Inspiration required… 10 best "natural" decents in the Lakes & Scotland

@still tortoise, being a distinctly average rider I’d have to agree, last we did it there was a couple going S-N the feminine half of which did not look amused!

Not tech in the slightest, but the bridleway off Great Sca Fell is brilliant fun. Longest (legal)downhill in the county… 😯
As part of an extreme edition of the Skiddaw figure of 8 ,its a brilliant day out. Best done in dry conditions as there is a bit of hike a bike/bog trot , I prefer to go up via the Lingy hut (mostly rideable to there), other routes available.
Gavgas or lowey off this parish had a brilliant blog about it some years back….

Cheers Munrobiker – the missus likes hillwalking but most of the stuff we’ve done are the kind of “hike up / ride back down” routes I mentioned so never really went back with the bike – I did the Cobbler/Ben Arthur a while back though, enjoyed that but much prefer a (mostly) rideable loop.
J

No problem, let me know if you want some route guides but most have fairly standard routes on strava.

Someone said Hall’s fell off Blencathra? Bloody hell, that takes some skill/bottle! Great yeeha north off Blencathra over atkinson pike to Mungrisdale common then right at the col down the glenderamackin. Little push up then more hilarity down from Mousethwaite Combe to scales.

Also,
Rossett Gill doesn’t lead to Seatoller

Was thinking the same about halls fell myself..good without the bike!I’d like to witness some of these descent’s being claimed..dab central I reckon.

Not quite in the Lakes but little Dunfell (at the high point on the Pennines) to Blencarn is a 3 mile descent with no gates,and now is the time to do it before the bracken gets high and its pretty dry here too.

Theres a handy road onto Great Dunfell

TomB- Blencathra from the top, along the ridge to the east then down the zig zags that you can see on Google Earth to Scales Tarn and round to Mousethwaite Combe. That’s a good ‘un.

Dunno about Hall’s Fell. May have to have a go at it to see.

Mole – not all of them are 100% rideable but certainly the ones mentioned on this thread that I know of are 95% rideable and the bits inbetween are so good they far outweigh the small amount of pushing.

Not seen it mentioned here, but I’d put Beinn Fhada (Kintail) in my top 10 – and I’ve ridden many of the above…

I think this is the longest (in terms of height loss) rideable singletrack descent in the UK. About 1015m of descent entirely on single track and I think 100% rideable although I didn’t clean it all on the day.

edit – some maintain Ben Nevis is 100% rideable but I think that only applies to 0.01% of the biking population!

munrobiker – without sounding like a stalker, I don’t suppose you’re on Instagram? Your pictures are bloody ace!

Coire Leachavie, Gleann na Sguaib and the descent from the Bealach Duibh Leac are all good and a little off the beaten track. The descent from Coire Mhic Fhearchair to Glen Torridon is superb but pretty hard.

fathomer- I am but sadly I’ve not taken any mountain pics since I got it in November. You’re better off waiting for my “Year in Mountains” threads-

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2015-a-year-in-mountains

All the albums are on google photos and public.

little Dunfell (at the high point on the Pennines) to Blencarn

I assume you mean down Wildboar Scar? That is a blinder.

There’s a cracking way down from the Silverband Mine that we used in the North Pennines MTB Marathon the other year, not on the bridleway. Follow the route of the aerial tramway pylons, then swing north to go through the bridleway gate. Once through follow the sheeptrack alongside the broken wall to join the track at the junction of Eller Gill and Crowdundle Beck. Misses out the boggy section on Red Carle. I have it on gpx if anyone wants it.

All these look great, but do any of them allow you to ride up them? I cannot abide hike-a-biking and find it completely ruins the experience no matter how good the descent is at the end of it. I don’t mind a little walking/carrying but it should be a minority of the time.

munrobiker – Member
fathomer- I am but sadly I’ve not taken any mountain pics since I got it in November. You’re better off waiting for my “Year in Mountains” threads-

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2015-a-year-in-mountains

All the albums are on google photos and public.

Ah, fair enough. Seen all the threads, some of the best visually on here!

All these look great, but do any of them allow you to ride up them? I cannot abide hike-a-biking and find it completely ruins the experience no matter how good the descent is at the end of it. I don’t mind a little walking/carrying but it should be a minority of the time.

Then my friend, you must reconcile yourself to never riding the best descents in Scotland. I can’t really speak for the lakes.

Spin +1000000

The best descent in the UK require some testicular fortitude, carrying, and sometimes even a bit of scrambling.

I love being in the mountains, so it doesn’t bother me whether I’m pedalling or carrying. To be honest, If I couldn’t mountain bike, I’d spend my time in the hills on foot, not road biking.

you must reconcile yourself to never riding the best descents in Scotlan

Indeed, it’s the main reason I hardly ever ride in the lakes despite them being on the doorstep. Never been able to get my head round going for a walk with my bike, especially if I have to carry the damn thing.

