Hi folks, we’re off to the Lakes this half term and I’m after some child friendly routes for the kids.
They are reasonably competent off road and like a bit of a challenge.
Last year we got bored following the forest tracks round Grizedale as a warm up. We then did a cracking ride from Wray castle, along the side of Windermere to the ferry then up to Sawrey and back past the tarns and through Claife Heights. That was bang on for them and we’ll probably do it again.
We also did a loop around Loughrigg Terrace starting from Ambleside and that was good but some bits were a bit too techy for them to enjoy.
We’re staying in Cartmel so Winlatter is probably too far for a day trip in November but anywhere in the central Lakes is good for us.
Any suggestions greatly received…
Cheers

I think my kids did the bridleway on the catbells at that age. I riding away from keswick is best. The descent is a bit harder at the end but most of it would be fine. I think we did out on the road from Grange then back off road. But it sounds a bit short for your 2

The wray castle claife heights would have been my first sugestion

The full garburn pass would be too much. But the return from Kentmere to Grassgarth (basically due south from Kentmere) would be ok apart from alot of gates. OK surfaces but quite thin but with a soft landing. You could return on the road

Loughrigg terrace has been sanitised recently maybe include the coffin trail to Grasmere you can get onto it just outside Ambleside look out for a black gate on the right hand side takes you up to Rydale Hall it is a footpath but its fine to ride

Rich

Need to get home to check the maps. Cheers for the Garburn suggestion, will look into it.
What is the coffin trail near Grasmere?

Cheers

There’s a couple of decent bits for a short ride local to cartmel and over hampsfell, Chapel house wood has some nice bits of singletrack (just the other side of the A590) Whitbarrow scar/back of Cartmel fell. Loads to go at.

We’ve done the following with capable kids. You do realise that encouraging this will mean they can thrash parents by about age 12?….

Tilberthwaite / Hodge close area. Also easy linking bridleway options to / from Coniston (if school on the way down to lake shore / Bluebird café is shut then park there with honesty box).

Grizedale – forest roads and bridleways on East side making a loop near the Fox.

Or climb up first bit of North Face Trail, then Parkamoor and back to Satterthwaite or visitor centre (think eldest was 5 when he first rode across Parkamoor!) Once you re-enter forest after Bethecar Moor, you can avoid the rockier Satterthwaite descent bridleways using forest roads to get back if reqd.

One way trip – get dropped at High Cross, bit of North Face Trail / forest roads, then down Lawson Park and finish in Consiton.

Kentmere. Start and finish at Wilfs is always popular with kids. Left side of the valley to Browfoot. Then steep tarmac climb to join the smother bit of Garburn road circuit leading to Kentmere Hall. Maybe turn off half way at the ford and drop down through the splashes to Croft Head (careful – rocky bit near the end and try to keep kids dry at all the fords).

Blawith loop from the VP guidebook.

Just a bump for any more lakeland routes. Coniston stuff sounds good…any ‘best bits’ to include around Hodge Close?

Ta!

any ‘best bits’ to include around Hodge Close?

Follow your nose really. The first road off left to High Tilberthwaite is steeper than the second one which goes right up to Hodge Close. There are a lot of tracks within the woods which aren’t necessarily marked as ROWs, but are fine and good fun. You can extend the ride over High Oxen Fell if they’ve got the legs, although the descent from there has a couple of small rock steps, and one in particular which requires care.

I haven’t ever ridden the BW which drops S from Hodge Close back to the road, so don’t know how steep it is.

Don’t forget to look at the quarries themselves while you’re there.

Cathedral Cave

Loads of ideas here-

http://www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital/cycle-guides-download.aspx

There’s a route for Hodge Close & have a look at the Humphrey Head & Holker Hall route for a ride out of Cartmel..

The Eskdale Trail is also really good..

Old Coach Road to Threlkeld, then the railway line to Keswick:

jr_bandito #1 aged 6 1/2

On the Coniston / Hodge Close one I’d take them:-

NE out of Coniston. Join the new / concessionary Bridleway in the trees near the youth hostel at Far End (not sure if you can join BW earlier by heading a short way up landrover track towards Coppermines).

Through the trees on BW until it pops out at Tilberthwaite road / A593 junction (Great Intake on the map).

Up the Tilberthwaite road. At the car park there is an Andy Goldsworthy sheepfold thing to play in. Also a cave somewhere (can’t quite remember).

