Need suggestions for a nice BIG mountain ride this weekend.. either Lake District or Yorkshire Dales. Want some good views, steep, rocky tech stuff.. never ridden Scarfell Pike, hows that?

Any suggestions or recommendations along with current trail conditions would be grand! 🙂

I’m in London at the moment so hard to comment on current conditions, but the biggest route that springs to mind is the Nan Bield Pass. I did it a couple of years ago with friends and it was quite the experience.

http://www.theedgecycleworks.com/mtbroutes/staveley-and-nan-bield-pass

Not much in the Dales that fits the bill that I know of. Ullock Pike on Skiddaw (though it’s a footpath so not ideal on a weekend) or Dollywagon Pike on Helvellyn might do it.

ridden Dollywagon from the top of Helvellyn, its awesome! rode it in Summer in the dry, its fairly gnarly! Also ridden Nan Beild in January, in the snow! mental.. Hoping to find/try somewhere new, but cheers for the suggestions! I will have a look at Ullock Pike though!

The only real suggestion I had for the Dales would have been up and over Buckden/Arncliffe area.. but its not that big, and a massive bog fest (so i hear) at the moment

There was an article in a recent Singletrack back issue about Ullswater and High Street then? I rode Ullswater towards the beginning of my MTB career so my mind has probably twisted the memories, but I remember it being both extremely rocky and extremely tricky.

Ive done ullswater single track which is rocky and tecky down beside the lake but was a pain in the but for walkers!
Skiddaw or something like helvellen not that ive done helvellen!

Back of Skiddaw is pretty grand and scenic, but not particularly technical as I recall. Not that that made any difference to my friend falling off in a river…

I’d not bother with the top of Scafell Pike – it’s a fun hike a bike but there’s no riding on or near the summit. The best, closest descent begins around Esk Hause (between Great End and Allen Crags). If you’re looking for something big in that area, the descent of the front of Great Gable down to Styhead Tarn is excellent. A popular footpath though so best done later in the day when the walkers have all gone home.

Ive ridden all around, up, down, over etc Skiddaw, fun place, but want more tech!

Great Gable is a good option, will have a look at my maps!

Anyone ridden the Borrowdale Bash? heard good things about it, but cant seem to find a map/know exactly where it is!?

Same with Grisedale pike?

I have indeed ridden the Borrowdale Bash, most excellent fun. Got some pretty rocky stuff in there, but it’s not quite up to Nan Bield in terms of it’s scale. If you haven’t done it I highly recommend it though. We stopped off in a bike shop in Keswick I think who sold us a well marked route map with directions and everything for some stupidly low price.

EDIT: If memory serves it was this place

http://www.keswickbikes.co.uk/acatalog/

The Borrowdale Bash has some good riding on it but is far from “big”. In fact it’s one of the least “big” feeling Lakes rides I’ve ever done and you’re never far from civilisation.

Anyone ridden the Borrowdale Bash? heard good things about it, but cant seem to find a map/know exactly where it is!? Same with Grisedale pike?

Hi Matt – send me an email (parkedtigerATyahooDOTcom) and I’ll jot down some suggestions 😀

If you want an epic the tour of Great Gable is kind of fun, four big Lakeland passes to cross, Honister, Scarth gap, Black sail down to Wasdale then up and over to Seathwaite.

lakes conditions pretty good at the mo last weekend was fantastic.

Bigish loop if you dont mind a bit of road (with great views) and a bit of kike-a-bike (come on its the lakes).

Start at seathwait bottom of Honister pass. Ride up n over the Honister pass to the end of Buttermere follow rround to Peggys bridge then kike up Scarth gap pass. Good descen down Scarth gap into Enerdale.
From Enerdale hike up Black sail pass and drop down into Wasdale head (wastwater) Ride up the valley and take the lower of two bridle ways up to Sty head. Then down the valley to Seathwait. A very nice finish.
That is a pretty big loop!

Yep borrow dale bash is lots of fun its
Highly recommend if you haven’t do it great loop
Lots of fun!
Skiddaw loop is a good one to but in turns of big scale these are just long no tecky stuff
The climb up White water dash falls is steep!

Dropped you an email PT.. Cheers

Great Gable is looking interesting, just looking for a link to a mp if anyone knows one/can suggest the best route round?

