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There are a few threads about ( all frigging closed) but with greatly different views on whether the Howgills MBR type route is great or shite.
Clearly a lot of the misses were due to weather. The peak is lovely dry at present, so I'm rashly assuming the Howgills is too..
Tuesday, with the missus, who is not as into techie gnarr as she used to be, and also not quite so fit. Don't get me wrong, she still did 30km int'peak last weekend , and happily bimbles down the Beast and similar stuff.
But the Strava at the bottom of this thread says 46km and 1200hm, which is a fairly chunky day, unless it's very flow.
Alternatively we could just head to the Lakes as usual. But if it's dry it might be good to try something different.
Tell me
Not done it for years but that was on a HT. It was great but a long day out. Bowderdale can be soul destroying in bad weather.
There's a cafe at the trout farm on the north side
Worth doing once. Probably a good time to do it after a dry spell.
I'm just pleased that I can call your threads now before I've opened them. I'm 5/5.
Did it a couple of years ago after a long stretch of not doing it.
Was disappointed. I always thought it was a bit of a one trick pony with Bowderdale being the highlight. However last time I rode it the "singletrack" was just a 2 foot deep trench. There are nicer routes in the Howgills.
Lowey's description matches my experience there.
There are nicer routes in the Howgills.
Tell me 🙂
I’m just pleased that I can call your threads now before I’ve opened them. I’m 5/5.
😙
I'm going to start one about shock setup and toolboxes, just to flummox
you. Or a what tyre for....?
Did it a few years ago in good, dry conditions, was a bit meh tbh. Long tedious slog Wouldn’t do it again, that said kind of pleased that I’ve done it and ticked it off.
Just checked, last rode that MBR route in 2004!
Lovely views, not very technical riding - would want good weather to ride it.
The bikes date the ride nicely....
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/7/10422128_cabab4c2ce.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/7/10422128_cabab4c2ce.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Vq8S ]Lou biking[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/5/10427315_2415a32330.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/5/10427315_2415a32330.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/VrFi ]'The Calf', Howgills[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/29/37439680_aa9e838eb0.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/29/37439680_aa9e838eb0.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4iTvJ ]Lou in the Howgills[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Not ridden it for years but I always found it a bit meh. Big old climb at the start then the Bowderdale singletrack can be OK or a rutted muddy nightmare with no flow at all.
Saying that, hanging up on the wall in front of me (home office) is a framed picture of me and another rider taken by @Ben_Haworth on a STW photoshoot there many many years ago. Potentially early/mid 2000's!
Did an MBR Howgill killer loop many years ago,it went up either White fell or Bram rigg and it was blowing a gale and the tops were shrouded in cloud, Bowederdale was good fun but overall it was probably one of the least enjoyable rides I have done
If it's very dry Bowderdale will be much more enjoyable than normal conditions. The rutted track is pretty deep for a long stretch - probably 40-60cm for a lot of that too.
There is a faint track on the ridge heading north: The Calf - Hazelgill Knott - West Fell - Bowderdale farm. It's the Dales High Way. I've certainly seen MTBs on it as I've walked along it. Not sure if it's a cheeky track but as it's so quiet up there it should be okay.
Bessy Beck trout farm is the place with a cafe.
Did an MBR Howgill killer loop many years ago,
I'm fairly sure that MBR got a lot of complaints from readers about one of their rides there for using pictures showing lovely descents but describing the route the wrong way round (ie the pics shown were all staged and the ride itself had them as climbs). It wouldn't have been the first time they did that; at one point they had quite the reputation for riding stuff the wrong way round. They definitely did High Street the wrong way once as well.
I remember one ride we did out there where we saw lots of riders coming the other way climbing slowly and painfully up the long Bowderdale track which should have been ridden heading north - many had little mapboards with the MBR route clipped to them (it was in the pre-GPS days where MBR had given a free mapboard away on the magazine cover and then the routes were all on laminated tear-outs). They ran some sort of challenge thing to ride each route they published then they'd give a prize at the end of the year. Every time they published a route, you knew to avoid that area for the next 3-4 weeks for all the mapboard-toting tourists trying to ride it. Usually the wrong way.
@crazy-legs I feel a little like that after trying their route around shipley recently.
I’m fairly sure that MBR got a lot of complaints from readers about one of their rides there for using pictures showing lovely descents but describing the route the wrong way round (ie the pics shown were all staged and the ride itself had them as climbs).
yes, I do recall a very long climb / push to the top of the Calf and then quite a short descent off it on the Southern side....
Did it last week.
We park at Ravenstondale. Means you do the fairly nice XC ride round first to get warned up for the big climb. Quite a few gates to get through mind.
The big climb is mostly rideable.
The descent is as mentioned above though. Quite heavily rutted multi lines so you have to be cautious with your pedals. I think it's had it's day really.
The tack out the valley is then a bit lumpy! Doesn't really flow and I was glad for the invention of dropper posts.
Still had a good day though. I do it once a year for something different.
OK. That looked like a majority No, so we played it safe and went to Staveley. Lovely day out.
I will tick off Howgilld route when I'm 9n my own again and in need of distance.
Many thanks.
The ride downbowderdale from the calf is good. There. Did it last year with a group of us in semi-dry conditions (i.e. rain) and all had a blast. Three pints in Ravenstonedale to fuel the bridleway ride back to Sedbergh probably helped. It all rides and is a fast blast when you're trying to drop/avoid being dropped.
Riding up it is less fun. Obv. The ridge north off the calf was too boggy to be fun the one time I rode it. I have carried back up Cautley Spout for the ride down the calf/winder -funnest bridleway in the dales, not tech just fast all the way- but not managed to persuade anyone else to do this.
Ruts and pedal strikes down Bowderdale from The Calf, I turned back and it was even more of a PITA uphill with needing to pedal. Back down into Skipton is wide and grassy, faster than anyone would have balls for.
Sedbergh?
Oops, yes
So what do we think will it be frozen yet?
the climb up from sedbergh would be pretty good in crispy frozen conditions.
i once managed to ride the whole thing, but that was after a long hot summer many years ago. i have pushed up it 3 time IIRC.
So what do we think will it be frozen yet?
Bowderdale? Very much so and for a couple of days yet. Can't see it getting sun at this time of year. There's going to be solid ice flow across the path in places that would make me nervous.
Sedbergh/Calf bridleway? Will be fine and rides all year regardless of freeze.
Did it a couple of years ago - enjoyed the section down Bowderdale, but the return section between Ravenstonedale and Cautley was a pita because of the inch deep mud and occasional obstruction. I’d do it again but only in summer or if frozen.