[Closed] Lakes Routes: Which big mountain route is your favourite?

Helvellyn: down from Sticks Pass.
3-Passes: Gatesgarth, Nan Bield and Garburn
4-Passes: Honister, Scarth Gap, Black Sail, Styhead
Skiddaw: down Ullock Pike

Going up those Glenridding zig-zags and down the same way is criminal - you're almost at Sticks Pass, or there's Dollywagon to Patterdale if you've more time, or down Wythburn then up to Grizedale Tarn and down to Patterdale if you've several hours. Or 4 Passes is ace - Honister slate quarry to Buttermere, Scarth Gap, Black Sail and Styhead Tarn - epic, with loads of carrying but possibly 3 or 4 of the UK's best descents. Others on here can give you map refs.

Photos, including routes:

[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/sets/72157630724216882/ ]3-Passes[/url]

[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/sets/72157629586640551/ ]4-Passes[/url]

I like cannock chase.

ir_bandito - Member
3-Passes: Gatesgarth, Nan Bield and Garburn

Done this a few times but started from the troutbeck side of Garburn so you do it twice. Up and over into Kentmere then back over after Nan Bield. Great route, only 20 miles but 5500ft of climbing. Last time I did it I managed it in 6 hrs.

Still haven't done this yet but it's deffo on my " to do " list, looks epic 😀

 

Favourite "big day out" ride is the Three Passes as described here:
http://singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/north-west/the-south-lake-district/

Garburn first so you do it the proper way, climb up from Troutbeck, descend into Kentmere.

Favourite "all weather route" is the Iron Keld/Loughrigg Terrace loop which can be varied almost infinitely and has the benefit of lots of ups and downs without ever getting too high.

4 passes
ullock pike
nan bield over harter fell back over ill bell, mardale ill bell and back down haweswater. proper mans day out..

Helvellyn is excellent [if badly spelled]
High Street is also good.

Don't see the appeal of the three passes at all. Did them with Boggies and it just seemed a pointless walk with a bike. Having said which we did go a weird way.

Oh lord, so many to choose from. 4 passes is a superb day out. If you want a few pictures some are [url= https://davidreubenmartin.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/scottish-road-trip-disaster/ ]HERE[/url]

High Street is also good

Is Sticks Pass generally rated as a descent then? I really wasn't that keen, the top was just sliding down steep loose shale, followed by steeper looser shale switchbacks and some nice contoury singletrack, then more steep, loose shale through the quarry.

On a dry or frozen day. After the weather we've had this year, I wouldn't...

+1 and in addition, the riding isn't actually that great until you get to the singletrack alongside Ullswater on the run home (which is one of the best ribbons of riding in the UK IMO).

You do High Street for two reasons. First for the views and second to say you've done it.

My fav is unquestionably Nan Bield.

Don't see the appeal of the three passes at all. Did them with Boggies and it just seemed a pointless walk with a bike. Having said which we did go a weird way.

Do it right and it's (mostly) rideable. Do it wrong and you're faced with one hell of a long day taking your bike for a walk...

Over Garburn from west to east (descending into Kentmere). Over Green Quarter to Sadgill. Up Gatescarth (some of that is a walk unless you're superfit). My preferred route there is to turn left and go over the footpath across Harter Fell. It's remote enough that I've never had any problems or complaints riding it. Bit of a walk on the descent to the Nan Bield summit. Then down Nan Bield to Kentmere (all rideable). The from Kentmere take the Hall Wood track through the farmyard, turn left at the gate/stream and drop down to Sawmill Cottage.

Doing the Gatescarth descent to Haweswater means a long walk/carry up Nan Bield but you do gain an extra descent out of it.

4 Passes. How long (distance & time), where's best to park and start, anyone have a GPX they wouldn't mind sharing (email in profile) ?

4 Passes route:
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6984937049_d1ef3a9902_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6984937049_d1ef3a9902_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/6984937049/ ]4-pass epic[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

I'll dig out a GPX if I get round to it, but its dead easy to navigate with a map.

Park in the National Trust car-park in Seatoller (free for members, expensive otherwise)

Took us 6 hours IIRC.
Distance is suprisingly short (30km or so?), every climb (bar road up to Honister) is hike-a-bike, and there's a lot of climbing. Get used to shouldering...

[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6837010938_8f0864f408_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6837010938_8f0864f408_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/6837010938/ ]P3140021[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

ir_bandito. Thanks for that.

Don't see the appeal of the three passes at all. Did them with Boggies and it just seemed a pointless walk with a bike. Having said which we did go a weird way.

thegenralist - 3 Passes - You need to do them again. First time I did the Nan Bield I swore I'd never do it again... 'too much bike hike and not enough reward and the weather was shite'. Combined it with the Garburn and Gatescarth and did it in good weather and thought it was one of the best routes in the Lakes. Didn't enjoy it the third time though when I had 2 punctures and three offs !!!...
It's good, it's shite, it's good, it's shite, seems to be order of things (currently good).

