Would anyone who did the Whinlatter MTB challenge happen to have a GPX file of the route you could send me?
I'm off to Whinlatter at the weekend probably, and would like to combine trail centre with some more natural open stuff.
Thanks, Chris
Hi, I can soon send the GPX if you want but the top part of Whinlatter is footpath and not much cop either. You would be better off going on to the other side and over Grisedale Pike. The other option would be going to Keswick and doing the Borrowdale Bash, you could then turn off at Portinscale and ride up to Whinlatter...I suppose that would depend on your fitness though.
Have you done much riding in Grizedale Forest and around Coniston? You could tie the two together if you're wanting a trail centre/natural mix.
Yeah, the bits of the Challenge that aren't the normal trail are the footpath at the top and some bits run in the opposite way to normal, so not really accessible for you at during a weekend. Generally what's in the forest is either fire road or the MTB trails, there's not very much other stuff unless you leave the forest.
If you do the South Loop climb, when you get to the top you can hack through some undergrowth in the direction of Grisedale Pike onto the ridge and up onto the summit. From the top, right and onto Hobcarton End is a great descent back into Whinlatter, or you can go straight and bear left down to Coledale Hause, then left again into Coledale and Braithwaite. This is proper awesome rock descent. If you want more, head up Newlands as far as Stonethwaite, turn right up the old mining track, then right onto the top of Barrow. The descent off Barrow back to Braithwaite is really fast and fun.
HTH.
Thanks for the advice folk. I was wondering about potential access issues with the challenge route. Will look at putting some of the above in a loop. cheers