Bit of a mini met of STW users today to do a tour of Coniston. Cracking day, the weather was just perfect, cracking company too.
We were all humbled by DONK's ability to clear the Walna Scar climb without a dab, even though we had already ridden at least 22 arduous miles before he even started the climb.
Got a huge dose of Sunburn on me arms too.
[url= http://www.dave-lowe.fotopic.net/c1702422.html ]PICTURES ARE HERE[/url]
THanks for the route and pics Lowey. My favourite ride of the year so far. Walna scar and parkamoor in one ride, magic! And you booked the weather again.
Looks superb
How the hell did you get [url= http://www.dave-lowe.fotopic.net/p58475885.html ]that field[/url] to look so flat? a 1 in 3 reduced to looking like a bowling green!
Interesting to see it started from there - we always begin from Water Park so we finish with the Selside downhill 🙂 Looks like grand weather!
DONK it was more than 1 in 3 that field it was so steep even you walked it
PS i did not even WALK up Walna Scar without stopping
Fantastic ride very hard day though
I dunno SFB, I think Loweys got it right, selside is good but I reckon walna tops it, plus if you completley bonk on the walna climb you only have to freewheel back to the car 🙂
Simon, is Water Park at Nibthwaite ? The little car park on the right as you head north?
When I did your original tour of Coniston, we parked there. This one was a bit longer though as we headed over to Stephenson Ground and did the full Walna Scar descent.
Have you ever ridden [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=325645&y=492458&z=115&sv=325645,492458&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=707&ax=325645&ay=492458&lm=0 ]This bridleway[/url]?. I opted to try it instead of Hummer Lane. It was a right old slog, but preferable to the road.
And who's the voluptuous totty with the ponytail ??
FYI, you don't need to drag yourself through the bog at Yaud Mire (above Stephenson Ground & Natty Bridge) - if you swing left at the top of the climb you can ride right round it:
[url= http://www.bogtrotters.org/rides/2008/24may/_DSC0203.jp g" target="_blank">http://www.bogtrotters.org/rides/2008/24may/_DSC0203.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Simon, is Water Park at Nibthwaite ? The little car park on the right as you head north?
yes. I wasn't criticising your choice, just commenting 🙂
Have you ever ridden This bridleway?
I've ridden down it 3 times, but never up. I reckon it would be OK in the dry but if it were wet the (nasty) road would be better!
And who's the voluptuous totty with the ponytail ??
you could hardly call johnny volouptuous
Oh Donk, my compliments to Mrs. Donk on the upside down pineapple cake. It was fantastic.
you could hardly call johnny volouptuous
I was trying to make him nervous about next Sunday :o)
the climb is enough for the nerves and thanks wors for denying my voluptoussness but not that I am indeed HOT.
No cake for Lowey next ride either then.... getting used to my cake now are we... scuttles off to find vegan pineapple cake recipe (It did look very nice)
SFB you still needing a lift?
PS spelling is Johnnie as in the whiskey Johnnie walker as i was born in Kilmarnock.
SFB you still needing a lift?
I've not confirmed yet, as I have a leg injury which may prevent me from being able to push up the Calf 🙂 Will find out on Wednesday evening's ride, and let you know then thanks!
Oh Dave, when you say "Mini STW ride" do you mean they're all tiny people like you ?
and:
Parked at Walna Scar Car Park, Descended to Spoon Hall, Coniston, Lawson Park, Parkamoor, High Nibthwaite, Blawith, Blawith Fells, Broughton Forest, Stephenson Ground, Walna Scar.[b]BUMMAGE!![/b]
I think we'd rather you kept your lads-together practices to yourself 🙁 Don't ask, don't tell, OK ??
Lovely pics 😀 we rode over Walna Scar yesterday. I couldnt climb it due to running 160mm travel 55's with no travel adjust though! 😕 Come t'other side though 8)
pics needed sure you have a bike?
You could not climb it FULL STOP (neither could I after a 22 mile approach though and would not clear from fresh TBH.
hora, we were probably watching you climb walna scar from over the lake at Parkamoor. It looked very sunny on that side - did you get a nice breeze?
can you see yourself? ;o)
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The Lad I rode with rode it all. Ok he stopped a few times (to wait for me) and when he spun out but he didnt push any part. Not sure of names etc but we turned along the road that has a sign saying unsuitable for road vehicles. Pictures? I can count on my hands the amount of times Ive taken a camera with me on a ride!
Lowey you have a link of route you did?
[url= http://dave-lowe.fotopic.net/p58657294.html ]The Route[/url]
Not particularly clear on the picture but you should be able to get the idea.
Mail me if your struggling.
Cheers Lowey,clockwise or anti clockwise
Good god man, there is only ONE way to do Walna Scar!!!
ahem... clockwise.
Oh btw, please dont sue me if you fall off/dont like it/get a parking ticket.
How high (in feet) is Walna Scar?
Ps. on the smooth-trailed climb side theres a turn off with apperently a really good downhill section?
Hora.. around the 1800' mark.
Turn off ??
Depends where you started the climb from. If you Hit the Walna scar road at the quarries then your could descend the 1st bit to Seathwaite. This would indeed be a pretty good downhill.
Sounds right, you go down the smoothish bit then just before the wall/gate you hit a hard right that follows the line of the wall? We saw a few riders do that and local matey said it was supposed to be good (brings us out where we first started our climbing near the begining of our route)
Ahh. no you mean descend the BW to stephenson ground. Yes its a good track, we came up it.
Argh I mean left not right! You turn hard left. Keensy said wed do it next time but I was dubious as it meant missing out going down Walna Scar towards the quarry.
Isnt walna scar towards the quarry just a long straight fast featureless game of chicken? (see who can stay off the brakes longest) nowt wrong with that but theres plenty of tramac/fireroads you can do that on, walna scar down to coniston is fantastic twisty turny rocky step-py downhillers wet dream (not that any downhiller can haul their arses up there in the first place) 🙂
Stephenson ground DH is pretty cool too, less rocky more singletracky
The classic route is start in torver then:
broughton woods
fireroad climb up to natty bridge
DH to stephenson ground
passed jacksons ground and whinscars to park head rd
DH to Seathwaite
then the full length of walna scar or halfway down take a right through homestead quarries to torver
If you wanna really hard ride do that plus lawson park, parkamoor and blawith.