I'm going to Lakes with a group of mates soon and need a bit of local advice on a planned route. We are staying in Coniston and looking to do a long full day's ride from there. The plan is to head out round the north of the lake and south over Grizedale. Round the southern end and up towards Torver, but head up over Stephenson Ground before reaching it. Then down to Seathwaite and up over Walna Scar. Finally either drop straight into Coniston or down into Torver and then along to Coniston.
Firstly is this a reasonable route length for a full day in late April for reasonably fit riders (about 45k on MM)? Also what's the local recommendation on the best final descent? Straight to Coniston or down to Torver and along?
Any advice would be gratefully received.

Map of the route here.

Pictures of the route here.

Make no mistake, it is a full on long day, with a lot of climbing. But it is certainly one of my favorite routes.

As for the best descent. Come straight down Walna Scar to the car park Here. Hang a right to Here.. Then descend the excellent rocky singletrack to Spoon Hall.

Jobs a good un.

Its a good route. Be sure to take in the descent fron parkamoor to high nibthwaite

There aren't many things in this world that are nicer than sitting on top of Parkamoor on a summers evening sipping from your camelpak and chomping on a piece of home made flapjack…….BLISS 8)

There aren't many things in this world that are nicer than sitting on top of Parkamoor on a summers evening sipping from your camelpak and chomping on a piece of home made flapjack

Sitting on the banks of Coniston after a Day spent riding, sipping beers with mates….. BLISS..

Gruffalo Soldier, Yeti Guy and especially Lowey, big thanks for the advice. Just hope the weather is as good as in your photos Lowey! Sorry for acknowledging your help earlier, I had a bit of a computer issue, but sorted now.

If you see a lanky bloke on a ti hardtail(and hopefully a load of mates) grunting up, or screaming down Walna Scar later this month (24th)it'll be me.

As lowey says 😉

That route is missing a really really good bit, after decending through the area marked as forest (its felled)take the RH BW up to Natty bridge and then take the BW other side of the valley to Stevenson Ground. Its a superb decent and the climbs longish but easy going. Natty Bridge is a superb picnic stop aswell.

Spot on Scruff. The Descent to Stephenson Ground is great. I'll change the route on Flickr.

yes, we did that bit the other Wednesday evening 🙂

Thanks Scruff. Am I going blind only I can't see Natty Bridge on the OS map? Can you help?

As the BW (which is a fireroad) climbs up LH area shown as forest, then exits forest and crosses a stream, its there. Cant miss it or the descent t'other side.