Forum menu
Going to Keswick for a week later this month, so wondering whether it's worth taking the bikes for an afternoon at Whinlatter? Could take the kids or alternatively dump them on the MIL and just go with my wife. Is it worth an afternoon? The only trail centres I'm familiar with are Nevis Range, Laggan Wolftrax and Glentress so a comparison with those would be useful.
Whinlatter's great, especially if like you your close by already. It's pretty technical, lots of exposure compared with some trail centres. I love it but it's a fair old hike so don't get there very often. I can't compare to the other places you mention I'm afraid as I haven't visited those. One other thing to mention is it's a figure 8 loop with the trailhead café in the middle, so you can do either loop or both etc.
I've done it a few times. It's good fun. I've only been to Glentress once (a few years ago) but if you're happy at GT then you'll probably enjoy Whinlatter.
A word of advice, don't think "oh, it's only a couple of miles outside Keswick, I'll just ride there" because it's also a couple of miles [i]above[/i] Keswick!
Cheers. I've been before with the kids for GoApe and the forest adventure stuff, so I'm familiar with the road up 😀
It's great, well worth it. The trail is split into two red loops and the blue, so it's easy to do a quick ride, rather than committing to the whole distance. If time is short, you could ride the whole south loop then do the short cut push up to the final section of the north loop so you don't miss out on the rollercoaster finish.
Hi Ape. Whinlatter is great, the North loop is typical trail centre. The south loop is a straight up then down loop. Well worth doing as the descent is lovely. Fast and flowy. There are nice walks for the family and the cafe is a great place to relax.
We have just moved up to the area from North Wales so I am still exploring the areas.
Great, sounds like its worth putting the bike rack on the car then!
I'll be up there the week after next on holiday.
The guy we are renting the cottage off says there is other nice natural stuff around Whinlatter too?
Its the lake district!The guy we are renting the cottage off says there is other nice natural stuff around Whinlatter too?
Sorry - appreciate that wasn't that useful and you probably wanted specific routes, but it just sounded like you were surprised or questioning the existence of other routes in your query.
😀 Got some time off at he end of this month too. Quite fancy a go at the Borrowdale bash.
Blue plus the two halves of the red are about 17 miles total, and the blue, unusually, is well worth doing.
Perfect for a quick fix.
Quite fancy a go at the Borrowdale bash.
Worth asking on here for the best 'version' of the bash. The guidebook way includes a fair bit of road which can be avoided.
Cheers Martin. I have the route from Keswick MTB. I take it there are better alternative routes then?
Depends what's in that one. The difference is that the better routes have some cheek in them, which you won't find in any official routes.
The biggest improvement is made by going from Keswick up behind Walla Crag and across to meet the Watendlath Road, then taking the parallel path on the other side of the road to Watendlath. Locals will be able to provide you the definitive version.
Bridleway network around Grizedale is some of the best riding in the lakes. Don't bother with the North Face Trail. Whinlatter is OK, much better stuff in the area.
Don't forget you can legally ride up Skiddaw, the descent is rather good 😉
Which route down? Last year I walked up Skiddaw and down one of the paths that's just a bit back from the summit - steep scree slopes, would have been interesting to ride down! Is that the way you mean?
Up the tourist drag, down the scree slope onto ullock pike, then along there. One of the finest afternoons hike a bikes there is.
I see. I started down that way but then went left, instead of right onto Longside Edge. I'll see if I can get a pass to do that too then 🙂
then taking the parallel path on the other side of the road to Watendlath
I did this and really didn't enjoy it. Lots of bits where I had to get off to get past something, though that could just be my skill level!
No time for Skiddaw in the end, but got round all three trails at Whinlatter. They're good fun, and the scenery is great from the top of the climbs. It's interesting how the grading varies so much between different locations - these were not what I was expecting from the descriptions given - but they were good fun nonetheless.
How did they vary? Easier or tougher? More or less technical?
Easier and less technical than I was expecting. But the only other trail centres I've been to are Nevis Range, Laggan Wolftrax and Glentress (only once there, and rode everything over two days so my recall of specific trails there is poor), this was the first one I've been to outside Scotland. I guess grading them is somewhat subjective.
Nevis and Laggan are both the upper end of all grading IMO.
The gradings pretty consistent with the 7 stanes I'd say, no 'signature features' like a few of them though.
Maybe yes matt. I think the reds here (Whinlatter) are perhaps easier than the blue at NR, although that is much shorter.
I didn't give it much thought at Glentress, we were a fairly big group and I just followed the crowd, so wasn't really paying much attention to what was what. We did all the black, all the red and all the blue, that's all I know. We're trying to decide where to go for this autumn's annual bikes, beers and curry weekend.
Whinlatter red is pretty soft ime against Cannock, Degla & BPW, (haven't done any others) apart from one bit on the north loop which is rather technical and steep! so just crash through it.
I would add though that they were all good fun, and I'd happily go again if I was in the area.
