#TOTW Best Ridgelines in the UK

@sanny – we did Carl Side and Doups recently. The first bit from the saddle after the scree off Skiddaw is still good, but it seems they’ve fixed everything lower down and you’re faced with about 10 of the flattest, tightest switchbacks I’ve seen in the lakes, before hitting the steep grassy slope at the bottom. Not sure I’d ride up Dodd to get to just that bit anymore.

Ullock Pike (though I’d advocate pushing back up through Dodds and going down Carl Side as well)

loving this Carl Side and Doups add-on. defo gonna look at that. we normally add on a lap of whinlatter garbanzo but apparently its no more 🙁 the standard skiddaw/ullock loop is just a bit short for the journey. is there a definitive way up Dodd? do you go all the way to the top of Carl Side?

speaking of Dodd Wood, surely there must be some stuff in there too…?? they do a good job of keeping it secret if there is…

Oh and add in Derry cairngorm once you get past the scree laden top section. You will question why you are doing it but then it suddenly makes perfect sense. I did that along with the other 2 peaks as a loop. Approx six hours so not a big day out in time terms.

You’d lose the descent down past the Hutchison memorial hut then – not sure I’d be on for that :).

Aye, I’ve pushed up it (Carlside/Doups), was horrible!

horrible how? long, steep, boring, scary, carrying, all of these!?

im thinking i could summit skiddaw the normal way, come down carl side and doups then back up through Dodd, push back up carl side then finish on ullock to the bottom. would that be too horrific??

im thinking i could summit skiddaw the normal way, come down carl side and doups then back up through Dodd, push back up carl side then finish on ullock to the bottom. would that be too horrific??

I’ve never ridden doups but it just looks steep and boring. I could be wrong as I frequently am, but anyway why not just do ullock and then round the back to Skidaw House and Lonscale bridleway for more of a ride?

Not nearly as impressive as above but Gypsy Glen is ace and Heartbreak ridge even better.

hmmm. maybe. could park at the skiddaw carpark… does it have the thrills tho?

carl side and doups looks alright in this vid tbf… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZf65IqkCgI

I’ve done doups.
Once.
About 15 years ago.

I have been back in the area many times over.

I think that tells you what I think of it 😬

horrible how? long, steep, boring, scary, carrying, all of these!?

I meant the push up was horrible, a steep grassy calf wrecker! 🤣

Pushed up it with the fittest pensioner in GMBC (@Sanny knows who I mean!) Just to do a quick hurl along ullock one Friday evening.

@mahalo to be fair to tha to does look alright when taken all the way from the top. When we did doups it was after ullock. we climbed through Dodd wood and joined at around the rocky outcrop on the vid where it gets grassier and steeper.

I wonder if there is a nice descent through Dodd? So off top, down carlside, into Dodd.

Anyone know?

An ok alternative descent off Skiddaw is north to Bakestall then down Birketts edge, fast and flowy, not really any tech but fun enough, gets steep down birketts, you can then go back via Skiddaw hause, Lonscale edge for a spot of peddaling.

For sheer length it has to be the South Shiel Ridge…I know it’s been done but have zero information. Seems to be clockwise from Loch Quoich as there is then a path up and down (most of the way) at each end. Anyone know more? Walked it from the Cluanie Inn years ago when the wee man was eight (he got a free packet of nuts as a reward from the bar staff afterwards…what’s wrong with twenty quid? 🙂 )

I wonder if there is a nice descent through Dodd? So off top, down carlside, into Dodd.

Anyone know?

Whitestones to Long Doors is a nice techie section (if you also know the Whitestones bypass). There’s not much left in Dodd following the recent round of felling.

The best north Lakes ridge, other than the already mentioned Grisdale Pike? Probably the top section of Causey Pike or Crag Hill to Sale.

Not a ridge, as it only has a drop on one side, but for sheer mountain view pleasure I love the west to east traverse of Blencathra.

The best north Lakes ridge, other than the already mentioned Grisdale Pike? Probably the top section of Causey Pike or Crag Hill to Sale.

oooh, I got an atmospheric photo of that (Crag Hill to Sail)

Not a ridge, as it only has a drop on one side, but for sheer mountain view pleasure I love the west to east traverse of Blencathra.

I think that qualifies, in terms of a big view ride, for sure.

This was about the only part of my Arran ridge ride/push/swear that I’d repeat, the Sail an im ridge of Caisteal Abhail, Can either be done as an out and back from North Glen Sannox, or up Glen Rosa onto the Bealach between Cir Mhor and A’chir, then up the ridge in the 2nd image onto Caisteal Abhail

you’re faced with about 10 of the flattest, tightest switchbacks I’ve seen in the lakes

I came down that last year as a bonus bit after a Skiddaw & Ullock loop with Tony – and I’ve been moaning about it to anyone who’ll listen ever since.

Anyone determined to ride it, I’d say just drop down to the top of the switchbacks, then turn round and carry back up to descend Ullock as well.

I rode the full Whiteside to Grizedale Pike ridge last year. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Actually surprisingly ridable

Scuttler, that photo is an absolute banger – hope you’ve got it printed and framed!!

@parkedtiger – how about Sail to Crag Hill then on to Causey Pike 🙂

@johnx2 – I prefer that one going from Grizedale Pike to Whiteside. Then if you’re feeling particularly daft/stupid/adventurous, head down Whin Ben to the bottom of Gasgale Gill

@justinbieber not ridden there much and did it as an out and back from hopegill head, as part of a peak bagging round of the NW fells with grassmore (better than expected) and the Grizedale Pike descent (pic, just as good as hoped) the main objectives.

