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[Closed] What is Britain's best SINGLETRACK descent??

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Could mean longest, could mean twistiest, flowiest or combination etc etc.

There was a thread on here a while ago about UK's best descent and I think the most popular came out as Walna Scar. Now I wouldnt say that is singletrack (quite wide, rock steps etc)...
I mean stuff about 2ft wide max that you can pin it down off the brakes most of the way 😛
something like minton batch in shropshire but better???
any thoughts??
many thanks in advance 😀


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:07 pm
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I reckon it's probably that one in Copley Woods near Halifax.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:16 pm
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😆


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:22 pm
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The woods behind Nationwide in Swindon, of course.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:22 pm
 jedi
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every single on that makes me smile 🙂


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:24 pm
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Horner woods, Exmoor. No competition.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:25 pm
 ton
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bowderdale


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:27 pm
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Bowderdale's nice but a bit pedally - it's certainly one of the longest


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:29 pm
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[s]thetford[/s]


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:29 pm
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Not done it but people rave about Ullock Pike off Skiddaw (cheeky) - is that singletrack?


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:30 pm
 Xan
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Innerleithan off the top of Minch Moore of deliverence on gt black.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:46 pm
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Pinning it off the brakes, Minch Moor descent at Inners me thinks.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 5:47 pm
 ojom
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Hmm i can't comment properly as i haven't ridden all of the ones people mention but the lairig ghru up in our fine land is pretty cool.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:09 pm
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Love the one your with.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:12 pm
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Last section on skyline for me


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:13 pm
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The stuff in Horner Woods is great. I still rate Smith Combe, but there probably is some braking involved. Weacombe is mostly off the brakes.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:15 pm
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Bikechain - I did Lairig Ghru last week during a trip to the Cairngorms - it was great stuff and so was Craigellachie


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:22 pm
 ojom
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It is a great wee trail isn't it!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:28 pm
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Scotland and in particular the highlands, has the best riding in the UK and there's no furore about illegal trails and cheekiness - it's all there for the taking.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:35 pm
 ojom
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Few of us went to the Peak Dist once and couldnt fathom why we had to link trails with roads when there looked to be trails available. It was then that i realised how lucky we are to be able to wander anywhere (within reason) that we like. Ahh, freedom.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:37 pm
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The Lion Trail but its VERY cheeky, the game keeper carries a shotgun so if you see him apologise and be on your way. 😉

Starts off camber with rooty corners then goes flowey and fast but never more then 2ft wide with 1ft-1.5ft kickers all the way down it plus a nice log roll half way along before heading down through the trees along some twisty singletrack getting steeper as you go.

Always have a grin on my face at the end of it 8)


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:38 pm
 Xan
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Crunny and tbc I was in aviemore last week and did lairig ghru the hike a bike is a killer but your right it increadable. I retract my last comment now haha.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:54 pm
 jj55
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Sidewinder @ Afan

The end of the Rough Ride in Kington Herefordshire


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:56 pm
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cutgate and off to north america easily


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 6:58 pm
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Hike-a-bike Xan? We rode the lot 😉


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:06 pm
 hora
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GeeWavetree - Member
cutgate and off to north america easily

Not the best (as there isnt close forest-action around you but in a close third place for me...

At second. The second half of the red route at Glentress.

In first, MANY Surrey hill trails :mrgreen:

The amount of times in Summer I'd come home with scours/scratches down my forearms from the closeness of the foliage onto the trail. Almost Mint Sauce in magicness..


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:11 pm
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Tony the tiger at Climachx.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:32 pm
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Nan bield to Kentmere is up there.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:34 pm
 TomB
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For what you describe, Hobcarton end off Grisedale pike puts a grin on your face!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:39 pm
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Too many to mention on the North and South Downs 😉

Bowderdale is also trully great singletrack and I love the Addams Family sections at Coed-y-Brenin.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:41 pm
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If it's a trail centre then it has to be the the long section of Kirrochtree after the Heart Break Hill climb


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:46 pm
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Doethie Valley in Wales?

Not exactly a non-stop descent (i.e: The odd bit of up) but certainly not heavy on the brakes either.

7km of non-stop proper singletrack in total isolation.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:47 pm
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The 'World Cup descent' on the Dyfi Enduro ride last sunday


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:51 pm
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He asked for singletrack...


