In more detail:
Rosthwaite - Seathwaite - Stockley Bridge - Sty Head - Rossett Pike - Black Crags - Stake Pass - Stonethwaite
Just looking on OS maps and aerial photography. Whats any of this like? Just bog? Just loose rock? Rocky Stairs? Technical Rocky stuff? Aerial photography doesn't show a lot.
Anyone have any pictures they would like to share?
It looks like it might make a managable (20 mile ish) ride in mountainy terrain. Is there a 'better way round' to do it?
Or maybe mix and match with other passes in the area like Stonethwaite - Greenup Edge - Grasmere or Watendlath - Blea Tarn - Wythburn?
Very techy route, you'll carry a lot of the way from Stockley Bridge to styhead except the last bit, most of the way to Angle tarn is rideable if your fit and are a good technical climber. Riding it the other way is superb a real rocky test(seem to remember a certain singletrack journo needing the keswick mountain rescue after a spill on the rocks). Super steep and rocky to the bridge but doable. I'd be tempted to do it the other way. Still a very tough route, not one to attempt in poor weather.
Greenup Edge has some great stuff on it but some of it is unrideable, nowt worst than carrying down!!
It gets very boggy over by Blea Tarn - however, Thirlmere to Watendlath and down to Rosthwaite is a good route (if you're lucky with the weather). I sometimes add a trip over High Rigg onto the start (north of Thirlmere above St. Johns in the Vale).
simonfbarnes once posted a link to piccies of a bogtrotters ride that included Stonethwaite over to Grasmere via Eagle Crag and Greenup Edge. I keep meaning to try that one out.
Much of what you are suggesting is pretty evil and un-rideable stuff. The descent from allen crags to styhead tarn is good and has some fun singletrack. From styhead to stockley bridge is very technical, it might just be enjoyable with a 6" travel bike. The bridleways next to Rosset and Stake Gill are unrideable in any direction. I heard stake pass is rideable going north, but never done it. The classic loop in that area is the tour of great gable, best done anti-clockwise, seatoller->buttermere->scarth gap->black sail->wasdale->sty head. It takes all day to do something like 15 miles and there is much carrying
Good good, I think I'll wait until summer then to give any of that a go, and bring out the big big tyres. Sounds fun
Any idea if the incident with the singletrack staff member was anything to do with a magazine feature?
I only discovered and started buying the magazine at issue 32, so don't have much of a back catalogue
Yep, Dave dislocated his elbow riding down from Sty Head Pass.
As for the others you've mentioned, well... you might want to get hold of a copy of the next issue of Singletrack 😉
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So thats where it is? If thats an idea of the standard, then I'm really looking forward to getting over there sometime
Your into probably the knarliest,Toptastic,Hardcore,Mental,Singletrack,Terrain there is in the Lakes anyway!
To get the best out of that area I would reccomend it as a decent from the crux at Allen craggs, You have arguably the best technical decent in the lakes.The only issue is getting to the High point,its a big effort up Rosset Gill but probably worth it if your a good rider.
The route I would recommend would be,:Rosset pike,Angle tarn,Allen Crags,Sprinkling tarn,Sty Head keeping left into Lingmell beck to Wasdale Head. Enjoy,its ace! 🙂
James - that's the easy bit. Seriously. It's techy. It's great 😀
The most bonkers descent I've done in the Lakes. Recommended if you like it nasty. Ridng the many steps of Calderdale finally came in useful 😀