Which would be the best ways up and down Hellvellyn from the Thirlmere side?

Cheers

K

Birk Side would definitely be "interesting" as a descent

the top half is gravel zigzags – quite dull – but then you're into rocky singletrack with steps etc. As a climb it is very grim till you reach the zigzags, after which it's just a slog.

Great Tongue of course includes Dollywaggon, about which much has been said on here. Also very horrible as a climb 🙁

Actually, I think the climb from Thirlspot seems to be the least bad, though it's 7 years since I did it…

[edit] I was wrong, this is what I wrote in 2002:
"At the Thirlspot Hotel, the nightmare began. The bridleway runs around the back of the pub and at first climbed fairly gently over lumpy rocks. Then we reached a crossroads and it turned straight up the fellside. It was truly awful. I found myself stumbling up with my bike across my back, my view confined to a square yard of squelchy rock-strewn grass in front of my face. The way was treacherously steep, and I think most of us slipped and imagined ourselves tumbling back down. After about 40 minutes, the slope slackened and we threw ourselves to the ground gratefully and stuffed our faces while we admired the view. I ticked Sean off, telling him that I would never, ever, ever take that route again. He told me he was considering sending his prize map back to http://www.offroadadventures-online.com (where we'd found the route) and never surfing it again! He told me off for complaining too much, and pointed out that despite my moaning, I was still going. "

Last time we were up there, the others elected to take The Old Coach Road from the end of the ridge and climb over Sticks Pass. It took them 2 hours to cover 4 miles 🙁

Even six years hadn't numbed the pain completely then 😀

I don't find Sticks Pass too bad as a route up. It's a steep carry initially but the top half is ridable. I usually just descend straight down the other side of Sticks, through Dockray, and back (to Keswick) via the Coach Rd.

Another fun route from Thirlmere is west, over the tops via Blea Tarn to pick up the Borrowdale Bash from Watendlath.

I think Sticks is a good way up from Glenridding, but of course then you have Raise, Whiteside and Lower Man before the summit…

hmmm, my thought was to go up Sticks Gill (Thirlmere side) to Sticks Pass then go straight down Sticks Gill towards Glenriddding, then back up Keppel Cove, Lower Man, Helvellyn then down Birk Side or Great Tongue to get back to Thirlmere.

We'll be camped at Thirlspot Farm so would prefer to start from that side but would avoid the bridleway going straight up out of the back of the farm and do the one that starts a wee bit along towards StJ-i-t-v.
Ta.
K

you might find it just as quick to go up the Old Coach Road and Matterdale Common. Apart from maybe the flank of Great Dodd it's all rideable

Do the route you plan, but from Helvellyn head north over the Dodds and descend to the Coach Rd, then back to St Johns in the Vale and Thirlspot.