I’m looking for a nice big single-day route in the Lakes, and Helvellyn is top of the list at the moment. I’ve not done anything round there before so I want to find out which the best descents and most reasonable ascents are.

I’ve got an MBUK route which is a figure of 8 from Glenridding, up White Side over Raise, east down Sticks Pass, back up to White Side, then south over Helvellyn and down to Grisedale Tarn. 16.5 miles.

I’d like something big to push myself though, and I’m not sure whether this is long enough. Riding that whole ridge from the old coach road down to Grisedale appeals, but needs a return route, and I’m worried I’ll miss all the good bits off to the sides.

If anyone has better ideas for long natural routes in the Lakes, I’d happily hear them. I’m probably looking for something 30-40 miles, 5-6000 feet of climbing.

30-40 miles in the Lakes would be a HUGE ride 😆

once rode from staveley, the length of high street to pooley bridge, and back on the road over kirkstone pass, in the day. never again, it was a bit tough.

I am doing helvellyn on Friday, glenridding, up kepple to the summit, then back via sticks and seldom seen.
and if I feel ok after I will be heading up the knott and doing some cheeky stuff under satura cragg.

I “rode” helvellyn a few weeks back. Stayed at the yha in Glenridding, up green side road, towards keppel cove, over the top to lower man, nethermost pike and down dollywagon. Not a huge distance but enough of a day that I chose the pub in Glenridding rather than the loop round ulswater edge and over bedafell once back into town as originally planned (I’m happy on 40-50 mile routes in the dales, and planning a go at the sdw in August so not shy of the distance).

The climb was very hard work though not techy and involved a fair chunk of pushing on the steepest bits.

Dollywagon was largely beyond me and spent laughing at my self as I mounted the bike ride 10 yards, missed a corner or stuck my wheel in a drain then pushed a bit and repeat – once I screwed one water bar I was pushing a lot because I couldn’t get the speed/rhythm up before easter the next one. – They do seem perfectly sized to swallow a 26″ wheel.

Once down to grisedale Tarn or there abouts though it was an excellent ride down under falcon crag and past ruthwaite lodge.

I’m by no means awesome but would not I say I’m incompetent on a bike, dollywagon was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ridden in the UK.

30-40 miles in the Lakes would be a HUGE ride

I like huge.

never again

That’s what I’m looking for 😆

once rode from staveley, the length of high street to pooley bridge, and back on the road over kirkstone pass, in the day.

Yeah, that’s long. I was considering High Street too. A long road ride return is putting me off that or the Helvellyn ridge. Return from Pooley Bridge to Staveley via Haweswater and Kentmere is more attractive, despite the need to tackle Gatesgarth pass (from the wrong direction – though it might be fun going down the south side, never done it) or Nan Bield.

Do the route you’ve described, then Ulswater singeltrack. Boredale house or steamer back?

from the cockpit, you could return along ullswater shoreline to howton the round silver point, then up onto the knott and high street, then on to mardale and ill bell to the top of garburn back to staveley.
BIG day out.

apropos of nothing, I went up Helvellyn for the first time on saturday. We were going to ascend up via Keppel Cove and then along to the summit and back and then down Sticks pass,

however, I took my eye of the OS map for a second and we crossed over the stream near the bottom and ended up taking the footpath up to swirral edge. By the time we’d realised we’d done too much climbing and decided to push on.

very nice climb up past red tarn but then had to rock scramble the bikes up Swirral edge. Bloody awful, it was windy and a few times I thought i was a goner.

but it takes you right up to the summit 🙂

descent wise – I was a bit meh about sticks pass after everything I’d heard about it. apart from the bottom rock section that is.

next time I do it i’ll do the seldom seen FP and avoid the rock scramble up swirral edge with my bike

One thing I would say is if you’re planning on doing it any time soon be on the hill early – it’ll be busy with walkers this time of year (and trains of teens doing DoE hiking) and Sticks particularly will be rubbish if you’re having to stop and give way – there isn’t a lot of passing room on some of it so expect to be stopping

That is a big day ton, but I’ll bear it in mind.

A short optional loop at the end of a less epic ride might be sensible. I’m wary of sensible though.

Cheers for the tips about Dollywagon and Helvellyn. Will try and stay off Swirral and Striding Edges!

