Hi all

looking for some help/advice am going to be up at grizdale on Friday with a small group of 3 mixed ability riders the main red trail should be fine for all(rode it ages ago) but also wondering what the new black trail is actually like.

AND if there is anything else we should get up to or go to in that area that is worth doing(BIKE related 😉 )

travelling up from Derby so want to try and get the most out of the day(especially as we are setting of at 6:30 urgh )

Black is short but good fun if you can ride the qualifyign steps you’ll be OK on the rest, however the many many BWs in the area are somewhat utterly superb & plenty of routes on T’interweb.

I’m heading up to Grizedale on Nov 9th with a couple of beginners, is there anywhere to hire bikes round the visitor centre?

There’s a hire place next to the bike shop. Checking out the bridleway network is much better than most of the NFT, just get an OS map and ask in the bike shop or on here.

eightyeight – yes, you can hire bikes at the shop next to the visitors center. Have a look on their website for prices, also may be worth booking in advance. http://www.grizedalemountainbikes.co.uk/hire/

stustaff – red trail is good, they are doing some repairs on it, so some sections are looking a bit better than they have done for a while. Black is good, steeper than you think, but rideable. Plenty of other options in the forest by way of bridleways, and fireroads for those with less experience / confidence.

There is always the Go Ape to do as well.

*thinking about charging for a guiding business taking folks round the good bits in the forest. Hmm…*

thanks all

yeh anyone have links or suggestions for BW’s etc good spots?
will have GPS but really want to take the shortcut of getting a few recomenations rather than exploring all day.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I would recommend buying a copy of this. It will save you a lot of time and hassle trying to plan routes.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1906148236/ref=asc_df_190614823610157370?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=1906148236

A good book, with lots of good routes, including Grizedale. You can always use it for planning future trips as well.

Alternatively, there is a good one for free here

http://www.mountain-bike-cumbria.co.uk/trails.php?id=grizedale

Alternatively, there is a good one for free here

http://www.mountain-bike-cumbria.co.uk/trails.php?id=grizedale

Loving the comment left on that route…

Personally, i’d recommend Whinlatter over Grizedale

Its 20 miles further north but offers a much better riding venue

The blue route is great fun for experienced riders and very doable for novice riders

The red south loop is a cracking trail, and i’d imagine pretty much ridable for beginners

The North red loop is a wonderful trail – the DH sections are some of my favourite trail centre sections of the whole country – maybe not suitable for beginners though

The cafe is also very good and well away from any bike stealing scabs (a friend of mine lost a bike at Grizedale once)

hmm how long to drive up to winlatter from grizdale.

trailofdestruction, thanks Ill take a look at those.

Long way to drive from Derby to Grizedale just to do the red! When we were there the other week we started in Sawrey at the Cuckoo Brow Inn (great place to saty if anyone is interested). From there, straight onto the BW along the top of Claife Heights before an excellent rocky BW descent to Hawkshead. Then up Vicarage Lane (?) into Grizedale for the red route to the section just after Moor Top (where the big stepped rocky section at the end is). Then continued up the BW from there to the top of the forest before the riverbed BW back to the end of the new black run and continued down the BW (mad rocky tech fest!) to the visitor centre for lunch. Then back up the NFT for what is actually a really nice climb. At the top of the first climb, hit the fire-road for a couple of hundred metres before swinging left onto the next section of singletrack (think the black DH is signed straight on here). At the end of here, follow the signs and at the cross-roads with the fire-road, follow the BW as it turns to singletrack straight ahead. This will pop you out above the tree line with views towards Parkamoor. Turn left and stick on this fire-road as it drops and then climbs to meet a BW going right to left. Turn left and descend and descend and descend all the way to Satterthwaite. Turn left and into Satterthwaite and pick up the BW going up and over Breasty Haw, the descent of the other side being a real highlight of the ride… When you reach the road, turn left and then right up and over Devils Gallop before returning to Sawrey on a short road stretch.

That’d make the drive worthwhile. Maybe.

Thanks daveyboywonder

we are in the lakes anyway on saturday and sunday for a stag do, couple of us going up early and wanted to do th NFT but also some more, hence the question.

thanks for that info im digesting it now 😉

we took our time over that route and it took us about 5 hours maybe? but plodded the hills, destroyed the descents type of stuff with a real nice rest for lunch (it was lashing down so it was hard to drag ourselves away from the dry cafe!)

sounds good we have all day so im gonna get map out and take a look.