Might stop off in the Lakes this week on route to see Ducks & Co

Thinking of one days riding in Central Lakes. What are conditions like?

Loughrigg/Tilberthwaite
Grizedale/Parkmoor (?)
Garburn and higher

Guess too cold to venture that high

Been pretty mild and dry this last week. Roads were gritted last night, but it didn’t feel that cold. Looks more or less the same for next week, so conditions should be reasonable considering it’s winter.

I was up Helvellyn today, probably the best conditions i have ever done it in,a Hard frost made the trails very fast indeed, with very little ice too

Grizedale / Parkamoor are absolutely fine. Wet as you’d expect for this time of year or indeed summer. You might find a bit of ice atop the puddles if you’re out early doors, but nothing dramatic.

Perfect conditions today…. enjoy!!

Thx, sounds good. Hadn’t thought about going too high but perhaps I should pack some extra cold weather kit.

Any snow still around?

Only in insignificant patches. Ice might form in places on paths but easily avoidable. You can ride anywhere, high or low, at the moment. Cracking winter for biking, mild, not to windy or wet.

Sounds like a need to pack a range of kit!

Just have one day in transit – need to decide whether to take my bike or hire one up there.

Will have a look at biketreks. Any other good hire shops?

Bloody freezing yesterday. You need a fleece, wind proof layers glasses and good gloves if you’re out early. I was in Kentmere, trails were brilliant. Not too wet. Bit of frost.

Yes just arrived, it really is bloody freezing, Doubt I’ll venture anywhere high on Tuesday. Just looking at guide books now as I thaw out in front of fire.

T-30 until Zefferelllis for refuelling!!!

Told you!! Enjoy it!

Brilliant feed in Zeffs as usual.

Cant decide on route yet. Done L’rigg, Iron Keld and Tilberthwaite before. Tempted by description of Parkamoor or whether the explore over Kentmere way. Depends on whether. Long drive tomorrow first.

Park at brantwood. Up Lawson park. Down parkamoor, over ikenthwaite, lunch in satterthwaite. Up breasty haw. Down to the visitor centre. Back up to Lawson park. And back to brantwood either down the bridleway or on the enduro tracks in the woods. Brilliant day out!

Great minds! Was thinking that sort of route but starting at High Top. However intrigued by talk of Enduro stuff (as long as not too gnarr!) above brantwood/Lawson park

I have the Staton and Gore old guide book for reference and was doing a variation on R18..

On your route do you start by going back to Thurston /bank ground for start? Is the Enduro stuff easy to find?

Guess this is a good spot given how cold it is up high. Was thinking somewhere Kentmere way but could be too cold up there,

Thx for advice. Wee dash to Scotland today first!

If you’ve not done Parkamoor, it’s good. I’d probably opt for the descent direct to Satterthwaite (Grandad, Dad and Dentist) rather than the loop out to Ickenthwaite. That would probably give you time to do the full Breasty Haw descent plus the extra section over to Esthwaite, climb back up to the fox and down the rocky descent direct to the VC.

Not sure what state the enduro stages around LP will be in.

Out this afternoon, beautiful clear day, not frozen up to 650m, in fact thawing if anything. Still and lovely!

Very early this morning it was very misty in central lakes – couldn’t see Grasmere from the road and only just able to see Rydal. Then cleared at top of Dunmail with spectacular views. Made me a bit itchy for Helvellyn but probably too high for now.

So will probably do some kind of route in Grizedale.

Martin is the direct route that you describe obvious? Does it miss out Parkamoor completely. – sounds like R20 in my book? Which goes the other way.

If you go down p’ moor all the way down and back up from Nibthwaite Grange is it poss to link to your route rather than the straight route to Ickenthwaite?

Oooooh – every time I try and do Parkamoor it is sheet ice and I give up. I must sort that out… since I live a couple of miles from the bottom of it now!!!!

Enjoy!

(I would offer to come with you but I am deeply unfit and tomorrow has been filled up with call outs now!)

You have me worried now Capn!!

SE Lakes map gives up at Parkamoor!!

Just watched a few YT clips – looks v different type of riding to what I am used to ie, a lot more rocks! It’s been about 4 years since I have ridden up here, so will take some time to adjust to hitting rocks aggressively after softer surfaces in Surrey Hills.

Arms must be shaking at the end of the Parkamoor descent – hope the rocks are not too icy.

Breasty Haw looks fun too – although NSFW when you put that into YT search !!!!

