Lakes Routes: Which big mountain route is your favourite?

Glenridding > Keppel Cove > Helvellyn summit > Dollywaggon Pike > Grisedale Common.

thanks Sanny. I’ll give it a whirl when the moment is right.
On a related note, is there anything of interest in Dodd Wood?

On a related note, is there anything of interest in Dodd Wood?

I’d probably avoid anything but the obvious fire roads on Dodd ir_bandito to be honest, unless you’re up there in the evening. Dodd’s heavily frequented by the park authority, forestry commission, RSPB, etc etc because of the nesting Ospreys.

Word of warning…. don’t try the Ullock descent off Skiddaw or the ridge in a foot of snow.

Death was not far away yesterday !

Death was not far away yesterday !

We dropped off the top last night – the first snowy descent of the winter 😀 Most of it will be gone now anyway: the sun’s been shining all day.

Sanny/anyone when you say the gate below ullock do you mean the one that’s here(ish). Been over 12months since I did it so can’t remember the location exactly. Do you stay ullock pike side of the trees or htrough the gate and drop into the forest a bit and climb up alongside skill beck?

Been wondering about a route upto whitestones for a while.

Been wondering about a route up to Whitestones for a while.

Quickest way to Whitestones (other than descending off the top of Skiddaw), is to jump the wall at Long Doors behind Dodd.

DONK – you’ve got mail (check your spam cus I’ve done it remotely). Help with the gate location attached !

Cheers excitable1

Has anyone tried the tourist track of the Old Man? Was pondering having a crack at it on a weekday this winter. As far as I can remember it might be pretty good?

If anyone fancies a BIG ride in the Lakes you could do worse than this.

It is probably possible to do it in under 24 hours but I wouldn’t fancy trying it at this time of year.

1. A cheeky one I won’t tell on..
2. Skiddaw
3. Helvellyn, zig zags down to Greenside way
4. Couple of the Garburn bits

Donk – yup. That’s the gate.

Hi Dave

Old man? My mate Pete has done it and it looked mighty fine from the vid and pics he showed me. I’ll be up for that in mid December when I am down if you are around?

If anyone fancies a BIG ride in the Lakes you could do worse than this.

It is probably possible to do it in under 24 hours but I wouldn’t fancy trying it at this time of year.

Wouldn’t fancy going over High Street that way. 🙁 In fact most of the eastern side of it is what I’d term the wrong way round although the western half (over towards Wast Water, round Borrowdale and down to Derwent Water) is the correct way.

Wouldn’t fancy going over High Street that way. In fact most of the eastern side of it is what I’d term the wrong way round although the western half (over towards Wast Water, round Borrowdale and down to Derwent Water) is the correct way.

There is a lot of hike a bike involved 🙂 But you can’t have it both ways with a loop! Equally, there are some truly stunning sections

I have a hankering to do Scafell and Scafell Pike via Langdale but then add on Skiddaw and Helvellyn for an epic day loop. I remember Gary Thomsett wrote it up as a route many years ago in an MTB mag whose name I forget. I must look it out to refresh my memory. All 4 3000 foot peaks in one ride / carry. The only cheeky bit would be Scaffell / Scaffell Pike and to be honest, you’d be carrying most of the summit I reckon though happy to be proved wrong on this. I reckon descend down Rossett then nip across to Skiddaw (Ullock Pike for the descent win :wink:) before taking the old coach road and heading up onto Helvellyn and dropping off either via Sticks Pass or down into Thirlmere and back to Ambleside via Loughrigg. Sticks Pass would mean a climb over Kirkstone from where you could take either a Red Screes off road option or straight down the Struggle. Alternatively, I wonder how feasible it would be carrying up from Dollywagon onto the Fairfield Horseshoe? I’ve ridden a large chunk of the latter in winter and have always fancied a return visit.

Hmmmm. I can feel a Spring epic coming on………….. 🙂

For all the lakes experts, what would be the best way of tackling Scaffell and Scaffell Pike? My instinct is to go up via Angle Tarn and do and out and back.

Cheers

Sanny

It’s pretty much all unridable between the summit of the Pike and the end of Broad Crag (in either direction). As an ascent, the Corridor Route is also mostly carrying. Via Angle Tarn or Styhead to Esk Hause would be your best bets Sanny.

Cheers Parked Tiger. That was what I was expecting to hear. I would be doing it not for the riding but for the experience as part of a bigger day out. Portage is fine!

