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going up the lakes tomorrow for the weekend. doing some gentle pottering about on my tourer.
got a route planned which I have ridden a few times, but my memory has gone to pot.
the lane/byway from Nibthwaite grange over to Ickenthwaite, what is the surface like, and also, how steep is it?
don't have much power at present and wondering if I will be ok having a go at it.
Quite a steep winch up on tarmac through the woods, then gravelly farmtrack over the top of the moor.
cheers elliptic
It's one of the tougher road climbs around Grizedale, pretty unrelenting. It's granny ring territory for me for some of it on the MTB, so could be hard work on a compact. The rest of the track is rough in places, but doable. It's been sanitised to take out some of the bedrock sections. I met a few lads heading across on their road bikes a while back, and it was sketchy for them in places.
jones+ then rather than tourer. 😀
Why not do the quiet roads around Broughton moor and Duddon Valley. Seldom see cars and lots to go at.
I didn't want to get too far away from Coniston Dave. with it being my 1st ride, I didn't want to get stuck and struggle to get back.
The climb up from Nibthwaite is all on tarmac but it is a bit of a mother although it's quite short - the downhill is rather epic and fast - but on a jones you should be able to avoid most of the technical bits by sliding along the edge of the track so it's doable.. Quite a big drop right at the end before the road at Ickenthwaite- which is easy to miss -so watch out for that!
Make sure you get some Ruby Tuesday cider.
while up there.
Then after that, maybe head on up a couple of miles to blind lane, and ride the fire road up until the rockyish descent down the Greenland to the visitor centre, then wherever from there. Maybe fureroads from visitor centre to hawkshead? Depends how far you want to go
Up lane by coop past Brewery by river ,up short steep hill turn right as tarmac runs out follow cycleway to either half way then straight across main road follow path to spill out at farm , turn right along the cycle path back towards Coniston, half way cross road head over cattle grid towards lake , follow the shore to Blue bird cafe, up Lake road though little shopping estate and pick up path in corner follow path through Coniston Hall campsite right into corner follow path along the lake cross stream and via right towards George Clarkes amazing space caravan and follow the road all the way out towards Torver, grab a beer at the wilsons arms or the church inn then pick up path behind church inn and roll back to Coniston, about 10 miles.
If you dont cross the road half way along the first bridleway you can ride to the end ,cross the Tilberthwaite road then pick up a path to YEW Tree Farm then roll back towards Coniston then pick the track up on the left i mention in the first line that spills out at the farm. Looking at a map it should make sense, I do this with Mrs and youngest 10+ miles if I remember correctly.Weve been known to stop at the pubs and the Bluebird Cafe 🙂 Oh and not a bloody clue why my font does this!!
With a dodgy ankle it'd be a ball bag. But if you want to cross that way all the routes involve at least one steep drag. Long way round through spark bridge to tottlebank xroads and back through oxen park to avoid steep stuff, would add 20-30 minutes on.
just traced that on bikehike and it looks perfect. cheers mate