What's your vote for the best singletrack trail in the UK? Mine would be the black trail at Glentress. The Glentress black is around 30km long and has a bit of everything; XC, jumps, berms, downhills and good climbs, with the added bonus of ending on the new red downhill/jump section. The route takes around 3hrs to complete and is just perfect for a morning/afternoon ride, ending at the trail centre cafe. Whilst labelled as a black it's more a blue trail in reality and could be ridden on most bikes by most people.
I like the Nant Yr Arian red, and the Gisburn red. A really great place to ride are the enduro trails in Hafren Forest, but they’re not marked.
My absolute favourite trails of all time though are Super Swooper and Lovey Dyfi at Dyfi Bike Park.
Whilst labelled as a black it’s more a blue trail in reality and could be ridden on most bikes by most people.
Not really at all, it's a red - and yesterday it was icy, slippery and I saw no one else, so certainly not the place "for most people".
Also got loads of trees down, foresting and the lodges in progress so losing quite a bit of the original at the moment.
My 2
Hole Rake into Coppermines and finishing with super steep to the village.
Rigg Beck.
Both in The Lakes.
Very hard to pick one, but mine is Cutgate from the Cairn back to Langsett.
It's rougher than it used to be, but when it's dry it's proper satisfying when you find some flow through all the rocky stream crossings.
It's one of the first trails I was shown as a beginner and it's still my fave.
Just goes to show that its different strokes for different folks. I've always thought of the Glentress black as feeling like a fair chunk of climbing for little reward. Nice enough but lacking most of the things the OP likes about it.
I'm still gushing over finally getting to Ballater to do Heartbreak Ridge
I’m still gushing over finally getting to Ballater to do Heartbreak Ridge
A strong contender with a very unique feel and the woodsy bit at the end was a lovely surprise.
I think my fave this year has been Master Blaster at nearby Aboyne though, just for pure fast techy fun.
Another vote for Cutgate from the Langsett end. It was the first trail we rode back in 1987 and it still puts a grin on my face every time. Ride it in all conditions throughout the year but its best when it's dry and not busy.
Heartbreak Ridge is a close second but I've only riden it when it was dry and sunny so not sure if I was spoilt
Decent off Sgor Gaoith in one of my favs.
Surely behind Nationwide in Swindon?<br /><br />APF
poah
Free Member
Decent off Sgor Gaoith in one of my favs
Would agree but last I heard it was pretty badly eroded now Edit: Zig-zags rather than the shorter route
I think my fave this year has been Master Blaster at nearby Aboyne though, just for pure fast techy fun.
Noted for next time I’m in the area. Just did Tarland, Ballater and Pitfichie when up for the weekend. At the latter, Slippy Willie was the highlight with the massive slabs with seemingly endless grip
My tastes have gone a bit 'special interest' and I now rate trails for how much I enjoy them on the gravel bike, so anything too steep or chundery now doesn't get a look in but pedally flat singletrack which isn't too jarring through rigid forks and skinny tyres is good.
As such I think my favourite is the coastal singletrack in amongst the sand-dunes between Leuchars and Tentsmuir. Beautiful, thin, fast, sandy in places, some roots, good visibility. Begs to be pedalled, hard, and wrung by the neck.
The other metric is anything new or improbable, so the little section connecting Loch Freuchie to Glen Almond is one I can't wait to revisit, gets a bit vague coming over the top but then descends on some incredibly thin, bench cut sheep track. It's all over quite quickly and if you went up there specifically looking for something special you might be disappointed, but as a short section of perfect trail in a random marshy little glen it's perfect 👌
The swoopy traverse round the heather hillside near me. Amazing view, never the same twice with the changing weather, heather, bracken. birch, sunrise, sunset and wildlife. Always a tease as it's too fun to want to slow down and have a proper look. Done it hundreds of times, will never get boring. Not in the least bit technical, but a lovely break between the tech downs and the sloggy climbs.
Edit: I'm answering
Your favourite UK trail?
not
What’s your vote for the best singletrack trail in the UK
Not the same thing! 😀
I have a major soft spot for Inners red XC route. Its my go-to ride for a couple of hours. I can get there in 20mins from home, I can take the dog with me as its so quiet, a great climb with views at the top and can mix it up on the way back down with plenty of trail choice.
