We almost accidentally fell into this ride, but the sunshine in Lancaster suckered us and we soon climbed into cloud:
click pic for more

However, on a whim I decided to take the alternative BW from Silver Bay, which is far better than the last section of shore track:

though sadly the access is grim:

how can they justify doing that to a bridleway ? Could you get any pack animal up it ?

That bridleway looks ace! Nothing wrong with it.

Nothing wrong with it.

well, it was so ragged we had to carry our bikes up instead of just pushing 🙁 I doesn't even seem to be designed to be walked as there are holes to catch a foot and break your ankle …

I see what you mean but perhaps it was the most cost-effective way of "resurfacing".. Still looks it would be going down!

but perhaps it was the most cost-effective way of "resurfacing"..

but as far as I can see no regard has been taken to any form of passing traffic – it's just a jumble of ragged rock 🙁

The track had to be destroyed, so it could be saved 😉

© BWD 2009

oh and BTW, the shore near Patterdale is often choked with walkers but we saw none on the other track – and this was bank holiday Sunday!

Oh, and to give you an idea, that surface is twice as bad as Dollywaggon Pike – really vicious, and also very steep (upwards)…

Is this part of the Ullswater singletrack ? It looks like a part that I managed to ride down but really wished that I'd had my seat lower. Hairy.

Brilliant bit of trail that!

Is this part of the Ullswater singletrack ?

yes 🙂

Brilliant bit of trail that!

well done for riding that – I wasn't sure it was even possible 🙂

Its an option when doing the Ullswater singletrack, not the route that most take!

Cheers Simon, went over the bars a few metres further down! haven't completely cleaned it yet, but have got down with a single dab in the past.

We incude this in a loop which then goes up Boredale to Boredale Hause and then takes the top track down to Side Farm (see pic below) which is another fantastic technical piece of trail.

Right. I'll ask my Cumbrian-matey if we could ride the Ullswater singletrack again next weekend.

Thing is we climbed up the Hause then carried on over and the traverse grass downhill descent through a farm at the bottom- looped round to the start of Ullswater. Mental- it just goes on and and on and on….stunning