North Face Trail is now fully open!

Already home to some of the UK's most popular natural trails, the Lake District is about to get a dose of man-made singletrack. Designed by the legendary Dafydd Davies along with Simon Williams and Gerant Edwards.

The North Face mountain bike trail will comprise ten sections of singletrack totalling 16km linked by existing fireroads in the popular Grizedale Forest.

Sponsored by outdoor clothing brand The North Face, with funding from the Forestry Commission and Rural Regeneration Cumbria, the £167,000 trail is intended to raise visitor numbers to Grizedale, of which 25% are already cyclists and mountain bikers. The singletrack sections will contour through the forest, exploring both deciduous and coniferous areas. According to the designers, the trails will perform a tricky balancing act, being accessible to all levels, but narrow, twisty and challenging for experienced riders.

Starting at the Visitor Centre the new North Face Mountain Bike Trail will be a 10 mile track consisting of 9 new sections of sinuous singletrack trail on the west side of Grizedale Forest. The trail will offer adrenelising sections of single track desent with leg burning up hills, contouring through oak woodlands and conifer forest. The challenging trail will also give the Mountain biker tricky board walk sections through meadows yet reward the trail rider with outstanding views along the way.

Keith Byrne, UK Marketing Manager of The North Face, said: 'The Lake District is crying out for a top quality purpose-built mountain biking trail and it?s brilliant that we?re the title sponsor.'

The location couldn't be better and the past work of the designers on board speaks for itself so everything is in place for The North Face Mountain Bike Trail to emulate the success of the hugely popular trails in North Wales.

Katie Jarvis of the Forestry Commission said; "We're delighted that Grizedale will be home to England's most challenging purpose built mountain biking trail. It will help to make this one the best venues for mountain biking in the country"

www.forestry.gov.uk