[Closed] Best descent in the Lakes area?

Richyb, no probs - thanks for the route advice as well. this is a great thread.

Veering of the subject a little here, but how good are the descents on the Honister/Scarth Gap/Black Sail/Sty Head loop.

Nan Bield is my all time favourite by the way, Rosset Gill was a little to scary for me..

I'll second that David - that loop's on my list for this summer.

Rossett Gill looks pretty scary, does anybody have a map\gps file of the route?

Not done nan bield, garburn ro any skiddaw but I've already got too many great Lakes DHs to choose from most already mentioned so I'll second them.
Parkamoor, both Nibthwaite and moor lane
Walna Scar to coniston
Brock Barrow to seathwaite
Helvellyn to patterdale via grisedale
High tilberthwaite to little langdale
Loughrigg fell
Burnmoor tarn to Boot
Cant believe no ones mentioned Borrowdale, watendlath to rosthwaite bridge.
My fave bit of riding tho has to be ullswater lakeside in [b]both[/b] directions not really a DH tho.

My fave bit of riding tho has to be ullswater lakeside in both directions not really a DH tho.

Although ALL walkers were nice/jovial- it would be proper mint if you could ride down and up the troughs (like riding up steps!) at speed knowing there wasnt any walkers there 🙁

I love the Nan Bield descent (heading towards Kentmere), it's just a shame it's such a bitch to get to (although that generally keeps the walkers/other MTBers to a minimum...)

I think one of my all time favourites is probably the drop from Watendlath down to Rosthwaite:

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yg793q&outx=699&quality=70 [/img]

Although ALL walkers were nice/jovial

Get up nice and early, park at howton or patterdale and hit it first for a walker free run. Class!

D0nk- I know I know! I got the impression alot of them thought we were 'brave' etc. Talking to a couple of old dears on Sunday who were lost on their map- they asked us alot of questions and said we must be super-fit to ride heavy bikes up the Lakes etc. Not at all (well not me)- I said we freewheel back down whereas they have to walk all the way back down again!

Second that. Surly attitude from walkers in the lakes is not uncommon, in response to friendly hellos etc. Not worth worrying about cos it spoils the karma and you only end up with their angst shared.

Early morning lakes rides are especially fantastic. It's not just the lack of walkers or anyone else come to that, it's kinda eerie how silent it is at daft o'clock. First time I did it I was quite surprised how much background noise I wasn't noticing during normal hours, but when it's not there at say 5am it's v obvious. Great time to do some of the stuff between Coniston and Windermere Grizedale, Breasty Haw etc. which get busy later on.

Trouble is on that section one or two surly walkers going in the same direction as you can really hold you up. If they are headed the other way you can just jump to oneside and wait patiently smiling throughout, but overtaking a stubborn git on or off your bike is tricky.

Skiddaw then Ullock Pike does it for me as does Whiteless pike to the back of Rannadale knotts and off the top of Robinson to the foot of Buttermere(super fast). All cheeky mind. Legal ones Styhead to Seathwaite and Blacksail to wasdale. List is endless...

Think Nan Bield will be next on my list. Can I handle the hikey-bikey with my Pitch is the question.

grumm take some padding for your shoulder.

Take a HT. The only technical bit is the start of the descent and it's slow speed tech stuff. Lighter and easier to carry.

Don't have a HT any more since it got nicked. I'm sure I will manage. How long is the hike-a-bike section? I have read 45 mins to an hour I think?

about that, my two mates with heavy bikes did it like this!
[img] [/img]

Just balance it on your camelback and plod away... its soon over. Personally, I loved the descent from Gatescath Pass to Hawsewater just as much, but that rarely gets a mention.

Ha that's an ingenious method, might try that - couldn't work out what they were doing at first!

Great thread this, will be keeping it bookmarked and giving a few of those a go. Ullock Pike is first on list as I've been wanting to check that out for a bit now.

I suppose if your into the realms of cheekyness then the list can be utterly endless in the lakes.

I remember doing the whole Coledale Horseshoe when I got my first bike in 87 or 88 I think. The descent from Grisedale Pike to Braithwaite was just awesome, burnt in my memory. The only problem was I could hardly hold the steering wheel on the way home after hours of squeezing the life out of canti breaks!

Bungalistic

Make sure lower your post a little, the section off Skiddaw goes very steep and loose for about 20metres. Theres lots of sharp rocks pointing up at you, but is definately rideable if a little on the edge. Then the rest of Ullock is a scream, best avoided at the busier times as the walkers will ruin the flow and your lines.

Hmmmmm invention time. knackered/old inner tubes interwined- one looked around your forehead (like Swahili women?) attached to the other around your bike?

