#TOTW Best Ridgelines in the UK

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.

It is good and one I would definitely repeat.

@thegeneralist having done grizedale pike before with freezing rain and fog at the top and riding solo I’ve got to agree with @munrobiker I nigh pooped my pants. Id hold off doing that one until it warms up, there’s snow and ice up high and you’ll be high enough to find it. I’d wait for better weather if I’m honest. It’s been on my list since I last did it to do it again in better weather as it was shockingly hairy when I did it.

I hear you.
Forecast was really good, but the webcams today look rank. 🙁
If it’s really grim then will perhaps return along Rigg Beck after Whiteless, rather than GP

@Sanny, I guess those pics must have been on Fotopic before it crashed and burned.

I’ll have them somewhere, prolly on an old backup drive somewhere, I’ll take a look when I get a chance.

I did them anticlockwise, and yeah, it’s a boggy schlep at the start 🙂

Another good day out in the area was north of Loch Affric, Tom a Choinnich along to Mam Sodhail and down Coire Leachavie.
I honestly don’t really remember much of what the actual ridge riding was like, but just that it was a great day out in good weather.
I really should tear myself away from the ‘Gorms this summer and revisit some of this stuff.
Looking down ito Coire Leachavie to Loch Affric.

@bedmaker

Great photo. That just captures the awesomeness of riding in the mountains for me.

@munrobiker thanks for posting those routes. It won’t let me save them on Strava for some reason so I’ve requested to follow you.

cheers 👍🏻

Liam

Wee update on Sowdon yesterday…

Llanberis path up, and the realisation that anyone ( which incudes me in the past) that says it is nearly all rideable up is talking complete bullshit. The first half is indeed nearly all rideable, but the second half not so much.

Anyway, despite the fat high pressure sat over UK at present the weather was not nice. Constant wind driven mizzle settling on everything. Formed some lovely ice formations.

After donning lots I clothes we set off carrying our bikes down Rhydd Ddu feeling extremely stupid. Ice all over the shop, limited vis8bility and very limited cajones.
Anyway after the sharp ridge it was just awesome utterly brilliant gadgetry tech challenge after challenge

The steep twist gulley thing section totally defeated me, but apart from that I gave most of it a good go. Loved it.
At the junction we had a confab and I binned my plan of returning up the steep footpath to the east of Rhyd Ddu ( much to the relief of some ice axe welding ramblers we talked to)
We’d got pretty wet on the summit earlier, there was only 2 hours of daylight left and I really didn’t want to be committed to the ridge section knackered, dark and frozen solid.
So instead we sped down the rest of Rhyd Ddu and headed up Rangers. The idea being we could go a far a we wanted and then just turn round, rather than being committed to summit again. Luckily Rangers is an exhausting but easy cycle to around 500m mark. As the upper ridge loomed out of the mist the switchbacks looked desperate but we pressed on carrying the bikes and racing the dark.
We spotted loads of tricky sections on the hike up, which we noted for later. I’d been calculating timings constantly and reckoned that 4:30 was the about cut-off turnaround point which would give us 20 minutes to descend Rangers to the junction.
On we went.

At 4:25 we hit the 800m contour, which I reckoned marked the end of the techie section, turned around and went for it. We were both a bit shit to start with, but warmed up nicely and we’re loving it. The various scary bit on the way up were generally dispatched with a scream and further boost of adrenaline.

And we realised we were pretty much through the crux. A few short carries got us to the end if the hard bit and back on gravel

Doh , exceeded my 15 minute window.
Anyway, quick stop to fix a broken chain and Don lights, then a pleasant bimble back to the chippy in llanberis

Loved both the descents loads. I think Rangers has a bit more flow and is a tad easier.

Can’t wait to go back. If 2 is possible in January then I reckon a full Cingles might be on the cards just before the ban kicks in.

Anyone up for that?