So Borrowdale bash sounds more like a ride for a day after a big ride? Will call into Keswick Bikes, next time im camping up there, soon hoopefully!

Am looking for plenty of singletrack, steep techy and rocky fun 🙂 dont mind a climb/hike-a-bike, just after an EPIC day!

NortthCountyBoy, thanks for that, Il plot it on a map and have a look.. roughly how much road?

Skiddaw loop is a good one to but in turns of big scale these are just long no tecky stuff

I seem to remember some quiet interesting narrow and technical (but admittedly not steep) stuff just below Lonscale Fell that had me pushing once or twice and it certainly felt like a big day out.

There is very little road on the classic tour, just the first climb up to Honister pass, do not descend on the road, follow the track going left through the mine, descend a bridleway on the left of fleetwith pike? very rocky some carrying, you then hit the valley bottom, going left to Scarth gap.

as said above the 4 passes is probably the best day you have have out in England on a bike…

Ullock pike probably the best single descent.

If you are man enough then drop in to Rosset Ghyll/

Freeridenick, i have faith and trust in your name.. 😉

where is Rosset Ghyll? Is it Ullock or 4 passes ride?

Cheers!

Looking forward to the weekend!

anyone got a map of the ST caldbeck trail (it was in a few issues back)

http://www.planetfear.com/articles/MTB_Roots__2_of_6_Classic_Lakeland_Passes_1113.html

wilde86 its at the head of the Langdale Valley. If you are fast and super fit then in theory you could add it to the 4 passes for an even bigger day out….

Its not everyones cup of tea. many use it as a climb ( hike a bike)

I have done it in a loop from langdale, not on the 4 passes.

Back of Skiddaw is pretty grand rubbish, you could do it on a tourer.
Plenty of cheeky options, if you don’t do cheeky nan bield/gatesgarth/garburn is good.

Borrowdale is good without being big, to bigger it you could go up langstrath/langdale upto angletarn and down styhead mid way round, that’s a big add-on tho.

However I did snowdon for the first time at weekend and 100% recommend it, you can do lakes later in the year.

This months killer loop in MBR is the Seatoller loop which takes in a lot of good riding at the bottom of the borrowdale valley going down past seathwaite to langdale and back. Might be worth a look.

I did borrowdale bash for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it, as mentioned not totally wilderness but some stunning views and riding none the less!

Snowdon.

2012-03-11 14.51.07 by lowey.com, on Flickr

2012-03-11 15.14.30 by lowey.com, on Flickr

les aples maritimes… And maybe I’ll cross border and go to Italy

Well Snowdon is a massive temptation! When does the voluntary ban kick in? may have to speak to the lads and see who fancies it! did you ride from Llanberis up, and down the ranger trail?

Thanks everyone for the lakes suggestions, think thats what i will have to stick with, given its a closer option (drive wise)!

As for what Juan has to say, jealous!

Freeridenick,cheers for the heads up with that,il give it a blast (not on top of the 4 passes, not that fit! and will let you know what i thought to it, if i make it back 😉

just if you’re interested OP, it’s Scafell pike, and it’s actually pronounced Scorefell, not scarfell.

crispo-

whats the general route of the MBR Seatoller loop ?

wilde the climb up Honister is the oly bit of tarmac, the bottom / start is steep but it gets easier after about a mile. As someone else said you go go up the slate mine road (Honister) at the top of Honister pass and down the path of fleetwith pike to buttermere.
Have a look on the map at Blacksail though because the path is not very obvious on the ground and is a big old hike!

Scruff – Seatoller, stockley bridge, sty head, rossett pike, over stonethwaite fell and back.

Looks to be bridleway pretty much most of the way round. They reckon 22km with 1000m climbing.

Snowdon route we did:
up the start of rangers then take a left and push up bwlch maesgwm, a nice fast downhill to the valley floor, cut across to llanberis path either at ford brithdir or afon hwch can’t remember which, there’s a proper hard pack track anyway. Up llanberis to the top, train track after clogwyn is an easy(ish) push if the trains aren’t running*. We finished with the 5 miles down rangers path. Really good route and we got cracking weather for it, superb day out, YMMV in wind rain hail snow etc 🙂

Dunno what other routes there are.
Someone said ban kicks in 1st april.

*I may get flamed for suggesting this but to be fair plenty of walkers were taking this route too.