Despite some of it being easier/normal red grade, I would say the penalty for failure on some of the slate trails is high. 😯
Is the blue at Whinlatter ok for young kids...7 and 10?
Is the blue at Whinlatter ok for young kids...7 and 10?
Yes
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8422/7663873756_b8d6c7b81b_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8002/7663866440_a10ed3a7cc_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8002/7663866440_a10ed3a7cc_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cFejuh ]IMGP3610[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8008/7664149084_58bc12aea8_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8008/7664149084_58bc12aea8_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cFfLvs ]IMGP3691[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
Sweet! Thanks Matt, and nice pics!
Yes, I'd say so. My 9 year old had no problems. Didn't try the little one (6) but he's only been riding a proper bike for about a month or so.
Despite some of it being easier/normal red grade, I would say the penalty for failure on some of the slate trails is high.
I don't usually think about this until it's too late 🙂
I'm a huge fan of Whinlatter, it feels remote but as its smaller loops you aren't miles from the centre if you need to get back.
The North Loop climb kills me, but I am fat. Worth it, though I prefer the South.
My eldest rode the Whinlatter blue when he was 6.
If you get the chance, sneak out the back of the southern red loop from the top and head up Grizedale Pike over to Whiteless Pike. Just saying 😉 ....
I was up at Whinlatter last week. I cant say I really fell in love with the place.
Not sure if it was just my tyres, but I just couldn't find any grip on the northern loop in the trees. I much preferred the south loop, the decent was great. It didn't help though that I was riding up both times from the valley bottom !
Despite some of it being easier/normal red grade, I would say the penalty for failure on some of the slate trails is high
I tended to be there in the evenings and didn't see anyone. With no one about and no mobile coverage I didn't fancy having an accident in some parts of the trail !
Certainly some of the best views though on any trail centre
[img] 
[/img]
That slate can be verry slippy. Don't know if it's just my tyre selection, but I find dry is fine, out-and-out wet is OK, sort of moist is lethal.
I kinda like the place. You must have been hating it if you stopped in the middle of the fastest, flowiest section to take pics!
sort of moist is lethal.
That's what it was like when I rode it ! (wood sections)
You must have been hating it if you stopped in the middle of the fastest, flowiest section to take pics!
A road the north loop 3 times so had plenty excuse to stop.
I like Whinlatter, we often stay in Portinscale so I ride up the bridleway, from the valley bottom all they way up to the top of the North Loop its getting on for an hours climb, which is a good workout. I enjoy the North decent - not technically hard but interesting enough. Then up the South loop - no stopping and no dab challange straight into the re-surfaced downhill which is fast and great fun. Then the Blue then back down the bridleway.
It a 20mile route that take about 2.5 - 3 hours, I'm usually on my own so its nice to know that you're not stuck on a fell somewhere if you come off (I did come off and broke a wrist on the North loop and walked to the car park to call for a pick up).
Its also a great place to take the kids - ours used to do the first blue section on balance bikes, then progressed to the first two blue sections on pedal bikes and now have a crack at the whole blue loop. Then they can go on the playground (which is brilliant) and have a cake in the cafe.
IS the top of the south loop open again TBH the fast bit is my least favourite, I can just feel that altitude ebbing away in a two minute blast!
re-surfaced downhill which is fast and great fun
How much resurfacing - have they altered the rocky drop almost immediately after the summit, or just smoothed out some of the rutty rattly stuff before the junction with the lower section?
IS the top of the south loop open again
Was last week
How much resurfacing
Top section was still exposed rock. The section back across the hillside before you pop out on to a right hand turn fire road through the woods appeared new, was very smooth, kind of almost too smooth/easy. I held back expecting to some nasty slippery bit or a lump of rock, but just silky smooth.
It's the lower part of the South loop descent that's been resurfaced if I remember right. It's not good, totally sanitised.
Nobeerinthefridge - Member
Up the tourist drag, down the scree slope onto Ullock pike, then along there. One of the finest afternoons hike a bikes there is.
If someone were to take this route (obviously walking rather than riding along the Ullock Pike ridge 😉 ), what's the best way back into Keswick? Are the paths through Dodd Wood cycle friendly?
Also, the idea of 'sneaking out the back of Whinlatter' and on to Grisedale Pike - can't see any obvious paths on the OS that lead from the plantation up there? Do you have to find the Sleet How footpath and go from there? From Grisedale Pike what's the best (most fun) way back down into Braithwaite/Portinscale area?
Also, the idea of 'sneaking out the back of Whinlatter' and on to Grisedale Pike - can't see any obvious paths on the OS that lead from the plantation up there?
Just get on to the ridge and follow it up to the top. This pic is from the top of Grisedale Pike, looking back down along the ridge, with the plantation off to the left.
[img] 
[/img]
Proper hike a bike though. Looking up to Grisedale Pike from the ridge. Lot steeper than it looks!
[img] 
[/img]
I wasn't on a bike, just running 😆