Background is I’m considering another C2C (St. Bees – RHB) crossing, over several days. The last time I rode, I had a nightmare on the bridleway from the bottom of Hardknott around the edge of Harter Fell & down to the stepping stones just north of Seathwaite. Spent ages slogging through deep mud & pools of water & don’t wish to repeat it. I’ve been looking for alternatives & have considered staying on the road up Hardknott & can see a bridleway peeling off from the top…or another from the bottom. Are they any good or am I set for another slog & be better off staying on road down Hardknott & through towards Seathwaite – to go over the Walna Scar Road.
Also Burnmoor Tarn was a push up & then a muddy slog across the top, with numerous dismounts due to deep mud. Is it any quicker to go down the road from Wasdale Head to Boot? I can see bridleway in the Eskdale valley…any value in riding it or am I just adding time & effort for little reward? Was I just unlucky with conditions around Burnmoor?
Want to maximise off-road, but not just for the sake of it – no point making epics so early in the C2C crossing.

We have done the c2c 3 times and every time it has been a muddy slog on the harter fell section, bloody hard work,the little descent through the woods towards the stepping stones was the only reward!
I wouldn’t cut out the off road descent into boot, thought that was great, was a bit of a slog past he tarn, but not too bad I didn’t think

Did enjoy the descent into Boot, just not the constant dismounts across the top. Looking again at Memory Map it looks a fair way round to skip the Burnmoor Tarn crossing.
Harter was horrible, although the gully down to the stones is a good descent. Just hoping someone can advise on the other bridleways, hoping to keep the off-road content, but not need hours to get from Boot to the stones.

Only way looks like hard knot pass to cockley beck then along the road
It’s not called hard for nothing though!

Yeah, evil on a bike, but if I can go up there & pick up one of the bridleways & save a bit of time, not to mention a thorough soaking, I’ll be happy. From the top there’s a B/W that descends all the way to the river, just not sure of actual rideability, hence the question. Anyone local that knows the B/W’s around there?