Want to head out of Staveley this weekend so was hoping to do Nan Bield pass.

Now what’s the best way to do it from Staveley. My options are ride up the high road to Stavely Head Fell then across to Sadgill that way. Or head up the Kent valley, go up the bridleway on the west of the valley then cut back down and over Stile End. When I was up there last year the bridleway was a right mess, was being redone.

Then once I’m up Gatesharth do I drop down to Haweswater and then back up or do I nip across Harter Fell?

Have heard a few thoughts previous so looking for what people think, obviously taking recent conditions into account.

Thanks

The ride down Nan Bield will be very technical, then once down at Haweswater it’s a big slog up Gatesgarth.

I’d be more inclined to cut across Harter Fell once you’re at the top and head down the pretty fun descent to Kentmere reservoir, you’ve then got a few options in returning to Staveley depending how far you wish to ride.

I have a soft spot for the wee descent back down off of staveley head fell. When I’m in that area, I always try and include that and Jenkins crag, not the biggest, boldest descents, but nice all the same.

I’d be really interested to hear people’s thoughts on this one too. I’ve only ridden it once, last December, and given the time of year, we decided to play it relatively safe.

Our route from Staveley was: Kentmere > Sadgill > Gatesgarth Pass >[cough] Harter Fell > Nan Bield Pass > MASSIVE DESCENT to Kentmere > climb out of Kentmere past Hall Wood > 3 Rivers descent back to Staveley.

Tidy.

So. basically we missed out the whole drop down to Haweswater and climb back up to the pass.

It’s surprisingly dry in NW Lakes, so should be good.
Harter Fell

Gavin Bs route is my preference, its a cracking day out..Nan Bield summit to Haweswater is a completely different kettle of fish but a very sketchy and fun descent if you have the skills, much harder in wet conditions too.

A film i was very lucky to involved in a few years back with Danny mac and Rowan Sorrell doing the Haweswater side

I like doing it both ways as an out and back to Haweswater. The northern descent is the superior one in my mind, but both are good for different reasons. On the whole it is a very well rounded ride, extreme nadgecore to the north, lovely flowy stuff to the south.

Oh, and avoid gatescarth as a descent at all costs. Very boring descent.

Sounds and looks ace!

Think my plan will be to head from Staveley, straight up the hill and over to Sadgill, up Gatesgarth then take a left over Harter Fell and then down Nan Bield towards Kentmere. Then depending on what takes my fancy one of the bridleways along the side of Kentmere valley and back.

Hopefully I get a bit of good weather for it!

Having ridden this in the last week I can confirm it’s fast and pretty dry at the moment. As others have said the classic is to ascend Gatesgarth, either drop to Mardale or nip over Harter (both are good, Harter is quicker) and descend to Kentmere from Nan Bield. Forecast good for Saturday. Enjoy!

mmm.. Harter Fell…

(you can just make out the Nan bield zig zags in the top right)

What’s the recommended northern descent? Is it the path from the Gatescarth Pass to the Southern end of Haweswater or the Bridleway from Nan Bield past Small Water to the same point at the Southern end of Haweswater? …and what’s the best way back up to Nan Bield? I shalln’t be making the same mistake I did last Summer, which was to climb Nan Bield from Kentmere and descend the Gatescarth Pass!

Gatescarth to Haweswater is a smoothish landrover track. Fairly boring.
Smallwater is a tech fest, see the vid in GavGas’ link above.

When Pinkbike rode it a few weeks back, they went past Mosedale Cottage to Swindale Head. Upper Mosedale is a bogfest, and I’ve only been down to Sleddale and Uncle Monty’s Farm. so don’t know the Swindale way. I have ridden the corpse road from Swindale over Mardale to Haweswater, and that’s a cracking little descent.

Thanks ir_bandito, that’s great …looking forward to some more great riding in the Lakes this summer and Nan Bield is top of the list 🙂

If the weathers good I might do Nan Bield this weekend

would have joined you Hora but Dyfi this weekend!

Nan Bield Pass is a good walk spoiled in my opinion.(spoiled by having to push a bike up and then push it halfway back down again). A ride spoilt even more….. Good luck! Definitely hike a bike territory

Nan Bield Pass is a good walk spoiled in my opinion.(spoiled by having to push a bike up and then push it halfway back down again). A ride spoilt even more….. Good luck! Definitely hike a bike territory

Am I missing something?
Yes you may have to push and hike up but pushing halfway down, you’re having a laugh! 😕

All of the above work for the reasons stated!

If steep stepy tech is your thing then hike a bike up from Haweswater to the top turn round and go back down – repeat until you clear it all without dabbing…

More normal people may prefer Going Kentmere, Sadgill, Gatesgarth and across to Nan Bield with out going down,,, and then into Kentmere valley down the south side. If you are starting at Staveley I’d go up Green Quarter and down HP Plantation and not three rivers.

