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I was looking at a bit of cheek to start the borrowdale bash. The Walla Crag FP from the 2 castlerigg campsites to Ashness Bridge.... decent? worth doing? covered in stiles? overgrown with spikey bushes? lol. Basically is it worth doing or worth avoiding?
It's ok yeah, a good extra on a quieter day, there's a couple of gates/stiles to go through and the top section can get a bit boggy after a bit of rain, nice wee rocky section towards the end of it though when it starts to go down again
There was a thread some time ago where people contributed to a totally off road Borrowdale Bash and that was the start from what I recall. Unfortunately, I think it was scant on specifics ie same as you've written.
Once you finish climbing to top of walla it's a lovely rocky ride traversing beautiful countryside, then a good descent to ashness bridge (keep high until the last opportunity to descend to Ashness). Can climb off road from keswick up track at springs farm, rather than slogging up the road to castlerigg. Be sensible as it's very popular.
It's a great addition to the ride, look out for walkers though, it's a well trodden route.
I try to avoid it at peak time on weekends or during the school holidays.
The descent to Ashness is fun, much better than slogging along the road.
Thanks Lads. I'll be setting off about 7.30 one saturday and it'll be 'hello, good morning, lovely out today isn't it' to all walkers I encounter.
Here's my full route that I'm just tweaking, if you'd like to critique: https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/14610
The only part I'm sketchy about is the bridleway between Crummock and Ennerdale past floutern tarn, think it might a bit of a slog, the path looks a bit indistinct on the satellite imagery.
I've deliberately missed out the climb and drop around Fleetwith pike to save my legs. Looking forward to zooming down Honister on the road though.
Dunno if it's still the case but the farmer at the Ennerdale side of the Floutern Tarn BW was/is less than encouraging about its use.
riding down honister? Why not do warnscale bottoms descent, it's tech but as you seem to be planning to ride down buttermere side of scarth gap I doubt it will bother you.Here's my full route that I'm just tweaking, if you'd like to critique
I did spring wood early one morning, was a nice rooty climb no bother, climb from castle rigg is a beast tho.
I nearly always go by Walla Crag, nice decent, only been told off one by a voluntary warden.
Beats the road climb for sure.
The climb up to floutern is fine, there are two very steep bits, at the start and one up to the watershed, the latter is almost a scramble up a grassy bank, there's also a bit of bog to wade through just before that. Probably the worst bit is the bwy by crummock - although its completely flat it's very bouldery and a bit annoying.
You'll have earned your tea when you get back back after that one.
It is such a shame to climb Honister and not take in a bit more height to do Warnscale. Its such a good decent. Also, I'd be tempted to go over haystacks if you dont want to drop Warnscale and come down scarth Gap.
The Bridleway up from Crummack past Floutern tarn is bloody awful, not so bad once you summit and drop to Ennerdale, but the climb and the non existant path through the bog halfway up is horrific. I certainly wouldnt do it again.
When I did it, instead of going up scarth gap, I carried up [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=320375&y=512105&z=115&sv=320375,512105&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=615&ax=320375&ay=512105&lm=0 ]Loft Beck[/url] Then picked up Moses Trod for the excellent descent to Honister. Its a bit of a carry though.
Or instead of the Brutal Carry up Loft Beck, you could go up [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=320835&y=511302&z=115&sv=320835,511302&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=615&ax=320835&ay=511302&lm=0 ]The Tongue[/url], not as steep and you do go higher but its much more of a gradual and gentle climb.