[Closed] Longest downhill trail in the UK

Off a big hill/mountain?

Guessing Scotland due to 'restrictions' in England/Wales.

We've plenty upwards of a mile long in the Borders, so there'll be far longer stuff up north.

great question. Lots of things to consider in that question. Legally rideable or otherwise? by downhill do you mean anything pointing downwards, i.e. not flat, so can include very gently declining land?
continous roll? i.e. you don't have to get off and open a gate.

As in Downhill or a downhill bit of a trail?

I believe the longest DH track is the red at Ft. William, it's 6km.

Climach-x in North Wales was always sold as having the longest unbroken downhill section on an official XC trail, but I've ridden longer ones, they're just broken up by gates to stop MX riders. I'd guess Terry's Belly as BPW is longer too, but is that DH or just a trail, BPW doesn't count itself as a DH venue, it's not really a DH track that's 4.5km

Surely Snowdon has to be up there? Is there a bridleway from the top of Ben Nevis?

Edit: Stupid boy, just cos it's high doesn't mean it'll be the longest!! 😳

There are no bridleways in Scotland.

Golspie used to claim to have the longest downhill trail in the UK. Don't know if that's been superceded.

The descent off Carn Ban Mor in the Cairngorms must be a contender.

You know what I meant.

[I]Is there a bridleway from the top of Ben Nevis? [/I]

Which is why I mentioned 'restrictions', pretty much any trail can be ridden in Scotland.

this has been debated before and there was some consensus that (in england at least) it was one of the drops off Helvellyn. It really needs sorting out into some resulty. Maybe there's a magazine somewhere who could take it, measure the disctances and communicate their results. With a top10 or something.

I've said on other threads that the descent from Beinn Fhada is probably the longest 100% rideable trail in the UK in terms of height loss, about 1016m.

[i]I've said on other threads that the descent from Beinn Fhada is probably the longest 100% rideable trail in the UK in terms of height loss, about 1016m. [/i]

Call me pedantic, but you can't have a longest height 😉

I think we did this and there is one off Scafell that is the longest in the lakes - its not very good either - not ridden it myself- if i am remembering correctly

Surely we want fun rather than just long?

Llanberis path is 7km long IIRC.. does that count? Did it back in the day - very very fast in places, and on a modern bike insanely dangerous for both you and the walkers I reckon!

how can you measure fun Junky? length however can be quantified. *speccy emoji*

Spin i remember you spraying about Beinn Fhada, Can't really picture this descent though, did you go down to the bealach.

Ben Lomond circa 900m trumps Carn Ban mor(600m now kitty litter and water bars oh the joy!)

did you go down to the bealach.

No, we did it as an out and back from Morvich leaving the track a bit before the bealach on the way up then heading up into corrie and onto the summit ridge by a zig zagging stalkers path.

Spin i think you have it, apart from being the longest IMO its also amazing fun. V Techy.

how can you measure fun Junky?

[quote=fergal ] Ben Lomond circa 900m trumps Carn Ban mor(600m now kitty litter and water bars oh the joy!)TBH, I was thinking length rather than height loss. I'll have to go and look at a few maps...

doethie valley - 7 km singletrack descent

Point the wrong way on an escalator?

Lochnagar to Loch Muick is quite long with plenty height loss.

I thought Glenlivet was supposed to be it?

That's certainly what I was told when I was riding up the bleeder!

How long is Glentress from the mast to the bottom of pie?

I think we did this and there is one off Scafell that is the longest in the lakes - its not very good either - not ridden it myself- if i am remembering correctly

Biggest vertical bridleway decent in England.

Depends what you define as 'fun', the top section is a flat out scree field, the middle bit is the same but with a long slalom of corners, then there's another duller bit interspersed with rocky chutes, then it's into the woods.

It's not particularly singletrack, but it's not completely without merit. Depends how fit you are as to whether it's worth the climb or not.

Ben Nevis to the car park at Torlundy (barely 50m ASL) should be rideable, so that pretty much ties-up the biggest vertical drop. Not sure on longest continuously-descending trail.

Where's the bridleway on Scafell?

As above!!!

Perhaps it was sty head- having just checked a map!!!- but i recall someone saying a descent from scafel was the longest gateless in the Lakes
If my memory is incorrect - at it looks like it may well be then - the apologies

Ben Nevis to the car park at Torlundy (barely 50m ASL) should be rideable, so that pretty much ties-up the biggest vertical drop. Not sure on longest continuously-descending trail.

Depending on route, getting down from the half way lochan involves sections that are unrideable for even quite skilled riders (possible for some I'm sure) or pointless bog riding.

Point the wrong way on an escalator?

doethie valley - 7 km singletrack descent

That's the sort of thing I'm after, you know, a downhill trail not a DH course.

but i recall someone saying a descent from scafel was the longest gateless in the Lakes

It's the other Scafell out towards Hesket Newmarket.

Where's the bridleway on Scafell?

It's the other Scafell out towards Hesket Newmarket.

Great Sca fell
Part of the Uldale Fells (a few miles north of Skiddaw House), its about 2.5 mile I'd say, claimed to be the longest natural downhill trail in the UK??
Its pretty much all on grass, if your local to it its worth a bash, can tie it in to a few routes, nothing to write home about though.

its about 2.5 mile I'd say, claimed to be the longest natural downhill trail in the UK??

England maybe.

Riding on the grass and ropey bits of surfacing along Cragg Vale.

hmm... there's Esk Hause to Stockley bridge which starts at roughly 750m and drops to 200m (ish) over the course of 4 miles or so. Best descent in the Lakes if you ask me, and then Helvellyn via Dollywagon and Grisedale Beck drops you from 950m to 150m over a similar distance and is just as good. No idea about Scotland, and I'd have thought that the Rangers Path off Snowden would be longer.

Lochnagar

Lochnagar

Which way?

Almost every hill in the Cairngorm National Park (slight exaggeration I know )now has a bulldozered track going up: Lots of potential for long boring descents there!
The descent NE off Ben Avon to Linn of Avon is about 5 miles long, not all downhill however!

Bowderdale (Howgills Fell) must the one of the longest in England.

The complete brinmore tramroad from Trefil Quarries to Talybont is 10km
The old road past the reservoir through the middle of the blacks is 6.3 km
Both the above are legal BWs
There are plenty of tracks to ride around South Wales which are well over 10 km of DH and constant descents of over 600m on single track are also possible

Braeriach down to Inverdruie must be kicking on for 20k and 1100m

Longest descent (a mile) continuously on bedrock; Wester Ross.
[img] https://flic.kr/p/BmAiJp ][img] https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/689/23205510255_03e7ca59a9_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://flic.kr/p/BmAiJp ][img] https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/689/23205510255_03e7ca59a9_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/BmAiJp ]DSCN0682[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/16702196@N03/ ]rick.campbell[/url], on Flickr[/img][img] https://flic.kr/p/ApbeUM ][img] https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/628/22578407433_6c938a96c0_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://flic.kr/p/ApbeUM ][img] https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/628/22578407433_6c938a96c0_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ApbeUM ]DSCN0686[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/16702196@N03/ ]rick.campbell[/url], on Flickr[/img]

There is a seven mile natural decent in S.Wales, but only ridable after about a week of sunshine in the Summer. For those few days, it is amazing.

Braeriach down to Inverdruie must be kicking on for 20k and 1100m

Not all downhill though is it? Once you pop out the end of the Lairig Ghru there's lots of flat and short uphills.