Going to the lakes tonight for a family weekend- three generation get together etc. Obviously I am taking my bike. We are staying near Ullswater, and now my wife who doesn't get out on her bike much at all these days is saying she would like to come with me for a spin. Will she manage the ride from pooley bridge up high street to high raise? I've never been up there myself so I've no idea how technical it is.
To give you an idea she rides her bike on average 2-3 times a yr, usually when we have kids with us as well, but used to do a fair bit of XC type riding back in the 90s before we had kids. She doesn't like technical stuff and will get off and walk down things that look steep (eg wharncliffe) but can manage a steady slog for a couple of hours. Will it kill her? Will we fall out?
Apart from whinlatter, any other blue/green rated routes in the vicinity?

Well I've not done it but I think its about 45 minutes to an hours carrying. Your wife sounds similar to mine cycling wise.

Based on this piece of imfo I'd say it was a bad idea

In similar cumstances we did the bridleway on the far side of ulswater (boat the other way). Again a bit technical

I don't really know that bit of the lakes that well on a bike

Round Skiddaw via the Skiddaw house Youth Hostel would be better. A few steep bits on the track to the Youth Hostel might be walked on the way up and a few on the way down. But its mainly non technical ridding in good scenery

I would also consider a tour of Langdale, Little Langdale Hodge Close etc. Loads of options on bridleways on legal lanes. Generally they are rideable with out much climbing (by lakes standards)

Or a tour of Windermere crossing on the chain ferry round the Ambleside end, through Trout beck

Ask again if you need specific details and I'll try clicking something out on a map

High street is too much for her from what you've said.

There's nothing particularly technical up there, it's turfy / boggy terrain with paths that are reasonably distinct but variable. But likely to be a very long slow drag as there's a lot of height to gain.

Once up you have limited options for coming back down – the descent to Hartsop is very steep, it's rideable, but not for your missus by the sound of it.

However she'd probably manage the descent from the cockpit to Howtown which is a lovely swoopy rocky/gravelly bridleway but nothing too steep or intimidating. (Will be busy with walkers, but so will everywhere…)

As ampthill said the Tour de Skiddaw from Keswick would be a decent lower-level option if you don't mind a road section up the A591 – then down past Skiddaw House hostel and under Lonscale Fell, short push up a rocky path then an airy section perched high on the fellside, round to Latrigg and down through the woods.

Or a northerly loop around the Caldbeck fells – Skiddaw House, Caldew valley (lovely remote trail though liable to be boggy) and connecting via the back roads and mining trails.

Hopefully you're aware the forecast is strong northerly winds and unseasonably cold temperatures on the hilltops.

Thanks for the advice chaps, unfortunately I had to set off so was unable to read any of it!
In the end I chose a route that looked OK on the map but was too technical for her, and it being bank holiday weekend was crawling with walkers so not much fun for me either- from dale head up to boredale hause then down and along the bridalway to howtown. Not sure if this is what was referred to above as the cockpit? A few tears were shed when we made it back to the car but no-one died. the descent from boredale hause was a good one. I'd forgotten how much bigger lake district hills are than the dark peak. Luckily the sun shone!

Oh well… live and learn!

The cockpit is a stone circle north of Loadpot Hill and Arthur's Pike where a number of main trails converge – it's marked on the OS map.