We are heading to the Lakes at the weekend and gonna do a big lowland ride on Saturday and on Friday (when it’s hopefully quieter) a mountain ride. I’ve ridden High street to High raise and back along Ullswater, and on another occasion NanBield. Was thinking about doing Helvellyn. what is the general consensus of the best route (least boggy, least pushing)?

Or ideas of other mountain routes in the lakes?

Cheers
Rich

Up from Glenridding, down Dollywagon Pike. Is there another way?

Up Keppel Cove to Summit then back the same way then head for Sticks Pass when you hit the mines head for Seldom Seen(FP) and walk your bike down one of the best descents in the Lakes 🙂
Moody
[url=https://flic.kr/p/s2iJmz]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr
Seldom
[url=https://flic.kr/p/EKdcSK]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

If you descend via Seldom Seen footpath, be aware that it’s constant recommendation online is making for an increasingly angry farmer, usually waiting at the bottom for you.

Glenridding, past the YHA & up keppel cove. Take care to get the right path after leaving the yha, if you cross a bridge n beck you’re on the wrong path, go up to the right a bit more and you’ll find it. Mark my words!

and walk your bike down one of the best descents in the Lakes

😉
Yet to see a farmer yet and I,ve been down about 8 times, plenty of smiley faces from walkers.
Might not be good to walk at the mo as they are repairing some of the trail after storm desmond damage!

Thanks chaps. Will try via keppel to dollywagen.

A rather redfaced farmer chased me on his quad bike at the farm, as we tried to be discreet and make a sharp exit as we had seen him, made the mistake of not following the path into the wood, thus avoiding the farm.

Enjoy Dollywagon 😯

Yep – farmer + storm damage = stay clear during work hours and weekends.
Up Keppel and down Sticks for variety and rideability. Dollywagon is rocky and lacks flow, unless you’re good/brave/daft IMO.

Another option if you’re not averse to some hike-a-bike is to park on Dunmail raise summit, hike up (fp) to Grisedale Tarn, descend to Patterdale, up Keppel Cove, over Helvellyn and down Birkside towards Thirlmere. A temporary road/track in the forest leads from here back to Dunmail. This gets the best bit of the Dollywagon route without the huge flight of steps to the tarn, plus Birkside is a massive, gate-less descent all the way down 🙂

Good call thekettle…or
Dunamil Raise, up past Grisedale Tarn and onto the summit. Along the tops and descend Sticks Pass, then up Keppel Cove and descend (the rocky, technical, twisty, sadly too hard for me) Birkside – (even on your old Tallboy Dickie) 😕

did kepple and sticks pass for my last big hill ride…..was pretty good.
done dollywaggon……..not seen many people ride down. it is good once the tarn is reached.

i need a new lakes suitable bike.

Thanks for new ideas. I need to condense this into a route.

Boxelder are you still on the TB?

Rode seldom seen last time we were on helvellyn, it’s a slightly better way to finish as you’re not on double track and then road like you are going down the full sticks, but in no way was it anywhere near one of the best lakes descents. Sorry Rich!.

When we were up there a couple of weeks ago we were told that Sticks Pass had been damaged by the flooding so gave it a miss (don’t know if anyone can confirm this)

We decided to go up/down a different route, parked at Wythburn (southern end of Thirlmere) then went straight up the BW to the top (climb is hardest at the bottom where it’s hike a bike but steadily gets easier).

We then went down the BW which is directly opposite Sticks Pass. This comes out at the northern end of Thirlmere by Stybeck farm. Its pretty steep at the bottom but we all agreed a route we’d do again.

I did Birkside for the first time last year. Loved it.

dollywaggon is **** awful. no reward for your efforts.

Sticks Pass is the dullest descent off Helvellyn.

If you have time for a big day out I’d go up from Glenridding via the YHA, to the summit, down Birkside which is amazing then down the road south, up the bridleway to the saddle between Fairfield and Helvellyn and down Grisedale.

