Couple of beginners I know have loved the Marin Trail. Theyre not so fussed about 100% singletrack and quite enjoy the forest roads for a break and a chill out. Lots of places to stop, beautiful scenery and nothing too techy or scary. From memory I think it’s about 24km

I’m not an orthopaedic surgeon but I am a doc who regularly anaesthetises for shoulder surgery. The management of clavicle fractures is controversial, even amongst surgeons. Most do not need surgery and will heal perfectly well with immobilisation – even if there is some overlap. Surgery is usually indicated if there is a significant overlap or such severe ‘tenting’ of the skin that it’s causing damage. Otherwise it’s not clear. Surgery probably speeds up recovery and probably gets the strength back quicker. How important that is for a non-professional sports person I don’t know. The downside is the risks of surgery. These are pretty slim if you are fit and healthy but anytime you put metalwork in the big risk is infection, which can range from very minor to do severe the metalwork has to be removed. Again this is rare but not unknown.
This is why the surgeon wants to be certain that you definitely want the op. it’s not like some fractures that need to be fixed ASAP and its pretty specialised surgery which is why you’re on a dedicated op list. The nurse is saying what they say to everyone at pre-op so there are no cancelations or surprises on the day. If you’re fit and healthy with no major allergies there shouldn’t be a problem. As an aside smoking is a big no no with healing any fracture and is a risk for infection if there’s metalwork.

Hope this helps. Remember I’m not a surgeon or your doctor so this isn’t formal advice. Ultimately neither approach is wrong and I suspect your surgeon wants to make sure you know the risks and benefits of both.

I thought that might be the case……

Any suggestions for similar type routes (in terms of technicality and length) in the Peaks that are a bit more waterproof?
How does the Mam Tor to Jacobs Ladder Kinder loop compare?

In the Sherwood lodges (I guess the others are similar) the boiler cupboard is huge, can easily get 2 or 3 bikes inside. At Whinlatter a friend locked her cheap hardtail securely to the bikerack outside and in the morning the bike was still there but it had been stripped of components. We now always bring them inside.

You can get to the Sherwood Pines red trail easily from the main entrance to the Parc, and whilst its never going to be Glentress or Coed Y Brenin it was a fun way to spend an afternoon. You will still be a tad over biked though….

Within an hour you can easily get to parts of the Yorkshire Dales, especially around Wharfedale. There’s not a huge amount of singletrack but it s very scenic, plenty of technical and less technical options and some very good pubs. The bridleway from Bolton Abbey to Rylestone is very good, road to Halton then track upto to the road at Halton Heights, a long steady climb up a shooters track, then some singletrack over the moor top (mostly smooth but a bit of rocky stuff) then a rockier steeper downhill to Rylestone. Either link in with the lanes to do a round or do what I do and turn round and repeat it but go straight on when you cross the road, for a easy but fun descent (steep grass then singletrack in the woods) into Bolton Abbey. Takes me 2-3hrs and I’m not fit at at all.

Or start in Grassington and head out over Threshfield moor to Mastilles lane, then either over to Littondale or back via Weets Top. The National Park have repaired some bridleways here which make easy singletrack.

I live in Otley and it takes me 20-40min to get to the Dales, so you should be within an hour

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I’ll be crossing off Walna Scar from the list. Cutgate seems like it would be within my capacities so if the conditions are ok I might try that. I’m ashamed to say that I only really know the lakes from the trail centres (I need a cafe/playground to entertain the young lad!) so as I’m by myself fancy tackling something a bit more real.

The Kinder circuit does appeal but I think Jacobs Ladder would be too technical for me, up or down. I don’t mind walking bits but not huge chunks of a ride. Also coming from the north Langsett is a lot easier to get to than Edale or Ladybower (which involves going through Sheffield)

Grizedale is the one bit of the lakes I know well in riding terms. There’s loads of great ‘natural stuff’ in the forest, that can be linked up with the North Face Trail. Thats how I found it, starting as a beginner on TNF then finding other stuff. Its all really good.

Snowdon is probably a bit far for a day trip and Helvellyn seems a bit too much for me to bite off by myself.
Whats ‘underwhelming’ about Cutgate? People seem to rave about it