Lakes Route Advice - Black Combe or Duddon Valley

I’d always recommend taking it up the Duddon. But it will be wet this time of year. 

Grizedale drains well, so given the general current damptitude I’d head there. 

Or whip over to Stavely for the Kentmere loop. 

Where you staying?

I'm not local, but I rode Black Combe 12 years ago in summer, and remember thinking that a lot of the bridleway on the west and northwest sides would be a bit damp in the winter (was fine in May). The one coming back down to the south is much steeper and would drain fine. From recollection, the Duddon Valley and areas to the east of there are pretty good fun

I live locally to Black Combe/Duddon. Everything is sopping wet at the moment, we've had a few days rain, and we look to be getting a good few days more, so pack waterproofs!

I would go up the Duddon over Black Combe, more interesting terrain and (potentially) less climbing. The pub in the valley is decent as well

Black combe is a winch / walk up. Great fun coming down - about a 10min decent, one bit is slippy grass when wet - slowing down on that was erm 'fun'

I'd suggested the duddon, there is a stw classic route that works well even in winter. I've parked near duddon bridge and joined the loop there. You can then alway cut the route short by rolling back down the road.

Thanks Les

In and around Kirkby-in-Furness

Thanks StuF, I'll have a look for the route on here. The one I have at present is the PedalNorth one:

Duddon Valley – pedalnorth

There is the old railway line that used to link Coniston to Kirkby that's pleasant. I don't know its current condition, been a while since I've been on it, but it's pretty solid for the most part, from memory

I think the route I followed was roughly this one: https://singletrackworld.com/2018/02/singletrack-magazine-issue-117-classic-ride-the-duddon-valley/

OK, cool, thanks all, appreciated.

So which is the better Duddon route? Or should I say better suited to the time of year, conditions, weather, etc? pedalnorth or singletrack/komoot?

The former looks to be the shorter, yet there's very little between the two from an ascent perspective. 

Also, what tool for the job 120mm XC FS or 150mm Trail FS? 

Thanks for all the input.

I rode the STW Classic Duddon Loop shared above. 35.67Km | 1424M of up. A lovely part of the world. Very quiet. Very quiet indeed!! It was a dry, cold, breezy day. Yet some of the moorland/fells were, well, bogs. Who would have guessed that being winter. Navigation also become an issue. Some of the trails were non-descript on the moorland/fells. I got plenty confused on the hillside above Ulpha (under Stickle Pike) and again on the final stretch of moorland before the descent into Duddon Bridge. No clear routes, lines or just utter swamps where there should have been a path.

Stonestar and Rake Beck were good descents. Brock Barrow to Seathwaite was not bad either. But the constant chunk and line choice tired me mentally and physically in the end. I was thankful of arriving in Seathwaite. That partially wooded descent (Stanley Wood?) into Duddon Bridge would also be great but winter, felling, lower rocky trail like a stream etc. look to have taken their toll for now.

Also I'm glad I took the trail bike. Jeez, I'd have took a beating on the other bike.

I must admit I felt a little deflated once I'd finished riding. I'd been out 5 hours (4hr 22mins moving time) and toiled for what felt like little reward in shitty trail conditions. Type 2 fun. Respectively I realised I put in a decent shift, especially for the first month of the year.

I hope to revisit in warmer, drier times. I'll tick off Black Combe as well next time.