Does anyone know of a cheeky trail back along the West side of Skiddaw / Ullock Pike avoiding the A591? I'm sure I heard that there's a good trail all the way around if you go North past the waterfall and then turn West. SFB?

Yes, turn L just past Barkbeth farm* on a farm track and swing R at the gate to follow the wall all the way to Dodd Wood, go through the wall and keep high on the track parallel to the wall until it spits you out on the tarmac road – go SO into a narrow valley, turning back on yourself and head downhill a short way before picking up the a track on the L which swings round the fell above Bassenthwaite (Allerdale ramble) which drops down to Millbeck. I've only done it the other way but it should be fun 🙂

edit: * not the BW, the turn is 50m past the farm gate you pass, visible on Google aerial photos

What SB says and if you look carefully on the track Simon says "L which swings round the fell above Bassenthwaite" theres some really good DH stuff in the forest there. Watch out though cos its steep and its got some big'ish drops in it!! 😉

Thanks SFB. Looking at the map, do you mean go through the farm buildings at Barkbeth? There appears to be no track by a wall – is it not shown on the map? Is the route fairly easy to find?

When you climb the permissive path from Hole House, you emerge through a gate and turn R, passing the farm gate on your right, and the L turn onto the farm track is a little ahead of you. It's not shown on the map but quite clear. Bear in mind the map is wrong and the original BW has been diverted to the left of the farm for at least 14 years. Look here and you'll see the track I mean dotted beside a small wood going S from the farm. When you leave the woods you can join the BW briefly before bearing R at the gate

As sfb says and theres some great single track just off the A591 road where the Conifer wood starts on the left (Dodd wood) 😉

Bassenthwaite:

You'd have to climb this:

but you get this as a downhill:

They're a bit fussier about riding in Dodd Wood now that the ospreys have relocated there. It's all cheeky and could cause some problems on a weekend/holiday. Be discerning.