What can I expect on this route? Is it very techy or not too bad for intermediate riders? Any alternatives local to Keswick thats around 3 hours riding? Ive never done a natural ride before so my main concern is getting lost and/or dieing. Will be relying on a printed map to keep on track.

Is it very techy

Depends which way but the descent from the col to Kentmere is pretty techy through the switchbacks, then a lovely ribbon of singletrack all the way down.

Nan bield from the col to Haweswater is not one I’d recommend for intermediates, hike a bike up, rough rocky descent all the way. Was very tempted though.

I did an anti clockwise loop from Kentmere, Gatesgarth, Haweswater, Nan Bield hike, popped up to High Street (extra hour I guess) and back to Kentmere via Nan Bield. 4 and a half hours, 5200 feet of ascent, lots of hike a bike but a stunning 2100 foot descent with minimal pedalling to finish!

Sounds good too. Also been considering the borrowdale bash but not sure if its a bit long.

See here:

3 Passes Route Thread

Navigation is pretty straightforward on this route, as long as visibility is good, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a first natural ride. It’s a world apart from trail centre routes and I suspect you might find yourself out of your depth.

The other part of the loop in the above thread (Garburn Pass) would be better, but even that is a big step up from trail centres.

Borrowdale Bash is pretty techy too.

I’d recommend going north from Keswick and linking the classic Lonscale Fell trails with those lovely old mining tracks up on Calbeck Fells.

Check out http://www.northerneyebooks.co.uk/neb/books/lake_district_mountain_bike_routes.php if I can be so bold. Or drop me an email – address on profile – and I’ll see if I can dig out a GPX.

last month I set off on the nan bield route, but at the top of garburn I turned left and followed the path over ill bell, mardale, frostwick, up onto hifg street, then onto the top of nan bield. I descended down the zig zags and spun back to staveley down the valley.
it was a ace route and one I will repeat at sometime with some company.

I know some guys did that last weekend Ton, got my eye on something similar, plus some more obviously 😉