Can anyone tell me about the routes up and down High Street in the Lakes? We are going for views, photos and a picnic; so we ideally want the easiest climb up and a not too technical decent.

Avoid the ascent/descent from/to Troutbeck…

Did it last week from Pooley Bridge. It’s rideable all the way up & not that steep, just seems to go on forever (boring) We rode down The Knott & came back via Boredale Hause so probly not what your after!

EDIT, thats the 3rd time I’ve done High Street & I won’t be doing it again.

Did High St for the first time on BH Monday; lovely clear but breezy day.
Went up from Hartsop, Hayeswater Gill, The Knott, High Raise.
This is a fairly short almost vertical carry, in my opinion not a bad way up onto HS.
Then the map shows it all the way down (virtually) to near Pooley Bridge; didn’t feel that much like down at times though.
It is fairly tame riding, just avoid the bog holes and tram line style holes.
Reached The Cockpit, hair pin left back to run alongside the lake and then you have an easy descent
(this really was the only part of the ride I thought was fun).
We all concluded that we probably wouldn’t bother doing it again!

High Street is a pretty dull ride imo. Apart from the views there’s nothing much to recommend it.

If you want nice/easy/scenic with views I’d do the Iron Keld and Loughrigg Terrace ride from the VG book. Doesn’t take you up high but there’s some stunning views on the ride and lots of nice picnic spots (especially Loughrigg Terrace).

orangejohns is about the easiest way up and down but ullswater path back to patterdale is very technical. garburn isn’t too monstrous a climb but yoke ill bell and froswick are techy (and fp if that bothers you). For a more leisurely ride grums loughrigg suggestion is spot on, maybe not quite as panoramically appealing as high st but bloody gorgeous.

I think its a cracking route but you do need a week or so of dry weather,or a hard frost to get the best out of it,Whatever route you dcide to do, its always going to be a long slog as its a big day out.

The climb from Hayes water is the quick way up although you will carry at some point,if you prefer a gentle rideable gradient its probably best from the cockpit (Pooley Bridge).

Theres some exellent downhills from High street but sadly they are footpaths so cant be used.. 😉

The high street is a great ride in good weather – its a real xc route in the mtns – throw in ullswater for more excitement then you can handle….

paul

snowpaul – Member

The high street is a great ride in good weather

No, It’s a boring pile of shite. Done it 3 times & I know why. Never again,

I like it and what Grum, DONK and Gavagas say

No, It’s a boring pile of shite. Done it 3 times & I know why. Never again,

No, you’re doing it wrong. There are loads of variations around High Street and it can come with some spectacular views hard climbs and some great descents.

I like Pooley Bridge to the Cockpit, down past Barton Park to Bank House Farm, around the edge of Ulswater, up between Silver Crag and Birk Fell, hike up to Boredale Hause, down to Hartsop, up to Hayeswater, hike up to The Knott, across the top to Loadpot Hill, then the fast descent back down to The Cockpit… This doesnt take you to the very top of High Street though and is best done after a dry spell as Red Crag along the top can get very soggy.

I’ve got couple of variations on GPS if you want them.

PM me and I will send you a route card with full description. It’s a fantastic mountain day out, best done on lightweight hardtails or even full rigids but you’d be best advised to keep it until after a long dry spell because the top is boggy.

The route profile is perfect – a big climb followed by a long long steady downhill then some small bits along the lake shore.

Whoever says it’s boring must have done it with his eyes closed and missed the spectacular space and views and the best downhill bits too.

I rode out from Kendal, carried up Troutbeck then rode into Penrith and trained back to Kendal. It is epic. I was mucher fitter then.

Done it 3 times & I know why. Never again,

Actually I lied. Thinking back I’ve been up there 4 times.
1st time was from Hartsop, up to Hayeswater & The Knott, down High St & somehow to Howtown & back via Ullswater shore. 1993-4?
2nd time, I think we went from Askham, up High St, got lost in the fog & rain & ended up going down Nan Bield & back via Haweswater. 1996ish.
3rd time, a ride from Staveley, down Gatescarth Pass to Haweswater & up Nan Bield then down the other side to Kentmere (this may or may not construe as being on High St) 2010.
4th time, from Pooley Bridge, up High St via The Cockpit, Arthurs Pike, Loadpot Hill, down The Knott to Hartsop then up to Boredale Hause & down to Boredale Head, back via the bliddy road as we got ‘timed out’. Last weekend.
Big days out in Scotland are better IMO cos theyr’e, well, bigger.

Theres some exellent downhills from High street but sadly they are footpaths so cant be used..

**Ahem**

😉

Locally, it seems the way to do the route is start at Pooley bridge, then ride some really nice single track along side Ullswater. CLimb up at Hartsop to the reservoir then along the ridge to Loadpot hill around the top of load pot and back down to Pooley bridge.

The bit along Ullswater is very good and is often used in bike magazine features and photo shoots. The ridge is nice riding and it finishes in a descent. Sounds like a good ride to me.
To describe it as a pile of crap seems a bit odd overly harsh and not accurate.

Make your own mind up, not my vid btw but another member. Cheers gavgas
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q52cJmN80uw&feature=player_detailpage[/video][video]http://[/video]

Nice little vid with good riding. The Ullswater shore path is great but you don’t have to bother going up High Street to do it.

Starting out from Pooley Bridge you risk missing one of the best sections of the whole circuit: the track running north from the little 560m rise at 461198, passing to the east of Arthur’s Pike and down Barton Fell to the BW is a cracking little bit of downhill and a great reward for the last three or four miles, which can be a bit of a plod in places especially when wet.

Arthurs Pike to White Knott is some of the best Singletrack “walking” in the area.. 😉

I have sent you an Email NCB,with a bit of local knowledge on route info..

Thanks for all the input. I have been up Loughrigg and I agree it is very nice but High street is on my to-do list. Holiday starts in a week and it doesn’t look like it is going to be that dry 🙁 Globalti I will PM you for that route anyway. Cheers.