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Trail centres banned. Cheeky allowed.
I propose Ullock Pike. Will anyone second me?
nope, although it's definitely near the top of the list. There are better descents in the Lakes!
Beinn Fhada, depressingly I'm sat at the bottom of it but don't have time to get up to do it.
Sprinkling tarn to stockley bridge is my favourite.
Nobeer’s idea of a good night out probably involves a fight 😉
Heartbreak Ridge. An absolute joy from top to bottom
I propose Ullock Pike. Will anyone second me?
If the scree from the top of Skiddaw is included then its a yes from me. First time I did it was a couple of years ago, 30° heat and hungover, swore I'd never do it again halfway up the bridleway from Latrigg car park after almost throwing up. It didn't take too long to change my thinking on the descent, although the following 20 mile loop around Bassenthwaite, up to Whinlatter and back down the off piste descent to the valley floor, whilst almost as good, almost finished me off
Lingy hut to Caldbeck is good, in dry conditions.
Grizedale pike to Braithwaite is pretty full on.
Rigg beck is a blast.
Seldom seen is full on.
lots of ace descents in the lakes.
Etchachan path off Macdui. By miles!
Coire Lair is pretty good.
I'm not that well-travelled, but Ulloch in the Lakes is ace. Local to me, 'the full Jedi' ...
Achnashellach descent in Torridon, its unbelievable its not made for mountain bikes.
Achnashellach descent (bottom half)
Warnscale Bottom
Ben Lomond
Nan Bield
Annat
Corrie Chash
Stake Pass (south side)
Beachy Head
Nobeer + 1. Did the Langstraff add on to the Bash earlier this year. Getting to Sprinkling Tarn was a miserable slog but the descent down to Stockley Bridge was sublime. Gets my vote.
Don't know about best, but, my favourite is the "grey mare's trail", from the side of meall an doire dhariach right down to kinlochleven. Ideally in the snow, on a gloomy oppressive day. Phenomenal riding, great line confusion ("am I on the easy one, the fun one, the technically challenging one, or the one that you pretty much just crash?"), just enough terror, and quite a lot of it feels like riding down a stream, then it gets upgraded about halfway down to riding down a flume. After the initial traverse there's not a 10 metre section that doesn't have something great in it.
What makes these descents so good? Just rattling off names only helps the locals.
@Northwind has the right idea with his post.
What makes these descents so good?
The op just asked what they were
Just rattling off names only helps the locals
Google?
Doomanic has the right idea, this thread could be a keeper
Hmmm. Define "best"?
For me, it is as much about the scenery and the company as the technicality of the trails.
Soooooo.........
Fairfield in the snow down to Rydal.
Scafell Pike shoulder down into Borrowdale.
Binnean Mor....just because.
Whiteless Pike on a crisp and clear December day.
Sgor Gaoith down into Feshie - not super tech but lovely nonetheless.
Carn a Mhaim ridge descent.
The back of Ben Avon into Glen Avon - not tech but in late September evening sunshine, utterly sublime.
MacDui down into Glen Derry.
There used to be a blinding DH track in Nannerch, North Wales.
For XC-stuff I say Minton Batch.
There is also an 8 mile descent off High Street in NW Lakes but i've never ridden it so...
What makes these descents so good?
From sprinkling tarn, it has everything, manages to be gnadge as **** but flows supremely, the big boulders almost entice the rider into going slow, when in reality they're easier hit with a bit of speed. Gorgeous surroundings of ancient pine and massive glacial boulders, a wee section of push in the middle which allows the arms a rest, and a few minutes to grin and contemplate the awesome descent you've just done, with the best still to come.
Some awesome line choices and tests of nerve if you choose the wrong one, finishing through a wee gate and a lovely bridge to sit and wait on your buddies, and revel in their massive smiles.
I'm probably biased, as it holds many happy memories of riding with good friends, some I still see, some not.
