[Closed] Whinlatter trails

Not worthy of the grading imo. The red decent on that side without doing the black section is a bit a let down. I might be wrong be pretty sure the black bits were red graded the first time I rode there.

Nixie has it - the bits that are now graded black used to be red.
Its a good place to ride and you'll be fine if you are comfortable riding red trails.
There are no unavoidable gap jumps.

Which bits are black now? I can't recall anything on either loop which really qualifies.

Ah, I see it's the top of the South loop. All rollable, bit bumpy in places, not sure why it's been upgraded.

I vaguely remember this being upgraded due to erosion?

Yep - theres an extra 'loop' at the top, which was graded red but theres a little sign up saying to be ware - due to erosion its regraded as black.

Its not too bad - what happened is all the trail surface in some areas has washed away leaving some admittedly slightly tricky in the wet sections where you traverse across lots of the horrid sharp angular slate in the ground.

Its fine, theres a line through, no big drops or hidden nasties, just a bit less forgiving than 2 foot wide whacker plated hardcore trail centre norm.

I really enjoy whinlatter.

And you can quite easily shuttle up and down that last red descent too, its dead obvious on the map. Its not tech, but its very fast and fun.

Depends which 'Black bits' you are referring to. The black sections on the official loops are perfectly manageable if you're happy on BPW reds. The off-piste black bits on Trailforks are a different matter. Lots of off-camber roots with some steep sections to negotiate. The ones on the South loop are easier than those on the north loop, which have some very steep sections and are very tricky in the wet.

its the top part of the South Red loop. Its basically a climb up, blast down. Its graded black only due to the rocky section at the very top.
The trails are really good, but the café is very very expensive. the bike shop is great with really helpful staff.
If i go I tend to park in Thornthwaite, through the village and follow the bridleway to the road. Climb up the road for a wee while and the blue route is on your left.
Afterwards head to Portinscale to the Chalet for a cuppa and cake.

I find the little stone switchback descent on the north loop more tricky than anything on the south, especially when damp. Horses for courses, I suppose.

Excellent - a Whinlatter thread just when I'm looking for Whinlatter info.
I'm also up there in a few days and will be dropped off at Whinlatter while Mrs higgo drives over to Crummock Water for a swim. We reckon by the time she's driven there, changed, swum, changed and driven back I'll have a couple of hours or so on the bike but may either need to cut my ride short or have the opportunity to ride a bit longer.

So my plan is to ride the North loop first then check the time and do either:
all of the South red loop
some of the South red loop
the Blue.

I've never been to Whinlatter before and do understand there are loads of variables including my almost complete lack of fitness but would be interested to know what people think of my plan.

Also, if we don't coordinate timing perfectly, what the Visitor Centre area like for hanging around and waiting on my own, in the rain (probably) and with current Covid restrictions?

Ride the blue, too. It doesn't take long and it's a blast

The north and south loops can be ridden in about 45-50 mins each (including black section at the top of the south), then another 30 mins for the blue. It's 20 mins from Whinlatter to Crummock Water, so I reckon you'll get the north and south done easily in the time it takes your wife to go swimming.

Thanks - I'll definitely consider the blue.
I used to ride at Llandegla a fair bit and would enjoy a blast around the blue as much as the other stuff.

@higgo
North red then on the south both routes are good, its very easy to do most of the blue and then link in to climb up to the start of the nice red descent either on the red singletrack climb or on a fireroad climb.

Has your wife swum in crummock before, its really nice to park at lanthwaite woods then about 10 mins walk to the beach where there are a couple of benches fold often leave clothes on when swimming. From there its about 350m to the boathouse on the left, then cross the lake to the 3 mature trees and swim back a slight dogleg to the start (to avoid a spit of land) is about 1400m total. Or its roughly 2-2.5k to swim from the start to the little beach at rannedale

Visitor centre is ok to hang out at on a nice day, cafe is pricey, but its easy to either rider the bridleway down to thornthwaite and then road along to braithwaite and the coledale inn has a lovely beer garden. Or carry along cycle way on a66 to Portinscale and the chalet is a nice cafe / tearoom.

personally i would just climb up the fire road to Seat How bypassing all the sections of trail then do the big red descent as many times as i could manage. the rest of it is meh. especially the south side. but as trail centre descents go, that big red is mega!

Sounds a bit like 'The Beast' which was a Black route at Thetford Forest. If you've never been to Thetford forest imagine riding around a flat field on a very smooth path, now add in some very slight undulations, maybe 20cm over 100 yards. Yep it was that knarly.

There's a smidge more elevation than Thetford.
Visitor centre has some covered veranda bits and car park is fairly sheltered. 2-2.5 hrs to do the lot. As trail centres go it's very good, I like the North descent more than the south, it's got some more 'natural' feeling bits.

@karnali - no, she's not swum in Crummock before. I think she's planning to park near Rannerdale and swim across to Low Ling Crag and back and then take it from there.

Ok, it's more sheltered at lanthwaite end unless it's an easterly direction wind and a few more Features for swim legs, but nice at rannerdsle as well

Why not skip Whinlatter, and ride in Lanthwaite woods (there's a couple of legit-ish descents and some nice techy singletrack), and throw in the loop round Loweswater, up Fangs Brow and back along the bridleway along the top of Holme Woods?

It's a classic local loop.

Superdan, any links to that ride mate? I'm fairly local and wouldn't mind exploring that bit

Probably something a bit like this? https://www.strava.com/activities/47099094#9113919766 though follow your nose in Lanthwaite.

We sometimes ride in from Cockermouth, and add in the greenlanes from Lorton -> Mosser -> Loweswater on the way, and then back via the track under Whiteside and Dodd.

Sounds a bit like ‘The Beast’ which was a Black route at Thetford Forest. If you’ve never been to Thetford forest imagine riding around a flat field on a very smooth path, now add in some very slight undulations, maybe 20cm over 100 yards. Yep it was that knarly.

DROP YOUR SADDLE!!!!! 😀