MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
Hi all. Having threatened to for years and after the rave reviews The Lakes ridding gets on here I'm determined to head over that way in the summer and check it out.
Can anyone point me towards some must ride routes with links for my Garmin if possible? Typically ride 25-35km off road but can always do a bit more or less.
I say South Lakes as I'm coming from Skipton so Kirkby Lonsdale is an hour or so away but I'm happy to stick another hour on for the proper stuff but closer is better as it gives me chance to get out while the kids are at school. Bit embarrassed to have been MTB'ing for 30+ years and live so close yet have so little knowledge of the area so hopefully I can fix that and see what all the fuss is about!
Since I've got it in my paste buffer from the other thread, here's a good starting option in Grisedale
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/yIrFQ8MqZyb
And I just came here to see what had been mentioned 😂
Typically ride 25-35km off road but can always do a bit more or less.
Better to think in terms of altitude gain, as a 35km ride in some bits of the Lakes would be monstrous.
I'd suggest having a go at Nan Bield. There are various ways of getting to the top. Going via Ill Bell or Harter Fell both have their fans. I prefer the former.
And it's well worth heading a bit further north to ride Helvellyn.
Cheers guys. Certainly can head further up if it means hitting the better rides.
Nan Bield. There are various ways of getting to the top. Going via Ill Bell
Mmmmm. Gnommm. Lovely ride that..... this will show the correct route for the main loop but don't follow it for the return from Kentmere to Troutbeck. I decided to explore a bit and it was awful. Just go back over Garburn instead.
https://strava.app.link/Hu9y9wPyZyb
And it’s well worth heading a bit further north to ride Helvellyn.
Double mmmm. Love Helvellyn. Birkside is brilliant but hard, Dodds is boggy and e- bikeable up, Sticks East is good and can be made even betterer by tagging on Seldom Seen, Keppel is a good ascent and Dollywaggon/Grisedale is bloody hard
The Vertebrate Graphics book of routes is a good starting point.
I like this loop round Langdale. It’s nothing extreme but has some good riding. Ideally you go down Loughrigg Terrace but when it’s quieter
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rCKgBYRuxefuT_1mFCC1NHO2cIGgzvL8/view?usp=drivesdk
that route looks decent
Nah, it's shite really 🙂
https://flic.kr/p/2nU1c9r
.
https://flic.kr/p/2nU6saV
Just because it can't be overemphasised, don't follow the last bit of the route after Kentmere village. That bit really is shite.
like this loop round Langdale. It’s nothing extreme but has some good riding. Ideally you go down Loughrigg Terrace but when it’s quieter
Agreed. Did that last week with the family. Very mellow and very good.
Great stuff all, certainly something to go at! I'll report back.
Three Passes - Garburn, Gatesgarth and Nan Bield.
Weather permitting I was thinking of heading up to do nan bield or something similar next Saturday, but given it's a bank holiday will it be too busy with walkers to bother?
My favourite ride in the South Lakes is the loop around Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Grizedale, Parkamoor, Nibthwaite and Satterthwaite. Basically join up the bridlepaths and it’s hard to go wrong. And that’s before you start to explore the off-piste that the locals have put in.
There’s also good riding around the Chapel House plantation near to Staveley in Cartmel.
Any tips on the off piste at Grizedale? Was thinking of having a look at that too..
Apparently, head up to Breasty Haw on the bridlepath, turn left on the fire road and then look off to you right down towards Bleaberry Hill and Low Scar Wood and there are some off piste runs on the side of the hill. However this was before Storm Arwen, so not sure what the current state of play is.
The bridleways round there are great fun anyway.
favourite ride in the South Lakes is the loop around Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Grizedale, Parkamoor, Nibthwaite and Satterthwaite.
That link in the second post sounds very similar to that, though it doesn't go to Nibthwaite. What would you tweak for next time?
Weather permitting I was thinking of heading up to do nan bield or something similar next Saturday, but given it’s a bank holiday will it be too busy with walkers to bother?
Are you planning on the full 3 passes or dropping in from one of the cheeky options?
If full 3 passes then I'd definitely still go if the weather is good.
IMHO it's a quieter area than the central Lakes and goes a fair bit into the wilds, thus less rednecks.( I did type redsocks then but the autocorrect seems apt).
I have a theory about Nan Bield that most of the detractors did it when it was a tad wet, thus weather is more important than ramblers. ( the lower section can get quite boggy).
TBH I'd still go even if I was doing the cheeky dropins, but then I'm pretty slow on descents and don't mind slowing and stopping for ramblers too much. Rule 1 is key here.
It is similar, but misses out a loop through Parkamoor, down the right of way to Nibthwaite and then across to High Ickenthwaite.
Perfect.
Are you planning on the full 3 passes or dropping in from one of the cheeky options?
If full 3 passes then I’d definitely still go if the weather is good.
Not sure really, never ridden in the lakes, just heard that one was good so thought I might give it a shot. What are the cheeky drop in options if you don't mind sharing?
Also I take it Helvellyn would be a silly option on a bh weekend?
@Kramer thanks, I'll put up a separate post about it to try and get a bit more info to see if it's worthwhile trying to figure out, could easily spend all evening getting lost!
like the OP though, I'd be interested in getting any more recommendations. Definitely want to explore the lakes by MTB some more.