@sanny what was your access and egress routes to Carn a mhaim? It's a bouldery bastard going over the shoulder of Macdui. Can you descend all the way down to corrour bothy?.
Loads of good ones but I'm find of my local loop up Carnethy and Turnhouse in the Pentlands just outside Edinburgh. It's an hour and a half loop from my door and I've done it loads, for sunrise, mid day, sunset at night and in all seasons and all weathers.
Carnethy is steep and rocky. Turnhouse is steep and grassy.
If the cafe is open that's a bonus.
Hi Nobeer
It was a tough old carry up Tailors gully to get onto the summit of MacDui.
Not convinced there is an easy way off to Corrour.
Cracking ride though topped off with Derry Cairngorm.
I second everyone who said;
Achnashellach
Annat
Beinn fhada
Warnscale Bottom
Ullock
Sprinkling Tarn
I may be odd but, I prefer the Annat descent over Achnashellach in Torridon.
Good stuff, aye I don't think that's a goer either, too many contours!. Derry is a nice wee out and back. Would be worth adding in Beinn Mheadhoin too, not much of a hike really, and the summit tors are magic.
Grims Ditch to Wallingford from Nuffield
Sounds like a trip to Scotland is required!
Sprinkling tarn to stockley bridge is my favourite.
Hmmm, did that a couple of weeks ago, it's 'character building'
I love the Torridon descent into Achnashellach, it's long, it's got some steep technical parts and some faster more flowy parts plus the granite bits are great fun with immense grip.
I didn't find Beinn Fhada that good, it was too slow and stop start for my liking.
Does Golfie count as non trail centre? That's got some quality trails, extra fun in the wet with minimal grip
Hmmm, did that a couple of weeks ago, it’s ‘character building’
Opinions mate, all about opinions. 😄
It seems that Wales has nothing to offer. I'll suggest the descent off Mynydd Du down to Dan Yr Ogof. Miles of short turf and limestone, getting steeper, rockier and more technical the closer you get to the valley floor.
I'll justify ullock.
Skiddaw is always grey. Even the week before last, when the lakes was basked in beating sunshine and it was 33 degrees in keswick, the summit of Skiddaw was grey and misty. You push up (unless you're on an e-motorbike), get to the top, and the sweat quickly becomes icy. And you can't see bugger all.
You pick out the start of a 'footpath' descending westish which makes sense. It's got a little bit of a sense of descending into pea soup, but it gets steeper, then steeper, and looser and looser. Within about a minute you're basically skiing down the hill (lock your wheels all you try, you aren't stopping). It's constant edgy balance and almost crashing praying that you don't tear both sidewalls.
And suddently the gloom opens up and you're in blazing sunlight, on what feels like a knife-edge ridge that goes on forever - you could be in the alps. You can let the bike go, your arse unpucker and the view is amazing: you have derwent water on your left, bassenthwaite in front of you and you can see all the way to the coast. And now you just follow this ridge, without deviation, on perfect flowing (and occasionally surprisingly technical) singletrack all the way to the valley floor - and it never gets worse. It feels like the descent that top chief tried to reproduce.
Pretty sure it's the longest constant singletrack descent in england as well - correct me if I'm wrong? There's plenty harder in the lakes - but they have a tendancy to ride slowly and force you to pick your way down delicately; ullock is good because it is technical enough to be interesting, but flows well enough that you can let the brakes go and properly hoon down.
I may be odd but, I prefer the Annat descent over Achnashellach in Torridon.
I may be odd as well, but I think you're right. From my memory of riding this once about 20 years ago.
IIRC, my route started at Annat in a lollipop loop via Bealach Na Lice and Bealach Ban, down to Achnashellach, along the road to Coulags, back up to Bealach Na Lice then back down the outward route to Annat.
It was a great day out but I don't recall the Achnashellach being THAT special.