I have a major soft spot for Inners red XC route
Me too. Only ridden it once, in December, 16 years ago, with plenty of ice. It was my first holiday with my now wife, and her first proper mountain bike ride.
I enjoyed the heck out of it, but was feeling bad for her as it was a fair bit tougher that I'd thought, and I did that classic thing of forgetting how techy basically everything is for someone new to riding. But she smashed it! 🙂
It varies too much for me, the same trail that you have all to yourself on a gorgeous summer day with a light tail wind and the sun on your back that you ride with effortless accuracy and flow with only the occasional eerie call of a curlew to break the silence, can be a wet slog into a headwind that you ride like you've rented someone else's legs after having an argument with a whinging red-sock on another.
But I'll nominate Rocky Horror in Calderdale for an almost perfect blend of tech, steeps, flow and speed all in just over half a kilometre of near perfection*
*On the right day...
I still have very fond memories of what I think was Final Destination at Ballater. There was also another one on that bit of hill, which was also pretty bloody brilliant.
They don’t get a lot of use, as the climb up to them was brutally long.
Umm tough one. Cut gate is brilliant on a dusty day. Big Baw at Golfie because it is nice and long and keeps the tech up all the way down.
I still have very fond memories of what I think was Final Destination at Ballater.
They don’t get a lot of use, as the climb up to them was brutally long.
Ah yeah, I'd forgotten what it was called - but it's absolutely one of the most impressive trails I've ridden in the UK. Felt like it'd be more at home in Alps or Canada.
Well worth the slog round and over the hill.
I have a major soft spot for Inners red XC route.
Me too. And I revisited it a month or so back after not being there for over a decade and surprised myself how technical that last descent at Cadron Bank is for a 20 year old red route.
I'd probably go with Hopton Red. But a close contender being Afan Y Wall. Hopton i'm still learning the routes, there's multiple layouts, but it's just excellent single track. Y Wal, well that's old school XC/red fun isn't it... despite the climb, i can't wait to get there in a few weeks.
Minton Batch on Long Mynd is absolutely bloody brilliant. Fast, sweepy, swoopy lovliness! I've not ridden it for years either. I definitely need a return trip soon
The absolutely crazy fast descent off the top of Drum Mountain is pretty silly fun too
Very hard to pick one, but mine is Cutgate from Langsett. to the Cairn.
FTFY
Minton Batch on Long Mynd is absolutely bloody brilliant. Fast, sweepy, swoopy lovliness! I’ve not ridden it for years either. I definitely need a return trip soon
Especially good fun when it's wet and muddy and there's no grip at all, and you're all racing down it as fast as possible.
It's to difficult to pick one to be honest but this year I've been lucky enough to ride Heart Break Ridge and the Torridon Lollipop, specifically the section down to Achnashellach both of which are amazing.
Ullock Pike is right up there as well but haven't worked out the section in the middle so I have to get off and push which ruins it a bit!
I also really like Feed the Pony at the Golfie, nearly 6 minutes of single track from top to bottom! Though most of the trails at the Golfie are ace!
@hobnob @chakaping which trail is Final Destination? I'd heard about it and could seem to work out where it was. Hoping to go back there next year.
Good thread, and some good answers - many of which I'd agree with.
Cut Gate was a regular when I lived in Sheffield. The cliff top trail at Wharncliffe was also great.
In Scotland, Big Baw had a similar feel - rocky enough that finding flow is very rewarding.
In the Lakes, recently rode Nan Bield (I think) which was also rocky & flowy.
Apart from that, local unmentionable trails!
Bin Combe. A joyous piece of Singletrack that makes my heart sing. Only short but very sweet. I’ve had the Singletrack dictionary definition in my head after riding it.
Heartbreak ridge is a strong contender
which trail is Final Destination? I’d heard about it and could seem to work out where it was. Hoping to go back there next year.
I'd really struggle to explain the way we got to it. Do I have you on Strava? Can find the ride on there.
which trail is Final Destination? I’d heard about it and could seem to work out where it was. Hoping to go back there next year.
