The UK's most aestheticaly beautiful mountain trail

Pont Scethin for me – the view towards the King George III / Cadair Idris is well worth the slog up.

Ayup WL!

Eeeeh, I’ve gone all northern!

That is indeed Whiteless Pike. The rocky bedrock has indeed been ridden but is committing. One for a dry day.

I like heading up Newlands Pass on the footpath then descending to the old Purple House which is now a modern jobbie. A brief road spin down the valley and it’s up the wide footpath by the beck following onto the saddle with a 10 minute carry. After that, the new zig zags which are utterly gawping to look at but 100% rideable up takes you to a brief decent and final scrambly carry up to the summit. From there, I like to follow the path on the eastern edge as it is a lovely bit of trail but one to be wary of falling to the left on!

Postierich

I know that trail well. Lovely, isn’t it?

The saddle, Arran. A hike a bike that’s so steep you need to pass the bikes up to each other, but a stunningly perfect U shaped valley at either side, Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox.

And also surrounded by some pretty amazing ridge walks and jaggy peaks.

ooooh! Can I add Cat Bells on an autumn’s evening – looking down the ridge towards Skiddaw during the Golden Housr is simply stunning.

Postierich that bottom one looks tantalisingly familiar, must be Low man I think, or possibly a welsh trail centre.

Rothiemurchus/Glenmore and surrounds, pick your own trail. A sheltered beach with an ancient forest with mountains with snow. OK so it’s not actually up a mountain, but that’s just being picky.

Ladies and Gentleman…. The North Downs Way…

Is that the trail heading down to Landbarn Farm, north of Westcott?

Nobeer – good post. I walked up there from Glen Rosa a few months ago and wondered about riding there – that singletrack looked ace. I can see it would be a ballache getting up from the other side though – in the wet and wind with massive backpacks, it was indeed a scramble.

Sanny – which is the eastern side then (forgive my stupidity)? That route up is exactly what we did – didn’t even attempt the zig-zags although one of our group cleared it – WTF?! Good effort for riding the bedrock – I remember a tightish left-hander at the top which pushed you to the edge of the hill but was fine, but then very soon after – like 30 feet further down – it went very steep, very jagged, full of wheel grabbers, for about 15-20 feet of vert – would have taken very big balls (and a nice slack head angle) to commit! Nice one. I’ll be back one day for another look.

Rothiemurchus has a certain twee highland shortbread tin charm, way to sanatized though, there are only a few natural trails left.

@poonprice – it’s Afan and it was a great trail before they cut the trees down, now it’s just a wasteland

fergal – Member

Rothiemurchus has a certain twee highland shortbread tin charm, way to sanatized though, there are only a few natural trails left.

Now the question is about aesthetics, not quality of riding.

Crossing High Cup Nick is pretty special

[/url]
P6220014[/url] by ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

I always enjoy this ride

[/url]

[/url]
IMAG0434[/url] by lowey.com[/url], on Flickr

?

Some stunning pictures, but can we have locations please people?

The ones of Thetford Forest? They’re in Thetford Forest. 😉

For me the Brecons was beautiful, then again any trail where you feel good and the bike feels good is beautiful! That is after all what it’s about.

lets have the location of those plz lowey.

Hi wl

I have to admit to having cleaned the zig zags too. A 20t ring is a real boon on that one. I preferred it before they improved it though. It’s a go steady kind of deal but I was chuffed to do it at the first attempt. Oddly, it’s stuff like that that really makes me smile!

The eastern edge is the singletrack just off of the summit. Basically, ignore the main path and keep hard left.

The techy section is tricky but I’m sure you will manage it. It’s pretty short though you need to fully commit to it. I like then heading down the Rannerdale Knotts path as it is an ace little valley trail.

Cheers

Sanny

Torridon!

I’m just book marking, carry on.

That on in the mag was whytes level, glyncorryg. Alright unless you look right and down…

Hat off to you, Sanny – that climb looked bonkers, especially after lugging the bike up that far already. I need a return trip for another run on the descent.

Wow guys some stunning pics, real inspiration to get back into the mounts before the first snows.

lets have the location of those plz lowey.

All Lakes and all cheeky so lips are sealed 🙂

Angryratio, try a few 100 metres east of that for a fantastic ride round the cwms, stunning and cheeky.

I’ve done that, if I had pictures I’d post it up as my personal most visually stunning trail.

Epic thread, I’m making a list. I really need to stay closer to home and stop dreaming of the Alps so much

@lowey think I.ve got 3/4 top omes a mystery thougn

well done Lowey 😉 I think sticks pass from Helvellyn deserves a mention though,

Skye – Sligachan (Camusanary Bay)

Skye – Quirang is no bad either

ZigZag… loverly mate… loverly.

angryratio – is that the gap? Doesn’t look as steep as I remember.

pooprice – that looks like the new whites level descent at afan, you can see the ascent below.

“Streak-of-pants” into Loch Muich (Photo stolen from Ecurie Neep).

Corrie Fee in the Angus Glens is stunning.. but hike-a-bike 😥 .

Lowey beware Gav is monitoring your posts!! G

Great thread, some lovely locations would love to be riding them right now.

The Gap isn’t steep, hence why it doesn’t look it.

The Black Mountains Killer Loop has some great riding and scenery, especially compared to anything that far south.

Grum, great pics on p1.

PMJ –

deciduous

decideous, dicideous, nah, can’t decide either.

For me, any mountain trail in the right light can be the most beautiful. Light and shadow often makes it more than the terrain does. Been in Snowdonia a lot at dawn/dusk high up without the bike and it’s as stunning as the Alps at times, sunrise over an inversion or pink snow etc. Makes the lowlands a very special place at times too, like those thetford trails in low orange evening light.
Lovely. Top thread, more pics needed.