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We have a family do in Rutland this weekend. Should have time for a ride on Sunday morning, where should I head for?
Get out your rigid SS/lockout your suspension, [url= http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&output=embed&q=http://www.gpsies.com/files/kmz/f/frarhgzmhvzzmhis.kmz ]and have a lap of Rutland Water[/url]. Should be quite picturesque this frosty weekend.
You can park here for free, at least when I was there last, and join the path round the reservoir.
Disclaimer: There will be no gnar.
I once fell off at rutland water getting "gnar" round a gravelley bend. I'd maybe test ride a Giant road bike and do the 365 sportive thing.
Me too meehaja - worst crash I've had!
Going much too fast into an off camber right hander, chalky/slimy so no grip. Knackered wrist, knee, ribs, cracked helmet and everything.
Loading bike into car and driving home with one functioning arm not my best idea...
Do a lap of the lake - the bridle ways marked on the map round and about that area will be a muddy horse trodden mess at the moment.
I grew up in Oakham! It's a nice place but there isnt much biking apart from the lap of the lake. Have a look at wakerley woods although it actually isn't in Rutland. http://www.mbr.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?8092-Wakerley-Woods-Rutland-Northampton
The grip on some of the corners is properly deceptive. In Rutland I would just do a road ride, some really nice villages/scenery.
Many moons ago I did a lap of Rutland Water with an ex-GF...She cried half way round. 😯
Fenred, fed up looking girlfriends on Tesco bikes & crying 5 yr olds are par for the course at Rutland water!
I hired a tandem and rode around with the missus, seemed to save the tears. I was quite surprised by how many well equipped mtb'ers i saw going around there giving it the moody stares. But if that was the best of my local riding, I'm not sure how happy i would look.
I go there fairly often; more for fitness than anything & it's better than playing with the traffic. I tend to get there early & leave before the hoardes arrive. Although, it's normally empty during winter. Gets bloody cold in some parts with a biting wind.
From Oakham (park car at a mates house) and a couple of laps is a decent way of getting almost 50 mainly off road miles in. Quite hard work too with the constant undulations.
You do get some right miseries there, though. I always try to say hello and am especially chirpy to the miseries...
check out Wakerley Wheelers
more properly offroad than Rutland Water
We ended up in Wakerley Woods. It was a bit cold and windy so playing in the woods seemed more sensible that a lap of the lake. The trails were pretty wet and muddy but good fun and quite a challenge to keep moving. There were plenty of piles of rocks ready to be laid to make a lovely, weatherproof surface but it looked like that project had been shelved long ago.
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Surprised that Wakerley was in any way rideable given recent weather (haven't been over that side of the A43 for a while - last time I tried it in August it was a total mess).
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The weatherproofing project is still in limbo but should get going again soon hopefully.
If you head over the A43 from Wakerley to the Fineshades side there's some more riding - family routes mainly but also some fun little Blue skills loops and some decent 'unofficial' singletrack if you keep your eyes open.
I've ridden around Rutland Water on a track bike
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+1 colournoise....
Went to Wakerley over the summer & it was tragic. Deep deep sloppy mud everywhere, but not the fun sort.....it was virtually unrideable. I didn't bother mentioning it as I figured it would still be bad.
Jeeeeebus! Colournoise' pics just about sums up our appalling summer...August! Pah...Dreadful innit! 👿
there are plans to get it going again. WW is a group of ~100 local riders that is talking with the FC about improving the trails