Rosset Gill via Angle tarn-Styhead pass to Wasdale Head here 😈

How about Fairfield Horseshoe coming down towards Ambleside on the Grasmere side of the Horseshoe? Reasonably techy (especially as it was snowy and icy at the time).

Cat Bells on a quiet day is mighty fine too.

Ullock is mighty fine indeed. For extra cheekiness, you could always head along the Allerdale Ramble to join up with the singletrack descent (steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!) that brings you out at the small village below Skiddaw. 20.2 km of riding with over 4000 feet of climbing.........nice!

What's the best cheeky route up onto then off Grisedale Pike?

Also, has anyone tried Haystacks?

Cheers

Sanny

PS The climb along the recently renewed path from the top of Garburn to the summit of High Street is nice. It can then be used to connect up with Nan Bield for a fun descent. Far more rideable than the hoof up the Bridleway.

Great thread.

Sanny

I should imagine the descent form the Nab down to Rydal on the Fairfield would be pretty interesting.

Be night ride territory I think though.

Sanny,

Which bit of the Allerdale Ramble are you referring to and where do you join up with the descent?

peterd

I quite like Black Combe for a quick blast (nearly 2000' decent in a bit under 10 mins) although it is a slog going up.

[b]anc[/b] My seat is usually fairly low as riding uphill isn't my strong point, though I'm trying, happy to try any technical downhill as we regularely ride local dh tracks on the trusty HT's.

I presume I go down the Longside edge side of it that drops down near Ravenstone hotel, what is the descent like going the other way, down towards Lyzzick hall?

Yes drop off the summit of Skiddaw on the obvious track/path to Carlside then follow the allerdale ramble along longside edge(little climb) then down Ullock. Theres one section off Ullock that goes 'scramble steep' but can be done if you go left round a side path. Once the main part of the Ullock descent is over you come to a grassy col, turn left and back on yourself down towards Ravenstone Hotel. Nice descent through the woods.

The path off Carlside to Millbeck is also very good. Its pretty constantly steep. Steps/drainage channals at the top to jump, just the right gap between them to allow you to control your speed. You then come to some exposed white rock which is do-able but very very technical and requires some good line choice. Then very steep again to the bottom.

Have fun 😀

Sanny,
bung me a mail if you want some Grisedale info.

Peterd

Climb Land Rover track to Bealach between Dodd Wood and Longside. Follow singletrack by fence and dry stone wall to Carsleddon. Descend on the cheeky trail. Well steep at the bottom but doable. Not one to let go of the brakes on!

Anc

The steep bit you mention looks rideable if you traverse down the edge. The turn in is brutal and I didn't manage it despite several valiant attempts! I'm looking forward to going back and doing it. It's one of those lovely "I shouldn't really be trying this" sections whcih sticks in the mind. Like you say, there is an easy option that avoids it.

Cheers

Excuse the hijack - has anyone tried this loop (or something similar)around Carrock Fell (back of Blencathra):

[img] [/img]

Boredale Hause to Dale Head in Bannerdale was good in the snow. Fast not too technical and a hoot

parkedtiger

Go anticlockwise and from Carrock Beck take the N'most black dash trail towards Low Pike, double back Swards to High Pike. The descent from Lingy is very steep, rocky, deep heather.
Do it clockwise and it's hike a bike to Lingy, then the fast drop to Carrock Beck.
I presume you've done the descents N and W off High Pike?

I've walked that section of the Cumbria Way many years ago (as a kid) but have never ridden any of those tops. It was the descent from Lingy down to Carrock Beck that was looking appealing though 🙂

From Lingy to Carrick beck is a grassy decent,with a few rocky sections its not used a lot and gets overgrown with bracken in a month or so.

The flatter section from the Hut can be boggy,it should be ok now though after a dryish spell. 😉

I would do the Climb East of High Pike and then take the flatter path to the hut (not marked on map) from there,as the Bridleway climb is soft grass rather than hard paked gravel. 😀

Surprised no one has mentioned HP Plantation between Staveley and Kentmere 🙂

watendlath > rosthwaite
Nan bield
Walna Scar
Off Parkamoor to Satterthwaite
Iron Keld

Excellent post. I'm off to Heversham in 3 weeks and should hopefully have time to squeeze in a ride somewhere. I just need to decide which one to do.

Bump 🙂

Did anyone mention Gatescarth ?

We did the Nan Bield classic a few weeks ago, and IMO Gatescarth to Haweswater is better than the Nan Bield switchacks... Technical, fast, scary steep... it ticks all the boxes a lakes descent should have (except a pub at the bottom).

Good bump Grumm.

Bump

Off to the Lakes this weekend. On the hit list is Ullock, Rosset Gill and Nan Bield

😛

Hause Gate to Manesty (last few 100 metres is cheeky, or a short walk) or Watendlath to Rosthwaite