I’m looking to do a hike-a-bike up the said mountain and would like some advice…

Which is the best route up and down and how much of that is actually rideable?

Estimated timescale to complete?

Suggested kit, I’m planning for all weathers as I believe it’s quite changeable?

I’m thinking extra large volume tyres on my hardtail 🙂 for rocky/loose conditions… Suggestions? There is always the 29+ and wide rim option but I’m unsure my fork would accommodate the upgrade? Anyone tried… I’ve got a fair bit of clearance on the rear with 2.3’s fitted.

And finally… What’s the maximum wind speed the air ambulance will fly in? ??

Up Keppel Cove and back down Sticks Pass is a decent enough route. You can ride a good way up. Some might favour more technical descents, but it’s techy enough in places.

3-4 hours.

I dont think there is a decent route off personally

Dollywaggon in beyond what I am comfortable on and is very technical
Sticks is more point downhill and enjoy.

Took us 2 hours to the top in bad ish weather with a stop to hide behind some rocks
If going to sticks less as you turn right and dont do all of Helvellyn

Hmm… Helvellyn.

I tend to climb up Keppel Cove, then onwards to lower man and then the summit.

If I’m doing Sticks East (which is just ace), then I won’t bother hitting the summit, I’ll just turn right when I get to the ridge and if I want to extend the ride, I’ll do Ullswater Singletrack.

I haven’t done Dollywagon for ages. It’s ok, but others are better. The best thing about Dollywagon, is that it takes you to Grizedale Beck, which is brilliant.

Birkside however, is amazing. One of my favourite descents in the Lakes. Everything off Helvellyn is rideable (bridleways at least), and this IMO is the best. Just the right balance of tech and flow. The only drawback is that it leaves you in Thirlmere and all the climbs up from there are killers.

Allow 1.5 – 2 hours to get to the top, pretty much regardless of where you start from.

As for bikes, it makes naff all difference what bike you’re on (although Dollywagon is a bit of a bugger on a hardtail). Just fit a heavy duty rear tyre so you don’t flat, and a fat front tyre for grip. Jobs a good ‘un!

I usually start at patterdale/glenridding, head up to dockray, up to the dodds, along the ridge and down from dollywagon.

the descent down dollywaggon is alright:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJlQxuYpUCM[/video]

I like going up the top end, Great Dodd from the old coach rd – more of a summer route, though – when dry you can spin up to randerside and then it’s a short sharp push. I believe this gets very heavy going in the wet, though, so one to avoid if weather’s been poor.

Sticks pass descent is great IMHO – huge boulder field just above the mine that seemed v hard to ride when I last did it.

Down Birkside is great but anyway bacK up from Thirlmere sucks.
From the YHA up to top of Helvellyn and back down Sticks is only 3 hours, all things going your way.

Dirtrider100, great vid.
Reminds me of when I rode UP Dollywaggon 😥
It was only part of a forty-odd mile Dodds/Helvellyn/elsewhere day out so not too much of a mistake come the end.

Down Dollywaggon is good but I’d be on my susser rather than hardtail.
Down Sticks Pass is good too, IIRC, bumpier than Dollywaggon.

I hated dolly wagon, very technical, I didn’t feel I got my reward for all my efforts.
Up kepple is the standard way, it’s very easy to take the wrong path & many have so take heed, if you cross a beck on a bridge soon after passing the yha you’re on the wrong path! Go back and go higher up to the right.

It depends on your technical ability and what you enjoy riding. The three main routes are-

-From Glenridding up to the summit then down Dollywagon Pike and then down Grisedale. This is pretty technical and you may well not be able to ride all of it, particularly on a hardtail. I prefer this route but it is difficult, takes the longest and is a technical descent pretty much all the way.

-Glenridding up, Sticks Pass down. This is probably the easiest descent. If you’ve not been up a mountain before or aren’t up to mad technical riding this is the way to go. Rocky sections but mostly fast, flowing trails with lovely views.

-Birkside. This goes up and down the opposite side of the hill and is the fastest way to do the mountain. We did it in about two and a half hours. This descent is variously wide open and fast, with some technical sections in the middle and then flowing singletrack to the end. A sort of halfway house between the other two.

There is also bridleway from the bottom of dollywagon going over the pass between Helvellyn and Fairfield but this is just a grassy slope.

This vid (not mine) is great and gives a quick synopsis of a route starting and ending at Thirlmere and coming down Birkside.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ow4bm2b37w[/video]

On a hardtail from glenridding, up keppel cove then along over whiteside upto the summit then back down via whiteside and raise, and down sticks pass. Dollywaggon may be a bit much on a hardtail, if you do go down dollywaggon, I would recommend flats as it’s easy to dab and clipping back in is one to many things to think about. That Birkside route looks great as well, not done it, but will now. Hellvellyn isn”t that big a ride and easily done in 1/2 a day so combining it with the ulswater singletrack is a great day. Gear, standard 2.something Tyres with reasonably strong casing. Wet / cool weather clothing even in summer. Spares, and repairs, water, food and a map. Don’t take to much as you just have to carry it up. Have a great ride, it’s great up there.

