Nan Bield route advice (starting in Stavely?)

Any easy to follow instructions online that I could use to ride Nan Bield? Its easy for me to get lost!

http://www.flattyresmtbroutes.com/StaveleyHaweswater.html

can’t really go wrong…..enjoy its a great day out.

Hora, IIRC you said about the Dales ride “anything after 25miles and I am a liability”.

I’d be informing the MRT before you started this one if I were you.

I wish I’d not taken my bike…

don’t worry lowey, he won’t actually do it 😉

Aye anything OVER 25miles.
Is it the ‘right’ way round? Just a question- I know mbr ran an article saying there were two directions round?

Er…. http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/north-west/the-south-lake-district/

there are no right ways on that section 🙁

Grumm, ta for that (obvious!) link. Ive done variations of the first two before. The third- **** its longer than freeridenicks!

It’s a LONG day out that one. Great ride but a real epic. Do it as described in the route guide by going UP from Haweswater and DOWN into Kentmere. The other way is 100% wrong.

Yep you dont want to do it the wrong way, that would be walking both sides of the pass!

Hora we do a loop that takes in Gatesgarth and Garburn before the assault on Nanbield. I can email you the route once I get home if you want

UP from Haweswater and DOWN into Kentmere. The other way is 100% wrong.

Seconded, but unless things have changed in recent years, I dont rate it as that great a ride tbh.

Hora, open a map. the route is pretty obvious.

Stavely – Green Quarter – Cocklaw Fell – Sadgil – Gatesgarth – Hawswater – Nan Bield – Kentmere – Then either the road back or Ascend Hall Wood and then back down to Ulthwaite Bridge.

Oh, and I think its a classic. Love the ride.

I agree, the nan-bield descent is a bit over-rated, or maybe it’s quite weather sensitive. But Gatesgarth back to Haweswater is proper big grin stuff.
imo natch.

Or avoid the hike a bike with a cheeky over Harter fell.

younggeoff, yes please.
So just to double-check (just to be sure). This IS the right way round?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The cheeky over Harter fell means u miss the descent from Gatesgarth to Hawswater, which IMO is a better decent than Nan Bield.

If you talking cheeky, then I would push up Mardale Ill Bell from Nan Bield, and then either join the bridleway down Scots Rake and return over Garburn, or for extra cheek, go over Ill Bell and Froswick, Yoke and hit the top of Garburn and then descend to Kentmere.

yep thats the right way round

So if you took the cheeky over Harter fell (assume its from point 6 to 8 along that black line- what is that?!..is it is easy to spot the cheekiness turn? (Im thinking if the weather turns) plus is it easy to spot the turn onto Nan Bield/back on route?

Thank you soo far guys. STW-lot, helpful as always 😀

Hora, easy to spot yes from the top of Gatesgarth (yes the black line).
IMO Nan Bield is better than Gatesgarth – Hawswater.

I’ve not done it before either and have heard mixed reports, but only way to find out is to go and try it myself so am hopefully heading over on Sunday

Windermere – Garburn – kentmere – sadgill – gatesgarth – haweswater – Nan Bield – Kentmere – then the track past kentmere hall that leads climbs up and over to High House eventually. And back to Windermere.

I’ve a feeling it might be a long (timewise) ride….

Agree with mate cols flattyre route direction

I have done it a few times in the past – not that fussed on it but hey give it a go. Its a bastard in bad weather. The gatesscarth pass is emotional and the nan bield from the res is a carry till the top. Dont rate dh down into kentmere myself.

High street n helvellyn on the other hand are brill!!! as is the garburn pass to the west…

have fun – i am bitter as ill and cannot ride

paul

Good grief Dave, those are higher levels of cheekiness than I have aspired to (so far, now you’ve corrupted me 🙂

Am reading this with interest. Staying at Ings in a few weeks and taking the solo with me. Had this on my ‘to ride’ list for a while now. Only problem is I’ll be on my own (bit too much for the tandem!), so if anyone is free midweek from Monday 20th July and wants some company, I’m up for it.
Rob

tandemwarriors – might well be up for that. email in profile

Tandems? Almost as crackers as the lad I saw ontop of Gaburn on his totally rigid Swift. I almost jokingly sneered and said ‘aye, look at him coming here with his big DH-bike’ but realised it may have been misread/miscontrued!

The cheeky over Harter fell means u miss the descent from Gatesgarth to Hawswater, which IMO is a better decent than Nan Bield.

Agreed. The loop you put up Hora is decent, and if you miss the Gatesgarth descent it isn’t really that great. The carry isn’t a big one really, and there are rideable sections.

Almost as crackers as the lad I saw ontop of Gaburn on his totally rigid Swift

Eh? You mean Garburn? I don’t get it.

meeeee

Respect!! That is one killer ride. It would hospitalize me.

Simon, the cheekyness inst that bad as Mardale Ill bell is a push / carry anyway and the bridleway is at the top. As for Ill Bell, Froswick and Yoke, you aint heard it from me, ok ?

then the track past kentmere hall that leads climbs up and over to High House eventually.

I call the junction by the ford “Empty Quarter” as the map gives no name, to correspond to Green Quarter on the other side of the valley 🙂 You cross Mickle Moss to High House

[waves willy] just checked my time for the 3 passes route from back in 22/02/98 and i managed 4hr 36min in a trailquest event [/waves willy]

😉

…………but i think it’d kill me these days !!!!!!!

Tomorrow now. Two weather websites are showing heavy rain this aft 🙁

SFB, in terms of hardness’ how does this loop compare to say the Edale/Hope circuit? (31km) (Edale-Mam Tor-Rushops edge etc?)

hora, are you planning to do this alone?

Err …..yes 🙄 one lads away at a stag doo this weekend and another is on his hols

Not a very good idea perhaps?

Hmmm you think I should wait until next weekend? Ok. Good point.

Off to Calderdale now for a short blast with fatblokeattheback’, then to watch at Lee Quary. snowslave, your local? fancy it?

Would love to, but got to do family stuff this weekend in karmic payment for last week’s trip to the Alps!

Would love to, but got to do family stuff this weekend in karmic payment for last week’s trip to the Alps!

Alps? I’m not jealous? Me? Oh no!

I know, I think I’ve got that statement into every conversation possible this week…. 😉