Bowerdale and the calf … worth it ?

Free pass Sunday from housely duties means a M6 North trip, so rather than heading into  the tourist hotspots  would a bash around the Howgills be a plesant change to fighting the masses   in Keswick or around Patterdale . Its a route ive looked at for a few years and never managed due  to timing / weather . Is it worth a punt ?

i for one, love the loop to bits

clockwise from sedbergh, a full rideable ( when i was you and fit ) loop, which if you are lucky is,

A. dry

B. devoid of people

C. with a nice pint halfway round at Ravenstonedale.

can i come…………….  ;o)

It’s very subjective route choice on a mountain bike…

I like big days in the lakes and if I had a choice would opt for a bit of Ullswater BW, Helvellyn and grizledale beck  OR high st down to Angle Tarn but…

I did it once 10 years ago and enjoyed it. Not been back. Worth doing to scratch an itch.

I recall the descent down from Ravenstondale being good. The singletrack off the calf was a a bit dull.

Probably pretty decent at moment, I didn’t find the single track as “flowy” as I’d hoped from pics but then I’m also not very talented!
I don’t recommend it in January in a blizzard….

Thats my thinking . dry .. and something differnt  and a itch scratched as it were .

I like it suffiiently to have done it I dunno five or six times and reasonably recently . It’s a bit old school but then so probably am I. I’ve cleaned all bar one corner of the BW up from sedbergh. The bowderdale descent is more fun when you’re racing mates and I can see why it might not be for everyone. Dropping into the valley is the best bit and you get a proper middle of nowhere feel, The BW back round from Ravenstonedale has some good bits and will be good right now in the dry. A couple of times I’ve carried the bike back up via cautley spout and some singletrack to link to the Calf BW for the long descent back to sedbergh, which is just a fast rollercoaster. Zero tech but plenty fun. It’s quiter than the Lakes but busier than it was and there will be plenty of walkers about going up the calf, which is why I prefer the descent later in the day.

Plenty of ideas here…

https://youtube.com/@lakedistrictrider?si=dtJ1kkg58thqI1Kj

He’s the guy who wrote the Cicerone Dales and Lakes MTB books

Top summer xc ride!

Cross Fell and High Cup Nick for quiet old skool fun. Met one person yesterday (on the descent to Murton). I haven’t been onto the Howgills since September so might head there next week if this weather holds.

It was one of the “must do” rides that folk (mags) kept banging on about in the late noughties, like the Doethie valley. I did both back then and yes, they are nice enough ways to spend a day, the views are lovely and you get that feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, but for me the actual riding was a bit meh. Probably not helped by MrsP managing to snap a tubeless valve clean off her wheel going down Bowderdale – Stans wasn’t fixing that one.

I was hoping for sun dry miles and no but Mountain forecast seems to think otherwise .  A decision will me made Saturday  but like tractor boy from the early 00s   ” i do fancy it “

As others have said, nice day out with lovely views – not the greatest trails though.

XC/trail rather than enduro bikes.

Last September.

I did it on a Merlin Malt1 HT years ago – lost a spoke, broke a couple more. It’s a big day out if you’re not fit. The trout farm tea shop was a great place to refuel. Not sure if Covid killed it though

The classic loop out to Ravenstonedale is definitely worth it if:

1. It is dry (and has been for a week at least).

2. You treat it as a big hill, scenery, remote-feeling ride, rather than a tech fest or man-made trail ride.

3. You treat the homeward leg as a necessary evil after a superb outward leg and lunch/pint in Ravenstonedale.

Put suncream on if sunny. There is pretty much zero shelter on the outward part.

WWI

I’ve posted about this route a few times asking the same question.

I’ve still never done it. Always end up in the lakes instead

The lure of Keswick the Langdales or   Patterdale has always like you said drawn me away from doing it .  I think we will give it a go Sunday .

I went up there a few weeks back.

I would say definitely worth it if you are super fit. But getting up from Sedbergh to the Calf is one hell of a slog. Some great views up there, and very quiet compared to the Lakes.

I plan to go back again when I have an ebike and do a number of the decents that come off the west side of the hills.

I’ve done it a fair few times, in both directions.  I realise that I may be in a minority of one here, but I prefer anti clockwise to get the fast finish down to Sedbergh.  Climbing up Bowderdale is a pain in the arse, IMHO, so I climb up the quad/landrover track above the valley.  There, I said it.

I often do it that way myself – might do next week, in fact, as part of a bigger loop linking in to the Dales at both ends.

I give in. Does this site not like postimages anymore?

you’re missing an exciting pic of exposed singletrack about cautley spout, and of the rollercoaster back to sedbergh.

I have ridden up bowderdale, which i’m unlikely to do again tbh. I’ve also ridden down the quad track on the ridge which was soft and not much fun, likewise not recommended.

What I would sell, if you’re feeling energetic is the carry up cautley spout which is shorter than you’d think  – it’s not the lakes – and in impressive surroundings, meeting the bridleway back to sedbergh at the top of Calder for the blast back down to Sedbergh.

Last try

Johnx2   if you had a gpx id be greatful . Im always up from a shouldering walk up a hill .

