In the Lakes on Friday and looking for a route close to Keswick as we’re eating at The George early evening.

I have the V Publishing book and there’s a route call Skiddaw Circuit. Starts at the car park above Latrigg, heads north to Skiddaw House via Lonscale Fell, then does a big loop counter clock wise taking in Deer Hills and Whitedale Dash back to Skiddaw House, then back the way you’ve come to the car park.

So being a complete Lakes novice, is this a good loop, or can I do better in the area, is heading to Skiddaw summit worthwhile? Something like this may be?

Any advice is much appreciated. However, there maybe more threads as I’m there all weekend 😀

It’s a nice ride, made better by heading from Keswick along to Threlkeld and up to Skiddaw house from there, that also means you finish on the Latrigg (Spoony) descent.

A bit shorter timewise, but a better quality ride, would be Up skiddaw and then along Ullock Pike tbh.

Depends what you like…
I’d do the Borrowdale bash instead, remember that Ullock is a popular footpath so fairly cheeky and much more technical (especially the scree)

Cheers chaps,

As much as Ullock Pike sounds good, avoiding cheeky in others back yard is always a good idea, particularly as the forecast is good and it’ll be a Friday afternoon.

Nobeerinthefridge – when you say Spoony, do you mean Spoonygreen Lane that finishes in Keswick?

Mike – I like most things, the Peak, Ladybower etc. is my favorite localish stuff.

In that case I’d do the bash, it’s a good classic loop, chunk of road but some very good singletrack & rock routes

One of my personal favourites.

Daffy – Looks lovely, which rides that from?

Thanks Mike, might do that then followed by the Lonscale Fell Loop from the book, which looks like it takes in the Spoony?

Please take care along the flank of Lonscale Fell, my friend John, an experienced mountain biker, went OTB and broke his neck crossing one of the gullies:

http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2013/09/11/widow-pays-tribute-to-mountain-biker-john-graham-who-died-on-skiddaw

^^^that is above the waterfall called Whitewater Dash at the back of Skiddaw. Both the bash and skiddaw loop are decent and good regardless of the weather really, if you are a Lakes novice you’ll enjoy either and the other will be there for another day 🙂

EDIT: yes, please take note of that. John sadly isn’t the only rider to come a cropper there! There is no shame in particular walking, in particular the one rocky section!

That particular rocky section on lonscale fell loop can get quite slippy. The loop is good but spoonygreen lane gets very busy so take care as there’s nearly always ppl walking up.

The bash is a great ride out (you don’t even have to do the full loop either to take in the best bits) with some fast fun rocky descents. And a few challenging ascents too.

Not sure if you are a Strava user but here’s two easy routes round Skidaw that I did with my family:

https://www.strava.com/activities/172980932

https://www.strava.com/activities/173506407

E Mail me if you need the GPX file.
Iain

Sam – if you do the descent which comes down the side of Lonscale (clockwise from Skiddaw House), take it easy. As others have said it’s tricky. Did it years ago and saw a bloke bin it and he just caught the front wheel in his hand before the bike disappeared into the abyss below. Well known accident blackspot.

The BB is also good if a little too much road – the climb from Watendlath will test you but the descent to Rosthwaite will make you smile. You’ll enjoy whichever one you do.

That’s terrible globalti, I remember it being posted on here and will bear in mind.

Thanks ahsat, weathers looking good for Friday fingers crossed.

Edit, thanks Wayne and everyone else.

I did the Skiddaw circuit and the Borrowdale Bash last time I was up in Keswick. I found the northern half of the Skiddaw route a bit dull to be honest, but I wasn’t there in the best of weathers, so that may have tarnished the experience a little. Good, but not great. I’d also echo the comments about Lonscale Fell; there’s no shame in walking bits of it if you are in any doubt.

Borrowdale Bash is a good one that to me feels a bit more classic Lakeland than Skiddaw, but there is a little too much (main) road work to give it top marks.

To be honest neither will disappoint. If the weather is good head up Skiddaw. If the weather is bad do the Bash. If you’re fit do both 😉

That particular rocky section on lonscale fell loop can get quite slippy.

That’s an understatement!

Anyway, more importantly…. I presume you’re going for the cow pie at the George? 😀

Hmmmmm….Cow Pie*.
Why would you even contemplate anything else on the menu? 😉

* You’ll only need half too. Full will leave you sweating.

binners – Member
Anyway, more importantly…. I presume you’re going for the cow pie at the George? 😀

Assuming that’s the pic you posted on the weekend riding thread a few weeks back, most definitely, yes!

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just sat in the George with a pint.

We rode the Borrowdale Bash, with the cheeky up to Walla Crag and the Lonscale Fell route. Pretty knackered but had an awesome day with amazing weather. Just need to decide what to do for the rest of the weekend!

Bring on the cow pie 😀

Glad you enjoyed it. A few years ago I had an over-the-bars on one of the waterbars coming down the rocky descent to Rosthwaite. I could barely get out of bed for the next day’s Skiddaw route 😆

The borrowdale bash is quite short. So I added the lonscale loop after. Which is a really fun outing in its own right. That was on a sunny Friday and I got lucky with the drop from latrigg and didn’t meet many walkers.

Glad you enjoyed Sam…some quality riding/scenery up there – bit better than Leicestershire hey!
Hope you got the sweats with a full Cow Pie 😉

Does the Skiddaw route take in the path over Sale How from Skiddaw House? (This bit isn’t an official Bridleway is it?)

I was looking at the map and deciding on whether to go up from the North, go West up the track over Sale How up to the Summit and down the track from the Summit – Good route?

Alternatively the route clockwise or anti-clockwise from Ormathwaite taking in Lonscale Fell?

Planning for a future trip, so will depend on weather as well I guess??

Jay

This is what the track over Sale How looks like:

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2699372
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3351483
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4649209

Not been on it myself either on bike or running so don’t know how weather proof it is.

Skiddaw House – Sale How – Skiddaw is a nasty (boggy when wet) push/carry up.
Down the track from the summit is a waste of hard-earned altitude. Bad route imho.

I’d recommend start in Keswick, up via Latrigg and bridleway to Skiddaw summit (the top bit is ridable), Scree slope, Ullock Pike, pick up the track to Whitewater Dash at Barkbeth, Whitewater Dash, round the back of Skiddaw clockwise (fairly boring), Skiddaw House (a bit more interesting), Lonscale Fell (getting better), Latrigg, back to Keswick.

Sod the riding how was the cow pie?