Has anyone on here descended from Loadpot Hill (above Ullswater) into the Lowther Valley using the 2.8-mile bridleway that crosses The Pen? If so, what’s it like please? It looks to be a great 300-metre drop and might form part of an interesting loop from Pooley Bridge.

I wonder if that was the big climb, not far from the start, on the last Penrith Merida Marathon?

Keep it for a dry summer or frosty winter. Mostly squidgey grass, from memory, but it’s been a while.

From what Boxelder’s saying, it sounds like what I remember. Still, I wish I’d rode down it rather than up though!

I wonder if that was the big climb, not far from the start, on the last Penrith Merida Marathon?

I believe it was. I went up it too 👿

You want nothing with it Miner29er! There’s nothing wrong with normal descent off Loadpot Hill. Have you rode the backside of Ullswater as well? There’s a few decent rides around that area without having to make up your own.

Hey d45yth: What’s the normal descent off Loadpot? There doesn’t look to be much much off the High Street ridge until Kidsty Pike and zilch to the east except for The Pen bridleway. I’ve ridden Howtown to Moor Divock via The Cockpit but wanted a bit more adventure:)

I’ll have a look through my bike routes tonight and let you know. Have you got Memory Map or a GPS? I might be able to send you a route or two.

I’ve got Anquet but no GPS (old school map ‘n’ compass user). Grid refs of main waypoints will be fine if it’s not too much bother. Cheers.

I’ve got 4 or 5 routes in that area and that’s not including High Street. Send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a snapshot of all the routes. You’ll be able to join a few of them up if you’re looking for something longer and/or more of an adventure! 🙂

http://gpsed.com/track/133256260675561849

http://gpsed.com/track/133256257489846458

Two routes which take in Loadpot Hill but not down into Lowther Valley. It’s not worth doing that way as it’s just a long grassy hill side, where as the anti clockwise route around Loadpot and descent toward Pooley Bridge has some ST, and is very quick and lots of fun. You can always turn right at The Cockpit to get down to the bottom of Lowther Valley but all the best routes are along side Ullswater.

Your key to this is getting up to Loadpot hill, how are you doing that ? It get’s very boggy at the top during the winter and it’s very high so you have some bike hiking to do if you come up from Hayswater Reservoir.

Still, some of my favourite routes round there. Always brings a smile to my face. I’m planning an epic from Ings to the top of Highstreet, across to Loadpot and down into Lowther, Rossgil Moor, Swindale Common, Sadgill, Ings. Need some descent weather and lots of day light though !

Now then Excitable1, you’re better doing the route you mention after a good spell of dry or frosty weather. The section across Swindale is a nightmare after any wet weather, it ends up just muddy enough to not be able to ride it. The following walk takes ages.
The time one of my mates and I rode it, we thought 60k, 5-6 hours at most, more likely 4-5…I think it took us nearly 9! Sun was shining when we set off, got thick fog at the top of High Street and torrential rain at Swindale. If I hadn’t seen the funny side I would have curled up under a bush and cried for my mum. It was a good job we took plenty food and the garage at Ings was a godsend when we’d just about finished.
We were both quite fit and were used to longer, harder rides. We just didn’t expect it to take as long!
Hope this helps you to plan it right, good luck.

P.s. Sorry if I’m telling you what you already know.

d45yth – Thanks for the warnings. I had banked on it being 5-6 hrs too. Also have to admit that every time that I’ve been climbed up from Sadgill to the top of Gatescarth I’ve never seen the BW leading off to Mosedale. Last time I looked for it (August) I thought ‘what, across that bog ?!’ I’ve done a few 60-70k epics in the Lakes but not lasting for 9hrs. 7.5 was the last one. Still you only live once !

High Street Summit…? done it loads of times from Hayswater Reservoir side and turned round at the top before heading back down and over towards Loadpot but never from Ings. Which climb and descent do rate the most, Hayswater or Ings ?

PS Tyres (previous thread) are holding out but had to lower the pressures to 36psi back and 32 psi front… I don’t want to hear any of the words ‘you, so or told’ from you !