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Just came back from doing the Borrowdale loop (Stake Pass, Rosset Pike) . Can't beat the scenery, outstanding, but this was not a great descent. I was planning Four Passes tomorrow but i suspect it will be the same challenging ride (lot of pushing/lifting going down). Are there anything more flowy in the same area? I'm based in Seatoller. Thanks for any pointer!
Probably just head up to Whinlatter trail centre.
Four passes is defo a fair bit of hike-a-bike. Although forecast tomorrow looks awesome up here!!!
The classic Borrowdale bash is always good fun and has minimal hike-a-bike. The section from Honister to Grange is probably the best bit so if you're not feeling it it's easy enough to bail and head to Whinlatter.
That’s a pretty exposed loop for a cold weekend in March! I’d be sticking to the Borrowdale bash loop, incorporating Walla Crag and Watendlath descents, both nice and flowy. You could always add the bridlepath descent from the slate mines down to Buttermere. Not as flowy, but a typical lakes rocky hoon. Quite a few options in and around Catbells area, but not too familiar with that but.
Stake Pass, Rosset Pike) . ... but this was not a great descent
Hmm, surprised by this. The Stake Pass descent is indeed a bit rubbish and definitely doesn't warrant the hellish HaB up Rosset. However I maintain that the descent from Esk Hause to Stockley Bridge is amazing, one of the best in the country ( or at least of the legal ones)
Fair enough the bit by the outflow of the tarn ( Styhead?) isn't great. Hard to find the path and a fair bit of walking.
But the lower section where is traverses across the stream on big slabs and then the bends through the wall to the bridge are utter heaven.
And the bits above Styhead are great too.
Can you confirm which bits you liked and which bits you rode/ walked as it makes recommendations more accurate.
Regards 4 passes, IMHO the first one is the hardest, though that may just have been because it is the first. If you didn't like Styhead then I'd disagree with paino's suggestion to do the first Pass down to Buttermere. You won't like that either.
The second Pass is a bit easier, but has an annoying fence alongside.
The third Pass is just heaven ( Black Sail). Its a lot easier than Styhead, but phenomenal. Last time I was in Eskdake I wandered up it just to come straight back down.
Them the fourth Pass is of course the one you've already done.
So ....
You'd get one easier brilliant one, one much harder and still brilliant one, and one easier but not as brilliant one. ( pluses the one you've already done)
TBH I think 4 passes is a much better ride that Stake/Rosset,
< edit just to say that you could do with being more precise about what loop you did. " Borrowdale Loop" is a rubbish route name. Where exactly did you go,?>
I agree with the Bash recommendations TBH. There's a reason it's a classic, and now the Walla Crag bit is fully legit then there's no reason not to ( apart from perhaps recent rain?)
https://strava.app.link/McLGCNdquyb
That's what I did , clockwise. Looking at the map, the bit above Sty Head was good, I agree!
Thanks for all your replies, sounds like Borrowdale Bash is a good contender!
Ah OK, that's what I thought. That's the way I went, and I think the STW route went. God knows how they thought it's a classic, the bit into langdale and back out is pants.
Next time out I traversed along to Angle from the top of Stake...
https://strava.app.link/AJnIaYoruyb
But TBH I think the Langstrath bit isn't that great anymore so when i go up Esk Pike later this year I'm going to go up Grains Gill I reckon.
Enjoy the Bash, but for the avoidance of doubt, make sure you do the Walla Crag bit from near Castlerigg Stone Circle.
Another vote for the Bash. There is some nice riding around the back of Skiddaw too.
Being local-ish the Bash is my go to.
Although tomorrow I'm probably go for a plain and simple up and down Skiddaw, not done it for years and is purely a flat out decent. Shouldn't take too long either.
This isn't a dig at you Gilles, more an observation, Lakes riding isn't for everyone. I wouldn't want to spend every weekend carrying my bike up (and sometimes down) the hills up there but I definitely find it rewarding when I do, especially when the wind is high or its covered in snow.
