I want to descend Birk Side. Should I push up Birk Side or attempt to ride up Little Tongue and Dollywaggon?

Any idea how long each climb would take for an average rider?

Thanks

I did it in Oct by going up Sticks Pass from the west. It took 4 hrs, but that was going down Seldom Seen into Glenridding, so straight over the summit should save at least an hour.
45 mins up Sticks, but I was in a hurry – 1hr if more leisurely? A fair bit of it is rideable.
Don’t push up Birkside – although it would let you see what you were going to descend…….
Don’t forget the road is shut – I’m not sure how far along the lake you can get.

If you were coming from the grasmere side you’d be as well parking in grasmere and carrying up little tongue 1hr – 1.5hr of searing calf pain I reckon.

I am going in March so hopefully road will be open then 🙂

I will be riding to/from Borrowdale so up and down Birk Side is the most direct.

I am going in March so hopefully road will be open then

Very doubtful

I will be riding to/from Borrowdale so up and down Birk Side is the most direct.

Deffo go for Sticks then – from the junction at St Johns in the Vale – better to ride up/along the ridge and over the summit than along tarmac then up and down the same way, returning along tarmac?