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Chatting to a chap in a bike shop today he recommended riding helvellyn sticks pass route (ive not ridden any helvellyn routes) he said it was the fastest/flowiest way down which sounds fun. Obviously being the lakes im expecting tech too!
I just wanted to get a route sorted and check he means climbing up Helvellyn and descending sticks pass? Seems to be lots of ways down. Could anyone give any details of the route and places to aim for on the os map? Bloke in the shop seemed to think it was about 2 hours up and 1 hour down which sounds ok in this heat!
There was a route for it in this month's mag - not done it myself but planning on soon!
I was going to do this a few days ago, but a major mechanical put an end to it. Up keppel, down Birkside, back up and over sticks pass. Some people will say sticks is overrated, bit of you've not done it before, it's well with it
Is that staring in Glenridding?
Personally seeing that its so dry I would go up from Dockray turn left before Aira Force and climb up is mostly rideable Summit then Raise Sticks Pass but take a left down Seldom Scene for a full on descent to Ullswater
Rich
There have been lots of trail work recently on Sticks so it might have gone from Baddass trail to trail centre kitty litter, might check it out this weekend myself
I believe the work has not been too intense on sticks so far, so I don't think there's owt to worry about at the moment.
To the OP, yeah, you can park in Glenridding, ride up to the YHA then find Keppel cove and head up. When you reach the ridge, you can either head right over raise and come straight back down sticks pass, or do a left, go over lower man and reach Helvellyn summit and then double back on yourself. You should probably do the summit whilst you're up there, just to tu6ck it off!!
If you park in Glenridding, then you'll rider past a boozer for a shandy on the way back, so it's worth it!
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> The most complicated bit of navigating is finding which path is actually Keppel cove. Once you're in it, you're laughing. </span>
yes starting in glenridding. After you pass the YHA the route becomes unclear. The path in front crosses a beck, do not take that path otherwise it leads to you to striding edge. You need to go up and to the right and you'll find the path. If you cross the beck on a little wooden bridge, that's the wrong way! after that it's just one long path and you can't really get lost. If you can ride the zigzags of keppel cove you're a better man than me. 🙂
Apparently Keppel is very rideable now if you have big tyres!
We went up on Saturday. Up Sticks (to check it out) then down Dollywagon.
Sticks looked good, long flowy singletrack to start, then steep and rocky down to the valley bottom. They've started resurfacing at the top of sticks, making it smooth with dirt water bars, hopefully they won't be going too far down.
Dollywagon was ok, but very much type 2 fun down to the tarn. Big, sharp rock steps and pretty steep in places. After that it was good, still pretty techy but with more flow to it.
Dockray / old coach rd as Rich suggests is a good shout in this weather. You'll be able to ride nearly all the way to Gt Dodd over Bruts moss, which can be a quagmire at other times. Then you've got the whole ridge in front of you.
Hiked down Keppel cove the other week and it certainly looks smooth. Bring a spare lung and you can probably ride all the way up.
Ill give myself plenty of time and happy/expecting to push/carry bits. Im thinking if I have plenty of time it shouldnt be too bad in this heat. Lots of water and breaks will probably be the order of the day!
Any of the short ups will involve pushing, sticks is the best short up.
But I agree with Rich. I'd go up via the Dodds, awesome scenery and will be totally rideable at the moment.
In fact the descent down from either great Dodd or calfhow are so good I'd be tempted to go back that way as well.
Good pub in Dockray as a bonus.
Personally seeing that its so dry I would go up from Dockray turn left before Aira Force and climb up is mostly rideable Summit then Raise Sticks Pass but take a left down Seldom Scene for a full on descent to Ullswater
Is that the BW to Calfhow or Great Dodd, Rich?
I'd go up Keppel Cove (but as per an earlier post, do pay attention just after the last hostel where the path zigzags right-left)
Then down Sticks and peeling off to Seldom Seen.
They were doing repair works on the Keppel Cove zigzags a few weeks back. Might have finished, might not. They were kind enough to stop the excavators and wave us thru, so we didn't walk up the hillside and trash more scenery.
Sticks-Seldom Seen is probably my new favourite walking ascent/descent from Glenridding to the top.
Saying that, the Dodds must be bone dry now?
Glenridding, Kepple, Helvellyn, Birkside to Thirlmere, Dunmail Raise, Carry up Raise Beck to Grisedale tarn, BW back down Grisedale.
Keppel is pretty much like a road now. Still cycling up it is a challenge it's steep as ****.
I wanted to try Dollywagon as someone said it was the most gnar way down. they were probably right but I was questioning how much fun I was having as it was going on! Definitely Type 2 variety as has been mentioned.
Was a bit disappointed to looped back round for another attempt. This time Sticks Pass onto Seldom Seen. Amazing, I don't think I will be doing Dollywagon again.
Although that said its good to do once and doing both does make for an epic loop - You naturally touch the top while heading over to Doly which means you don't need to double back when doing the Sticks pass on the second ascent. Also if you stay left of Grizedale Beck when coming off Doly you can keep some of your height by looping around the hill and back to the quarry.