It’s up on Crannach. Quite a way out of town, past where Mastermind/Master Blaster is, not the easiest to find if you don’t know where you are going - finding the start on open moorland is challenging.
As you face the start of the trail, there are a few more to the left that drop down that hillside, which I have no idea what they are called, all great too. One is particularly spicy 😆
Mine is a local route: Starts at the top of Mellor, Black lane, The Banks, Lower Banks (surprise hill), Strawberry Hill and a lovely pootle back along the Goyt river base.
@hobnob @chakaping thanks both, will do a bit more looking in that area and I'll check your Strava.
Did either of you do the Enduro trail just out of town on the HBR side, that was really good. Bastard of a climb/push up to it though!
Did either of you do the Enduro trail just out of town on the HBR side, that was really good. Bastard of a climb/push up to it though!
No, let's swap Strava links 😀
Trail centre: Glentress black route as it was originally.
Mindfulness: Loch Ordie loop in Dunkeld with an honourable mention for the Ryvoan Pass loop in Avievegas.
Tech fun: Toss up between Torridon Annat descent or the Lairig Ghru.
For me it is still the descent down to Achnashellach in Torridon (short version). It has been the same answer for a long time and can’t see it changing. Stunning views, grippy rock, loose gravel, high speed straights, low speed awkwardness…etc.
Heartbreak Ridge is my go to local ride but has become a victim of its own success and is very blown out nowadays. I’m sure that I will have a heart attack on it at some point, 10 minutes of maximum heart rate can’t be good for a man in his 50’s 😀.
@fathomer Final destination is south off the top of Culblean Hill.
@hairyscary thanks, me and chakaping are Strava buddies and he's sent me a link to his ride so I'm now in the know 🙂
Probably Cut Gate.
All killer
No filler
Nice and long, unbroken.
Fairly local...Feeling of being 'out there' unlike anything much else locally ish also
Must get myself fit enough to clean the climb out of slippery stones next year. I've done all of it, but not in 1 hit.
Trail centre wise I absolutely love:
Poulty's last Blast
K Line
Rinse and repeat those two as many times as you can stand, then drop into
Transmission
Accelerator
Nitrous
Then back to the car park.
All at Hamsterley. Local (ish) for me and great fun. It's a big climb up to Poulty's but so worth it, you can just keep going around K Line and back. Thoroughly recommended. Not singletrack but swoopy and lovely, doesn't seem to matter whether its warm and sunny or cold, wet and miserable it's fun regardless.
Penmachno is great on the 3 days a year when its not a series of streams 😉
Tech fun: Toss up between Torridon Annat descent or the Lairig Ghru.
Hmmm. You need to go above the good bit of the Lairig Ghru to get any tech, and I defy anyone to claim it is fun. So I'm a bit bemused by your description. The classic descent is lovely, but not tech in the slightest.
Must get myself fit enough to clean the climb out of slippery stones next year. I’ve done all of it, but not in 1 hit.
yes, Yes, YES.
Now we're talking. It is indeed a thing of wondrous beauty. I've done it with two dabs/stops but really wanted to do it clean.
I also love inners tbh. But any tail with my mates with banger and beers to finish
Fort William dh. It's a great challenge when you don't know what you're doing, then it rewards you constantly with options and wins as you get better, then it's incredibly different on different bikes so bouncing down it on a hardtail rewards you very differently from a big bike, and you don't have to ride up. Mint.
For single trails I'm in love with Careless Whisper at Glentress at the moment.
Another discipline, but I really enjoyed a loop of the west end of Coll - out via Feal back along Crossipol with lots of machair and rock around Calgary Point. Beach opposite Gunna is a bit soft however. Fat Fun!
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7517372
Sometimes you hear great things about a trail but it doesn't live up to the hype. So for me it's those local trails that always deliver a grin. And rides with mates are always better. Breast haw in Grizedale always makes me smile.
One person's tech is another's canal tow path. Emphasis there was on the fun bit. Gatekeeper or what?
One person’s tech is another’s canal tow path. Emphasis there was on the fun bit. Gatekeeper or what?
I was hoping you'd come back and say:
"Aah, but if you come down from the Gap then that ridiculous staircase is doable" and inspire me to put more effort in.