Of course, my memory could be wrong, the trail has probably "evolved" or I could have ridden the route the wrong way round 🙄
I thought this
was on the Annat side but I could be wrong!
The Beinn Fhada descent you mention. Is it from the summit ? Any links please ?
@markgraylish that video has a mix of both sides. Both are brilliant! I think the lower half of the Achnashellach descent has more of the relatively unique (for the UK) rock to ride which is what makes the trail so interesting. The upper section is real big mountain riding and should definitely be included in the rating of the trail.
Although starting from Annat I'm bloody knackered by the final descent after the demoralising drag from Coulags, so the Annat descent is probably even better than I realise!
Definitely seems like Torridon, Skiddaw/Ullock and Esk Hause to Cockley Bridge are the top 3 in the UK. Full agreement from me!
I love the Torridon descent into Achnashellach, it’s long, it’s got some steep technical parts and some faster more flowy parts plus the granite bits are great fun with immense grip.
If you are riding on granite in Torridon then you are seriously lost!
A Dales one: the summit of Buckden Pike down to Starbotton. Probably the biggest descent in the Dales, not technical but a blast.
I'm actually off to the Lakes in September and have never done Skiddaw/Ullock Pike. Does anyone have a route or gpx for it?
I may be odd but, I prefer the Annat descent over Achnashellach in Torridon.
I also have a slight preference for that one, probably because it rewards good riding a bit more and lasts longer with those little rises - but it's like choosing between two supermodels.
Ben MacDui has to be the longest technical mountain descent in the UK. Only ridden it once, so need another go to properly judge its merits.
I wouldn't be naive enough to select a "best", but my favourite this year was one of the off-piste trails at Risca which had a bit of almost everything.
But then Seldom Seen was tremendous fun as well.
And that's before we even think about the woods behind Nationwide in Swindon.
Definitely seems like Torridon, Skiddaw/Ullock and Esk Hause to Cockley Bridge are the top 3 in the UK. Full agreement from me!
Maybe...Maybe not. Depends what you fancy on the day doesn't it?. These great big long descents are fun, but I'd be equally pleased by cleaning a bit of techy in a 5 mins steep forest singletrack that has you scratching your head, and multiple attempts just to say: get around a tree and over a gap or drop cleanly. Both are equally satisfyingly. I don't think you can point at any trail and say "This is the best"
A Dales one: the summit of Buckden Pike down to Starbotton. Probably the biggest descent in the Dales, not technical but a blast.
Definitions of best vary but that's certainly a visually stunning one, I actually got vertigo at the top, which is rare for me in the UK. We approached from Walden Head which I wouldn't want to do again as it's a bit of a hike and as the lady in the cottage told us nobody uses bridleway so doesn't really exist any more (there's an alternative path parallel). There's actually a track further back on Temple Lane which would be an easier ride most of the way up the Walden side, not marked as a RoW but I've been thinking of going up that way sometime.
continuity
Ullock is good because it is technical enough to be interesting, but flows well enough that you can let the brakes go and properly hoon down.
Now don't get me wrong, Ullock is one of my favourites (ridden it twice), but you must be a fair bit better than me on a bike and have ridden Ullock a good few times. For it to flow you must have to know the lines as I found I had to double back a couple of times having missed the ridable line and there's one section in the middle that I haven't got the bottle to ride!
As for a favourite, don't know, to many to choose from, but it'd be in the Lakes! Never ventured further North than the Tweed Valley in Scotland but it's on the list to do in the next couple of years.
I walked up Skiddaw with my 7 year old (at the time) daughter via Ullock Pike a little while back. Conditions were horrific. I remember looking at a couple of sections thinking how on earth does a bike get down this? We used hands on a couple of bits to get up
Well above my skill level!