If you’ve only got the time and inclination to go up once (which is enough!) then as above, Dollywagon and Grisedale is the best way to go.

Birk Side-

Dollywaggon-

Sticks Pass-

Hopefully going up Saturday if the weather plays ball. I think we’re doing Glenridding/Keppel Cove to Summit then back down Sticks Pass. Really looking forward to it.

Great pics as always munrobiker 😀

I’d tend to agree with MB, Sticks is not the best way down, though by the sounds of it I need to get down Birkside.

Birkside is really excellent. Short too, if you’re local you could go up and down it in 2.5 hours on an evening.

Sticks Pass is the dullest descent off Helvellyn

Nice pics, but on the basis of those I’d choose Sticks – not a fan of riding down steps. And I’d always favour length of descent over steepness, but then I’m something of a wimp

Very misleading, Birkside is over very quickly, the natural rock section is short, the upper half is manacured switchbacks and some steps, i still affirm Sticks from the summit as the best descent imho, it has a little of everything, but the winner has to be, there are no ridiculous flights of stairs, it really has flow, shame about the road below the YHA though.

PS. i say this as someone who likes a little gnar, forget willy waving, as an all time classic mtb route this is fantabulistic.

The only misleading thing is all the steps in the Birkside photos- there aren’t that many but it’s where I got the best photos from!

Sticks Pass has the least technical interest and gradient. It’s a good ride but if you’ve not ridden Helvellyn before then Dollywagon and Grisedale offer the most excitement and enjoyment. I’d have been disappointed if I’d been up it for the first time and ridden Sticks Pass.

For a bit of context the last time I did Dollywagon and Grisedale was in a group of 15 ranging from OK-ish riders to people who ride a lot of big mountains and all loved it. Some had to walk the toughest bits of Dollywagon but all loved Grisedale.

The last time I did Sticks was in a group of about 12 where the riding standard was generally higher but ranged from just below average to experienced. All found it a bit lacklustre, with the majority having done Dollywagon before.

Was that Sticks from the summit, as a whole it is a great ride, i have ridden a lot in the Lakes and find it really enjoyable, maybe i’m easily pleased, but then i was dissapointed with Birkside, i must ride the Grisedale section, i simply refuse to go anywhere near Dollywagon on principle, as i detest manmade steps(they are by design not cycle friendly).

Sticks is great did it Wednesday night because of the work getting done on Seldom Seen. Its got cut up and it really is testing at the moment.
People saying it is dull must be soooooo good!
We rode the cheeky before the yha on the right hand side takes you down to the campsite 🙂
https://www.strava.com/activities/617763276?fb_action_ids=10154321097236474&fb_action_types=fitness.bikes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B882621851864289%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22fitness.bikes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Js9iW9]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Hz8PSY]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

Anyone know if the work on Seldom Seen is finished yet? Hoping to go up Helvellyn in a couple of weeks and I’m trying to work out the best route down.

Simon – I did it two days ago and it was fine. There were some bags of stone near the top but once past them it was plain sailing. I’d been warned about the drainage ditches that have been put in but found them all rideable.

Edit – http://fellrangers.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/continuing-our-work-at-seldom-seen.html?m=1

Angry farmer at the bottom of the Seldom Seen footpath. Be canny.

Boxelder – I didn’t know about the farmer before seeing this thread. Is it as bad of a situation as ‘Ireland’s Gauntlet’?

boxelder – Member
Angry farmer at the bottom of the Seldom Seen footpath. Be canny.
I’ve read about the angry farmer. Go right into the woods to avoid the farm?

Ireland’s Gauntlet?

I think I must’ve have been through the woods each time I’ve done it – I haven’t passed any farm or buildings.

‘Ireland’s Gauntlet’, at least that’s what I think it’s called on Strava. A section off a fell, near Ennerdale – I’ve heard of people being told by the farmer there to turn around and go back. He used to be a doorman in Cockermouth a lot of years ago… I know a few lads who’ve had a good kicking from him!