With all those rocks might be a bit silly to be on my own. But hey!!!

last section of the breasty haw descent is probably a bit differant to YT vids, they forested that section last year and made a bit of a mess.
it has been fixed now and is still worth riding though.
parkamoor descent definatly worth doing, to get to satterthwaite and do parkamoor i have been known to descend parkamoor, turn round and go back up(its nearly all rideable) then do the descent to satterthwaite

Martin is the direct route that you describe obvious? Does it miss out Parkamoor completely.

Doesn’t have to. If you do the first couple of sections of the NF Trail, you eventually come out onto a t-junction of fireroad, where you can turn right and carry on up fire road to the junction of the BW which heads south out of the forest onto Parkamoor. Then you descent to the farm buildings, cross the stream, then climb steeply back up – you can either carry straight on to Nibthwaite or turn left onto a track which leads directly to the top of the BW descent I mentioned.

Breasty Haw is probably slightly easier than it used to be. Still good though.

Thx guys – looking forward to a good blast tomorrow on different surfaces!

Can’t help but I’m going to Zeffirellis in two weeks!

Teamhurtmore go into the bike shop at Grizedale and ask the lads for some directions. I’ll let them know you’re coming so make yourself known. Ask for Pat. He’ll give you a map that has Parkamoor on it and let you know what current conditions are like.

Conditions seemed to be fine today just a bit murky!

Nan Bield was perfect at the weekend with being clear and frosty. But now its damp mild and misty with a 400-500m cloud height in south but 650m in Borrowdale.
Plenty of fun in Grizedale and just remember the rocks are grippy.

Bottom of breasts haw (leave that autocorrect in!) Has been tamed a bit but still good, can drop across the road to go down to esthwaite. If not climb back up from the layby 500m up the road and drop back down the stone fox back into the forest either by the road up to moor top (‘orrible) or there’s an off-road climb out of the back of hawkshead that puts you back on the North Face. Me n stevestunts did parkamoor on Saturday and was fine. For ‘enduro’ trails search for Viking, middleman and loambada on strava

Thanks again for advice. Farting around this morning trying to decide on layers. Will probably overcook in BAM base layer. Thx CM will pop in to see Pat.

Always love exploring somewhere new.

Have fun. Looks nice out there today.

10 degrees(!) coming home from work just now in Keswick. Not too many layers, I hope.

3.5 degrees at CP. nicely fresh!!

No signs of life at shop at 08:45!

Awesome ride if wet, cold and filthy now.

Bit tricky finding Parkamoor at first – almost turned too early, NIce descent. Not as technical as I expected although I did stop to check the slab out first! In contrast , Breasty was trickier than I expected but still fun, would not like to race the steep sections though. BItch of a climb back up. Got a little lost on final descent to VC and ended up on some steep roots. Then did the NF trail start and th black run which was much better than wxpected albeit too short.

Frustrating to ride past so much awesome looking cheeky stuff – especially the Enduro stuff just before Parkamoor gate and just above Blind Lane CP. looking forward to coming back with more time to explore.

Met the very nice and helpful Pat – CM – and will hopefully go back and but some kit there tomorrow. I was far too dirty to do so at the end of today

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Lessons learned (1) rocks have much more grip that slippy Surrey roots; (2) BAM base layers are great; (3) need better trousers for winter riding.

Buzzing but cold now.

Thanks again THM

(Q for locals – why the dildo in the car park near the bottom of Breasty!

Tomaso dropped it!

Did you retrieve it? There may be a reward offered…

no but almost took a photo – weird looking thing

better a dildo than a load of campers who had filled one of the tracks on that side with human shit and toilet paper back in summer… I guess they didn’t realise they were shitting on a path at night when they wandered off into the woods for a number 2.. scuzzers!

BTW the bits you say you felt like you missed – you did, they are arguably some of the most rewarding descents to climb ratio in the whole forest. The very last ones just before the PM gate are testing though if you don’t like the steeps. If you go back start on the Viking and see how you get on before progressing to the last 2.

Blind lane stuff is good, bit less tech but flat out and fun, Strava is your friend 😉

I was tempted alex but as I was on my own and the weather was meh (and I saw no one until the very end) decided not to do anything risky. I had a think on the steep but of Breasty. If I come off here, no one is going to be able to help, so bloody concentrate and no errors!!!!

I was surprised at how narrow some sections were and so little erosion for apopular place.