Background is I’m considering another C2C crossing, over several days. The last time I rode, I had a nightmare on the bridleway from the bottom of Hardknott around the edge of Harter Fell & down to the stepping stones just north of Seathwaite. Spent ages slogging through deep mud & pools of water & don’t wish to repeat it. I’ve been looking for alternatives & have considered staying on the road up Hardknott & can see a bridleway peeling off from the top…or another from the bottom. Are they any good or am I set for another slog & be better off staying on road down Hardknott & through to Seathwaite – to go over the Walna Scar Road.
Also Burnmoor Tarn was a push up & then a muddy slog across the top, with numerous dismounts due to deep mud. Is it any quicker to go down the road from Wasdale Head to Boot? I can see bridleway in the Eskdale valley…any value in riding it or am I just adding time & effort for little reward?

What about going up the Ennerdale valley then, either over scarth gap to buttermere and over honister to keswick and over the coach road to penrith way. Or you could go over blacksail to wasdale head taking other options there?

Route last time did go up Ennerdale, over Black Sail, down to Wasdale Head…but it was from there to the bottom of the Walna Scar Road that caused us trouble. Maybe we just got particularly wet conditions & it might be better another time, but hoping someone can shed some light on the options I’ve listed.
From Walna Scar Road to Ambleside, via Little Langdale, Elterwater & Loughrigg Terrace was all great riding, so want to repeat that section. Yet to decide from there. Have choices of going over High Street & dropping down to Bampton, going over Garburn route or do something different & go over Kirkstone Pass & bridleway from Hartsop to run around the shore of Ullswater to sandwick…but high or low option opposite Patterdale?

The other option from Wasdale Head would be to go back up Sty Head Pass and hang a right at the top. This would take you over Esk Hause to Angle Tarn, from where you could drop down Rossett Gill to Dungeon Ghyll.

Another alternative would be to go up Ennerdale, then go over Scarth Gap into Warnscale Bottom and then back up Fleetwith and over the top to Honister. You could then drop down Honister Pass to Seatoller, then hang a right up to Stonethwaite and over Greenup Edge. That would let you drop down Far Easedale Gill to Grasmere, from where you have a choice of absolute bastard routes up and over the Helvellyn Ridge.

Not easy going by any stretch…

I was looking for more riding & less hike-a-bike, hence initial query. Trying to squeeze in fun riding without too much walking – trashed a pair of shoes last time, due to the walking & the constantly wet feet. To have some local knowledge of the sections I’m considering would be really useful to aid with planning & balance off-road riding with covering the miles & covering worthwhile off-road. The bridleway around Harter Fell was hideous & a waste of a climb & descent due to the conditions.