That’s certainly a big day out 😀

Alternatively, I wonder how feasible it would be carrying up from Dollywagon onto the Fairfield Horseshoe?

It’s a pretty short carry from Grisdale Tarn to the top of Fairfield.

What PT said. The way you taking about coming in, from the back of Great end you’ve got Broad Stand, which is strewn with large boulders… horrible to walk/run on, so PITA with a bike. You’ve then got a up and out on the top of piers which will be a walk down and up. from the summit you be able to ride a bit towards Mickledore but then you’ll be off again when it gets steep. From Mickeldore assuming your not going to hit the rake!! 😆 Its up foxs tarn route which again is a wee drop of Mickledore which you may be able to ride sections then a tough carry to the top of Scafell. Then turn around and repeat Best guess percentage wise at least 80% carrying.
Gary T, now theres a name from the past, was that the article he did with the Schwinn stuff on? back in the days when Polaris riders got sponsorship, if so he was guided by a mate Pete S that day.

Has anyone tried the tourist track of the Old Man? Was pondering having a crack at it on a weekday this winter. As far as I can remember it might be pretty good?

brilliant!

done it a few times and usually push straight up to summit & ride back down. top section is mainly jaggedy face rippy-offy type rock – mostly ridable if you get the line right but usually end up dabbing somewhere. there’s a nice gulley you can take as an alternative line at the bottom of this section that’s worth doing before transferring onto a more obvious path with nice drop-off to start. this drops you out at Low Water. A bit more rock-strewn but well established path before you enter the slate mine section, which is a hoot. watch out for low hanging cables and see if you can spot any gaps to jump 😉 bottom part is wide & loose in places. great descent, one of my favourites in the Lakes.

been meaning to check out the area over towards Wetherlam – i’m sure there’s some good stuff over there as it always calls to me when i’m on the Old Man. anyone been up there with bike?

Hi ANC

You have an excellent memory! That was the very article. He was on a Schwinn hardtail if memory serves. It was around the same time as he and I did a TV advert for Spanish TV riding our bikes around the Rest and Be Thankful. What was the name of the mag? I have it in my back cupboard. What was the route they took?

80% carrying? Fine. Schehallion summit was a boulder strewn carry out and back in the Spring so extended boulder hops aren’t a disaster! 😀

Hehe, not a 100% but I’m thinking something like ‘mountain bike pro’ is most likely. Canny remember which way they did the scafells but they did skiddaw via the bridleway and up helvellyn via sticks.

Threlkeld – around east and then south of Lonscale Fell to Latrigg – Keswick – Watendlath – Rosthwaite – Seathwaite – Wasdale via Sty Head – Eskdale via Burnmoor Tarn – Duddon Valley via Hardknott – Coniston via Wlna Scar – Little Langdale via Tilberthwaite route to the east of Great Intake – Elterwater via Dale End – Red Bank – Loughrigg Terrace – Ambleside – Jenkins Crag – High Street via upper Troutbeck valley – Loadpot Hill – down Barton Fell – Howtown – Pooley Bridge via road – Old Coach Road around north of Matterdale Common – Threlkeld.

We did it over two days, but I always wondered about it as a mid Summer within 24hrs epic.

Just out of intrest which is the best route of the red screes, down via snarker pike and raven crag or down to the scandale pass? Thanks

‘May’ have seized the opportunity and headed up the old man last week. Turned around at the tarn on account of the sideways hailstones. The trail is ace, not really tech but really good fun. Sanny – would be up for another crack at it. Give us a shout if you are down that way?

Just to reawaken this thread….

Have been looking at a scafell route… From angle yarn over broad stand onto scafell, but then down into wasdale and then upwards to styhead tarn…

Or alternatively on google earth there looks to be a path from broad stand to styhead tarn… Either of these a goer?
T

Your getting your stuff mixed up there mate I think.

Broad stand is the scramble at the end of Mickledor between Scafell and Scafell Pike. Couldnt take a bike anywhere near there.

I’ll look it up, I’m thinking between scafell and angletarn..

Edit…

Google maps being an arse, labelling things up badly. Ignore my refenece to Broad anything its just over from Angle tarn to Scafell Pike…
T

If you take a bike on Scafell Pike be prepared to carry it a long way.

Did a route over the new year of up coledale & on to the top of grasmoor then a great ridge descent down Lad hows to crummock water. also did the skiddaw unlock pike roue. Both great rides