Gisburn questions

Up there in a couple of weeks with a “right mixed bunch” and i’m not sure that some of them will fancy Hully Gulley.

For those wanting to bypass do you just carry on then bare left and meetup again at the bottom?

Also from the bottom of HG is there a route back to the top for those who want to have a couple of runs?

There is a red bypass descent (relatively new) called ‘Long Way Down’ which starts a bit further back and dumps you out at the bottom of HG. But yes, the old ‘red’ just carried on for a few hundred yards past the entrance to HG and then down an easy piece of singletrack to the same point.

Not sure this old red is still part of the trail, if not, it would seem the logical way to get back up there.

Wasn’t aware of the old red so I have used the fire road to get back up if wanting another run or doing both HG and LWD. Just follow the fire road down hill after HG and first left fire road takes you back up.

You get to the bottom of hully gully and turn right and it loops back round to the top.

I rode HG the first time I went mountain biking about 10 years ago on a knackered 20 year old specialized hardtail with v-brakes, the original tyres and a barely functional 100mm fork. Had no idea what I was doing. Loved it. Just held on and hoped for the best and I survived. It can’t be that hard!

Not a fan of Hullly gully myself.

Long way down was a bit new and marbley when I rode it, but it’ll probably be the better option as a group and maybe more fun than HG anyway.

It’s on the left before you get to HG, iirc

Nothing particularly difficult on HG but think some people just find it disorientating and then have weird tumbles. Mrs has had to help someone found lying in the bottom of the berms with a broken leg late in a December day. Looks like they’ve given up on the “qualifier” drop-off at the start of HG as people just keep cutting avoidance lines around it.

Long way down is much less marbly now and the old red is still there.

The only issues with HG are if it gets a bit washed out either through traffic or weather, then it can be a tad sketchy. I’d still point a relative beginner at the alternatives though. Same with the little rock staircase on Home Baked.

I did a couple of dig days on Long Way Down with the volunteers so probably like it more tan I should.

Hilly Gully can be a bit daunting, LWD can be ridden quickly and be difficult or more steadily and still be OK.