Given that the Lake District is full of superb natural trails and stunning mountain scenery deciding to hit the purpose built trails at Whinlatter  seemed bit Center Parcs.

 

But with limited time the ability to hammer out a few miles without worrying about ramblers or maps was just what was needed. Hitting the North Loop of the Altura trail I managed to bend my (brand new) rear mech and hanger slipping off a log ride within a couple of hundred yards. Nice work. Gears crunching we picked off a few plodders on the first climb, the trail surprisingly exposed and clinging to a very steep hillside.

 

It`s not a bad trail, with a few more techie obstacles than your typical Welsh trail and a bit more of a natural feel for the first section, the final descent more manufactured with jumps and huge bermed corners. Fun, mind.

 

Next day we headed over to Dalby Forest, leaving the car at Pickering and taking the North York Moors steam railway out to Newtondale Halt.

A short but steep hike-a-bike and sudden downpour had us cowering under trees for a while, questioning the wisdom of the escapade but it lifted and we pushed on into Dalby. Plan was to try and hook up with the new XC course, which hosted a round of the UCI World Cup series  just the previous week.

 Short and techie, it looked  interesting. It took some digging out but certainly fit the bill, one steep rock roll requiring serious thought even on a trail bike with 160mm travel forks. Fair play to the boys who raced here last week on their short travel whippet bikes. Dipping in and out of the red trail

we rode round in ever decreasing circles, Dalby turning out to be something of a maze. Worth a visit if you`re passing but given how good the real trails are in these parts you`re probably better hitting t`moors proper. And then the chippy in Thornton-le-Dale!