Rode it yesterday and was surprised at just how much rougher it has become compared to previous rides.

We rode from Kentmere over to Troutbeck and the descent into Troutbeck – which is usually all rideable without much of an issue – was proper rocky. Made for an interesting descent….

Is this a recent development or has it been like this for a while…?

Correct me if i’m wrong but isn’t Kentmere to Troutbeck the Garburn Pass? On the Kentmere side it’s always been rocky on the Troutbeck side they’ve sanitized it at the bottom which I hope has worn away back to the boulders.

Someone else had said this last week as well. Will have to go and check it out in the new year I think

Yeah I heard that it got a right pasting off the recent rain and has become a rock fest 😀

there’s always been sections of fairly serious bedrock poking through; makes a real challenging climb but has never really been that difficult to descend on. would be nice if it has become more of a challenge.

any pics??

I took some pics on the Kentmere side (where it’s always been fairly rough) but didn’t get any on the Troutbeck side.

I’m even tempted to suggest that the Troutbeck side is now actually rougher than the Kentmere side, certainly in places.

Not that I tried (I came down it) but the Troutbeck side is not climbable in its current state. It used to be a tough but doable climb in the past.

It kinda took the edge off the ride really. We pushed/carried up large parts of the ascent from Kentmere, then ended up scrambling down the other side. No real flow to it. It has the repuation as one of the best Lakes routes but in its current state it’s a bit of a mess unfortunately.

I’m tempted to suggest that the Troutbeck side is now actually rougher than the Kentmere side, certainly in places.

Excellent – best bit of news I’ve had in ages.

Hope Walna Scar’s gone the same way too 😀

yeah, it was lively 😯

the wife didn’t quite see it as positively as I did though…

Sounds excellent.

I have been in the area recently (Garburn, Troutbeck, Robin Lane, Wain, Mirk and Jenkins)and it seemed to have happened after the rains of 8th December and all the flood waters coming off the fells. There are sections mid-Garburn on the Troutbeck side which look as if JCBs have been in digging randon trenches (2-3′ deep in places – the power of water!), also looks like an earthquake has hit! The last section 100-200 yards of Garburn down to the road after the farm, has washed out all the small infill stone and is now rock-fest! I am sure many folk will enjoy over the festive hols:)

The bottom half of the troutbeck side, say from the gate downwards, was massively sanitised not so long ago.

The top half has always been rideable in the descent but has tricky bits when climbing.

The Kentmere side’s a right swine to get up but is all rideable pointing downwards.

I think the whole point of Garburn is for it to be a rocky nightmare…

I think the whole point of Garburn is for it to be a rocky nightmare ribbon of perfection.

It kinda took the edge off the ride really. We pushed/carried up large parts of the ascent from Kentmere, then ended up scrambling down the other side. No real flow to it. It has the repuation as one of the best Lakes routes but in its current state it’s a bit of a mess unfortunately.

You did it the wrong way round. Kentmere side has never been ridable going up and Troutbeck is just a fast rocky blast. Much better doing it the other way, Troutbeck – Kentmere. Very tough (but sometimes do-able) climb then a nice rocky technical descent into Kentmere.

Rocky nightmare in a good way obviously.

we should invite that trail erosion american professor to post on here.

Bikes on the Kentmere side, which is the same as ever.

South Lakeland-20111220-00286 (2) by reggiegasket, on Flickr

You did it the wrong way round

I agree but I was with someone who fancied the ‘easier’ descent….

This sounds very exciting news. I will have to get myself up there to check this out. I rode there a few months back and the troutbeck side had been completely flattened. The thing about all this flattening they do is that it never seems to survive the weather very long at all and becomes much worse than it ever was.