Whinlatter Forest Park Mountain Bike Trail Centre

Whinlatter Forest Park, near Keswick in the Lake District, rises to 790 metres and is England's only mountain forest, with views across the Lakes and into Scotland on a clear day. It has one red trail (Altura, 19km), one blue trail (Quercus, 3.5km or 7.5km), and a waymarked forest-road route (Gorse, 10km).

Whinlatter Forest Park Mountain Bike Trail Centre

Whinlatter Forest Park, near Keswick in the Lake District, rises to 790 metres and is England's only mountain forest, with views across the Lakes and into Scotland on a clear day. It has one red trail (Altura, 19km), one blue trail (Quercus, 3.5km or 7.5km), and a waymarked forest-road route (Gorse, 10km).

The Altura Trail

• Graded red and 19km long, including 15km of singletrack. Built for experienced riders with good off-road skills and a reasonable level of fitness.
• Challenging singletrack sections with berms, jumps, rock gardens, skinnies, corkscrews and tabletops, plus great views of Derwentwater, Bassenthwaite and the surrounding fells.
• Split into a North Loop and a South Loop, so you can mix and match with the blue Quercus trail for variety. Altura is the longest purpose-built mountain bike trail in the Lake District.

The Quercus Trail

• Graded blue, with a 7.5km option and a shorter 3.5km option. Flowing singletrack with gentle berms, rolling jumps and wide, gradual climbs.
• Starts downhill through sweeping bends, climbs to the Big Wall (a double-banked bend), crosses into darker conifer forest, and finishes on a raised boardwalk over a bog.

Gorse Cycle Trail

• A 10km forest-road route on well-surfaced tracks, with long gradual climbs and descents through good scenery.

Trails at Whinlatter are subject to periodic closures and diversions due to forestry operations. Always check the Forestry England Whinlatter page for current alerts before travelling.

Facilities

• Car park, toilets, visitor centre and cafe.
• Bike wash, and on-site bike hire and servicing from Cyclewise.

Getting Here

• Whinlatter Forest Park Visitor Centre, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, CA12 5TW. Pay and display car park at the visitor centre.
• Stagecoach service 77/77A (the Honister Rambler) runs directly from Keswick Bus Station to the visitor centre, seasonally (Easter to November).
• The year-round X5 Gold service stops at Braithwaite, from where it's a 2.4 mile walk to the visitor centre.

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