I'm fancying a ride in the lakes. A proper mountain, to put hairs on my chest. But I want it to be really, really, easy 😀
No, I just want to make it up and down without too much drama. Not looking for punishing descents and technical terrain. Just something I can crack on with, on a hardtail, pedalling away and enjoying the views of the great outdoors. A good old bike ride.
Don't mind difficult climbs. (obviously, otherwise I'd go to the seaside or something)
Recommendations please 🙂
Great question.
Helvellyn up & down keppel Cove.
Skiddaw up n' down the front standard path.
In the same day!!
Both are completely devoid of tech, just smooth and swift.
I'd say Skiddaw if you want a mountain. Or up and over the Dodds. Failing that, the Loughrigg route from Ambleside is nice and easy with good views (although you wont be up a mountain).
Have fun!
Black Combe.
http://www.strava.com/activities/16948167
Not a full mountain but a good ride for the non technical
Might give Skiddaw a blast.
Wouldn't mind going up Helvelyn again either.
I bet there's loads of gems in the lakes though.
http://www.freetime1.co.uk/en/Cordee-Lake-District-Mountain-Biking/m-1415.aspx?gclid=CL2uosTF4LsCFcUipQod3ywAdQ&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=Australia
This guide is worth a look but it doesn't manage to tell you how technical some of it is (just lists Dollywaggon as a route 😉 )
Loop from Stavely to kentmere and back via Ings. Big mountain remote feel IMHO but still very straightforward.
Did Helvellyn via Keppel Cove on the climb and down Sticks Pass a couple of years ago.
Didn't think the climb was too hideous...didn't really rate the descent though...lots of bods have gone down via Dollywaggon Pike but you might get destroyed on a HT by all accounts 😉
High Street is pretty high and not far from there...quite a few tops to tick off while you're up there and there's the infamous Nan Bield Pass very close by too.
Just checked out Dollywagon on Youtube. Think I'll give that a miss...
yup I did helvellyn on a hardtail and came down dollywaggon and absolutely hated it, ruined the ride for me as I got no reward for my uphill efforts. Almost all of keppel cove is rideable up and when I do Helvellyn again I'll likely just turn round go straight back down keppel cove. I have done skiddaw as well and on the whole much preferred helvellyn, more scenic and dramatic with the two ridges to look upon.
The above suggestions are great, but presumably you can do a route if it involves getting off and walking for short technical sections, as long as you know where they are so you don't plough into them at high speed?
A good example is the Skiddaw House loop - if you're prepared to get off and push for short sections on the tricky bit past Lonscale Fell, as I did, then the remainder is probably exactly what you're after on remote tracks or quiet roads with minimal tech.
Skiddaw House loop would be a good un-technical loop, especialy if you did it as a lolypop rather than a figure of 8 (Keswick, upto Skiddaw house on the eastern side of the valley, turn east at Skiddaw House, big anti-clockwise loop coming back up the waterfall, then back down the eastern side rather than the more technical western side.
There's a nice loop from Kirby Lonsdale, Barbondale, Blea Gills, Kingsdale, I'm only half remembering it really but I think it's a mix of quiet roads and farm/shooting tracks.
Helvelyn from near Woolf Crags (on the old Coach Road) and over the Dodds. A long long slog but not technical and a high mountain
or
High Street from Askham. Again a long slight incline.
whichever you do, take note of the wind and if the ground is waterlogged
C