Satterthwaite Saunter

Loughrigg Loop

http://pedalnorth.com/content/walna-scar

http://pedalnorth.com/content/p-parkamoor

I’m concerned anything too high will be poor due to recent snow

a group of us plan to go up this weekend (based Coniston)

hopefully these maps will see us right and hopefully mean we dont spend all day getting lost

Useful daily photo blog here: http://www.lakelandcam.co.uk

It’s not particularly heavy cover on the fells but it has drifted quite a bit and the snowline is down below 1000′. Walna Scar will be carrying snow at the weekend but might still be rideable if you fancy an adventure.

Your other options will all be fine, the south Lakes trails are rideable in all conditions but cold frosty winter days are actually one of my favourite times around there. Don’t worry too much about getting lost, you can mix and match routes easily to cut it short or stay out longer. And don’t forget the roaring-log-fire pub stops!

Wanna Scar is the only one that goes up high and the fell tops above 250 metres have a covering of snow.
Rode Satterthwaite and Claife at weekend and Loughrigg the week before no problems.

Parkamoor and the Satterthwaite routes should be fine, a bit of snow/ice on forest roads and shaded bits of trail but its not too bad there at the mo (rode there sat and sun). Blawith common is pretty good at the moment too can be a bit to delicate in winter normally but when the ground is as hard as it is now is fine, had a a great ride there yesterday.

so they are good rides then – no one will be disappointed?

Good routes – I’d go Parkamoor and Loughrigg as your two. Not too high, but some really great riding.

Should have no complaints

p-parkamoor looks interesting, never considered doing an out and back along parkamoor, but the head of the P looks all wrong to me, I’d go up to high parkamoor descend to moor lane into satterthwaite cross the road, up breasty haw, down low scar wood, climb/descend back to visitors centre then you can either go up the northface trail first climb and back to parkamoor or extend the ride around the forest. That includes some of my favourite downhills in the area aswell as the tasty parkamoor itself.

Donk’s suggestion is right, it seems to purposefully miss out the bottom half of the ‘Grandad/Dad/Dentist’ descent to Satterthwaite, which is, frankly, madness!

You’ll have time to head over to the other side of the forest for some more fun, even if it’s a bit slippy.

Considerable amounts of sheet ice on the tarmac road up to Walna Scar today, and full trail width, bullet hard ice on most paths above it. I’d be staying low, Grizedale was ok with the most ice on the forest roads yesterday. Snow won’t be an issue this weekend, only ice if forecast is accurate.

Was up at the weekend and Loughrigg, Arnside (a bit snowy but fine) Tilberthaite area was fine and will give a good ride. Also the Parkamoor Byway was clear of snow as were the bridleways in Grizedale (Breasty Haw etc). Just the tops of some fire roads in Grizedale which were a bit icy.

The Parkamoor byway (down) is a peach! And didn’t see anyone else around despite it being a Saturday.

might swap the loughrigg for this longer route http://pedalnorth.com/content/hawkshead-hilltops-0

Loughrigg has been flattened and is no fun at all now. Such a shame 🙁

I would’ve thought that Loughrigg would be OK fun this weekend, being out of season. The top route by the caves still has some interest a bit further on. There are two or three other decent descents on that route, if I recall rightly – into Little Langdale, over by Elterwater and after the lakeside road.

The Hawkshead Hills one is OK too, although it inexplicably misses out the Breasty Haw/Great Wood descent on the east side of Grizedale, and the nice little climb up out of Far Sawrey with a decent drop again to the track by windermere. If you include both of those it’s a good day’s riding.

PS I’ve never done the BW climb direct from Belle Grange – is that a PITA?

Well it is up up and more up with a couple of steeper bits to test leg and lungs. It gets you up to top.

Worth doing in preference to the long drag around past Base Camp?

well we did the Satterthwaite ride and the Hawkshead hill tops.

some great riding which everyone loved.

cheers!

Good stuff Sefton. A weekend riding in the lakes is one of life’s finest pleasures!. 😀