I’m out with Craig5 tomorrow and I think we’re planning on a loop of Ullswater lakeshore starting at Hartsop and climbing up to Boredale Hause. Bridleway options from there are:
A, The descent towards the lakeshore
B, The descent into Boredale
C, The climb over Bedafell Knott and down into Bannerdale

They all look steep and fun, but which one would you suggest is the epicest, radest, gnarliest… est.

Also, the descent chosen will also dictate the way we loop back around the lakeshore, so I suppose we should consider which direction would be best to do the lakeshore run too. West to East / East to West.

Thanks in advance. MW2000

I’ve only ridden there once and we got a bit lost. We came up Martindale from Boredale Head and once we’d crested we got a little over zealous and descended to the obovious trail on rider’s right, heading down towards Patterdale. It was brilliant, one of the best technical trails I;ve ever ridden, really steppy and slabby and requiring a lot of committment (too much for me, I chickened out on three sections). It was only when we got back to the YHA we realised that we’d overshot the bridleway and ridden down the footpath, slightly lower down the hill. ooops.

To the lake is Ace, techy all the way down but all rideable (just not by me).

Boredale is insane at the top then pretty meh.

Bannderdale is steep grassy singletrack which is great fun.

If your after Tech then I;d say the Head to Patterdale from the Hause.

The drop down in Boredale from the head of the valley is good fun and the size of rocks and steepness is a good challenge, but then it just gets fast and smooth. This sets ou up for a north to south run along the lakeshore which is good.

I prefer the descent from Boredale Hause to Patterdale down the steep stepy path – mucho fun and more rideable than the very top of Boredale Head and there are more challenges all the way down. When you get almost to the bottom don’t go down all the switch backs to the gate but cut along the upper of the two paths running along Ullswater. The ipper path undulates and spits you out at Sliver Bay and is very very good. From here head north along the shore and get to the end of the BW and then turn round and go all the way along the shore! The shore is well worth riding in both directions if you like it nadgery.

The Bannerdale descent is not much of a challenge and I wouldn’t waste my elevation for it when I’ve got the other two options.

Doing the lake side as an out and back is a great ride – I stayed in Martindale last summer and rode it of an evening a few times.

I agree with the above – Boredale isn’t a great ride, Bannerdale/Beda Fell is a better option, a little more climbing from the Hause itself, but the overall ride is better.

If I was going to ride it as a loop that’s the way I would go from Hartsop, up to Boredale, over Beda Fell into Martindale, then down to Sandwick on the road and along the lake shore to Patterdale and back on to Hartsop.

lakeside is steep and tech, tomaso’s silver point add on is good too. Track towards hartsop is fast and not very tech, good fun tho, not been down the other ones.

Hmm, Some great stuff so far. Thanks guys. The out and back along the lakeshore sounds like an interesting one, especially if we can take the higher route on the way out and then nip back round the lower route on the return. Concerned that it might be quite a short ride though. Is there anything else we might be able to add on round there that would be worth a look?

Carry up the Knott from Hayeswater and then descend to Boredale Hause via Angle Tarn. Pushes it out a bit.

ps… If anyone asks, I didnt tell you to do that.

You also have the 4th option at the Hause… climb up onto Place Fell and then descend to High Dodd and Sleet Fell.

Once again, I didnt suggest any of that.

nudge nudge, wink wink…

Thanks for all the advice for yesterday STWers.

Ended up climbing up to Boredale Hause (more of a slog than anticipated, but not without reward!). The footpath looked tasty from the Hause, but we decided to keep it ‘legal’ and go for the slightly higher bridleway, and it was BRILLIANT! Lovely switchbacks at the top followed by some all out rocky tech that had our brakes squealing, and our brains working to pick out rideable lines all the way down. Grinning from ear to ear after that, and bar a couple of chicken outs on the mega drops, I think we both managed around a 95% clearance. Awesome fun.

After that we took the high route round the top of silver crag, where a couple of walkers in the middle of the path lead to my first (of 3 comedy) OTB’s. Another beautiful descent though, that Craig5 did a great job on (despite waiting for me to clear the trail after my superman impressions!).

We then headed West on the lakeshore trail to the end of the bridleway and back around the low route. We only covered around 20km, but it was one of the best 20km rides I’ve ever done. The techy single track along the lakeshore is flawless, full of tasty drops and tight runs, and the couple of longer descents off generally stepped sections are great fun, especially on the return as you get a chance to review your lines on the way out!

I can definitely see now why this route is so raved about, and I can’t wait to get back and have another go at it!

Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

Bookmarks thread…

Lakeshore path is an iconic lakes trail but you really have to pick your time to ride it.

Glad you had a good one. Jealous.

Bookmarks thread…

Books Lakes trip…

Push up the BW to the Knott
left across to Angletarn, Boredale Hause and then Rooking

awesome cheekiness

Silver Point tastyness

Lakeshore is good in both directions, prefer N -> S myself but have been known to do an out and back when on my own (I know a lot of people hate retracing their steps on a ride)

+1 for Freeridenick’s tip. Bloomin’ marvellous bit of cheek! 😀

I love this area of the Lakes – I rode it last night (Martindale, Boredale Hause, Bridleway to Silver Crags and then the lake shore path back north to Martindale).

Lots of fun, although some buggers have smoothed out a part of the trail near the last bridge at the north end. Humph

Nice pics!

@Scuttler, This descent tried to eat me, great fun though!

@Nick, We parked at Hartsop at the base of the Hayeswater climb, looked like a great cheeky on the map between Hayeswater and Boredale Hause going past Angle Tarn. One for next time I’m guessing.

@lowey, I’ve walked this path several times on summers days and it is jam packed with tourists. You’re right, you have to choose a quiet day. We still passed around 20 walkers (some of which were ridiculously rude! but most friendly enough) but I considered this good compared to the droves that you can experience in the height of summer!

Ah summer I’ve missed you…



These trails are made for summer nightriders bathed in late sunshine

Jammy bastard tomaso!

Tomaso 2nd pic gives me goose bumps, done the ullswater loop (patterdale, high st, cockpit, lakeside) route a few times on gorgeous summer days, getting to that point and looking back, knackered but exhilarated…..wow.

All you can eat views!

Roll on late light hazey nights!

Roll on late light hazey nights!

Hmmm i wonder, what time is the last weekday train from windemere to manchester……..

Camp at Brotherswater Inn for good beer and grub

Was thinking more an extended night ride then back for work next day, guess camping out would be an option but I’d get spanked on ticket prices for the morning train

Staying at Brotherswater next weekend to ride this stuff again, cant wait.

Just in case I wanted to be cheeky, how would I get from Boredale Hause to the Knot? Push up the footpath then turn around and ride back down?

Angle Tarn is a lovely spot for a bivi wild camp.

Up from Boredale House and along past Angle Tarn and Satura Crag and keep heading up on the newly surfaced path to the Knot.

Just bookmarking the cheekiness in this thread! 😀