Lakes descents without hike a bike are tricky- Skiddaw is rideable to the summit if you’re fit enough (I’m not!). You can ride to the top of Wharnscale descent via honister, and can use the whinlatter south climb to gain a lot of height on Grisedale Pike, so you only have to carry the top steep section.

Dazh you have my sympathy. I adore the Lakes and have had some fantastic days riding, climbing and walking there, but hike-a-bike is possibly my least favourite outdoor activity. I think I was having a bit of an off-day, but my recent hike up Nan BIeld was not rewarded with the top quality descent I hoped for.

I confess I’ve been lucky enough to do some awesome riding in Spain that may have made me a bit spoilt when it comes to quality descents without the hike-a-bike 😀

Dazh: the descents shown above are on tracks/trails that came in to being long before bikes were even invented. Even the bridleway designation appeared decades before the first mountain bike. So the fact that a modern MTB can negotiate most of them is a happy coincidence, for other, similar, tracks to be capable of being ridden uphill would be frankly amazing.

There is going to be some hard work in the mountains wherever you go. My worst HaB was on the Glen Golly loop out of the Scottish Wild Trails (vol 1) book – a couple of hours hiking, carrying, pushing over peat hags to get to a washed out descent that lasted about ten minutes (even for me mincing down).

All these look great, but do any of them allow you to ride up them?

The classic Torridon loop (as opposed to the lollipop) actually has a minimal amount of hike-a-bike and pushing up.

Erm, that’s it from me though.

I cannot abide hike-a-biking and find it completely ruins the experience no matter how good the descent is at the end of it.

See that smile? I know what’s coming 🙂

*like*

I cannot abide hike-a-biking and find it completely ruins the experience no matter how good the descent is at the end of it.

With that statement you have just excluded some of the finest riding in the UK. A ride without practising the Noble art of bike portage is not a proper day out.

I’ll be doing shitloads of it tomorrow up a big lakes hill. Expect pictures of a happy smiling biker just like Bandito to follow.

Dazh

Have you considered taking up golf instead? 😀

I’m afraid if you don’t like hike a bikes, you really are going to miss out on the best descents unfortunately.

Moving to somewhere with lifts may be the better option! Ha! Ha!

I find I really enjoy hike a bikes as they allow me to take in my surroundings more with the bonus of a fun descent or high level traverse to look forward to. It’s definitely a mindset you either have or don’t, I guess.

Cheers

Sanny

I know what’s coming

I should add, in this case we turned around and the results are here:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/inspiration-required-10-best-natural-decents-in-the-lakes-scotland#post-7695346

I’m afraid if you don’t like hike a bikes, you really are going to miss out on the best descents unfortunately.

Yes, quite aware of that. One of the main attractions of mountain biking for me is being able to access remote areas and cover more ground than you couldn’t do on foot. If all you’re doing is taking your bike for a walk to access a descent then I’d rather go somewhere else where I can ride both up and down even if the descents aren’t as good. I’ve done an awful lot of walking and climbing in the mountains and dragging a bike along spoils the experience somewhat.

It’s definitely a mindset you either have or don’t, I guess.

Yup, something I’ve never achieved despite many attempts 🙁

Anyone kind enough to offer route advice, what to expect, etc. in regards to riding Angle Tarn?

I thought I’d read you go up through Hartsop and climb/hike to The Knott, then traverse across to Angle Tarn then down to Glenridding keeping the higher track line?

Then round Ullswater and back up through Boredale before descending Boredale Hause again.

If we’ve got any legs left we’re going up to Keppel Cove and down Sticks but rather than the Quarry is there another worthy option? I thought I’d read Glencoyne further up this thread.

I’ve ridden Ullswater and Sticks before but both the usual routes, down through the quarry for Sticks and Bedafell to Martindale for Ullswater respectively.

Not tech in the slightest, but the bridleway off Great Sca Fell is brilliant fun. Longest (legal)downhill in the county…
As part of an extreme edition of the Skiddaw figure of 8 ,its a brilliant day out. Best done in dry conditions as there is a bit of hike a bike/bog trot , I prefer to go up via the Lingy hut (mostly rideable to there), other routes available.
Gavgas or lowey off this parish had a brilliant blog about it some years back….

You;ve got a bloody good Memory Senior J. Was a cracking day.

Skiddaw win!

Have to say I pretty much agree with this. I will very occasionally give in to try a specific descent but I’d rather be pedalling all day than pushing or carrying a bike. If I want a good walk/climb in the mountains then I tend to leave the bike behind.

