So we’re heading up to the North Lakes this weekend and my plans to take on some proper hike-a-bike stuff seems to have been scuppered by the recent snow dump, therefore I need to find some alternative routes.

Will probably do the Borrowdale Bash one day and I have a Caldbeck Fells loop that we could do, although it wasn’t particularly brilliant.

What else is there I could look at leading? I don’t mind travelling a wee bit, but would prefer to stay in the North rather than going South. Not really done anything in the North West/Ennerdale area – anything good over that way?

Obviously with all the snow & ice around low altitude stuff will probably be better 😥

Do the loughrigg fell route. Best ride I’ve ever done.

You could try the Glenderaterra Beck run from Threlkeld. It’s only a short loop but it gets you far enough from civilisation to feel like you’ve been somewhere.

That said, “that” step on the Western side of the Glenderaterra valley may be pretty dodgy in these conditions.

Also bear in mind that the weather forecast for the North West is NOT good for the Easter weekend – another significant snowfall is possible.

Caldbeck Fells

I’d maybe give that a wide berth…I saw some pics the other day where a delivery van and two gritters had to be dug out by a JCB on the Caldbeck road!

loughrigg fell

Do you mean Loughrigg Terrace or Lonscale Fell? Whichever, neither is anywhere near the best ride in either locality.

Borrowdale Bash is doable though. Not sure what else to suggest, like you say, you want nothing going high.

Yeah loughrigg terrace. I enjoyed cycling that area anyway

Patterdale along the ullswater bridleway, wee bit of road to pooley bridge. Pint. Climb up to askham moor, turn right onto high street for a bit, then quickly turn right again for a looooong descent back down to ullswater bridleway, which is much fun in both directions. Then back to patterdale.

We did this last Sunday, very good.

Do you mean Loughrigg Terrace or Lonscale Fell? Whichever, neither is anywhere near the best ride in either locality.

Loughrigg Terrace is brilliant!
That ride from Ambleside over Loughrigg Fell to Skelwith, up to Drunken Duck, round to Hodge Close Quarry, Little Langdale, Elterwater, High Close and down the Terrace to finish is a fantastic but safe route, all pretty low level, all rocky terrain so drains well, not too far from civilisation but still some lovely riding.

Climb up to askham moor, turn right onto high street for a bit,

Yes, High Street in an easterley gale with recent heavy snow is a brilliant idea… 🙄
Which part of “low level” did you not understand??

there was a winter route in mbr years ago that took in hodge close. absolutely cracking ride, and as crazy legs says, very rocky, so drainage is good

Grisedale bridleways should be ok, often sheltered by trees and relatively low. Plenty to go at.

+1 for some sort of Loughrigg terrace, Hodge Close type combination

Crazy legs, check out yer maps, only just above 300m.

Agree with Nobeerinthefridge about Askham Moor

Could also try Ennerdale up the track to Black Sail. Bit of a slog up, but fabulous scenery and a great ride down

Apparently Loughrigg has been sanitised 🙁 but theres plenty of other trails in the area, Bike treks in Ambleside or KMB in Keswick have route maps of local trails. Hodge close area is a good option as its usually not that busy, and is relatively sheltered in bad weather.

The top and bottom bits of Loughrig are the same, they’ve just filled in the drops in the middle section, and made it into a muddy mess.

Loughrigg sanitisation is a real shame. We’re up here for the week and did a c30km loop around Lougrigg/Arnside etc today. Snow over Arnside was the worst – have ridden it countless times but couldn’t find the path for part of it today. A couple of OTB incidents hitting deep snow as well and some lovely drifting on the corners.

I think we’re going to head down to Grizedale tomorrow and hope for a decent amount of melt as the week goes on. Doesn’t look like it’s going to warm up much though.

Ullswater, Boredale Hause, Beda Fell and Martindale? Goes up to 500m though, could just go straight over to Boredale to keep it a bit lower.

I’m going that way(home) this weekend & will probably have a play around Ennerdale /Loweswater If the snow sticks around (looks like it).
O.P. – have a look for Floutern tarn ,l’aal hike a bike up from loweswater/crummock side(it will be boggy!),lovely (imo) Bway down to Ennerdale valley. It’s a testing climb too ,so you could go up from Ennerdale side and avoid the bog.
Maybe look around Fangs Brow too,with a bit of road to join it up , then do the Ennerdale track/road to Black sail yhostel.
A couple of years ago I underestimated the snow , all looked clear on the Keswick side of Skiddaw , but once I’d gotten up Dash Falls and on the top of the Bway it was unrideable ,3 foot frozen drifts.
Had to carry it all the way up to Skiddaw House! took ages. Brrr.

D45yth I don’t think there are ant dramas with captaintomo saying ‘loughrigg fell loop’, because that’s what it is, you ride over loughrigg fell itself from Ambleside and then skirt back around the side down the terrace.

I live in Ambleside/Bowness and I’d agree with langdale area in these conditions. We did a great one in fowl weather a bit ago.

Ambleside, LOUGHRIGG FELL, rode behind loughrigg tarn, up road to top of terrace, turned left at top YHA, down elterwater common (some good descents off the road), ride through elterwater, follow old coach road to little langdale (points for cleaning), though tilberthwaite ford (through, not over), hodge close bridelway (stop to throw stuff in), cross Coniston road, carry on along bridleway, take a left and climb and descent over through iron keld, brew and fire at chesters (Icers by now), climb back up road to top of terrace then descend and spin back to Ambleside.

Good fun, loads of drainage.

D45yth I don’t think there are ant dramas with captaintomo saying ‘loughrigg fell loop’

The reason why I mentioned it is that I live close to Keswick and hear a lot of folk calling Lonscale Fell, ‘Loughrigg fell’…I think it maybe came about from Latrigg being close. I understand where you’re coming from as there probably is no confusion over the name of Loughrigg fell/terrace.

Ah fair one mate, makes no difference I suppose so long as he’s having a good ride!

We’d driven further south today shopping and it seemed clearer so thought we’d try the North Face trail at Grizedale. Much harder going than yesterday. I’m not a fan of the North Face so haven’t ridden it in years (other than to use the climb). Had forgotten how much boardwalk there was – Interesting riding virgin snow on it.

Whinlatter North riding well according to someone we met. May try the Borrowdale bash tomorrow.

ir_bandito
Couldn’t leave a comment in your question re the wee film I made about the route we took, however…
IIRC most of Borrowdale Bash then climb up to Catsbells summit, ride round and down sweet singletrack on the west side to Stair, over to Stoneycroft, up to Stile End then back down to Braithwaite. If you follow me on Strava you’ll get the gpx. Pretty decent low ish level route.

watch out for compacted polished snow theres loads of it about even at fairly low levels at The mo 😯