For me, the best descents are often ones that are full of memories or the situation. Weather, company, tiredness levels etc
One of my favourites is the three witches descent in the lakes. I've only done it once. I was bikepacking and the weather was atrocious, even the locals were saying how bad it was. I was knackered, hungry, lower half was soaked and really wanted to stop for a bit. Didn't know the descent was coming, how long it would go on for, or that it would drop us at the pub we would stop at for dinner. Absolutely brilliant
It's also not a steep nadgery tech fest that you're worried about binning it on
We approached from Walden Head which I wouldn’t want to do again as it’s a bit of a hike and as the lady in the cottage told us nobody uses bridleway so doesn’t really exist any more (there’s an alternative path parallel). There’s actually a track further back on Temple Lane which would be an easier ride most of the way up the Walden side, not marked as a RoW but I’ve been thinking of going up that way sometime.
We went up from Walden Head - not something I'd wish to repeat TBH. The bit above the track that traverses the hillside was weird: a plastic netting nailed down on top of the heather, a bit like riding on top of a stack of mattresses.
Probably a better way to get up to the top would be up Raikes Wood from Buckden then just accept that you'll be pushing up the marked BW to the summit.
Hmmm... Ullock is amazing, and on a late summer evening chasing your mates dust clouds into the setting sun it really is hard to beat. But I do think there are a couple of better ones in the Lakes (Whiteless is the first that springs to mind).
The biggest issue I have with Ullock is that there's an inordinate amount of schlepping back on the road once you've ridden it which kills the buzz a little. Also, the climb up Skiddaw in the first place is an absolute ballache.
@pothead – this off piste descent from Whinlatter, is it easy to find?
I know of 2, both are a few trails linked together, 1 starts on the north loop and 1 on the south and has a climb in the middle on a footpath from near the blue loop, pretty sure both can be found on trailforks
In hindsight, while both are worth searching out, they aren't actually close to the Skiddaw/Ullock Pike descent
South Wales has some of the best.
this is one of them.
For a mincer like me, Conwy Mountain or Llanberis Quarry.
The Lady Anne Clifford Highway is fast and long and totally mince. Lovely.
Slight part missing through the trees from the end but Heartbreak ridge was insane
Just awesome from start to finish
Beinn fhada (officially) goes from the pass (or bealach) rather than the summit, although I’m sure the summit has been done (in fact I think Mctrail rider has clip’s on YouTube with both!
South Wales has some of the best.
this is one of them.
That looks great, and really long.
I had a few days in South Wales this spring doing big rides at Afan Masts, Barry Sidings and Risca - I'm led to believe I only scratched the surface.
Did sprinkling tarn loop from Borrowdale this morning - definitely up there as a great UK descent - a lot of variability like Nobeer says upthread. Very testing but rideable with it.
Needed to be good, mind. My Gosh the hiking, 3.5 hours to go 14 miles 🤔
What is Grains Gill like?
Bottom of Ben damph is lovely as well!
Any descent that drops you at a pub on a summers evening is the best.
It's all subjective to bikes company and weather plus how you feel on the day!
Rode Heart Break Ridge a few weeks back. It was so good I nearly rode back up, just for the pleasure of coming back down again. Best trail I've ridden in a long time, with my now favourite decent.
@Garry_Lager
Grains Gill has got one tricky stepped section, but is generally good. Definitely worth doing if you've not done it before
@pothead – this off piste descent from Whinlatter, is it easy to find?
well easy. just pops off the main fire road climb on the north loop.. you can pick it up a from a couple of places but best to climb to the very top and do the whole garbanzo. full on!
Quantocks for twisty, fast, stream crossing downhills that can be looped again and again. Smiths Combe always used to be a winner.
To justify Beinn Fhada, and depress me further, it's 8.5km long (ish) drops something like 500m off the belach to sea level all on rideable flowy singletrack with spectacular scenery at the end of a fairly wild feeling circuit. At the top it's got rocky nadgery, in the middle there is some decent exposed moorland valley side trails before the bottom flattens out into a faster meandering blast with drainage ditch hops before finishing through the fields.