Or
"Noooo, I mean the bit further up. Just beyond the nightmare boulderfield it gets awesome..." Then I'd explore further.
Or something
Anyway, it is indeed lovely.
There used to be a great DH track in North Wales called the 'Scousers' track near Nannerch. You could ride back up to the top on fireroad aswell.
Out of what I have ridden (Wales, Shropshire + Yorkshire only) i'd say Minton Batch is up there or just hacking around the Dyfi forest.
@weeksy - Lots of closures at Afan currently, particularly affecting Y Wall because the fire road at the bottom is a no go area. Still plenty open to the north and higher up the hillside but no bike park and no final descent.
Couldn't strictly stick to singletrack for my favourite trails, but what the hell. Also not sure what my single favourite would be but today's top 3 (in no particular order) based on fun might be...
1 This one. Not super long or super tech, but one of the best bang for your buck trails I know of. Bit of everything.
2 Rake And Ruin at Dunkeld. Again not super long but another great 'little bit of everything' trail.
3 Skiddaw down via Ullock Pike... Or Sail down through Rigg Beck... Or Down from Helvellyn via Stick's Pass and Seldom Seen.
HM goes to Ghandi's flip Flop. A short, flat bit of trail in the local woods. If it was on a hillside in The Peak then everyone would rave about it. IMO it's an almost perfect section of classic woodsy singletrack.
Rigg beck ... Such a fine and stunning piece of singletrack in a wonderful back drop.
That one at Staunton that's kind of the furthest over on the left of the hill and goes all the way to the bottom.
I'm rubbish at remembering names of trails but that one is just completely epic and ridiculous fun.
Not mentioned here but one of my favourites has to be the descent off the Bealach Dubh at Ben Alder, heading for Culra. Location, scenery and tech content are all up there. The fact that it's so bloody difficult to get to just adds to the awesomeness.
2 Rake And Ruin at Dunkeld. Again not super long but another great ‘little bit of everything’ trail.
Eh? It's over a mile long and 1000' of descent. What's your definition of trail?
Haha. Fair point. It didn't feel that long TBH. I guess I'm comparing to those big mountain descents.
To many to only pick one!
Ben Macdui by coire Etchachan is up there, probably the longest descent in UK.
Whiteside for a great natural mountain descent, Whiteless is ok hehe.
Ben Avon north for wilderness singletrack.
It's probably just Transfer Line at Woburn. Few different jump options if you're feeling brave and its just fun. Quick and easy push up for more runs.
Other than that probably Minton Batch or the other fast one back down into Little Stretton (not sure if it has a name).
For a loop my favourite day out has probably been at Brechfa. Combining the Raven and Gorlech trails into one big route. The Raven has old school Singletrack through (what feels like) ancient moss covered forest, a swoopy rocky downhill, a bit with a steep fast chute like a rollercoaster, so more tech bits, then the Gorlech part has some more built sections with jumps and whoops etc. really great.
I think the Cafell trail at CC used to be amazing before they had to cut trees down / before fires. The main descent used to be a slightly loamy rollercoaster of a thing - it’s still ok but it’s more rocky and eroded now and doesn’t flow so well.
The final part of the descent on the Twrch at Cwmcarn is still mega everytime I ride it - that is a proper rollercoaster that goads you into trying to do it faster and faster.
Also love Sixtapod into Willy Waver at BPW. The top half is pure rollery flow, then WW is essentially a pumptrack downhill. For sheer speed and flow it’s probably the best trail I’ve ridden.
For more steep / tech stuff Wacko Jacko into Mayhem at Risca is fantastic.
Finally I love Roots Manouevres at BPW - preferably in the dry. More of a challenge at speed and trying to keep a flow through all the roots and drops. Hammers my legs everytime but very satisfying.
If I had to pick one of the above to ride forever (with nothing else) I think I’d have to pick Brechfa probably - just because it has a bit of everything.
@Kayak I think that on e is called Dead End Down )at least that's what we call it if it's the one i'm thinking you mean). I guess so as it is done every single time we go there regardless of any other trails. So much fun. It is unfortunately developing some nasty braking bumps and very wet berms so could use some maintenance. Did it last Wednesday though and still gets a grin. Then again most of the stuff at Staunton/Redbrook is top drawer.
