Best UK Riding Destination of 2024: The Golfie

I've never been

nor me - fake news !

So that's why it was full of  bellends today then.

Comes to something when even a well know local YouTuber  is friendlier that most of the other folks there. 😉

We’ve always found it a friendly place to ride. Lots of people happy to share knowledge of the trails

So that’s why it was full of  bellends today then.

You should have gone on Saturday - I met the friendliest Welshman in the world. He was like a big human Labrador.

So that’s why it was full of  bellends today then.

Yeah but it’s easily avoided by just not going near Flat White

Bloody long way from down here.

Yeah but it’s easily avoided by just not going near Flat White

I know but you still have to ride past it.

TBF it was a bit of a joke comment about a few very unaware of their surroundings folks out yesterday.

The last couple of months have been great .

Where is it?

Where is it?

In the woods next to the golf course . From the village go over the bridge, golf course on your right, passed the club house and then up the fire road through the gate

Hope that helps

Actually, I know parking can be a pain and the golf course don't like us using theirs. Has anyone joined the golf club to take advantage of the 'members only' parking right at the bottom of the hill?

I'm just super surprised the builder of New York, New York hasn't made the cut for the New Year's Honours List...

Bloody place is full of holes.

I'd be interested to see the results ie a top 10

Actually, I know parking can be a pain and the golf course don’t like us using theirs. Has anyone joined the golf club to take advantage of the ‘members only’ parking right at the bottom of the hill?

Or just ride your bike the extra mile from Inners...

Planning on going that way in summer.

Is there a list of trails in sequential easy to hard format anywhere? Anyone care to write one?

They are ranked on trailforks. 1 - Easiest, 4 - Hardest

Is there a list of trails in sequential easy to hard format anywhere? Anyone care to write one?

I'm sure you'll get some really good advice here - but Trailforks is great for navigating the trails and getting an idea of how tough they are.

The area is called "Caberston" on there.

Start with the reds, most of the blacks will be fine for a competent rider and build up to the orange ones if you want more of a challenge.

They are ranked on trailforks. 1 – Easiest, 4 – Hardest

ta

Golfie as best venue?
Thats par for the course really...

Is there a list of trails in sequential easy to hard format anywhere? Anyone care to write one?

Others will probably be able to offer a more qualified view (or even offer to show you around), but for what it's worth, my recommendation for a Golfie Starter Pack would be:

-Flat White - fast and flowy - a good warm-up, but dissimilar to the other trails on offer.

-New York, New York - Lets you experience the joy of the full Golfie climb. Gives you a proper idea of the terrain, gradient and physicality of the trails, albeit less technical than most

-Repeat Offender or Lone Wolf - Graded as tougher than NYNY, but I don't think there's much in it, tech-wise. Lone Wolf flattens out a bit at the bottom, so arguably less physically demanding.

-Right Side Clyde - A shade more technical than the above, but still a fun, playful trail with some very nicely built turns.

-Community Service or Kendal Mint Cake - Definitely more technical. CS has some bigger, scooped-out drops and awkward corners; KMC has a pretty steep, shaley chute in the middle, before flatting out at the bottom with some fun little senders to boot you into the air. 

I'm not sure riding the reds is a useful introduction for the blacks though they're well worth riding anyway. I personally prefer getting my eye in on Plan B and the bottom section of Repeat Offender.

I still think of Repeat Offender as the best intro. It's not "simpler trail", it's "representative of the trails but easier" if that makes sense? Still totally in character and a meaningful first step. So it's not the easiest way to dip your toe but it's probably more useful as a buildup and as a preparation than, say, flat white or most of the lower level stuff, it is 100% a Golfie Trail just with a little less terror.

And it's also decently but not too long, easy to find, a relatively easy climb, all that good stuff. And it has some nice variance in difficulty which helps people de-stress and makes it feel a little easier, NYNY as much as I love it (waves at Sir Chickenman) is long and a bit relentless, you find people sometimes that have enjoyed like two minutes of it but are getting stressed and tired and would now quite like there not to be loads more. Plus it takes so much longer to get to the top so you're investing a lot of energy in it (and may be starting tired, considering how wind-blasted the top can be) and if you end up in "get to the end" mindset it's an awfully long way back up. If it had a fireroad across it halfway up the upper section that'd probably help 😉

He was like a big human Labrador

Did he lick your face off?

I think the difficulty grading on Pinkbike is just made up for a local joke.

Did he lick your face off?

I should be so lucky.

*flutters eyelashes*