Don't see the appeal of the three passes at all

Nah, no appeal here at all
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7635329256_4be3b31311_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7635329256_4be3b31311_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/7635329256/ ]P7210006[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

I,ve been working on that route I r bandito making it more climber friendly just placing rocks in helpfull places 🙂
Still struggling on he first switchback descents 🙁
The best routes across the tops are all cheeky 😉

Tour de Great Gable - 4-Passes: Honister, Scarth Gap, Black Sail, Styhead is a cracker. plenty of hiker bike action but the decents are really challenging.
Park before the campsite at Seathwaite.

Garburn and Nan Bield are great too but Nan Bield is quite washed out at the moment - can't think why?

Crazy Legs has it right, but, take into account the damage that has been done to the paths going up from Sadgill. How the repair work has been going on I'm not sure, but [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-for-anyone-riding-in-or-around-the-kentmere-valley ]THIS[/url] is what is was like a couple of months ago.

I do like Helvellyn down via dollywagon to glenridding:

Dollywagon is a biatch!!!

Some fave routes
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/7196618430_5bc8080a1d.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/7196618430_5bc8080a1d.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/7196618430/ ]Lemon Drizzle Cake eater!!!!![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7908389486_4e110b3b9f.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7908389486_4e110b3b9f.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/7908389486/ ]P9010040[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

Skiddaw then Ullock Pike, 4 Passes or else Helvellyn via Dollywagon would get my vote (from what I've done).

Forget High Street, it's really dull, apart from the views which are ok for England.

On my hit list are: 3 passes, Ullswater cheekiness or some of the stuff to the west of Hardknott Pass, which is really scenic, techy and deserted.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. Postierich, where are those 2 photos taken please?

I rode Sty Head down to Seathwaite on Saturday having ridden via Langdale and Rosset Pike. Marvellous riding! I won't pretend to have cleaned it all. Some of the rocks were super slippy as it had rained overnight into the morning but it was brilliant.

However, we hadn't done enough carrying so it was up Honister for a carry up to Dale Head then onto High Spy and Cat Bells to finish. Again, marvellous! A couple of sections were steep, scramble climb downs and the descent off Dale Head was a riot of steep stone pitched trail.

Sunday was Ullock Pike with a climb back up to ride the Doups descent which is just a bit silly. Loose, rocky and steep - an absolute hoot to ride down in a controlled falling with style manner.

Sorry. Lots of cheeky in there but well worth the effort to get up to them. Definitely the kind of riding that you pick carefully the folk you ride with and the time you do it.

Cheers

Sanny

I'll throw the descent off Fairfield to Rydal in. 100% cheeky but a hoot particularly on the snowy day me and a mate did it. No trails were damaged in the making of that ride! 😀

Oh and I've still not ridden blooming Skiddaw from bottom to top without dabs. Gutted! Yesterday was looking really good until my back wheel spun out and the foot was down. After that, I was resigned to take a couple of stops on the less steep sections to snap off some photos of my mates pushing up behind as the clean ascent was off the menu. Kudos to anyone who can ride it sans dabs without stopping. 😀

Sanny - on your Saturday ride did you track back to Langdale??

Those descents are cheeky hence the disguise 🙂

Heres a wee film of me and Sanny coming off the back of Skiddaw, Ullock Pass and Doups. Doups being v steep.

Cracking film, Dene!. I knew when Chris and I were pushing up that Ullock pike track on friday evening, that it would be a wee bit better the other way....d'oh!.

That grassy section at doups is insanely steep, back wheel kept coming round to meet the front!, must be ****in mental in the wet. Couldn't have picked a better weekend, weather was awesome.

Greg.

Nice vid Deneo and looks like a cracking evening. I do think that given the super cheek (or really for any trail where walkers 'step-aside') you might say a quick thanks as you whizz past.

Either that or get a tune edited over the top so you don't get found out.

PS not trying to pick a fight.

Out of my house, across the road, into the bakers, to the counter, steak pie, back the same route, eat pie, little snooze. Epic.

Walna Scar, seathwaite and broughton moor for me, best scenery going

Cheers Greg, was indeed a wonderful weekend!
Scuttler, we did manage to say a pleasant 'hello' and 'thank you' to most of the cheery walkers as we descended, the wee gopro mic doesn't always pick it up though 🙂

Cracking video 🙂
Which is the Doups descent? Is it [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=325420&Y=527030&A=Y&Z=120 ]here[/url]?
And how do you get back up to after coming down Ullock Pike? I guess up through Dodd Wood.

