Can someone recommend some riding near coniston, not sure if we are going to have any beginners. I know there is Grizedale forest nearby but anyone got any more adventurous routes? For adventurous read natural.

Head out of Coniston, along the lake to Torver, steep road climb then through a plantation to Stevenson Ground, head straight to the Newfield Inn for lunch, or tour some of the old mine roads in Dunnerdale first, then back over Walna Scar. Once you’ve done the top of Walna Scar, drop back into Torver, don’t follow the road back to Coniston, the Torver route is better.

Grizedale from Coniston by lowey.com, on Flickr

Walna Scar from Coniston by lowey.com, on Flickr

Coniston – Grizedale – Blawith – Duddon – Walna Scar by lowey.com, on Flickr

don’t follow the road back to Coniston, the Torver route is better.

Nah… at the car park at the top of the tarmac road, turn right and then left and take the Spoon Hall Descent into Coniston. Techy slippy fun!

LOL Lowey, I did that Walna Scar route off your Flickr site last Sept. Inc the Spoon Hall decent. Superb, totally superb. Chapeau sir! 😆

I’ll have to try the Spoon Hall descent, I’ve seen it from the bottom near the Ship Inn, but didn’t realise where it came out. I like the extra loop heading south from Stevenson Ground, then turning north to rejoin your middle route. The track from the bottom of the eastern side of Walna Scar along the River Lickle is a good one too, may be too boggy in bits this week.

If you find yourself heading from Torver to Dunnerdale past Stephenson Ground be sure to ride north up the east side of the River Lickle (forestry track officially a footpath) and then come down the scorching singletrack bridleway on the west side of the river, back to Stephenson Ground. Definitely worth the extra 2 miles. I’d put a map on but Bing are taking over Multimap and the linking/centring is knackered presumably as I’m not using IE.

Thanks for the input. It is the last day of a stag do so as best man I am going to make the stag suffer up some big hills with a hangover. Maybe I’ll make him singlespeed a really horrible gear too. 🙂

ride north up the east side of the River Lickle (forestry track officially a footpath) and then come down the scorching singletrack bridleway on the west side of the river, back to Stephenson Ground.

^^^This

If you keep your eyes peeled, there’s a little track that leads left off the forestry road just before it kicks up sharply. This crosses a small bridge and lands you on the bridleway descent just where it starts getting less nadgery and more full tilt. Handy if you have less experienced riders with you.

Then head round on the bridleway towards Carter Ground and skirt over toward Hoses to join Park Head Road near its start and pick up the route as before.

If you’re on the last day of a stag weekend and dying by this point, you can quit early and take the bridleway back to Stephenson Ground, from whence you retrace your steps.

You simply cant go wrong riding round there! My fav part of the lakes.