I’m looking to put together a weekend of riding somewhere in the UK and would like to include a nice, natural, not too technical (no more than trail centre Red route standard) long descent.
Quite happy to do a bit of pedalling but would ideally like, in addition to the moon on a stick, a few miles of off road, swoopy, generally downhill biking with a pub at the end of it.
Lairig Ghru path from the lodge down to Rothiemurchus and finish at the Old Bridge Inn. Definitely qualifies as swoopy more than overly technical. 7-8 km from the high point to the pub. There are longer descents in the Cairngorms but they usually involve finishing some way from the local hostelry and/or more technical terrain.
There’s a lovely route down from the Worcestershire Beacon on the Malvern’s that end’s up in town (pub). Some open & fast, some swoopy, some >tight<, some rocks etc.
It’s about 10km to the pub, but the last 3-4 km is along easier track. There are other bits you could throw in to make it a longer day, including a higher start by carrying past the Chalamain Gap.
Loads of other stuff in the area too if you’re wanting to make a weekend of it.
If you want a trail centre then Golspie claims to have the longest singletrack descent in the UK at 7km. That’s where we were going when I took these photos last month.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/T4CwDD]P1030775[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/T4CtiR]P1030780[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/RYA66u]P1030782[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
As a teaser, this is the path from the normal high-point past Rothiemurchus Lodge
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tg2LvP]P1030786[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
Long Mynnd fits the bill. Not ridden it for a few years, and I really need to, as its ace!
Also Drum Mountain in Wales. Its a slog up to the top, but the descent is Awesome!
Theres always the San Marino from the top of Winter Hill. Its pretty cut up after last years floods, but we rode it last week, at night, and its still a right laugh
Cam High Road. Long? Yes. Swooping? It’s a f***ing Roman road! 😆
Bowderdale in the Howgills.
There’s a descent between Lady Anne Clifford Highway and Hawes down from High Abbotside that’s longer than the one off Cotter End on LACH in the Hawes direction.
One of my favourites is the grassy bit leading from the mines in Gunnerside Gill southwards towards Gunnerside itself.
Gypsy Glen descent into Peebles. Wide open, fast as you like. Bring some mates and send them ahead to open the gates for you. No shortage of pubs at the end.