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:52 pm
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Great Dunfell (MBR route)comes to mind Just off the side of Crossfell in the Penines,No gates,walkers, just the right degree of gradient and technical going near the top into some great fast,off the brakes if your brave/daft/mad enough!(35mph) flowey singletrack decending towards Blencarn.2,500 feet of uninterupted Nirvana!!....ace.

It does get overgrown with bracken in the late summer, so nows the time to do it while its dry :wink:[IMG] [/IMG]

[IMG] [/IMG]Nan Bield towards Kentmere 😀


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:52 pm
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Golspie gets my vote


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:58 pm
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Impossible to name the best, of course. But the last bit of Cwmcarn is one of my fave man-made, as is the last bit of Brechfa Red.

Natural.. well I couldn't say. Name the best person you know - not possible. I could name the tallest or oldest say, but not best. Some trail I did in the Black Moutains with a mate was great.. as is Doethie Valley.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 7:59 pm
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Gav, got an MMO for that Cross Fell route matey ?


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:04 pm
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nice.
keep em coming guys, I'm liking the sound of a few of these 😛


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:04 pm
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Buzzlightyear +1 weacombe beats smiths IMO, final Decent Of Cwmcarn is fun,


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:05 pm
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Did the lairig an laoigh and down into Glen Derry today with stuartie_c....fantastic section of trail, nice technical bits, some tough rocky bits, some rooty bits, pedally bits, and a few patches of snow which interrupted things a little 8)


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:06 pm
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sorry lowey only got the lakes 😥


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:08 pm
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Glentress - Deliverance on the black route, still smiling about that one a week afterwards!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:08 pm
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the next one 😀


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:14 pm
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north america on Cut gate to langsett. Fast and swoopy!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:19 pm
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Blackwater Dam to KLL?
Ben Macdhui to Hutchison Hut?
Capel Mounth into Glen Clova?


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:34 pm
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Does the Carn Ban Mor descent not count as singletrack then?

As said above, the Highlands are full of little, unpublicised, gems for those that want to go looking.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:44 pm
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I did my most favourite route yet two weekends ago. The descent down Andrew Gannel Hill in the Ochils was amazing. A foot wide rut of a path traversing a 45 degree slope followed by technical rock sections with drops then switchbacks. Kind of scary at times but all the more fun for it.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 8:59 pm
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GiantJaunt - I did Andrew Gannel hill a couple of years ago, christ is it fast! I do not possess the skillz to do some of the rocky stuff right at the bottom, luckily managed to haul the brakes on in time.

druidh - I would say the top half of Carn Ban Mor isn't singletrack....but the bottom is 🙂


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 9:13 pm
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and a few patches of snow which interrupted things a little 8)

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4590110754_4c9d7eed47.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4590110754_4c9d7eed47.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

A bit like this one. Cracking downhill despite the short interruptions. The last bit before Derry Lodge is just brilliant.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 9:44 pm
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Triscombe Stone to the bottom of the Chimney or Somerton Combe both beat Smiths and Weacombe (but there is a bit more pedaling involved).


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 9:58 pm
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have to say the kilbo into glendoll is challenging - its an excellent piece of singletrack but it is far from the best imho ...doesnt flow - its just series of dificult trails - which i like but to be the best i think it needs to have flow - be somewhere you can just let go and let your bike be at one with the trails ....

some of the singletrack in glen feshie for example swoopy flowing singletrack weaving in and out the trees or some of the natural stuff at innerleithen- not the trail center stuff it flows like an digital signal ...

deliverence is no where near as good as it used to be - to many people who cant corner have cut it up to ****/braking bumps

**** it im going with gypsys glen - there hasnt been a trail that put a smile on my face like that for a while ... - cant wait to go back to drumlanrig and ride the enterkin burn singletrack - if rik bangs on about it being great then it must be great - that lad knows trails !


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:02 pm
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Triscombe Stone, followed by Jambo & Sharki's track followed by The Chimney is a current fave.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:10 pm
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Shooting cabins followed by Wormstones in the peaks is my current favourite


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:18 pm
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roller coaster at Woburn is short but insane...


