off there tomorrow but wondering how long I should allow?

37 km

this one

tracklog linky clicky

Cant remember it's so long since I did it. It's one of those rides you have to do if you consider yourself a MTB'er.
It's crap though.

It looks like at first glance that it misses out Boredale on the way back, best bit of the ride really. The Lakes guide book High Street route is worth doing, i dont think the one in that link would be.

oh crap. now I just have to do it to see if it is pants….

The first few miles are not really that rideable either so its a push\carry, sorry.

Kentmere then? any better?

4-6 hours probably. Good mountain route especially whilst it's dry – do the ullswater path towards the end of the day and it might be more clear of walkers. Have a goodun

I did high st and Helvellyn in 9 hours. I'd say 5 hours for High Street.

4-6 hours as Max says,best done in frosty or dry weather (now),Take plenty of food and water though,theres more climbing than you think!,When you say Kentmere i think your meaning the Bridleway to Nan Bield,theres no advatage here its a lot further and from the top its a rocky pitched footpath anyway.

I prefer it from south to north doing the Higher Ullswater Lakeshore singletrack on the return for an even longer day out,enjoy 😉

I like High street – chuck in the ullswater s/traxk for added smiles… I LOVE helvellyn too – plus ullswater s/track !!!

paul

Its super dry at the moment and running fast. It took 3.15hrs week last sunday. Great ride when its in that condition.

Luke, you might want to consider having a "navigational malfunction" and take the path up past Angle Tarn rather than carrying up the Knot from Hayeswater.

Would be the best time to do it at the moment as it would probably be dry, otherwise it isnt much fun, as mentioned above, a ride to tick a box. Much better stuff in the area IMO.

It's crap though.

I always laugh about that when we do it :o) It SO isn't 🙂

Another (better) option for the start: ride over the Kirkstone Pass to Troutback then up the valley and onto Thornthwaite Beacon (obvious bridleways shown on the OS map) & continue along High Street.

The ride along the valley is a lovely start, then 45 minute push/carry up the steepo bit. It's a bigger day out but more rideable than the Hartsop start and much more satisfying doing the full length of the Roman road instead of doubling back from High Street.

& continue along High Street.

and then beam back to Troutbeck ?? Kirkstone is easy on the south side but climbing the north side when already tired is dreadful, particularly with cars blatting past 🙁

and then beam back to Troutbeck ?? Kirkstone is easy on the south side but climbing the north side when already tired is dreadful, particularly with cars blatting past

No, start at Hartsop or Brotherswater and do the pass first.

Alhough when I was young and fit and lived in Ambleside I used to ride over Skelghyll Woods to Troutbeck, then High Street all the way to Loadpot, back over Boredale Hause and finally the Kirkstone to get home.

*That* was a proper afternoon out. 😉

I did the 'full' south – north route as suggested by elliptic last year. Excellent day out! :)))

I started at Troutbeck to save my energy for the Ullswater lakeside rockfest and finish on the non-technical grind over Kirkstone when tired.

Cheers
Paul

Another "Navigational Malfunction" Via Ill Bell,Yoke, and Garburn. 😉

Took me and a "not amazingly fit" mate 5 hours, including a lot of food stops and getting bothered by walkers on the track round Ullswater (which I think is the best bit…apart from the views higher up!)

Garmin geek tech data

Well I had a great ride and it wasn't crap at all. Tiring though and I ran out of water and food so was on empty for the last few miles..

Amazing scenery and the weather was bone dry, very hot, wonderful. Plenty of pushing up hill though but worth it.

There were too many walkers on the Ullswater track but most were decent enough not to soil things.

great pics and thnks for update – get a littl p'eed off with the whole its a thread and it is now thing and no updates
ps and the angle tarn? shot is a cracker

so how long did it take you?

Yeti guy, it took me about 4 and a half hours.

Satisfactorily tiring ride mixed in with some photography en route

Not Angle Tarn antigee, its Hayeswater. Stunning at that time of the morning.

Yeti guy, it took me about 4 and a half hours.

Satisfactorily tiring ride mixed in with some photography en route

Not Angle Tarn antigee, its Hayeswater. Stunning at that time of the morning.

I always laugh about that when we do it :o) It SO isn't

Is too!
Maybe we picked a bad day. Carry up the Knott, pedal down soggy grass avoiding zillions of walkers down to Howtown. Dunno about now but then (1992-3) the bridleway alongside Ullswater back to Patterdale was virtually unrideable & we pushed/carried most of it.
Views were nice though.
Some scanned photo's….

Last one's funny. It was the first time any of us had used SPD's & Mark came a cropper on the beck crossing at Howtown, I missed it on camera so he did a 'replay'.

EGFuttock – maybe try it again now you have got used to SPD's and actually have nore than 1" front travel!!!!