I’ve downloaded one from strava (first pick gave me the date which was 2021 to my surprise) but don’t know how to post it. But the route is pretty straightforward:

park in Sedbergh(on the A683 where it goes out of town on the east works), BW up from Lockbank Farm, bypassing Winder on the east and all the way to calf summit. Then NE and drop down the deep rutted descent into bowderdale. Then road to ravenstone dale. Couple of ways to do this but I just like to get it over with. Then after beers (we had three last time but it was my birthday) turn south and road to Adamthwaite and pick up the BW there. (There is a BW the other side of the valley which I’ve walked and would be okay, but I’ve never actually ridden. )

Stay high at Narthwaite and skirt the fell above the river until you get to Cautley Beck which you really can’t miss, and ride the footpath up to cautley spout. Shoulder the bike up the side of the falls and follow the path above Red Gill Beck (first photo). This rides in places. The I cross the beck and cross country ot the top of Great Dummacks, and an improving path and fence hop to top of Calders. You may find a better way to pick up the BW back down but that’s what I’ve done. Then rather than fully retrace steps I’ve always been to the top of Winder for a steeper descent down the front. Multiple lines available…

Perfect thanks   My gpx and os are set  ..

Was thinking about redoing this last weekend*. Done it 2 or 3 times but a looong time ago now. Mammoth but rideable climb followed by long (not very exciting tbh) singletrack, I actually prefer the return leg. Let us know how you get on.

*Instead friend took us on a new-to-me dales ride, which strava then told me Id already done most of it 8yrs ago, probably with ppl from here. Was nice!

If the weather holds  I will be there but it now looks like its going to P it down on Sunday .. I will watch with baited breath

I actually prefer the return leg.

A pedal largely on the flat, punctuated by about a hundred gates?

It takes all sort, I guess.

The drop to Narthwaite is the only entertaining bit of the return leg, IMO.

The drop to Narthwaite is the only entertaining bit of the return leg, IMO.

Gnarthwaite. Agreed if you’re riding solo the gates are an utter pain, but easily avoided by the simple expedient of carrying your bike back up the Calf via Cautley Spout…

looks like its going to P it down on Sunday

And I thought I was a fair weather cyclist! I’d call that chance of a bit of rain. It’s lakes type riding under the wheels and will be fine. Bowderdale might be slightly splashy in places but will take weeks to go soft. Pic from Aug ’21, top of the calf, and a v fun ride in the pissing rain… Get it done and then come back and say how shite it was

Get it done and then come back and say how shite it was

It’s like a rite of passage, you’re not supposed to enjoy it but afterwards can bask in the glory of having done it. For added points make it hard on yourself, single speed HT will elevate your efforts to the MTB Pantheon

I think you mis-understand im hoping for clear skys and views for miles  , Not worse than putting the effort in and getting a view no further than tha brake levers

After ride report … Well….

So the singletrack from the Calf to Bowerdale for me was like A long Rigg beck without the flow and in Spring , extremely wet in places  still  but ok to tick it off . A real all in trail  as once you drop in and start there no real turning back until you are down.  At this point it then as described becomes the battle of the gates only broken up by the climb up to Adamthwaite .  The little play in the wood at sheepfold was about the highlight of the return leg .. that and maybe the 15 minute chat with the lady farm holder at Narnthwaite . At this point I should have just hit the road back into Sedbergh  rather than the stealth rock fern and prickle run off the side of Cautley.    Ticked off and with regret easily forgotten .

@stecedoc From the calf did you drop down to bowderdale beck (as per the bridleway) or stay on the ridge.

IMO the ridge is a far better run. I’ve never done the loop, just a there and back to get all the best of both downhills. A great day out. For the win start at the north end for lunch in Sedbergh

Ticked off and with regret easily forgotten .

Ok, Watching With slightly less Interest now. That seemed to be pretty much what lost people say

Ok, Watching With slightly less Interest now. That seemed to be pretty much what lost people say

Yep, one of the old skool “classic XC” rides but – a bit like Doctor’s Gate – one of those rides you do once to tick off, a second time cos you’re sure it could / should be better and then you discover it isn’t and you just go up to the Lakes instead!

That seemed to be pretty much what lost people say

Bloody autocorrect

That seemed to be pretty much what most people say!!!

I loved Dr’s Gate the first couple of times I did it. Sucked the third time though. Boggy doesn’t come close

Haha. Thanks for the post ride update. Always good to scratch an itch. Now you know.

What’s next @stevedoc?

@Madbill  i dropped down to the ridge and followed the beck  .. it was ok in parts but became tedious after a while , just using to much energy trying to make progress .   I think its a defo once and gone, glad I did it  but ….

@Mrchrist   no idea  just Saddleworth for the next couple of weeks   . maybe  a few days with Freeride the week after  when im in Funchal  after that look at some stuff around Grinton

So I’ve still yet to persuade anyone to carry up Cautley to dodge the gates… 

15 minute chat with the lady farm holder at Narnthwaite

Ha, I’ve been caught there too, and once by the old farmer when I had to push through a flock in the farmyard. I’m now tempted to give it a go next weekend if I’ve not got my FS back.

Nice. @stevedoc. I was asking what was you next itch ride will be.

I too the train to Kirkby Stephens a few weeks ago and cycled back to Ilkley to scratch an itch. Won’t be doing that again. 120k and 2400m.of vert. Was a bit dull in the middle.

Not sure what mine is. Probs dalehead or warn scales in the lakes.