If you’re not used to the mountain environment, just make sure you can navigate safely off (even if just reversing your route) and carry enough gear to keep warm should you have a major body or bike malfunction. You can be riding quite happily in shorts and t shirt in winter, but if you’re suddenly stopped for an hour, all sweaty, you will cool rapidly even in fair weather.

Quick question, if anyone’s ridden both, what’s Dollywagon like compared to the Rangers off of Snowdon? Hoping to get up Helveylln at some point.

Sorry for the thread hijack Tomahawk

Dollywagon is all stone pitched and water bars, its more of a challenge to clear than actually ride and enjoy. I would say its a proper ball ache on a hardtail.
The sticks pass descent is a cracker, I like to go up Kepel cove zig zags then to the summit stone shelter wall for a bite to eat and take in the view,(if its clear enough) then turn around and drop back down then down to top of sticks to Ullswater side then a bit of cheeky seldom seen.

Sshh!

I’ve done a variety of routes over the years.

Keppel Cove is the easiest way up – not especially technical, but just steep and loose in places. If you’re going all teh way to the top – Lower Man is hike-a-bike.

Dolly Wagon is doable, but it’s a bit more about survival than enjoyment – just stone steps with wheel eating waterbars every 30′. A shame as Grisdale Tarn to Patterdale is awesoem.

Lower Man/Raise/Sticks Pass down to Ullswater is the “new classic” way to do it.The top half of Sticks is singletracky and lovely, the bottom half below the quarry is just about smashing through big rocks and I thought was a bit meh. Fortunately I found a different (koff!) way down that’s MUCH nicer…
(Be wary of coming down Lower Man if it’s windy – I nearly got blown over the edge a couple of years back – it’s quite exposed)

I’ve also done Birkside both ways. It’s essentially a carry most of the way up. Bloody ace on the way down. Some of it’s fast and flowy, but there’s some pigging hard steep technical sections as well. Some slabbing, but not too much. I was pretty chuffed to ride the entire descent, although there were a couple of bits I had to stop and have a look at (the vid^ doesn’t seem to show the hard bits)

In terms of time – I did up Birkside, down Lower Man/Sticks, up Keppel Cove, down Birkside with a lunch stop in Glenridding in a bit over 5 hours this summer. That was on my own and in great weather, so minimal faffage.

As above – Helvellyn is a PROPER mountain. If the weather comes in, it can be a truly nasty place, and there are some big edges and big drops, so plan accordingly!

Yeah if the cloud or mist comes down it can get pretty dicey up top.

Did Helvellyn Monday just gone , went up Sticks to the summit m took 2h 20 minutes up , came down Kepple Cove like id stole it 10 am Monday morning not a body insight , Id like to say I did the Kepple run in less than 12 parsecs but tbh it was closer to 28 minutes from summit to YHA Glenridding ,very fast very smiley

Quick question, if anyone’s ridden both, what’s Dollywagon like compared to the Rangers off of Snowdon? Hoping to get up Helveylln at some point.

Rangers is 5 out of 10 for difficulty and Dollywaggon is about a 12 out of 10 on the same scale

I did not enjoy it I just survived it
Loved the Rangers FWIW.

If you want to take in Birkside descent, AND get the great Grizedale descent without suffering Dollywagon (a giant flight of steps):

Up Kepple Cove zig-zags, down Birkside, tarmac up Dunmail Raise, hike up to Grizedale Tarn, descend to Patterdale.

Dollywagon isn’t good in a ‘super-gnar-nadge-core’ way, it’s repetitive step/drain bashing. I’ve done it on a hardtail and can’t recommend it. If you want nadge-core, descend Nan-Beild Northward.

In defence of the dollywagon descent, me and a mate did it a couple of weeks back (on hardtails) and absolutely loved it!* Perhaps we are just suckers for punishment 🙂

*It was bone dry and beautiful weather, I would not want to do it in the wet!

Thanks Junky, I’ll maybe go down Sticks if I ever get up there!

Did Helvellyn last week, with two descents thrown in
Up over the bogs from the North
Down Sticks Pass
Back up Keppel Cove
Down Dollywaggon/Grisedale
A very enjoyable afternoon out.

Dollywaggon was alright but I wouldn’t rush back to it. No flow, unless you’re a lot better than me, just nadgery with drainage channels at the wrong angles.

Down Grisedale was excellent fun on the other hand so I like the sound of thekettle’s route for a future outing.

Compared to the Ranger path
I can ride 95% of the Ranger path and enjoy 95% of it*
I can ride 99% of Dollywaggon and enjoy about 50% of it

* that bit just before it flattens out is near impossible in my book, but the rest is easier and more flowy than Dollywaggon

down Birkside … hike up to Grizedale Tarn, descend to Patterdale.

Done that, as a correction after descending the Birkside track by mistake in bad weather. It’s not a bad option as you get two good descents.

Dollywagon isn’t good in a ‘super-gnar-nadge-core’ way, it’s repetitive step/drain bashing.

Agreed. It’s not that technical, just a challenge to get over some of the water-bars. It’s not a great use of hard-earned altitude, just a few challenging water-bars interspersed with stone pitched sections.

If you want nadge-core, descend Nan-Beild Northward.

…whereas this is. 😀