Trail centres banned. Cheeky allowed.

I propose Ullock Pike. Will anyone second me?

nope, although it’s definitely near the top of the list. There are better descents in the Lakes!

Beinn Fhada, depressingly I’m sat at the bottom of it but don’t have time to get up to do it.

Sprinkling tarn to stockley bridge is my favourite.

Nobeer’s idea of a good night out probably involves a fight 😉

Heartbreak Ridge. An absolute joy from top to bottom

I propose Ullock Pike. Will anyone second me?

If the scree from the top of Skiddaw is included then its a yes from me. First time I did it was a couple of years ago, 30° heat and hungover, swore I’d never do it again halfway up the bridleway from Latrigg car park after almost throwing up. It didn’t take too long to change my thinking on the descent, although the following 20 mile loop around Bassenthwaite, up to Whinlatter and back down the off piste descent to the valley floor, whilst almost as good, almost finished me off

Lingy hut to Caldbeck is good, in dry conditions.

Grizedale pike to Braithwaite is pretty full on.

Rigg beck is a blast.

Seldom seen is full on.

lots of ace descents in the lakes.

Etchachan path off Macdui. By miles!

Coire Lair is pretty good.

I’m not that well-travelled, but Ulloch in the Lakes is ace. Local to me, ‘the full Jedi’ …

Achnashellach descent in Torridon, its unbelievable its not made for mountain bikes.

Achnashellach descent (bottom half)
Warnscale Bottom
Ben Lomond
Nan Bield
Annat
Corrie Chash
Stake Pass (south side)

Beachy Head

Nobeer + 1. Did the Langstraff add on to the Bash earlier this year. Getting to Sprinkling Tarn was a miserable slog but the descent down to Stockley Bridge was sublime. Gets my vote.

Don’t know about best, but, my favourite is the “grey mare’s trail”, from the side of meall an doire dhariach right down to kinlochleven. Ideally in the snow, on a gloomy oppressive day. Phenomenal riding, great line confusion (“am I on the easy one, the fun one, the technically challenging one, or the one that you pretty much just crash?”), just enough terror, and quite a lot of it feels like riding down a stream, then it gets upgraded about halfway down to riding down a flume. After the initial traverse there’s not a 10 metre section that doesn’t have something great in it.

Sublime is the perfect adjective.

@scuttler, I’m tee total, and a lover, not a fighter. 😉

What makes these descents so good? Just rattling off names only helps the locals.

@Northwind has the right idea with his post.

What makes these descents so good?

The op just asked what they were

Just rattling off names only helps the locals

Google?

Doomanic has the right idea, this thread could be a keeper

Hmmm. Define “best”?

For me, it is as much about the scenery and the company as the technicality of the trails.

Soooooo………

Fairfield in the snow down to Rydal.

Scafell Pike shoulder down into Borrowdale.

Binnean Mor….just because.

Whiteless Pike on a crisp and clear December day.

Sgor Gaoith down into Feshie – not super tech but lovely nonetheless.

Carn a Mhaim ridge descent.

The back of Ben Avon into Glen Avon – not tech but in late September evening sunshine, utterly sublime.

MacDui down into Glen Derry.

There used to be a blinding DH track in Nannerch, North Wales.
For XC-stuff I say Minton Batch.
There is also an 8 mile descent off High Street in NW Lakes but i’ve never ridden it so…

What makes these descents so good?

From sprinkling tarn, it has everything, manages to be gnadge as **** but flows supremely, the big boulders almost entice the rider into going slow, when in reality they’re easier hit with a bit of speed. Gorgeous surroundings of ancient pine and massive glacial boulders, a wee section of push in the middle which allows the arms a rest, and a few minutes to grin and contemplate the awesome descent you’ve just done, with the best still to come.

Some awesome line choices and tests of nerve if you choose the wrong one, finishing through a wee gate and a lovely bridge to sit and wait on your buddies, and revel in their massive smiles.

I’m probably biased, as it holds many happy memories of riding with good friends, some I still see, some not.

@sanny what was your access and egress routes to Carn a mhaim? It’s a bouldery bastard going over the shoulder of Macdui. Can you descend all the way down to corrour bothy?.

