[Closed] Riding near Windermere?

Grizedale forest ?

https://www.forestryengland.uk/grizedale/cycling-and-mountain-biking-trails-grizedale

There's absolutely stacks, no need to drive to Whinlatter.

Have a look on here:

https://lakesmtb.co.uk/

Literally a tonne of stuff. Get googling, no need at all to drive to Whinlatter and no need to therefore subject yourself to the crazed parking for the visitor centre. I would plan careful though because as I'm guessing you know WE'RE FULL!!!

If trail centre then Whinlatter trumps Grizedale in every way. I’ve no idea how they managed to squeeze so much fire road into a Red as they did at Grize.

But yeah, it’s the Lakes - there’s absolutely loads to go at. Enjoy!

Unless it's raining or you've never ridden a mountain bike before there's no point going to Whinlatter or Grizedale.

I'd head up Nan Beild, probably by parking somewhere between Kentmere and Staveley then riding to the summit of the Garburn Pass, then north over Yoke, then south east down Mardale Ill Bell then down Nan Beild back to where you started. A classic ride, quiet at the moment compared to everywhere else because it's not a honey pot and most holidaymakers haven't heard of it and the views are stunning.

https://strava.app.link/Di64Q6hIJib

If you’re staying in Bowness then you don’t even need to touch the car or worry about parking!
Get the ferry across Windermere- always satisfying rollling past the queue. Once on the west side of the lake there are loads of options, Claife Heights, Grizedale bridleways, Hawkshead, Iron Keld over towards Tiberthwaite. As long or as short as you want. Could carry on over Loughrigg to Ambleside and cycle way back to ferry

Hope this helps

I did Grizedale with my brother as he needed a hire bike but tbh I really liked it, it's one of those "bad value" trails where it's quite a lot of effort for the reward, kind of like the Marin, but I still really enjoyed it. Did some other stuff around the centre which people recommended highly but tbh I barely remember it, it felt a bit like it was the "trail centres suck and natural is always better even when it's rubbish" people doing their thing but maybe that's unfair 😉

And Garburn starting from Ings- for some reason I did it as an out-and-back with the loop to the east out of Kentmere, I think maybe there was construction work on the western side of Garburn? Worked pretty well, it seemed like the western approach was pretty tame so riding/pushing up the east let me scope it out so I could pretty much just charge down it rather than figuring it out as I go. Brilliant descent, just over a bit fast. The offroad climb out of ings (and descent at the end) was fantastic, bit overgrown but constantly challenging and choose-your-own-adventure, I think mostly from water erosion so that might have changed since.

And some really nice low level stuff on the west side of the lake on the fatbike.

I did Grizedale with my brother as he needed a hire bike but tbh I really liked it, it’s one of those “bad value” trails where it’s quite a lot of effort for the reward, kind of like the Marin, but I still really enjoyed it. Did some other stuff around the centre which people recommended highly but tbh I barely remember it, it felt a bit like it was the “trail centres suck and natural is always better even when it’s rubbish” people doing their thing but maybe that’s unfair

Nice to know someone enjoys the NF trail. I like the first climb, and some of the singletrack is decent (although very short), but I think the final descent is such a missed opportunity. It even has a bridge which is too narrow to ride across unless you get lucky, and a gate, which must be unusual for a tc descent.

You must have been unlucky with the recommended 'natural' stuff. While some of the BWs have been sanitised and aren't at their best right now, and one of the best ones is only just recovering from logging, a good few of them knock spots off anything on the NF.

Did some other stuff around the centre which people recommended highly but tbh I barely remember it, it felt a bit like it was the “trail centres suck and natural is always better even when it’s rubbish” people doing their thing but maybe that’s unfair 😉

Trail centres don't necessarily suck, and natural isn't always better. But in the case of Grizedale it does and it is. Had a memorable weekend at Grisedale when the kids were 7 & 9 years old. Did TNF twice, thd first time in the dark. It was great fun as it was generally easy, not too long and we couldn't get lost.

So yes, for a beginner, or someone who doesn't really into mountain biking then it's fin 😉 but the natural stuff nearby is soooo much better.

Another vote for riding down to Windermere Ferry - you can loop Claife Heights a few times or stretch it to Parkamoor. Fun and challenging if you are on your Tod but not too gnar so that a spill would be a major issue without a riding buddy. Also the coffee hut at Sawrey Ferry before you get back on the Ferry has some serious cake options...

Thanks all, really helpful. 👍🏻

Up Dubs road and down over Garburn pass is great, lots of options back too. Or dubs road and then loop to Ambleside for easy pootling

riding to the summit of the Garburn Pass, then north over Yoke, then south east down Mardale Ill Bell

I've done Nan Bield climbing up Gatesgarth a couple of times. How does the above compare? I've not seen that side being suggested before.

it felt a bit like it was the “trail centres suck and natural is always better even when it’s rubbish” people doing their thing but maybe that’s unfair

More like naive and out-of-date.

Grizedale is probably the biggest off-piste riding hotspot in England now.

Brilliant trails, but you need to know where you're going.

@mark88 - it's a fun route. You get a couple of enjoyable extra descents, then the ride from Ill Bell to Nan Beild is more technical than Nan Beild itself. It makes it a longer and more enjoyable descent, more worth the reward. Assuming you're talking about going up Gatesgarth then over Harter Fell get more descent with the two extra drops off Yoke and Froswick going the way I mentioned. If you're talking about going over Gatesgarth, then my way saves wasting hundreds of metres of descent on a landrover track.

Thanks @munrobiker. I've done both routes, enjoyed Harter but wouldn't be rushing to drop down to the bottom of Gatesgarth again!