Up the Tilberthwaite BW then head to Hodge Close. 2 options – turn off early to go direct (up a sort of slate riverbed which they might find tricky but fun). Or carry straight on to the ford (near Little Langdale). Don’t cross – turn back to Hodge Close via Stang End (easy but climbs more).

Have a look at Hodge Close pool (don’t let kids fall in). Then double back as if going over white road track to High Oxen Fell. Short climb then turn off onto BW that takes you through trees behind Hodge Close. This track is good. Some tricky roots at first. Then a tricky bit of small loose rocks. Then a techy (but OK) descent to the “other” road up Tilberthwaite valley.

Back down road to the A593.

Retrace tracks on BW to Coniston. Or turn off half way, BW Low Yewdale / Boon Crag Farm. B road back to Coniston (can be busy). Turn off just after hotel to follow track back direct to Bluebird café / jetty (rather than riding into town).

The Bridleways from Elterwater village into Great Langdale are all easy for kids,follow the unclassified county rd (white rd on the map) to the old Dungeon gill pub to add a bit of mileage too.

Can anyone please clarify the ‘nicest’ direction to ride the bridleways between Kentmere, Browfoot and Grassgarth? Kids aren’t afraid to push the ups and we’d prefer fun downs rather than rocky, steppy stuff.
Riding from Staveley looks like an option. Anywhere else to park the van closer without upsetting the locals?

Cheers

Park in the field just before you get to Kentmere follow the road to Kentmere Hall then join BW uphill for at least 2km then enjoy the three rivers trail keep left down to 3 houses turn left 200m past them join the road turn left back to Kentmere

How about turning right at Ullthwaite Bridge, up road at Browfoot then right onto BW to Mickle Moss then back down to Kentmere Hall via the first uphill? Only a few k and contours don’t look too hectic???

That route is fine.

Ullthwaite Bridge to Browfoot is flat and easy,then steep out of farm at Browfoot and steep (but grippy / non technical) up that tarmac road. So if kids are strong it is rideable and not terrible if they want to push.

The BW from there / Mickle Moss onwards is easy going but still interesting for the kids (some nice simple singletrack). Descent to Kentmere Hall is a bit marbly so reign them in before tanking down. I’d say going that way is a nicer route for them than slogging up the marbles from the Hall. So ignore Rich, he’s just a pretend northerner 😉

Have a look on the old Bogtrotters website that is archived. Look on the gallery tab and see the rides map and check around Cartmel Newby Bridge and Winster.
boggies old website routes
Whitbarow Scar is not really meant for riding and is SSI with a ranger. Plus the off camber limestone slabs are lethal in the wet.

Thanks folks. Will climbing from Kentmere south and east around Green Quarter then heading south towards Staverley Head Fell then Ullthwaite Bridge make small children cry? Rideable for smallish ones?

You keep making me look at the map!

Road up to Green Quarter and BW around Green Quarter are quite steep. We’ve been up there with the kids in both directions (seem to remember a crash coming down once). If they aren’t crying by the time you’re half way along the BW climb should be OK 🙂

It can be quite boggy near Skeggles Water but think where you join is OK (seem to remember Cocklaw Fell is the softest bit).

I presume you’re thinking of finishing on the descent from Staveley Head to Ullthwaite Bridge through the plantation. Our kids have been down it but it gets quite techy near the end*

* Disclaimer – my Mrs has ridden for GB a couple of times BITD so our kids have been exposed to more than average amounts of mtb from an early age…….

Sounds like you’re going to have plenty of fun – let us know where you get to. Consider all this an investment for the future! I just found some printed pics of our eldest on a winter Parkamoor excursion age 5 1/2. Zoom on a bit and this summer we were in Austria on guided mtb tours. Kids (now age 11 and 13) were thrashing most of the adults and doing 1200m climbs 🙂

* Disclaimer – my Mrs has ridden for GB a couple of times BITD so our kids have been exposed to more than average amounts of mtb from an early age……

This

Have you ridden Badger at the start of Coed y Brenin. I’m not saying its like mega hard, but its hardly smooth. When I’m on a 26 inch wheel bike with suspension its fine but makes me think that the marketing people are probably right about larger wheels. Well having ridden behind Mikes eldest on a rigid 24 inch wheel bike i have realised that the marketing people are wrong. You just need a bit of talent. He was flying over those rocks.

Mike also modestly missed out his wifes single speeding title 😉

Hi John (ampthill)

I think Sophie will get a shock next time she visits from Oz….. Saying that, on the “racer’s kids scale” Thomas thinks he’s slow because Nick Craig’s kids are much faster 🙂