Hardest Trail you have ever ridden

Borrowdale bash,its not super hard but parts are scary,and I would prob never do it again.

The bogfest that is The Monk’s Trod. Three times.

flyjay – you mean the bit down to Rosthwaite? I love that bit. 🙂

Several others have metioned it, ‘Lemmings’ in the Alpujarra’s. I rode it with Switch-Backs XC last year and bumped in to thisisnotaspoon

p.s. not my video

Has to be the one day I spent near verbier a few years back. If there are any Verbier area specialists on the forum could they tell me if there is a name for the trail south of Lourtier below ‘Le Tongne’ and ‘Le tailon’ (i think this is the trail we rode but it was a few years ago now)? We only did the small link between the roads but that was a cracking trail. Been trying to find out for years what it was called (if anything), and we never took any pictures or video of it but it is possibly my most enjoyable piece of technical trail riding I have [attempted] to do.
Don’t think it ranks tough among some of the other trails mentioned here, but the hardest section of trail I have attempted to ride.

Round coniston lake on my road bike yesterday. It was snowing and raining and windy and Ive never felt as cold in my life.

Never ridden abroad, so Rossett Ghyll in the Lakes is probably the hardest thing I’ve ridden. Mostly because I was on my own and the light was fading. It’s not so bad if you ‘cheat’ and ride on the grass at the side of the trail but it’s pretty tricky if you stick to the path. One dab I think for a particulary wide and drainage ditch. Didn’t make it right to the top as I was worried about the light. Also good was Coire Dubh Mor at Torridon, about 4km of down after a couple of hours of pushing, carrying and swearing.

As others have mentioned Lemmings with Switchbacks is the hardest trail I’ve tried to ride. I also found the Ranger’s Path off Snowdon really hard, although that was on a new bike at the time and I’d like to go back and try it again some day.

Hardest trail I’ve cleaned is probably Fort William red, not for it’s technicality but for how long and tiring it was for me.

defaultslipper,
I think the trail you mean is Vertigo 😀

Vertigo <sighs and smiles> It would make for a fantastic night ride.

What a magic trail. There is a section on 200 switchbacks that is a step up on Vertigo or New Vertigo.

One dab on Rossett Gill?

Looks like it might be vertigo. Has anyone got any pics or video? I only did the bottom link but we had seen the obvious line further up the hill but one of our group wasn’t keen so we only did the bottom part while she went down the road.

200 switchbacks!? Did a trail near briancon that had over a 100 I think but your mind starts to melt!

I want to go back again this year but my mates are doing the Megavalanche- not really my kind of riding. Much prefer to stay away from the crowds not ride in the middle of them!

Gav.. Lining crag… Hats off.

I walked up it as a kid and it was bloody steep. Looks like its been pitched since I was there though. Top bit of riding.

Cheers Lowey,Greenup edge is a great route, and (lining cragg) is usually best done as a carry, but its just one of those sections of trail that tempts you back to ride down it if you can.. 😉

One dab is how I remember it. Might have been two.

New Vertigo

http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=yp6pug&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=yp6puk&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Waiting for the guide to catch up Jackass

http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=yp6pva&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Thanks Jon Taylor, we went out to Switchbacks in around 2006 and rode that trail, I remember it but I dont know if it had an official name then. I seem to remember the usual Switchbacks beers and pizza on the other side of the valley after we got to the bottom. Good times.

You’ve also helped me remember the complete @rse on a Intense that was with us, American, kept doing that bullhorn hand salute things that they do whenever the cameras on him. He was sh 1 te, couldnt ride for toffee. Fat too. Jeez. Still good times though.

Lemmings looks interesting, can’t figure out if I’ve ridden it, the pitched bottom section looks like one we did but I don’t rememeber the top loose section, mind you it was a few years ago.

the flying circus – fromme vancouver

I think Lemmings is known by Ciclo Montana as “Tourettes”.