Hi Bandito

That's the one. When you come off the hill at the gate below Ullock Pike, if you keep taking the paths to your left, you will travel up the side of a fence which will drop you out on fireroad that takes you to the saddle by Dodd Woods. If you go over the stile, there is an unmarked path beside a dry stone wall which can be ridden if you don't have trendy superwide bars. This pops you out onto the main Doups descent. I've never seen the descent busy with walkers at any time of day as it's simply too steep for most folks taste meaning that it is a lovely, clear run down.

Oh and we were unfailingly polite on the ride. 😀

It's definitely steeper than it looks. If you come off or put a foot down, getting started is pretty tough so better to go for the clean descent without dabs if you can even though you may have some "How steep!!!!!" moments.

Doups looks fun 😛
must try that next time.

Helvellyn via Dollywaggon
Loops round Garburn
Loughrigg & Iron Keld
Loops round wasdale
Great loop following bridleways round Loweswater
Grizedale BW's

Just a small selection of weekend friendly routes

Glenridding > Keppel Cove > Helvellyn summit > Dollywaggon Pike > Grisedale Common.

thanks Sanny. I'll give it a whirl when the moment is right.
On a related note, is there anything of interest in Dodd Wood?

On a related note, is there anything of interest in Dodd Wood?

I'd probably avoid anything but the obvious fire roads on Dodd ir_bandito to be honest, unless you're up there in the evening. Dodd's heavily frequented by the park authority, forestry commission, RSPB, etc etc because of the nesting Ospreys.

Word of warning.... don't try the Ullock descent off Skiddaw or the ridge in a foot of snow.

Death was not far away yesterday !

Death was not far away yesterday !

Sanny/anyone when you say the gate below ullock do you mean the one that's [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=323711&y=529740&z=115&sv=323711,529740&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=551&ax=323711&ay=529740&lm=0 ]here[/url](ish). Been over 12months since I did it so can't remember the location exactly. Do you stay ullock pike side of the trees or htrough the gate and drop into the forest a bit and climb up alongside skill beck?

Been wondering about a route upto whitestones for a while.

Been wondering about a route up to Whitestones for a while.

DONK - you've got mail (check your spam cus I've done it remotely). Help with the gate location attached !

Cheers excitable1

Has anyone tried the tourist track of the Old Man? Was pondering having a crack at it on a weekday this winter. As far as I can remember it might be pretty good?

If anyone fancies a BIG ride in the Lakes you could do worse than [url= http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/routes/Lakeland200.html ]this.[/url]

It is probably possible to do it in under 24 hours but I wouldn't fancy trying it at this time of year.

1. A cheeky one I won't tell on..
2. Skiddaw
3. Helvellyn, zig zags down to Greenside way
4. Couple of the Garburn bits

Donk - yup. That's the gate.

Hi Dave

Old man? My mate Pete has done it and it looked mighty fine from the vid and pics he showed me. I'll be up for that in mid December when I am down if you are around?

If anyone fancies a BIG ride in the Lakes you could do worse than this.

It is probably possible to do it in under 24 hours but I wouldn't fancy trying it at this time of year.

Wouldn't fancy going over High Street that way. 🙁 In fact most of the eastern side of it is what I'd term the wrong way round although the western half (over towards Wast Water, round Borrowdale and down to Derwent Water) is the correct way.

Wouldn't fancy going over High Street that way. In fact most of the eastern side of it is what I'd term the wrong way round although the western half (over towards Wast Water, round Borrowdale and down to Derwent Water) is the correct way.

There is a lot of hike a bike involved 🙂 But you can't have it both ways with a loop! Equally, there are some truly stunning sections

I have a hankering to do Scafell and Scafell Pike via Langdale but then add on Skiddaw and Helvellyn for an epic day loop. I remember Gary Thomsett wrote it up as a route many years ago in an MTB mag whose name I forget. I must look it out to refresh my memory. All 4 3000 foot peaks in one ride / carry. The only cheeky bit would be Scaffell / Scaffell Pike and to be honest, you'd be carrying most of the summit I reckon though happy to be proved wrong on this. I reckon descend down Rossett then nip across to Skiddaw (Ullock Pike for the descent win :wink:) before taking the old coach road and heading up onto Helvellyn and dropping off either via Sticks Pass or down into Thirlmere and back to Ambleside via Loughrigg. Sticks Pass would mean a climb over Kirkstone from where you could take either a Red Screes off road option or straight down the Struggle. Alternatively, I wonder how feasible it would be carrying up from Dollywagon onto the Fairfield Horseshoe? I've ridden a large chunk of the latter in winter and have always fancied a return visit.

Hmmmm. I can feel a Spring epic coming on.............. 🙂

For all the lakes experts, what would be the best way of tackling Scaffell and Scaffell Pike? My instinct is to go up via Angle Tarn and do and out and back.