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:24 pm
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Waun Fignen Felen down to Dan yr Ogof. Amazing. Gets steeper and faster and rockier the further down you go. Amazing. I always finish with a big grin on my chops. Cwm Doethie is stunning too, but more of a 'route' rather than a 'descent'.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:27 pm
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drop into DVCP is nice - 2 mile drop in 3 mins usually a great smile factor!!!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:32 pm
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thebikechain - Member
Few of us went to the Peak Dist once and couldnt fathom why we had to link trails with roads when there looked to be trails available. It was then that i realised how lucky we are to be able to wander anywhere (within reason) that we like. Ahh, freedom.

ah, but i'm lucky not to feel restricted by such things!!

can't wait to get up to skye next week though...surely they have some of this singletrack stuff up there?!?!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:36 pm
 69er
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Doethie Valley


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:39 pm
 Far
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Ambrose - can you recommend a route that includes the descent down into Dan yr Ogof? I've looked at it on the map a few times but never been able to figure out the best way to get to it?


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:40 pm
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FAR - come out with us on a Wednesday evening if you can, I'm sure Ambrose can show you the way 😉

good friendly bunch


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:02 pm
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My own personal secret st.

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4548341844_b0c361a0ac_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4548341844_b0c361a0ac_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Get orf my land!


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:08 pm
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stuartie_c - Member
A bit like this one. Cracking downhill despite the short interruptions. The last bit before Derry Lodge is just brilliant.

Is that Glen Derry you're cycling down in the picture? I used to work in that area but wasn't heavily into mountain biking at the time. Mountain biking was actually frowned upon by some of the estates round there but that was pre SOAC. When I think back to the paths I walked they must be amazing for cycling. Did you go down to Derry Lodge on the east or west side of the burn? I'll have to get up there this summer.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:15 pm
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Not done many but my favourites so far are at the Long Mynd - Minton Batch and the final descent into Church Stretton (the one with ridiculously slippy mud near the bottom!).


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:22 pm
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The track from the Lairig Ghru to Derry Lodge is amazing in places, though it's more of a traverse than a descent.


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:24 pm
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I love Talnotry Hill on Kirroughtree's black, mainly because it goes on forever and flows like little else.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 12:01 am
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Bowerdale


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 12:39 am
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Lowey, I don't have one but can put one together for you as that is where I used to live and used it as my training route as a skin!

The descent down Crossfell is stunning as well but not really singletrack.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 5:00 am
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Depends on weather, company and how well you're riding that day surely?


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 6:03 am
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Ambrose / Far - interested too. Is the bridleway on the OS map a genuine trail on the ground? The Black Mountain has a certain reputation in that area....


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 7:45 am
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paulrockliffe - Member
can't wait to get up to skye next week though...surely they have some of this singletrack stuff up there?!?!

[IMG] [/IMG]
theres some really nice singletrack in Skye although i never got round to doing the sligachan loop.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 8:06 am
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Minch Moor for me. Massive grin factor at the end of it. Bet its ****ing windy up there next week though.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 8:17 am
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Did the Walls and Whites at Afan yesterday, and they're both cracking final descents.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 8:27 am
 Bosh
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You'd do well to beat the Crug Mawr descent on the black mountains killer loop.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 8:48 am
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As mentioned earlier,

Ullock Pike off Skiddaw (cheeky)
Hob Carton End Grizedale Pike
Section after HB Hill, Kirroughtree.

😛


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 9:39 am
 Far
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valleydaddy - thanks for the offer but I live too far away for Weds evenings to be a realistic proposition.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 9:41 am
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the bits you get to ride the most are the best - you get to know them so well, every root, rock, tree, drop off.

For me, EP (AKA larrys long one) going down through Wild Park in Brighton, yoghurt pots at holmbury, and barry knows best on holmbury.

All have the vital ingredients of being reasonably lengthy, pedaly, and fast and flowy.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 10:22 am
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agentdagnamit- the BW is most very definately there, absolutely. Plus a cheeky finish too- or so I'm told.

How to get to the top depends on your intention. Do you just want a 'hit' or as a part of a bigger ride. It is vague up from Cwm Giedd direction, even vaguer and a lot more strenuous from Llanddeusant- but SO much more rewarding.

For an evening ride we tend to start at the Gwynne Arms pub and ride a there and back route. Maximum pain on the climb 🙁 followed by a super fun descent 🙂


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 11:08 pm
 Hal
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Golspie, oh yes! 8)


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 12:50 am
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Granny run in Exmoor.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 7:06 am
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