Alternatively start in Kentmere (but you will need to park very early to park on a Bank Holiday weekend with nice weather) and do Nan Bield as above but when you get back to Kentmere head up towards three rivers but go round to High Borans, Dubbs and over Garburn for extra downhill action.

What’s the score with going over Harter Fell? Sour looks from the red socks brigade?

Dunmail – In truth, probably none. Most folk are pretty chilled in the Lakes these days with cheek. I struggle to recall the last time I got any kind of comment or grief for riding the non bridleway trails. 😀

Cheers

Sanny

Ta, possibly quite a lot don’t know what is and isn’t a bridleway 🙂 I suspect you’d have more problems off the fells trying shortcuts between bridleways.

I’ve had the Harter Fell route advised to me too.
Am i the only one who was massively underwhelmed with the whole Nan Bield/Kentmere Common descent? Top bit’s ok, but the rest is just a bit Meh.

mos

It’s a nice setting and good fun but there is a wheen of better riding to be had in the Lakes – Nan Bield would be terrific anywhere else but given the quality that the Lakes has in abundance, it’s rarely my first choice route. Average by Lakes standards isn’t a criticism in my book! 😀

How lucky we are to have the Lake District. Stunning photos guys

Well we did it yesterday and what a cracking ride out it was.

Set off from Stavely and headed over to Sadgill. As we dropped down we got our first view of what we had coming up to climb….

Blimey it’s a good climb up, makes the neighbouring Garburn pass look proper soft! Anyway continued up and over Harter Fell where the views where fantastic as was the biking (when we didn’t have to get off)

We then made it to Nan Bield and could see the glorious downhill laid out before us. Steep loose switchbacks turning into a lovely ribbon of singletrack with plenty techy bits to keep you thinking.

We continued down the valley then up our Green Quarter and down HP Plantation. That bit of riding from Green Quarter down really is a cracking bit of trail too. Finished with a well deserved pint and chip butty at the Beer Hall from a pretty good morning out!

Hello all

Been reading with interest as I’ve been thinking of riding these routes later in the month.

I was planning the same, but wondered if there was any merit in going to the top of High Street Fell and defending decending! the roman road towards Troutbeck, before doubling back towards Kentmere via the Garburn Pass?

This would obviously miss Nan Bield, so is it worth the extra mileage?

Memel,
Not really.
The cheeky ridge down to Garburn summit on the other hand…….

Better to go from Nan Bield round Mardale and Ill Bell to “drop down” to the top of Garburn pass and into Kentmere.

tomaso, I’ve not tried it that way round but I can heartily recomment the reverse direction:
Staveley; up Dubbs to top of Garburn (all ridable now); Ill Bell etc, (mostly ridable up with a couple of short descents that are OK too); down Nan Bield; Maggs Howe; HP PLantation; Staveley.

Criminal to miss out Nan Bield at the moment. It’s pretty dry at the bottom end now (STRAVA!)

Theres some good single track that skirts ill bell and yoke and then descend onto the top of Garburn the trail is on the Kirkstone pass side of the fells and is a more direct route, rather than over the tops if its busy with red sox.

mmmm… Stood on top of Yoke a couple of years ago at 6pm and then setting off to race sunset down to Kentmere was a great memory of lakes riding…. Fast and furious.

GaVgAs: That’s the route the Kentmere fell race takes, though it goes to a checkpoint on the summit of High Street

Ah thanks GaVgAs, clearly visible on Google sat map. Never noticed that before. Will have to go exploring. Looks like there are a couple of lower traverses skirting the summits on the West side. Are they both worth doing if heading South?

yep, tricky to find the start but well worth doing, its exposed tho so not for vertigo sufferers!,yep thats the one dunmail

The descent from Thornthwaite Beacon to Nan Bield is excellent too, having three stone stepped sections that are a real challenge to clean,it extends the Nanbield descent by quite a bit too. enjoy 😉

Excellent, I’m for a wee cheeky solo mission next midweek. Park at bottom of Dubbs, Up to top of Garburn pass, then up onto Yoke – ill bell – froswick – High st – Mardale ill bell – Nan bield – Green quarter – HP plantation – car.

Just need the weather now. I’ll be doing it either tues or wed, if anyones up for it? (at a sociable pace!).

Unsure what to do the other day, never did Helvellyn and sticks pass, could be handy as it’s on the way home.

I seem to be the only person to actually like the Gatescarth descent to Haweswater! I’ve done the loop both ways now and possibly like it more for the epic location than the techy riding. Maybe I just need to MTFU.

Thoughts from last time on my blog: http://deetsman.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/nan-bield-pass/

The easy options around Ill Bell….

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