Still cycling up it is a challenge it’s steep as ****.
Is that even possible ?
Surely not all of it!
I remember Sticks being a good flowy ride down, with some mildly technical bits (enough to throw one guy over the bars that I seen).
Head up Keppel Cove and you can ride a lot of the way up... if you're fit. Couldn't get enough traction on the zig-zags to ride it all when I was there.
Did the Glenridding, Keppel Cove, summit, Birk Side, Sticks and Seldom Seen loop last Saturday and it is a cracking loop with Birk Side being the more technical of the descents although there are a couple of bits on Seldom, especially the open section in the middle, that offer up the odd challenge.
Last Saturday being as hot as it was, we were knackered by the time we got to the top of Sticks...
as for trail work, nothing was taking place on the ascent up Keppel and as reported, it’s smooth and if you had the lungs, rideable (we pushed). The work is ongoing on the Sticks descent with the trail being remeniscent of a trail centre. It stretches almost to the first stream crossing and an uneducated guess would say that’s where they will stop as there is very little trail erosion from there onwards.
A couple of the guys with us were phased by Birk Side; everyone loved Sticks and Seldom Seen.
Route up Great Dodd was dry as a bone, a lot harder to climb than I remember the work on raise is an accident waiting to happen huge ramps at an angle big airtime for some people. Great ride uo Hellvellyn down Dollywagon up Fairfield and along the ridge down Alcock Tarn crACKING day.
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1769/41473381900_f9817cc145_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1769/41473381900_f9817cc145_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/26bRVwC ]36763518_10156649357151474_7996140790503964672_n[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/842/42379574055_ccf11a3bfe_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/842/42379574055_ccf11a3bfe_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/27yWoTi ]36824585_10156649357881474_569554560855572480_n[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
the direction you where going those ramps would be good fun, just most people would be going the other way heading for sticks and they're horrible that direction. just been up this evening for a quick ride, up from grasmere and down birkside for the first time, enjoyed that descent.
@postierich any tips on finding the path off of the end of the heron pike ridge? Last time I was up I had a good look and came up blank so ended up going off the south to Rydal - which was a grand descent but variety is the spice and all that.
yeah the alcock tarn descent is better. as soon as the path levels out you need to be looking out for the path, its not very obvious at first.
7.28 on this vid i've just found, it'll look a bit different at the moment with the bracken up. also if you want to head back to ambleside you turn left at the end where he goes right.
Great video much prefer the Alcock route than Nab Scar path is quite easy to spot!
Rich
https://www.strava.com/activities/973486486
Went up last year; basically started in Glenridding onto Patterdale and turned right just after wee bridge, up Dollywaggon, skirted the top until Hellvelyn, then down Sticks Pass - or something like that. Dollywaggon didn't look much fun to go down, Sticks Pass was brilliant.
Off up the area for a family break this weekend and wondering weather I can sneak an early morning ride in seeing as my wife and daughter barely move out of bed before lunch time.
What are the conditions like at the moment...still dry? After reading this thread, thinking of going up Dolly Wagon from Patterdale (or Keppel Cove from Glenridding) to Helvellyn and down Sticks Pass and Seldom Scene.
Doable in 4 hours?
if you're time limited then take keppel over dollywaggon, the dollywaggon way is basically a staircase whereas you might be able to ride some of keppel cove. saying that 4hrs might be pushing it... get up earlier!
Ha! Thinking 7am start and be finished by 11.30am at latest. Could aim for a sunrise start which seems to be about 6.15am.
What do you reckon is a realistic time roughly for that route with Keppel cove going up? Got 5hrs at a push I guess!
We did Grizedale Forest/Dollywaggon / Helvellyn /Sticks from Glenridding a while back and it took us about 6 hours, but I was spectacularly unfit at the time after an op, and slowed the ride considerably
Grizedale Forest/Dollywaggon / Helvellyn /Sticks from Glenridding a while back and it took us about 6 hours, but I was spectacularly unfit at the time after an op, and slowed the ride considerably.
If you included Grizedale in the ride, you're fitter than you think!
Alright then, Grisedale,
Be aware that on Sunday it’s the Helvellyn Triathlon, the running route goes up to the top and back down, not sure on exact route
Hiked down Keppel cove the other week and it certainly looks smooth. Bring a spare lung and you can probably ride all the way up.
I can confirm that it is rideable all the way up there, until you descent off the keppel cove ascent and climb up a loose steep 150m or so to the top of Hellvellyn.
I was running a 22/36 and putting everything I had into juuuust keeping the pedals turning though.
Anyway, now my willy is suitably waved, what I was reading this thread for was to find out how Sticks' pass is riding after the work mentioned above? I'm down in october and weather permitting might do Hellvellyn again, Dollywaggon is relatively tech and although I enjoy that descent overall it's nice to try new things, plus I reckon most people I might be with will prefer Sticks if it's not been totally sanitised...
Helvellyn Triathlon - the run route is up swirell edge, whiteside and then down the s bends - Keppel Cove I think
https://www.strava.com/activities/701117323
Is that even possible ?
Surely not all of it!
On an Ebike it would be a blast