Loads of good ones but I’m find of my local loop up Carnethy and Turnhouse in the Pentlands just outside Edinburgh. It’s an hour and a half loop from my door and I’ve done it loads, for sunrise, mid day, sunset at night and in all seasons and all weathers.

Carnethy is steep and rocky. Turnhouse is steep and grassy.

If the cafe is open that’s a bonus.

Hi Nobeer

It was a tough old carry up Tailors gully to get onto the summit of MacDui.

Not convinced there is an easy way off to Corrour.

Cracking ride though topped off with Derry Cairngorm.

I second everyone who said;
Achnashellach
Annat
Beinn fhada
Warnscale Bottom
Ullock
Sprinkling Tarn

I may be odd but, I prefer the Annat descent over Achnashellach in Torridon.

Good stuff, aye I don’t think that’s a goer either, too many contours!. Derry is a nice wee out and back. Would be worth adding in Beinn Mheadhoin too, not much of a hike really, and the summit tors are magic.

Grims Ditch to Wallingford from Nuffield

Sounds like a trip to Scotland is required!

@Nobeerinthefridge that’s awesome, thanks.

Sprinkling tarn to stockley bridge is my favourite.

Hmmm, did that a couple of weeks ago, it’s ‘character building’

I love the Torridon descent into Achnashellach, it’s long, it’s got some steep technical parts and some faster more flowy parts plus the granite bits are great fun with immense grip.

I didn’t find Beinn Fhada that good, it was too slow and stop start for my liking.

Does Golfie count as non trail centre? That’s got some quality trails, extra fun in the wet with minimal grip

@pothead – this off piste descent from Whinlatter, is it easy to find?

Hmmm, did that a couple of weeks ago, it’s ‘character building’

Opinions mate, all about opinions. 😄

It seems that Wales has nothing to offer. I’ll suggest the descent off Mynydd Du down to Dan Yr Ogof. Miles of short turf and limestone, getting steeper, rockier and more technical the closer you get to the valley floor.

I’ll justify ullock.

Skiddaw is always grey. Even the week before last, when the lakes was basked in beating sunshine and it was 33 degrees in keswick, the summit of Skiddaw was grey and misty. You push up (unless you’re on an e-motorbike), get to the top, and the sweat quickly becomes icy. And you can’t see bugger all.

You pick out the start of a ‘footpath’ descending westish which makes sense. It’s got a little bit of a sense of descending into pea soup, but it gets steeper, then steeper, and looser and looser. Within about a minute you’re basically skiing down the hill (lock your wheels all you try, you aren’t stopping). It’s constant edgy balance and almost crashing praying that you don’t tear both sidewalls.

And suddently the gloom opens up and you’re in blazing sunlight, on what feels like a knife-edge ridge that goes on forever – you could be in the alps. You can let the bike go, your arse unpucker and the view is amazing: you have derwent water on your left, bassenthwaite in front of you and you can see all the way to the coast. And now you just follow this ridge, without deviation, on perfect flowing (and occasionally surprisingly technical) singletrack all the way to the valley floor – and it never gets worse. It feels like the descent that top chief tried to reproduce.

Pretty sure it’s the longest constant singletrack descent in england as well – correct me if I’m wrong? There’s plenty harder in the lakes – but they have a tendancy to ride slowly and force you to pick your way down delicately; ullock is good because it is technical enough to be interesting, but flows well enough that you can let the brakes go and properly hoon down.

I may be odd but, I prefer the Annat descent over Achnashellach in Torridon.

I may be odd as well, but I think you’re right. From my memory of riding this once about 20 years ago.
IIRC, my route started at Annat in a lollipop loop via Bealach Na Lice and Bealach Ban, down to Achnashellach, along the road to Coulags, back up to Bealach Na Lice then back down the outward route to Annat.
It was a great day out but I don’t recall the Achnashellach being THAT special.
Of course, my memory could be wrong, the trail has probably “evolved” or I could have ridden the route the wrong way round 🙄

I thought this https://youtu.be/zb2CbA87V5E
was on the Annat side but I could be wrong!

The Beinn Fhada descent you mention. Is it from the summit ? Any links please ?