Most of the lake district suggestions are illegal, lets hope no one official looks at this thread….

Not illegal, just not bridleways. 😉

Illegal? Rubbish.

Btw, Does making a a post #TOTW kinda kill it off? I know I rarely look at pinned posts.

Most of the lake district suggestions are illegal, lets hope no one official looks at this thread….

As a local, I treat every ride as a protest for equal rights.

@parkedtiger – how about Sail to Crag Hill then on to Causey Pike 🙂

That’s Sunday afternoon’s ride confirmed 🥳

@parkedtiger – just so long as you don’t climb up force crag first, I might join you

Great thread. Only really done Ullock Pike (which was amazing) and the Helvellyn ridge which isn’t very ridgy. Grizedale Pike looks like a good one to aim for next.

Thanks @augustuswindsock – too kind, right place, right time (it was pissing down on the hike up Gasgale)

Some more NW Lakes loftiness and ridginess

Just be aware that the top of Grizedale Pike is extremely steep and slick rock- it’s not one to do alone or if it’s damp. But it is a belter.

As for legality, the law on access for bikes is an ass.

@munrobiker

Re the Buchaille

We headed up from the north side into the broad Corrie where a path goes up. The very top section had a bit of snow even into May. We headed for the first peak above the A82 then headed along the ridge to the second sun it before heading back to the saddle and dropping down into Skyfall Bowl. It was just really steep grass. Fun but no real track down as such. One for a dry day.

@munrobiker

Yeah. Not that much hike a bike on the Pentlands 5 Peaks. The first one from the west is the steepest and was a carry. I cleaned the one that has the loose track heading up the north side of the hill out of the sunshine. The steep middle section was a bit of a killer but the fat bike traction helped greatly. Never done that before so pretty chuffed. I do wonder whether the entire route would go on an e bike? It would have to be bone dry or hard frozen though as the trails up there would be easily damaged in the wet.

The top section of the hill above the firing range is mega steep. I reckon it is harder than the steep grass line by the fence onto the final two peaks at Hillend.

Can I add in Hindscarth and Littledale Edge?

I rode Hindscarth as part of a loop starting at Cat Bells on my first Santa Cruz Heckler in 97 as a callow youth. It was an epic day out and opened my eyes to the big mountains. We followed it up by a circuit of Derwentwater on footpaths before getting a takeaway pizza from The Loose Box. Magic! It was the Monday of the Glasgow September weekend holiday and it was gloriously hot.

Seconds on Heartbreak Ridge at Ballater.

@euain

Derry Cairngorm is an excellent alternative off MacDui.

I wrote it up for this esteemed publication in an article called Ridge Riders along with the Buchaille. Bloody great!

@chickenman

I would say contact @spin for the beta on the South Glen Shiel Ridge. He has done it and is the man to speak to.

It is on my Spring hit list.

Cheers

Sanny

Hindscarth is a good shout. The ridge ride is superb. Shame about the carry down off scope end.

Having been inspired by the awesomeness above, I’m planning some rides this weekend. Have Monday booked off and might do Saturday as well if I can.

Am thinking Rhyd Ddu, Grizedale Pike and/or the Doups ride in the vid above.

Anyone fancy it Saturday or Monday ( will be driving for the two separate day trips from Manc)

A special note needs adding for the teflon nature of the grass lower down on Carl Side. Never, have we encountered anything so slippery! Having minced down the rest of it with a my group close to mutiny, it was an insult too far 🙂

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned Gee’s ridgeline 😉

For sheer length it has to be the South Shiel Ridge…I know it’s been done but have zero information.

Here’s some information. Leave the bike at home! You’ll find pics from the ridge which make it look like a goer, it’s a very long day out with very little riding on the ridge but a whole lot of HAB.

That said, the best bit of trail from the day was pushing up on to Creag a Mhaim, I reckon that may be worth an out and back.
The West end into descent in to Kinloch Hourn might well be a cracker too, I’m not sure as I dropped into Glenshiel. That was a carry almost all the way down, a touch depressing…

The ride back up the Glen on the A87 to the van at Cluanie was the most scary bit of road I’ve ever ridden to boot.

One ridge ride I really enjoyed but don’t think it’s oft repeated is the Munros to the north side of Glen Strathfarrar. The riding isn’t on a par with the likes of Macdui and the Lakes, but it’s a proper lovely big day out with plenty of the ridge rideable.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/map3_12ln.shtml

Hi @bedmaker

Any chance you could post some pics from that like you did with the `Munros thread? Went to look the other day but came up as a hosting error.

Cheers

Sanny

The anticlockwise Farrar Four would be a good day out with the caveat that it’s bog almost the whole way up to the first summit. Stunning spot, Glen Farrar.

So this is where threads come to lie fallow…

Anyway

top of Grizedale Pike is extremely steep and slick rock- it’s not one to do alone or if it’s damp.

I guess doing it solo after major downpours (crossing Coledale Beck was the main hazard of the ride with parties of walkers turning back) gives me an excuse for carrying down a tricky section but suspect I’d do this in ideal conditions too. Whatever, you’re still left with a blast.

Anyway, purely out of patriotism as there aren’t many ridges in the Dales, but wild boar fell gives a couple of minutes of fun…

… which is plenty for me these days.

Here’s some information. Leave the bike at home! You’ll find pics from the ridge which make it look like a goer, it’s a very long day out with very little riding on the ridge but a whole lot of HAB

I enjoyed it when I ‘rode’ it although I wouldn’t rush to do it again. E to W is definitely the way to go. Basically all of the ups are carries and most of the downs are rideable. The descent from the end is good but quite hard.