We've done the 4 passes twice, even though the first time we said never again. And I'm sure I'll do it again at some point, if only for Wharnscale!
My riding is normally Caldertech, Wharncliffe, Win Hill stuff or longer trail rides but I love the pain of a Lakeland hikabike. Enough, in fact, to have entered this years Jennride with my favourite pain lover, Simon of this parish 🙂
Why is Stake pass regarded as a rubbish descent?
It's just some quite steep but very boring switchbacks. Sharp turns, no bermage and hard to find flow I would expect. I've never been down it but been up it several times.
Esk Hauser, sty head, stockley bridge is absolutely awesome
With tomorrow’s forecast I’d want to get up high, so from Seatoller I would spin up the road to the top of honister (largely off road alternative reversing the bash). Then push up relatively easily to Dale Head summit then either across to Hindscarth to descend to little town and return over hause gate, or shorter, descend to dale head tarn then enjoy the high ridge of high spy and maiden moor and hause gate descent towards grange.
Seeing as Gilles initial complaint was that stake pass/esk hause etc was not enjoyable, the last thing I’d suggest is hindscarth. Maiden moor isn’t a bad shout though
It’s just some quite steep but very boring switchbacks.
My mistake. I was confusing it with Langdale Coombe.
It’s just some quite steep but very boring switchbacks. Sharp turns, no bermage and hard to find flow I would expect.
Hmmm. The Borrowdale side is indeed full of the most beautiful ( from an architectural PoV) but pretty much unrideable switchbacks. It would be very satisfying if you were very good at Endo turns, but I ended up dismounting loads.
It's a pretty crap descent, and good thing too, as the beautifully built switchbacks would have been completely trashed by now if they were actually doable.
But that's not what people refer to when they ( me and others I know) say the Stake Pass descent isn't that great. They mean the southern descent into Langdale. The bottom bit ( half?) is fine but the top half just seems to have an infinite number of awkwardly placed boulders partially blocking the rut at key points. You get going and then immediately there's a mech breaker, so you dismount, then ride, then dismount, etc etc etc.
Would be keen to know if my view applies to punters only. @justinbieber do you like either descent off Stake?
but the top half just seems to have an infinite number of awkwardly placed boulders
Probably why I like it.
@Thegeneralist - I've never ridden it down to Langstrath as the first time I climbed up it, I realised it'll never be worth it. As you say, just flat, tight switchbacks. Down into Langdale is ok, but not amazing. Everyone else has already described it well enough - awkward boulders and awkward water bars. You need to have a high disregard for your mech to give bits a proper go. The very top section of singletrack is nice though, the views are stunning, and it's preferable to staying high and cutting across to the top of Rossett Pike
I've only done Stake Pass down to Langdale once, but remember quite enjoying it. Did batter my rear mech though... (I was finishing in Langdale so all good)
I've also done the cut across from top of Stake to Angle Tarn and thought that was rubbish. I'd rather at least get the Stake Pass descent and the good physical challenge of HAB up Rossett. Next time I'll try Grains Gill.
Esk Hause/Styhead/Seatoller is, IMO, one of the great bits of UK mountain biking, and I wish every built trail was like Styhead - proper techniflow stuff with the enormous bedrock chunks at the bottom. If I do the Bash, I tend to push up to Styhead juts to ride back down again.
This isn’t a dig at you Gilles, more an observation, Lakes riding isn’t for everyone. I wouldn’t want to spend every weekend carrying my bike up (and sometimes down) the hills up there but I definitely find it rewarding when I do, especially when the wind is high or its covered in snow.
This is fair. I tend to treat it as MOUNTAIN biking rather than mountain BIKING. On the right day, I'd put high lakes riding up against anything else I've ridden. On the wrong one, you just want to be anywhere else.
4 passes is fine, so long as you take ^^^ into account. Honister and up through the mines is the only (vaguely) rideable ascent; Wharnscale is a bit lairy in places; Scarth Gap is "meh" (next time I'll try Red Pike/High Stile); Black Sail to Wasdale and (as above) Sty Head are both lovely.
