wondering if its worth a trip (from Leeds) so what is it like? what distance is it? how much climbing? what the terrain like etc etc?

if anyone has the memory map route they could email me that would be great

i appreciate that there is some great natural trails nearby but we want a trail centre for this trip

thanks

got to wales, kielder or ride the natural stuff. it's not really worth the effort IMHO

this it: http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=689852

for a KML file dl click on 'other options' top right of the page. HTH

Use bits of it as part of another loop, eg the DH from above hawkshead down to Grisedale, Or Grizedale up to Parkamoor. But under no circumstances should you just ride the whole loop and nothing else!

djglover, sounds interesting, are those bits waymarked or will we need a map?

map!

As dj says, you could ride it a few times as it improves with speed, but it is massively improved if you work it into a longer route. Try and work in the Parkamoor descent and/or the Lawson Park descent.

We rode it last year just to break up our journey.

It's got the usual climbing up man made single track, mainly in forest, there are some boardwalk sections which I've heard are not as slppery as they used to be. There is too much fire road i.m.o.
However the cafe and visitors centre is o.k with a bike shop.
I think it's fairly easy as trail centres go.

If you're absolutely dead set on a trail centre in the lakes, then Whinlatter (nr Keswick) is a better ride, in that Grizedale as folk have said has a lot of fire road on it, but The North Face Trail is also a very 'soft' ie low end red route. Pretty dull (compared to the 7 stanes for instance) unless you pin your ears back, and given the number of walkers/dogs/pushchairs around at the weekends, this isn't the best venue for that. I've met an awful lot of numpty walkers on the bike-only sections of singletrack, and bikes going the wrong way too. More than at any other trail centre/forest I've visited.
You could try the bogtrotters website for ideas about how to incorporate bits of TNF trail into a longer, more satisfying ride.

15.5km

Nice singletrack climb at the start, after that, there never seems to be enough of a reward on the descents for the effort put in on the climbs and every descent seems to have a little climb out at the end. Considering how much amazingly good stuff is available in the forest,I'd be inclined to get the Vertebrae Graphics book and do some of the Grizedale stuff in that instead.

Have you been over to Gisburn Forest yet, a lot closer than Grizedale and from what I can tell a much better ride (been a long time since I rode Grizedale).

NFT is only good for getting to the good stuff, eg Parkamoor back over to Satterthwaite/down towards Coniston. As said the VG guide has some good grizedale routes (sorry I know you said you wanted trail centre). I would also agree Whinlatter is much better.

When are you coming? I'm sure me or someone else could show you around. There are some awesome bridleways in Grizedale.

thanks i will get a map and VG book out and see if i can add something on to incorporate the NFT

we liked whinlatter – particularly the south loop

There's a map on here which you can download
The North face

thanks Aya

If you liked the swoopy stuff towards the end of the south loop at whinlatter, I'd wager you'd absolutely love Innerleithen, just down the road from Glentress: lots of compression jumps and rollers: have you been there?

The parkamoor descent goes down to High Nibthwaite and is one of the best descents in the Lakes. We start it from the top at Heald Brow Pasture, but there is another start point which is also the start of the NFT extended loop, I'm not sure if that start is better.

I quite like TNF trail myself – not something for all the time, but it's a good easy option for just getting out there every now and again! Especially if the weather is a bit pants (but then it is only 15 minutes from the house to get there!)

Not been riding much of late though, and not since moving to the Lakes… and haven't yet done the Parkamoor descent. Really need to get my arse in gear!

But no – I wouldn't drive over from Leeds to do it. If you had a plan of a ride, got here and it was pissing it down then it makes a reasonable back up option (not tried Whinlatter yet myself either!).

Favourite descent in the Lakes is Ironkeld still, but that was just a perfect days ride several years ago now. Good company, good beer, good weather… aaaaah, halcyon days I tells thee.

Rode Grizedale Sat and Sun – added a bit of my own stuff on Sunday to make it worthwhile, by riding down to Cark. If you're planning a trip, might be worth seeing if things dry up a bit – you'll need a snorkel up there at the moment . It's ok, the cafe and bike shop are also worth a vist, but Whinlatter is better, IMO.

They're re-doing the trailhead area at the moment and although there's bits and pieces open the cafe opening times can be very hit and miss due to the amount of building work going on. Bike shop and the Go-Ape ropes course are open as usual though.

Re the trail – it's not bad, it's a decent option for beginners and it tends to be the default "no-brain-required" ride. A lot of the boardwalk stuff got removed which was a shame. However as a linking trail to various other bits of singletrack within the forest it's ace. Grizedale is HUGE and I was still finding new trails there most rides, in fact I've had some real properly lost moments in there on nightrides. As a result a lot of people get put off and just stick to the waymarked stuff which means you miss the 90% of ace trails.

simonfbarnes will no doubt be along in a bit with various route maps – I know lots of the trails round there but don't have any gpx/mmo files to show you, they're all in my head and difficult to describe.

As a trail centre ride Gisburn Forest is half the distance and twice as good.

Do the top loop of the figure '8' twice for added value.

Paul

Grizedale is huge fun and the NFT is a useful intro perhaps but hardly something to visit for itself. If you insist on marked trails only try Whinlatter instead.

If you care to ring me (01524 843474) I can talk you through some alternative Grizedale tracks which are well worth trying, or just hover the mouse over this map and pick a route. You can mix and match endlessly in Grizedale as there are so many excellent sections

Ooh, cool floaty map thing of cleverness there. 🙂

overthehill,

yes i have and i love inners – i am off there in 4 weeks for an uplift weekend but that is dh stuff

the guys i ride with want something more xc but i want an xc/dh combo!
i am guessing that grizedale is nt going to bi it so maybe a return to whinlatter is on the cards

There is some great stuff in Grizedale which can be pretty 'DH' if you ride it fast. Lots of rocky outcrops and drop-offs etc to get air off.