencathra visitor centre and take the track on the opposite side of Glenderaterra Beck to the Lonscale Fell route, join that route as far as Skiddaw House then back down to Mosedale.

Out and back to Threlkeld via Whitewater Dash Falls/Skiddaw House?. Pub lunch in Threlkeld. You can't really put together a BW loop of 20km or less from there.

If you want a loop, the alternative descent via Lonscale Fell is considerably harder technically (and quite exposed) for short sections (but can be walked in safety), then I think you can avoid the A591 pretty much using back lanes through Applethwaite, forestry tracks and maybe a bit of FP to join the dots.

Think the local / natural ride might have to wait until next Lakes trip and I don't think Proto-MrsO_H_H has any legs left after today!

Took a drive up to Glentress as it's far to far for a trip for the Midlands and was a realistic distance from north lakes and I've never ridden in Scotland before.

We rode the Blue all the way up and did Blue Betty, had lunch and she decided she wanted to tackle some reds so we pedalled up Spooky Woods (with a couple of breathers for her through the switchback climb) and then she rode down all of Spooky woods decent (inc not bothering to use the chicken lines...) Super 8, Hit-Squad hill then over to Matrix, Lombard Street and Magic mushrooom with only a couple of foot down step off bike moments. We were going to take the red all the way down but the short steep climb at post 55 finished her legs off and we cruised down the green / blue to cake.

Very impressed / proud as there's some fairly steepish roots and rocky bits on those reds for a novice, though slightly concerned it won't be long before she is faster than I am...

Suspect her legs might not function in the morning however...