For me the best trails are the ones done in the best conditions with good mates where you get to the bottom and everyone is buzzing. I can think of several we've done over the years though no single one stands out as being better than any of the others. Often a return to the best trail results in disappointment as the conditions have changed (more bracken, a tree is down, corners have been cut etc), so in that respect your own favourite trail is a one off that can never be repeated. And there is nowt wrong with that.
It might be Ho Chi Min at Glentress that starts next to the mast and goes a long way down the hill?? It's not super tech and doesn't really have jumps but bombing down there at high speed following someone is great fun.
Torridon descent into Achnashellach and Accelerator at Hamsterley are also great but all in different ways.
Often a return to the best trail results in disappointment as the conditions have changed (more bracken, a tree is down, corners have been cut etc), so in that respect your own favourite trail is a one off that can never be repeated. And there is nowt wrong with that.
This ^
Rode some riverside singletrack near me at the weekend, very much only 'good' in the improbable/unexpected singletrack sense, and mighty hard work on a CX bike trying to thread a line over loose rocks and roots etc.
The whole time I was thinking "this is AMAZING" but by the end I realised I would probably never come back to ride it again, it was only amazing for being new and me having good legs on the day, any other day it would probably just be a janky slow pinch flatty frustration 🙄
Also love Sixtapod into Willy Waver at BPW.
Yes! I Always aim to do my last run of the day on this combo. Even if you've had a day on the reds and blacks, finishing with these two always puts a smile on your face. Anyone who isn't grinning like a loon at the bottom of WW isn't to be trusted IMO
For me the best trails are the ones done in the best conditions with good mates where you get to the bottom and everyone is buzzing.
Yes. I've ridden all over the place and TBH the trails sorta blend into each other after a while, but days like this, even 20 years ago are seared into my memory. A completely dry 24 race without even a dew, a Gap ride in perfect conditions that was just a couple of hours of laughing my head off with silliness, a few Chilterns rides that were memorable for other reasons...Rather than trails* it's those memories that stand out for me.
* Although, now I've said that, and thinking of the Chilterns: A trail that starts at Park Corner and Goes past Huntercombe on the way to the Ridgeway that we called "Young Offenders" is just about a perfect utter joy of swoopy woodsy fun in pretty much every weather/ground condition. Superfast flowy ribbon of dirt and not so techy that you have to concentrate on anything other than how fast you're going...Beautiful.
@Kayak I know that trail as Dead Man Down or Gulley Run and it's probably my favourite trail locally.
My favourite Scottish trail is Boner. The first time I rode it was an absolute shitshow; it was the last trail at the end of a long day and I bounced from obstacle to obstacle, just happy to get to the end. We redid it a couple of days later and I was fresh. Oh wow! It really came together and flowed beautifully.
Super Swooper is my fave bike park trail, folloed by Popty Ping for sessionability.
Feed the Pony at the golfie or Conda at Risca for me.
Or maybe bombduro idk.
Just because its reasonably fresh in my memory but Glentress from the mast into Carl's Trail into Truong Chinh into Ho Chi Minh into Jailbreak was bloody brilliant. A fantastic mix of flat out pedalling through the trees into some open singletrack with some motorway speed stuff on Ho Chi Minh and then into some really flowly but more techy stuff in Jailbreak.
Feed the Pony
Or this - insanely good...
some motorway speed stuff on Ho Chi Minh and then into some really flowly but more techy stuff in Jailbreak.
Didn't realise these linked up, absolutely love both of them so will check that out next time.
So many trails come to mind but would probably have to go with Minton Batch as I've never not enjoyed it and done it in such different circumstances, everything from flat out mates racing to pootling down it with my then 12 year old daughter and she never stopped talking all the way down.
Pedalhounds at Cwmcarn.
Hidden Gem on the Isle of Wight
Didn’t realise these linked up, absolutely love both of them so will check that out next time.
Not directly but a tiny bit of fire-road inbetween... pop out of the current ending of HCM and straight over down a fast little footpath type track to the next fire-road down, swing a right and straight into it. Needs a link direct from the bottom of HCM through the trees but loads of work for the lodges going on up there - there may already be something...
Super Swooper, and the huge berms at the end of Flow State.