Hardest trail I’ve done is the one form stonethwaite fell to the bottom of stake pass (not a downhill), bloody awful, absolute nightmare. Infact it’s bloody awful all the way to sprinkling tarn, the downhill is worth it tho (which tells you just how good it is to make you forget the preceding 3hour sufferfest) The most downiest downhill ever.

a bikevillage ‘savage wednesday’ (staff ride) – a certain spineology about 40 mins drive from there.

if you think la varda/sketchy dismount was exposed, try having the same exposure on both sides.

i shat myself, and walked a large proportion of it.

sam didn’t (he’s in there somewhere!)

DONK, it’s Langstrath that you write about. Ditto, don’t know why I thought that was a good idea! Up Rossett Gill (2 dabs from the very top? Trials skills?) down to Stockley Bridge then back over Stake. Some of the poor chaps I was showing around wanted me dead on the climb out of Langstrath.

Laggan Black route for me. Done it twice and I think cleaned 40-50% at most (and that may be a generous estimate). Compared with the likes of Innerleithen and GT black which I can ride 99% of no problem it was an eye opener.

For physical toughness the climb up Glen Finglas clockwise had me beat once you see the trail zig-zagging away in front of you

Would like to try Laggan again now i’m fitter

For physical toughness the climb up Glen Finglas clockwise had me beat once you see the trail zig-zagging away in front of you

That’s a soul destroying climb. I was off and pushing after the last cattle grid.

Hardest trail I’ve done is the one form stonethwaite fell to the bottom of stake pass (not a downhill), bloody awful, absolute nightmare.

I quite like that section Donk – on the right hand side of the beck ?

Paul yep langstrath, might have been you who directed me there actually 🙂 the guy I was with was not impressed and disagrees that the down was worth it. I shall have to find a fresh victim for when I return this summer, but I have another route up planned. Well not so much a route, more just “the other side of the river”
EDIT parkedtiger no the left GRRRR. Will be trying the right next time 🙂

Noooo the trail on the left as you look up the valley is great from half way down, before that you go up the rightside and cut over at the obvious crossing. Love slow techy stuff, its like the fp to watendlath, trying not to dab makes it a interesting challenge. It can be wet up there so its best in the summer mind. Up Stake is a ball-ache I’ll give you that!!

Part of the NPS course in Rostrevor, Co Down, NI. Ended up on my arse after about 50 yards, freewheeled the rest, crying inside my helmet.

Must go back and give it another go sometime 😀

wtf anc! It’s horrific, I remember it being 10m of pedalling through energy sapping grass and/or bog, followed by 5m of pushing through an unrideable section, then repeating the process for miles and miles to to the bottom of a cliff. Then going up the cliff. I say again WTF!

box hill zig zag road

Paul… you was on the wrong bit then!!! Its all rideable to the foot of stakes. Its techy, but mainly rocky, step-up, step down, with the occational grassy bit(which is why its better in summer). Judging by the riding you do well within your capabilities, so I think you must have hit the wrong path.

Mr Cousins is a fan too 😉

Max – Member
Don’t completely write off the bridleway on the right hand side of the river as you go down Langstrath – it’s a great challenge and well worth a look, just of a different character to the track on the left.

clown shoes in whistler. The only mtb trail I have properly lost my nerve on

I think Lemmings is known by Ciclo Montana as “Tourettes”.

Ahh….tourettes.
Smart.

P.S Max is talking about heading down Langstrath in that quote so his right is my Left up the Langstrath valley… Great trail. 😉

Got to be Goats Gully in Whistler, always pleased to make it out of there!

Stake Pass side of the river anc? That’s where we were.

I’m just going to say a random name in an exotic location and watch everyone nod and stroke their chin. 😉

Stake Pass side of the river anc? That’s where we were.

Yep thats it. You do the first half on the right side under White crag then the second bit on the left under Blea crag(stake side). Cracking 😉

On a Side note there’s a hidden bivvi cave in Cam crag, worth a look it your into that sort of thing.

baileybailey – Member
Got to be Goats Gully in Whistler, always pleased to make it out of there!

you found that harder than Clownshoes? Not saying its easy (its not by a long shot) but I found Clownshoes another level compared to goats gully. Suppose its just different strokes for different folks