First trip to the Lakes

Evening all,

Up Friday night at the end of June and have (loose) plans for a full day Saturday – Hawkshead Hilltop – and half day Sunday – Walna Scar.

Would welcome suggestions for the perfect Lakes intro.

How techie do you like it?

How any hohenmeter do you want to do on a normal ride?

What’s your view on carrying your bike?

Do you like techie challenging climbs?

What’s your position on riding ‘future bridleways’?

That would help us narrow it down. Grisedale bridleways would be a good place to start. ( Which I presume is what Hawkshead Hilltop is)

If you want easier then Loughrigg.

If you want lungbusting then Stevenson Ground & Walna.

If you want some great challenging climbs then Coniston tour ( the lake, rather than the village)

If you’re a descending god then Coniston Old Man

If you like techie out there then Nan Bield from either the east or west side (not the 3 passes as Gatesgarth is shit)

Want legal gnarr and are fit then Helvellyn Sticks West, Sticks East, Keppel, Birkside.

Legal gnarr and not so fit…. sticks and Birkside only.

If it’s due a drought and you fancy some gnarr and pissing off some ramblears then Fairfield Horseshoe.

If you want an amazing pass followed by a shit pass then Langdale, Esk Hause, Styhead Tarn, Borrowdale, Langstrath, Stake Pass, Langdale ( don’t, it’s not that good)

I’ve assumed you are staying in the south lakes so haven’t included any of the Ullswater or Borrowdale based awesomeness

Wilfs cafe in Staveley for veggie chilli 👌🏻

PS. Obviously I don’t know which Walna route you are planning on, nor what Hawkshead Hilltop actually is….. but if I were taking a group on a half day and a full day then I’d defo be treating Walna as the full day and then having more extension/ shortcut options around Hawkshead ( apologies if you’re fit as ‘ck in which case it’s not an issue)

Had a quick look at Hawkshead Hilltop on pedalnorth. It’s…not great. The first descent on it, down to Colthouse, has apparently been totally trashed by forestry work, and I don’t know if it’s recovering yet. The whole out-to-coniston-and-back bit is OK, but a bit too much ‘mixed use cycleway’ and road. The climb back up into Grizedale is much better as a descent, although the descent back to the visitor centre is good. The rest over to Cunsey is OK.

Have a look at this instead: https://lakesmtb.co.uk/routes/parkamoor/  similar area/distance/elevation, but more bang for your buck.

Also, even though the Walna Scar route is half the distance, it will probably take twice as long, and should be the ‘full day’ ride. This is the best version: https://lakesmtb.co.uk/routes/wanna-scar-long/  You can add in some extra bits as well if you fancy.

Morning all,

Quick thank you for your responses, just what I was looking for.

Nothing ruled out other than the chances of ever been viewed a God at anything.

Off out now with an afternoon to ponder. Will be back to pick your brains, no doubt. Thanks again.

The first descent on it, down to Colthouse, has apparently been totally trashed by forestry work, and I don’t know if it’s recovering yet.

Not been back down it yet, because sadly I think it will take years to recover and never be the same. Was one of my favourite trails. Sadly, now totally avoid.

Have a look at this instead: https://lakesmtb.co.uk/routes/parkamoor/ similar area/distance/elevation, but more bang for your buck.

@martinhutch can you check the route description against the map for me please ? The map shows the route going down Parkamoor 4×4 track but the description has it going down Grandpa, thingy and the dentist ( or 3 witches) to Satterthwaite

Weird

From my limited experience in the lakes ’how do you like carrying your bike’ is a very good question.

Edit- followed by ‘do you cry easily in public’.

I walk a fair bit round torver to avoid the crowds in the towns.  The forestry roads off the walna scar road toward Broughton Mills are deserted, flattish and well made.  I was walking one of them 2 weeks ago thinking what a fab place to ride, when appeared the other way a group of c10 mountain bikers.

Access from South is from the Broughton Torver Road, follow quarry sign.

South of above is torver common and ditto, no-one there.

can you check the route description against the map for me please ? The map shows the route going down Parkamoor 4×4 track but the description has it going down Grandpa, thingy and the dentist ( or 3 witches) to Satterthwaite

Indeed it does. Just looked at the map rather than read the text. Either is good though, 3 witches instead might be a good option to make sure it fits nicely into a half-dayer.

 The forestry roads off the walna scar road toward Broughton Mills are deserted, flattish and well made.

The route from MTB Lakes leaves the the fire roads in Broughton Forest in a couple of places to give you a couple of far more interesting sections. Neither BW is currently signposted though, and one of the sections has been felled, so you need to keep an eye out for the entrances. Rode them last weekend, both in decent nick now after the storm damage of a couple of years ago.

If you want to add some extra quality to the Walna Scar ride, turn right and climb the final fire road before you meet the road leading to Stephenson Ground. Shortly after Natty Bridge, turn left and follow the BW down the opposite side of the valley to rejoin the route.

That’s a nice diversion, there’s a cafe in torver signposted from the road, undercrag on map.  Only open Thursday to Saturday and veggie.

Whole area is fab, good mountain views without the crowds.