Some friends are getting married in the lakes in August, and we’ve booked a cottage near Ullswater for a week.

I may only get 1 days riding in 🙁 2 if I’m lucky, so what route/trails should I look at having a go at?

You are going to have to give more details what do you want ?

Long?
Technical?
Views?

Varies from High street to Helvellyn and DOllywaggon to Skiddaw and Ulloch and many others

Cracking spot to be based

Every year the forum seems to have an influx of people asking for lakes route advice around this time with regularity almost every single day. Search and ye shall find ajantom. There is years of threads on the same topic.

Not sure if you know Si (think you do?!), but he’s moved up there recently. Drop me an email/message and i’ll put you in touch with him.

Rode some good techy stuff with him around Grasmere the other week when i was up there.

Cheers Burchy, I’ll drop you a line.

I did do a quick search, but the search function here is so….how shall I put this politely….pants, that I gave up and asked!

@Junkyard – I like it it long, technical, and with nice views 😉
I’ll happily pedal all day, I don’t mind hills/climbing, and have done stuff like the HOTS 75km course on a singlespeed (I know there will be more hills in the Lakes though!). Do like some technical downs too.
I’ll probably take my Surly Instigator with 140mm forks, which will happily take some abuse.

I’m no expert on the Lakes but done a bit of riding around Ullswater.

Along the Eastern shore of the Lake towards Pooley Bridge, back via Howtown and up to Boredale Hause then down an excellent very techy descent is a good short option. Easily combined with the route below for a really big day out.

Did a brilliant ride up Helvellyn about a month ago – up Keppel Cove (bit of pushing but not much) and down Sticks Pass, then up Keppel again and down Dollywagon. The first descent is nice singletrack with loose switchbacks to finish. The second is pretty epic, starting with steps and drainage ditches which aren’t for everyone, but then amazing technical fun that seems to go on forever. Write up, pics and vids here so you can see what it’s like:

A Jolly Down Dolly’

Could be altered slightly if you go down Birk Side rather than Sticks to avoid repeating the climb.

Other options would be up from Hartsop, along the High Street, down a fast grassy descent then back along Ullswater the other way. It’s a while since I’ve done that so sketchy on the details.

Or you could drive to Kentmere and do the Sadgill, Gatescarth, Nan Bield ride. Not many miles, but lots of climbing and carrying. The Nan Bield descent is very tough but very good.

Enjoy!

Another perennial now is how to search on here and it goes like this

1. Go to Google
2. In the search box type

site:singletrackworld.com lakes routes
site:singletrackworld.com helmet for big head
site:singletrackworld.com sudocrem cat

etc etc…

Although I’d expect a search for sudocrem cat on the whole internet to bring you right back here…

In terms of Lakes routes give us some insight into what you’re looking for and it’ll appear in abundance.

EDIT route advice:

Up Skiddaw down Ullock is great.
Criss-cross of Helvellyn range is great for a hard all-dayer. Some tech, some slog, lots of mountain and you could go from the door.
Again keeping it local to Ullswater if you look at Boredale Hause on the map there’s loads of bridleways (and some footpaths that can again make a great criss-cross route) – you also get to do Ullswater shore but make sure it’s at a quiet time as it can get busy and the nature of the trail means you want it quiet.

So a big day on Helvellyn and a doss day at Boredale.

Personally I’ll never do Helvellyn again, I prefer my bike rides to be more riding than walking. Ride up to the roman road from Ullswater and go along to high street and pick out a route along there. Or drive over to Keswick and do the bash if you haven’t done it before.

Cheers form the suggestions – and you’re right using Google to search the site works far better!

^^ 🙂

As you may only get one day I would look for a classic ride and don’t worry about driving to the start. Do the ride midweek and start early would be my other comment.

Personally I’ll never do Helvellyn again, I prefer my bike rides to be more riding than walking

the problem with mountains is they are quite hard to get up and not many are actually cleanable from bottom to top
Helvellyn is not even a hike a bike- assuming glenriddding start – and only has one push that is about 25% of the height gain- there are much much worse options like the other side of that mountain!

As you may only get one day I would look for a classic ride and don’t worry about driving to the start. Do the ride midweek and start early would be my other comment.

It’ll probably be from the door, as the wife will need the car, and it’ll have to fit around toddler wrangling. I was thinking of going out on the Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully not too busy.