Kingofbiscuits- that route you describe is a peach. Lovely singletrack along satura crag to angle tarn, and a cracking descent down from boredale hause as well. Good reward for a very small climb.

it really depends if the descent justifies the hike a bike IMHO

If we’ve got any legs left we’re going up to Keppel Cove and down Sticks but rather than the Quarry is there another worthy option? I thought I’d read Glencoyne further up this thread.

you can break left at the quarry and descent seldom seen- FOOTPATH- – it was ok but cannot be brilliant as i cannot remember it in much detail

Not done the quarry though so I cannot compare

Re the hike-a-bike: The Southern ‘Gorms (so the hills between Deeside and the Angus glens)are some of my favourites. There are several ridable climbs up onto the high plateau and some great descents (Kilbo obviously). I have been down the mentally steep stalkers path down the north face of Monega Hill (I have pics but am struggling to post pictures on here…have no problem on other forums!! I was on my bike most of the way down but “riding it all” would be stretching it a little!
An Socach (Glen Shee)is a partial push up then along the ridge to Sgor Mor and the steep singletrack descent to Baddoch on the A93.
Sgurr Ban in Fisherfield is amazing ridden as a loop from Loch Bhraoin to Loch Nid, push up the slabs to 800m, walk to the summit then ride the stunning mile of perfect bedrock back to the base (gets pretty tech lower down with one 6ft drop I didn’t fancy); loop continues to the Sheneval landy track and Dundonnel. Road back to start.
IfI could post pics I would! 🙁

Seldom Seen was a great trail, still is, but I got a tad peed off riding it on monday as the top section has had rock bags dropped off all over it, looks like its going to become another ruined trail by the LDNP. I’d love to know why they insist on this, not like its a super busy path!
Some great photos and info in this thread though – think its time for a mission up Skiddaw and down Ullock tomorrow 😀

If all you’re doing is taking your bike for a walk to access a descent then I’d rather go somewhere else where I can ride both up and down even if the descents aren’t as good. I’ve done an awful lot of walking and climbing in the mountains and dragging a bike along spoils the experience somewhat.

Yep, I’m another with that opinion. Have done it a few times, more so when I was young and thought that mountain biking had to involve mountains, but have come to the conclusion that I prefer riding to pushing or carrying ! And there’s always the fear that when you’ve done all that work, you’ll find you can’t do the descent (maybe that just me and my incompetence/fear). One hike that was worthwhile (and legal) was High Street – the descent (to the north) isn’t that technical, but it is long and you get fantastic views along the ridge.

Rewinding back a couple of pages here – has anyone looked at Beinn Fhada, and actually ridden from the top i.e. on the faint footpath that comes across from Meall a Fhuarain Mhoir heading E towards Beinn Fhada, then heads down into Coire an Sgairne before joining up the track which is described nicely by Stace and Sanny (I think) earlier.

I only know the lakes…

Low
Parkamoor
The Fox
Breasty Haw
Seven Sisters (All in Grizedale)
Nan Bield either way!
Colthouse (Claife)

Can someone tell me which is Seven Sisters ?

And I don’t think I’ve done all the BWs at Claife apart from Colthouse, so thanks for that tip !

Having been up nan bield this weekend I can’t say I can see what the fuss is about.
Heading south to North if you’ve got the skills/guts good luck to you and enjoy it but dragging my self & bike up that I had no urge to play dodge the ramblers and ride down it and would expect more carry than ride to little water. Would have been rideable from there assuming you don’t have a rear mech.

Heading north/south the descent (IMHO) was definitely not worth the hike/carry up. I was having a complete mince/mare of a day but even then it was a section of loose switchbacks which were a bit precarious on an xl 29er (I should point out loose rock of the poured-down-to-prevent-erosion-kind is about my least favourite riding) followed by a big long section of fairly dull “single” track with a single comedy drop off and a rock roll.

Helvellyn and down dollywaggon was a much better ride.

Of course YMMV.

Lochnagar summit is at least 95% rideable in dry conditions going up from Braemar, if you take the clockwise’@’ approach-

Braemar, Invercauld, Balochbuie forest to Connachat cottage, bypass Gelder Shiel and climb to the pass at 700m. South to Glas Allt, then NW to summit. For me, the better descent of here is to go west across the White Mounth, skirt clockwise around Carn an t’Sagairt Mor then descend to Callater, which is an absolute peach of a trail with a great variety of features and challenges.
Mind though, it does have to be properly dry to be able to ride that southern section towards Glas Allt. Which it is at present… The climb that follows up the burnside is way more rideable than you might expect, with only short staircase sections disrupting progress.

Thanks for the other inspirations guys- I’ve not ridden in Kintail but will be there anyway later in the year, so may try to check out Fhada. Sgorr Gaoith is another personal favourite, especially the stalkers path on the W side where 830 vertical meters of singletrack are available straight off the summit.. just go south to the first bealach, then curve W, NW and follow your nose down the path on the ridge.