Up in the lakes this coming weekend for a lads weekend. Staying at Lowick Bridge . I’ve got Friday afternoon in advance of others getting there. Weather isn’t looking great so nothing high level.

Looks like MTB up to Grizedale maybe easiest, and north face trail … if it still exists? Or would a just be better chucking in the winter road/CX bike ?

Thanks

Good bridleways over blawith to torver, woodland and beyond from the door… it keeps quite low so always ridable… some of the single track there is excellent… or alternatively ride up from Nibthwaite Grange over to Ickenthwaite then to Satterthwaite (second) bridleway into Grizedale and down Parkamoor, back home.. leave the NorthFace its average…

The Parkamoor descent will drop you off not far from Lowick Bridge (or my house, not that I have ever got around to riding Parkamoor, but only because I have been broken for years or it has been sheet ice when I have been that way!)

North Face is still there and I think not as bad as it’s press suggests. Suggestion above sounds pretty good though! Should get you ready for a pint at the Red Lion too 🙂

More MTB than you can shake a stick at, lad. As above get into grizedale, you can use the north Face to link up the bridleways and enduro tracks, there’s a full day and more excellent riding in the forest. Or you do a lap of the lake start as above but head towards brantwood, up to Tarn Hows and back down the permissive bway to coniston (pint) and either up the e
Walna scar road and down tranearth (or along the lake shore easy option) to torver (pint), over toward beacon Tarn (minor cheeky required) and back to lowick (pint)

It’s a good spot. I’d second heading over from Blawith over Woodland Fell to Green Moor, then over the Knott and up to Torver. You can pick up the ‘tour of coniston’ route and loop around via Walna Scar, tilberthwaite and Oxen Fell to Grizedale High Cross, then finish up with Parkamoor Nibthwaite.

Thanks I will have a look. Any gpx would be helpful, however happy map reading so long as it’s fairly predictable and not having to get map out every 2 mins ?

This is the basic tour of Coniston which you could start at Blawith.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2724847056#68077677789

You can make it better by turning left at the Car Park where the tarmac starts on Walna Scar, climbing up to Crowberry Haws on a big track then turning onto a footpath which descends on the S side of Church Beck to Coniston. If you’ve got time, you can break up the long fire road drag from High Cross to Parkamoor with a descent to the visitor centre and back up via the first bit of the north face route. The descent is basically this segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/7170876?filter=overall, starts close to a crossroads on the fire road drag.

We’ll be staying in this area at Easter, so these suggestions are useful – thanks!

Thanks for the above, I’ve put together a route based on the above.

My only other question, is Blawith section a mud pit or ok, and is Walna Scar rideable up? I’ve not done it for years!?

Interested in this too as have family in Lowick. Visits are to see them so don’t usually take the bike but would be good to explore more.

Blawith is mostly fine, with some splashy sections (but not particularly muddy if you follow my version). Waterproof shorts or very wet arse, though. The rest is all good surfaces, great for January. If you want a bit more downhill action, add the extras I’ve suggested.

Torver to Walna, all rideable, slightly tricky in a couple of spots by the quarry. If you turn left and climb up to the top of Walna, then there will be a fair bit of pushing.

Cheers Martin, I was thinking of going around the back of Broughton Moor and over Walna Scar west to east, but may reconsider that bit, no point of pushing if in the cloud!

Had a great ride on Friday, in crappy weather.

Some great trails on Blawith. I didn’t go over Walna given the weather (and fitness) but if both had been better I would definitely extended over Walna as the road to Torver was a bit tedious. Great route though overall, thanks!

Glad you enjoyed it. That bit of road up towards Torver is a bit dull, but the BW direct to Broughton Forest would have got you swearing too.