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

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Blackwater Dam to KLL?
Ben Macdhui to Hutchison Hut?
Capel Mounth into Glen Clova?


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 9:34 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 9:44 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 9:59 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 ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 10:13 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 10:44 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 10:58 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 11:02 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 11:10 pm
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Shooting cabins followed by Wormstones in the peaks is my current favourite


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:18 pm
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roller coaster at Woburn is short but insane...


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:24 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 11:27 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 11:32 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 11:36 pm
 69er
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Doethie Valley


 
Posted : 08/05/2010 11:39 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 11:40 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 ๐Ÿ˜‰

good friendly bunch


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 12:02 am
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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 : 09/05/2010 12:08 am
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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 : 09/05/2010 12:15 am
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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 : 09/05/2010 12:22 am
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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 : 09/05/2010 12:24 am
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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 1:01 am
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Bowerdale


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 1:39 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 6:00 am
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Depends on weather, company and how well you're riding that day surely?


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 7:03 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 8:45 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 9:06 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 9:17 am
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Did the Walls and Whites at Afan yesterday, and they're both cracking final descents.


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 9:27 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 9:48 am
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As mentioned earlier,

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

๐Ÿ˜›


 
Posted : 09/05/2010 10:39 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 10:41 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 11:22 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 ๐Ÿ™ followed by a super fun descent ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 12:08 am
 Hal
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Golspie, oh yes! 8)


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 1:50 am
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Granny run in Exmoor.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 8:06 am
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"Slot cars" on the Mendip is smooth, twisty, tight fun.
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 2:57 pm
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[url= http://www.bogtrotters.org/route/showrouteframe.php?route=83 ]linky of [/url]Cross Fell route. Have it on my ToDo list, wimped out on a solo last year. DJ has more info on routes over that way.

Cheers.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 3:15 pm
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This descent was a lot of fun on Dartmoor - some of the pics here look better but it was still very enjoyable:

[IMG] [/IMG]


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 3:19 pm
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stu

Yes please!! email in profile.

Ta muchly.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 3:21 pm
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When people say the end of cut gate, are we talking the path forking off that ends at the gate by North America, or straight on down to the woods?


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 3:54 pm
 D0NK
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Cross fell, seem to remember tees head to blencarn being an awesome descent, was a while ago tho*. The loop round rake end was rubbish tho, one fo those proper "track becomes indistinct" moments ie bloody invisible, so next time either a push over the top of cross fell for a very short 9miler or do the boggies 30m route.

*was a weird day climbing through cloud and rain in the morning visibility down to a few metres, when that cleared the track dissappeared and we had a long push, we finally got to the downhill the sun came out and all was forgiven.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 4:19 pm
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[img] [/img]
Looking down Strath Dionard.The bit you cant see, which is behind the camera person,is even better.Parts of the Arkle loop are nifty too.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 5:23 pm
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Why no carn ban mor?
[img] [/img]

Best of anything I have done by a long way.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 6:03 pm
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Torridon, descent to Annat. And the stuff I can do 5 mins from my door.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 6:46 pm
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Buzz - where on the Mendips is that? I reckon I know most trails, but not by any particular names. Dont recognise your pick though?

Ambrose - cheers. Camping on the Gower in a few weeks so might check one of the routes out.


 
Posted : 10/05/2010 6:53 pm
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