Gatesgarth pass (from the wrong direction – though it might be fun going down the south side, never done it)

Fun if you like going ridiculously fast down a flat dirt road, but otherwise a pretty depressing way of losing all that height.

OK, this is from memory/local knowledge of what links up.

Start at Pooley Bridge and a bit of road work to get on the the old coach road. Up on to the Helvellyn ridge and along this to Grisedale Tarn, over the Hause and down to Grasmere. Short road section to Red Bank then Loughrigg Terrace round to Ambleside (or the BW on the south side of Loughrigg). A bit of road through Ambleside then Jenkin Crag and round to Troutbeck. Now follow the old roman road over High Street and the ridge northwards to get back to Pooley Bridge.

You are doing Jenkin Crag in the wrong direction but it avoids quite a bit of road. North of High Street requires dry conditions. No idea of distance or height gain but it will be in the region of what you are after. The most technical part will be up on to Helvellyn and the Dollywaggon to Grasmere descent.

I did a big ride based on Helvellyn last September, could be good for what you’re after.

Up Keppel Cove from Glenridding, turn right and then head down Sticks Pass.

Straight back up again to the summit, then down Dollywagon and past Grisedale Tarn to Glenridding again.

Along to Boredale Hause, over the pass and down to ride back along the Ullswater singletrack to Glenridding again.

It was still probably short of 30 miles, but I think you’ll feel satisfied.

One nice route, short on mileage, but not elevation gain or on challenges is the Tour of Great Gable.
Start in Seathwaite or Seatoller, up Honister Pass (steep road climb) to the top of the road, keep climbing up onto Fleetwith Pike, down Warnscale Bottom (v.techy descent)to Buttermere, up over Scarth Gap Pass (v.steep off road climb/carry), down to Black Sail YHA, up Black Sail Pass (v.steep off road climb/carry), down to Wasdale Head, up to Sty Head Tarn & descend down back to Seathwaite.
One of the toughest 17 mile routes you will do, with approx. 5000ft of climbing.

For an ‘extra’ tough challenge, you could start in Keswick and add on the above route on to Borrowdale Bash (if you are super human!!!) which would make it about 35 miles with 7500ft of climbing.

Eyup Paul^^ Long time no see…

I was about to describe exactly that route (aka 4 passes). Big day out, expect a lot of carrying.

Also look at Rosset Gill/Esk Hause/Styhead/Seatoller/Stake Pass. I’m off up there tomorrow to do this. Could work well the other way round too, although be aware that Rosset Gill is pretty damn evil as a descent.

Did the Tour of Great Gable a month or two ago. Best bang-for-buck in terms of technical descending for mileage ever.

But you need to have really nailed your bike carry technique, ‘cos you’ll probably be doing it longer than you’re pedaling.

I am up on Friday/saturday if anyone fancies a sedate lakes push/carry/ride.

All good ideas, need to map some of them out and guage distance/height gain/cojones size.

Agreed about getting there early to avoid crowds. Going on Thursday so hopefully weekday will be quieter. Assuming to get there early, but looking at at least a 2½ hour drive.

If you are having to drive that far I’d drive up the night before to give yourself as much time as possible.

If you are having to drive that far I’d drive up the night before to give yourself as much time as possible.

Thought about that and dismissed it. Reconsidering though.

OK, opinions please on:
Helvellyn ridge from Dockray to Grisedale, down to Patterdale
Then, energy-level dependent:

– Up to the Knott and along High Street to Pooley Bridge, pootle back to Dockray on the lanes (biggest option)

– Silver point singletrack or Boredale and back along the shore road

– Straight back to Dockray on the road (if I’ve crocked myself coming down Dollywaggon)

Extreme options:
– Kirkstone Pass to Troutbeck and up onto High Street from there
– Extra loop round to Sticks at the end

Just looking at my old 1 inch map for an overview at the minute, still need to plot it out properly.

Bump, with GPX:
Dockray to Patterdale via Helvellyn (15.6mi, ~3500ft)
Patterdale to Dockray via High Street (22.6mi, ~2700ft)

Extreme version:
Patterdale to Dockray via Troutbeck and High Street (33.4mi, 4000ft)

Forgot link to second GPX file: Patterdale to Dockray (short)

as another option here’s my Helvellyn route that give you your 6000ft of ascent in about 20 miles. All bridleway except the first carry up from Dunmail to Grizedale Tarn, but you’ll be walking that anyway 😉