Smiths and Weacombe have lost their charm as I've become a more skilled rider over the years. I'd not put them on the shortlist.
I thought this
style="font-size: 0.8rem;">a Ws on the Annat side but I could be wrong!</span>
That in the video is mainly Achnashellach, most the funpark segment.
Some cutting and diving around on direction to confuzzle the viewer.
For me it’s the lower section of the descent to Achnashellach from Coire Laire. (The top section is gash)
As others have said, it’s a real mix of super grippy, loose, fast and flows really well. It’s just the right gradient that I’m able to get off the brakes most of the way down but is steep enough that I hardly have to pedal.
I’ll caveat this that I’ve not done any of the big Lakes descents.
For me it’s the lower section of the descent to Achnashellach from Coire Laire. (The top section is gash)
I really enjoy the upper section as well. What's not to like about it?
I really enjoy the upper section as well. What’s not to like about it?
It has turned into a washed out rubbly mess recently.
Needs to be done on rigid singlespeed for the retro experience.
Ullock pike is special
Whiteless is also very fun
Sprinkling tarn and Sty head I didnt rate
Fairfield again a giggle
Warnscale and a return via RiggBeck is a day to remember 😉
Dalehead Maiden moor and down to Grange although cheeky is also a challenge on the alpine esk step switchbacks .
Ingleborough is a bit of fun too
I really want to get further north than Golife next month which in the wet 4 weeks ago tested my eyes in the woods I can tell thee. Ben Ledi and Vorlach are targets and like most i do steal routes from Andy (Mc Trail Rider )
Push up from Llyn Crafnant and descend to Capel Curig. Not super techie but lovely.
Oh and the descent of Moel Fferna near Glyndyfrwydy
It appears out of all the above descents, I've done one of them. Nan Bield. And the top bits were too hard for me, but once in the switchbacks and below it was pretty good.
I have niether the time nor inclination to read this thread but the title piqued my interest.
The fast fire road descent into Fort William, it's never, ever Fort Bill unless your a James Hunt. Scottish people never say that, neither should you...
Needed to be good, mind. My Gosh the hiking, 3.5 hours to go 14 miles
I don't measure days like that by distance, it's kinda pointless, do it by ascent instead, ditto hillwalking days.
And very much this...
Scottish people never say that, neither should you…
@jonundercover
Full Member
South Wales has some of the best.
this is one of them.
I'm going to ride this tomorrow (or at least I'm going to try to find it), in fact I'm driving up tonight. Proper excited, this should have been our Golfie weekend but weather has sent us to S Wales instead, pretty sure we won't be disappointed
But until I've tried that I agree with @boardinbob and @hainman, Heartbreak Ridge is the best ride I've done in the UK, we did Mastermind and another track on the opposite side of the hill that day then camped in the woods overnight and it was in the middle of the best bike trip I've ever done so it has a bit extra for me at least
My favourite natural trails are all in the lakes and my favourite homemadetrails are all in Scotland.
For the former in going with helvellyn... sticks pass onto seldom seen. Though I could have said whiteless or ullock pike.
For the latter is even harder but I'm going with waterworld at golfie. It has everything and it's the one I always have to ride. Could have said anything on the Tweed or Dee though.
There's also a popular trail at Atholl Hill in Dunkeld, which is one of the most-fun I've ridden in recent years. Lovely combination of tech & flow.
Not on Trailforks, but if you've ridden it you'll probably know the one I mean.
There's a couple of Lakes descents mentioned I'm not familiar with. Any pointers would be appreciated.
Rigg beck - is it the FP running alongside the beck? Follow it all the way from Buttermere?
Dalehead Maiden moor and down to Grange - From Dale Head down to the tarn, along to Maiden Moor then join BW past Black Crag?
It has turned into a washed out rubbly mess recently.
It's been like that for a while, I still rather enjoy it as it contrasts with the lower bit.