Got some time at the end of Feb for a 1/2 day in the south lakes and am looking for a 3 hour max ride as an alternative to riding my local stuff in the peaks.

Ideally needs to be an all weather loop (not covered in snow) with some decent techy stuff mixed in, I have done the Grizedale natural stuff before and will keep this as a back up if the weather is not great.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/low-level-southern-lake-district-or-yorkshire-dales-ride-next-week

I ended up doing the section of the Pennine Bridleway between Settle and Malham as the weather was miserable and ended up getting washed away in a ford that was a lot deeper than expected.

Kentmere, although I think your Grizedale one may the the better option if the weather is a bit pants

crazy-legs – Member
One of the best low-level all-weather loops I know is the Oxen Fell / Iron Keld / Little Langdale / Loughrigg Terrace loop from Ambleside although I’m not sure what access is like to that area at the moment.
Brilliant little loop though, never too high, has some cracking trails and is almost all on rock so although it can get VERY wet, it’s never muddy wet. Most of it is fairly sheltered too although Oxen Fell can be a bit bleak in really foul weather.
Also has the options to cut it short at several points and just head for home

Anyone know if the above is similar to this, any suggestions and route time

Loughrigg Loop

Yes it’s the same (or close enough), there’s quite a few variations

Just watched the vid on the pedal north site for that loop and although I can see why it’s all weather it doesn’t look that ehh interesting (resurfaced hard pack and country lanes)
Any other loops worth looking at?

I’m at work so can’t (shouldn’t) watch the video but I’ll check it when I get home.

Garburn Pass?

I mention garburn to some one who is joining me who has done it before, he feels it’s not worth it anymore.
Won’t it be snowy anyhow that high?

not necessarily, it’s not “that” high. combined with a trip over stile end, back over green quarter then back to staveley via three rivers is quite a decent ride out. As mentioned above if weather is pants it might be a bit grim. it’ll be boggy over green quarter but mostly rideable i should think.

Hmm, that video shows just about all the least interesting bits! It’s also about 12mins too long. It looks like the first bit on Loughrigg Terrace has been upgraded as I don’t remember it being that smooth.

There’s not really any singletrack on the loop as most of the bridleways in that area are old mining tracks. Anyway until you’ve done it you won’t know if you like it or not, just heading out for routes that you “know” you’ll like would be boring.

just did the Hawkshead Hilltops route off pedalnorth at the weekend, very good ride although it took me just under 4hrs with a 20min cafe stop at grizedale.

Looking to do a ‘natural’ ride on Saturday, possibly incorporating Grizedale.

Is the Hawkshead Hilltops route worth a go? How would you describe the route?

Hawkshead Hilltops

Cheers.

We usually ride Penmachno / Whinlatter / Coed y Brenin / 7 Stanes etc. Would this route tick the boxes for us?

Thanks!

You’ll have a good time, although I’d probably tweak it a bit to include a couple of different descents. But you can’t really go that far wrong in that part of the Lakes at that time of year.

I was at Grizedale at the weekend, and while you can see how much stuff has been shifted by the storms, some of the descents I did have actually got rougher/better!

Cheers Martin

I’ve only done Grizedale once and we stuck to the North Face Trail, it was a bit short and tame, maybe if it’s been spiced up a bit by the floods then it will be better, as you said!

Do you have a link to a route that includes the different descents you mention?

Cheers

Sorry – can’t seem to see any online routes that would make sense – best way is to grab a map or the vertebrate graphics guide and have a look. As far as your route is concerned, the two descents I’d shoehorn in would be Breasty Haw/Great Wood descent which starts at grid ref SD342930 and meets your route at the road, and the Harrow Slack descent which is approached from SD379954 and ends up on the Lakeside track near the ferry. Did that on Saturday and it was a bit looser/funner than last time. The Riverbed descent is already on your route as you approach the Grizedale VC and is in very good nick.

Don’t bother with NFT – stick to the BWs.

Do the first two (I think) sections of the red which make up the initial climb. Keep following the red along the fire roads until you see the sign off to the left for the Parkamoor bridleway. You can either follow this all the way over the top and down to High Nibthwaite, in which case you then head down to low Nibthwaite, across to force falls, then satterthwaite and bresty haw….. Or you turn back into the forest at high Parkamoor and head straight across to satterthwaite. Either way, you’re laughing, some great single track and miles better than the north face

Riding Elterwater Wednesday night. Will let you know, but should be lovely and rocky as ever.