We are planning a trip to the Lakes for a couple of days, having never ridden there. We will ride a trail centre one day and want to ride a natural trail the next that’s technically equivalent to a trail centre red. Any suggestions for a route? Shall I buy the Vertebrate Publishing book? I’ve used them for the Peaks and they were good.

The VB guide is good.

Not sure about the ‘red’ grading. If there were any trail centres with riding like the Lakes then I’d probably visit them more often.

But you should be fine with the routes in the book.

PS Don’t bother with the North Face trail at Grizedale. It’s quite dull and unrewarding. I tend to only use the first climb. There are three or four Grizedale rides in the book, all of them are much better than the official trail.

Whinlatter is the better of the two Lakes trail centres.

My go to intro lakes rides are loughrigg or walna scar.

Theres options on each for length

Hmmm… I wouldn’t put Loughrigg – low level, low tech route – in the same sentence with Walna – big up, big down with a bit of ompf in places…

Both are good though…

Would also consider Ullswater Edge as a good introduction. Fairly weather resistant, low level, safe option. However best avoided during the weekends.

Plenty of good riding there. From nice and easy all way up to proper enduro hike-a-bike with tech, scary downhills…

Cheers!
I.

Where in the lakes are you staying?

Not booked anything yet, will find somewhere when we have decided where we are riding.

There’s insanely good riding all over the Lakes. North Lakes tends to be rougher, rockier and steeper, while south Lakes is a touch more gentle. It’s all relative though, as there is still plenty of rock and tech in the South. Slightly less bridleways in the north too, but the footpaths are all good, and once you get up high you’ll find you get less grief than on a low level bridleway.

Where are you coming from, are you ok with carrying your bikes, and do you want to summit mountains or just good riding?

There’s insanely good riding all over the Lakes. North Lakes tends to be rougher, rockier and steeper, while south Lakes is a touch more gentle. It’s all relative though, as there is still plenty of rock and tech in the South. Slightly less bridleways in the north too, but the footpaths are all good, and once you get up high you’ll find you get less grief than on a low level bridleway.

I concur 100%!

NW Fella if you wanna go high, I love it up there, need to get down soon.

If you are going a trail centre day then Whinlatter and North Lakes it is.

Low level suggestion would be the Borrowdale Bash.

For big mountain rides it depends how big you want to go?

The four passes or Tour of Great Gable is a classic big day out.

Rosset Ghyll loop is not quite such a big day out. Head up Langstrath up and over Stakes Pass and the back up Rosset Ghyll and down Sty Head Pass.

Either would be a great introduction to mountain biking in the Lakes.

Not sure how the OP will feel about red routes after FP or ToGG!

Low level favourite of mine – pooley bridge up onto askham moor, how town, tjen pick up UBW to glenridding.

Then through hartsopp up past reservoir onto the knott, then head back north along satura crag and angle tarn to Boredale hause.

Back along UBW and a wee bit of road work to Pooley bridge.

Awesome day out.

If you are looking for non-technical options then heading up to the summits in the North Lakes is probably not advisable really.

Loughrigg is a good call, sticking to the bridleways will offer no challenges but still be more interesting than a trail centre red. I would look at expanding it to take in Iron Keld too, via Little Langdale.

Walna is a mountain pass, albeit one without huge elevation. It’s been sanitised so much nowadays that the descent to Coniston would be doable on a gravel bike.Again, if you’re after something good but not too technical, then it’s a good option if you fancy a larger ride.

Other options would be Claife/Grizedale, Ullswater Singletrack, Kentmere (although Garburn Pass is definitely not trail centre red).