Cheers

Sanny

It's pretty much all unridable between the summit of the Pike and the end of Broad Crag (in either direction). As an ascent, the Corridor Route is also mostly carrying. Via Angle Tarn or Styhead to Esk Hause would be your best bets Sanny.

Cheers Parked Tiger. That was what I was expecting to hear. I would be doing it not for the riding but for the experience as part of a bigger day out. Portage is fine!

That's certainly a big day out 😀

Alternatively, I wonder how feasible it would be carrying up from Dollywagon onto the Fairfield Horseshoe?

It's a pretty short carry from Grisdale Tarn to the top of Fairfield.

What PT said. The way you taking about coming in, from the back of Great end you've got Broad Stand, which is strewn with large boulders... horrible to walk/run on, so PITA with a bike. You've then got a up and out on the top of piers which will be a walk down and up. from the summit you be able to ride a bit towards Mickledore but then you'll be off again when it gets steep. From Mickeldore assuming your not going to hit the rake!! 😆 Its up foxs tarn route which again is a wee drop of Mickledore which you may be able to ride sections then a tough carry to the top of Scafell. Then turn around and repeat Best guess percentage wise at least 80% carrying.
Gary T, now theres a name from the past, was that the article he did with the Schwinn stuff on? back in the days when Polaris riders got sponsorship, if so he was guided by a mate Pete S that day.

Has anyone tried the tourist track of the Old Man? Was pondering having a crack at it on a weekday this winter. As far as I can remember it might be pretty good?

brilliant!

done it a few times and usually push straight up to summit & ride back down. top section is mainly jaggedy face rippy-offy type rock - mostly ridable if you get the line right but usually end up dabbing somewhere. there's a nice gulley you can take as an alternative line at the bottom of this section that's worth doing before transferring onto a more obvious path with nice drop-off to start. this drops you out at Low Water. A bit more rock-strewn but well established path before you enter the slate mine section, which is a hoot. watch out for low hanging cables and see if you can spot any gaps to jump 😉 bottom part is wide & loose in places. great descent, one of my favourites in the Lakes.

been meaning to check out the area over towards Wetherlam - i'm sure there's some good stuff over there as it always calls to me when i'm on the Old Man. anyone been up there with bike?

Hi ANC

You have an excellent memory! That was the very article. He was on a Schwinn hardtail if memory serves. It was around the same time as he and I did a TV advert for Spanish TV riding our bikes around the Rest and Be Thankful. What was the name of the mag? I have it in my back cupboard. What was the route they took?

80% carrying? Fine. Schehallion summit was a boulder strewn carry out and back in the Spring so extended boulder hops aren't a disaster! 😀

Hehe, not a 100% but I'm thinking something like 'mountain bike pro' is most likely. Canny remember which way they did the scafells but they did skiddaw via the bridleway and up helvellyn via sticks.

Threlkeld - around east and then south of Lonscale Fell to Latrigg - Keswick - Watendlath - Rosthwaite - Seathwaite - Wasdale via Sty Head - Eskdale via Burnmoor Tarn - Duddon Valley via Hardknott - Coniston via Wlna Scar - Little Langdale via Tilberthwaite route to the east of Great Intake - Elterwater via Dale End - Red Bank - Loughrigg Terrace - Ambleside - Jenkins Crag - High Street via upper Troutbeck valley - Loadpot Hill - down Barton Fell - Howtown - Pooley Bridge via road - Old Coach Road around north of Matterdale Common - Threlkeld.

We did it over two days, but I always wondered about it as a mid Summer within 24hrs epic.

Just out of intrest which is the best route of the red screes, down via snarker pike and raven crag or down to the scandale pass? Thanks

'May' have seized the opportunity and headed up the old man last week. Turned around at the tarn on account of the sideways hailstones. The trail is ace, not really tech but really good fun. Sanny - would be up for another crack at it. Give us a shout if you are down that way?

Just to reawaken this thread....

Have been looking at a scafell route... From angle yarn over broad stand onto scafell, but then down into wasdale and then upwards to styhead tarn...

Or alternatively on google earth there looks to be a path from broad stand to styhead tarn... Either of these a goer?
T

Your getting your stuff mixed up there mate I think.

Broad stand is the scramble at the end of Mickledor between Scafell and Scafell Pike. Couldnt take a bike anywhere near there.

I'll look it up, I'm thinking between scafell and angletarn..

Edit...

Google maps being an arse, labelling things up badly. Ignore my refenece to Broad anything its just over from Angle tarn to Scafell Pike...
T

If you take a bike on Scafell Pike be prepared to carry it a long way.

Did a route over the new year of up coledale & on to the top of grasmoor then a great ridge descent down Lad hows to crummock water. also did the skiddaw unlock pike roue. Both great rides