I wish every built trail was like Styhead – proper techniflow stuff
This is something that took me a while to understand and it is very significant for UK biking.
The reason that descent is so good is that the bridleway is engineered with loads of bends, whereas normal lakes bridleways just get bugger and bigger steps as they get steeper ( I'll leave that autocorrect in, as it seems apt)
The bends make it lovely and interesting and engaging ( like tree skiing versus piste skiing) and you get the benefit that the gradient is lower and hence less steps.
It would be amazing if some of the other bridleways were repaired like this one, instead of just chucking in bigger and bigger steps. But alas it won't happen
with the enormous bedrock chunks at the bottom
Am I allowed to post a gratuitous pic of that bit?
🙂
Love it 🙂
Given your comments on the loop you did, I'd also recommend TomB's route up to Dale Head. Do NOT go down Hindsgarth and Scope end though. You'll never come to the lakes ever again. Do Dale head - Dale head Tarn - High Spy - Maiden Moor to Hause gate. Do not take the bridleway down to Manesty though, take the path to the left of Catbells, This one.Its a lovely fast spin to Skelgill, then head back along the Bridelway traversing Catbells. Push up past Castle crag and then descend into Seatoller.
Ride report please! Beautiful day in the lakes, hope you made the most of it….
Well, Monday was the only gorgeous day of the week so i've decided to do the Four Passes loop. i didn't want to regret it and thinking i should have done it, and it was hard but the views were just fantastic. i think i'm getting used to the singletracks around here as i'm starting to enjoy the technical descents!!!! I'm planning the Bash via Maiden moor and that track mentioned by lowey as soon as i got a better day. Today is rest day as shoulder a bit sore carrying the bike on my back. i will be interested to know if anybody tried those loops on an e-bike - this does look impossible if you have to push/carry your bike.
Can I put up my hand and says that I actually really enjoy the Stake Pass switchback descent? Having ridden the switchbacks that proliferate around Verbier many times and always enjoyed the daftness of them, Stake Pass is right up my slow speed hoppy street. I can see why folk hate them though - riding a loop for the mag, Tristan who I was riding with had a bit of a mare on them.
Oh and for Borrowdale, the footpath that runs along the stream to Watendlath is far superior to the road.
Cheers
Sanny
@Sanny - I guess no matter how good it might be, one of the reasons I've never ridden it is that if I find myself at the bottom of Stake Pass (Langdale side), I've either just come down it, or I've just come up Langdale and the options are up and down Stake into Langstrath, or up Rosset and onto Esk Hause. Which is the infinitely better option IMO
The article was in issue 126
cant beat a clockwise borrowdale bash around there for fun, the added descent down falcon crag from walla crag is excellent.
i quite enjoyed stake pass to langdale, struggled on some bits, rode more than i expected.
what about Rigg Beck thats a nice flowy descent. and good steady climb up, start from buttermere, that was alright, i wouldnt recommend braithwaite to grisdale pike. [on the hottest day of 21]
bit of a hijack. staying in great langdale (NT site) for a couple of nights this weekend. weather looks shite but any good short loops or out/backs from the valley. I'd rather not drive anywhere.
Well everyday is a school day innit? When people mentioned the Borrowdale Loop i always assumed they were referring to the Bash. Know i know its two totally different rides.
Anywhere else in the UK with a similar array of switchbacks?
Anyone else interested in trecking up there to practice?
@blackflag - I don't think I'd refer to the ride the OP mentioned as The Borrowdale Loop. Yes, it's technically A Borrowdale Loop, and in the Borrowdale parish for most of the ride, but only a very short section is in the Borrowdale valley itself. Tour de Esk Hause maybe?
[removes anorak and disengages pendant mode]
@anorak - absolutely. I'm keen to get much more Lakes riding done this year.
@jam-bo https://lakesmtb.co.uk/routes/loughrigg-fell/ used to be a reasonable route but it's been a few years since I rode it and the Tilberthwiate to Little Langdale section was sanitised a few years ago but may have recovered.
