One excellent all-round ride in the Lakes…help me decide

Looking for a cracking midweek ride in western Lakes in a few weeks.
I’ve enquired recently about others such as Nan Bield but decided to Go West, like Pet Shop Boys did 😉
Don’t mind a climb but it must be rewarded with a cracking descent.
Contenders are:
1. Ullock Pike descent but which way up? Walked Skiddaw for 1st time last summer…up Ullock so different way up would be good, but it’s a relatively dull mountain other than U.P!
2. 4 passes (might be a bit full-on at mo)
3. Grasmoor group. Love the look of the Whiteless Pike descent – someone’s mentioned Gasgale Gill ascent.
Having said that Hopegill Head to Whiteside looks ace but how rideable and could combine Grisedale Pike. Open to any variables in this vacinity too. Not been up any of these tops so this is my preference. Stayed in Braithwaite recently and quite taken with the area – never been bothered by the NW fells before – now they are all I’m really interested in!

Will be staying in either Borrowdale or Buttermere so rolling into the Fish Inn after a tough climb and superb descent is very appealng 🙂

If staying in borrowdale, consider Langstrath – Rossett Gill – sprinkling tarn – borrowdale. Descent from sprinkling tarn down to stockley bridge must be one of the best int he whole lakes.

I actually enjoyed it more a than the 4 passes. What do you mean 4 passes at bit full on at the mo?.

I tore my Achilles last year so too much climbing/walking buggers me up…it’s getting stoinger but nit there yet. Hmmm…I like the sound of your option too…I’ll consult the OS map…that’s mostly legit too?

All legit.

I tore my Achilles last year so too much climbing/walking buggers me up…it’s getting stronger stoinger but nit not there yet. Hmmm…I like the sound of your option too…I’ll consult the OS map…that’s mostly legit too?

Jesus…I really should check before sending!

May i be so bold as to suggest missing the descent and re ascent by Rossett gill, as imo the descent is rubbish and the climb beyond tedious, so pretty pointless, just follow the ridge from Stake pass to Angle tarn, this is logical.

Fergal has it, I did that too!. Paths a wee bit indistinct at times but fine.

Not looked at map yet, or been in Langstrath so the following could be wrong 😳
Rossett Gill drops into G Landgale which is the opposite direction to Styhead Pass isn’t it. I would have come out of Langstrath and headed towards Great Gable anyway – over Esk Hause I think. Down towards Styhead and Sprinkling Tarns with GG directly in front, then down towards Seathwaite farm and Seatoller….is that what you’re thinking? Not massive miles but good height gain with big mountain feel amongst fells I’ve been nowhere near since walking Bowfell 2 years ago (Angle Tarn), S Pike 16 years ago and GG easily 10 years ago.
It’s just become top of my list – cheers lads!

This might help. pinkbike.http://www.pinkbike.com/news/a-lakeland-epic-lake-district-2015.html

Keswick, Rigg Beck to Buttermere, Climb Robinson, Dale Head, Dale Head Tarn, then either Rigg Head quarries (mega tech) or ridge over High Spy, Maiden Moor, Hause Gate. Hause gate to Borrowdale (repsect for no Dabs).

Highly cheeky and if anyone asks, you aint seem me ok ?

My choice of that lot would have to be Ullock Pike. It’s a cracker. I’d go up the Skiddaw bridleway, down Ullock then turn off to go to the Ravenstone Hotel before climbing back up through Longside Wood to Carlside then back down to Millbeck. This route has largely rideable ascent with a lot of descent.

Whiteless is also very good but not as technical- you may prefer that given your ankle? More hike-a-bike though.

I have generally fallen out with Langdale- I’ve yet to find a genuinely enjoyable trail around there.

Lovely photos @munro 🙂

Ullock pike is half a day, could extend by leaving car in bassenthwaite, then going back of skiddaw via dash falls and lonscale fell bw, then climb the bw to skiddaw summit and descend ullock pike. Top bit from skiddaw down to carlside is interesting, back wheel waiting to overtake front on steep loose slate. All ok though!

Ullock is really good but a bit short, match that up with some of the borrowdale bash to finish? (park near barrow house and you can do watendlath, seatoller castle crag and grange)
Personally I reckon the bash with a trip up honister and down warnscale bottoms (and back up honister) is pretty bloody awesome. You could even incorporate some of lowey’s cheek to make it even awesome-er.

Not sure if I did the same route as munro but I found whiteless to be slightly more tech than ullock – if we’re counting dabs, less danger of death than ullock but more thrutchy.

Gasgale Gill and Whiteless Pike are good fund going down. We did a loop from Braithwaite the other week and enjoyed all four seasons in a day…

Just back from Helvellyn at the weekend and rode some great trails. Down into Thirlmere from Dollywagon to Birkside and then bish bash bosh for a very long stoney step descent Can mix up the big stuff with some lake shore action along Ullswater and midweek it should be quieter.

Someone has just posted a video of Walna Scar and a mate says it is cutting up nicely following the sanitisation it suffered a few years back. Plenty of other trails around that area including the one along the side of the River Lickle from Natty Bridge, Coppermines and Quarries into Torver.

If you stay in Buttermere I can highly recommend:

1. Scarth Gap to Ennerdale.
2. Push up that tongue of glacial moraine to your left, it’s called the Tongue, but not on every map.
3. Meet the path under Green Gable and follow it to your right.
4. Hack onto the top of Great Gable.
5. Amazing run down to the tarn.
6. Amazing run down to Borrowdale
7. Up Honister to the mine, then round the back of Fleetwith to another cracking decsent into Buttermere.

If you’re feeling frisky, between points 5 and 6 you could head up towards Scafell Pike and turn around when you’ve got as far as you think you can ride down.

There isn’t much better than the run from Sprinkling to Borrowdale, it’s miles and miles and miles of awesome.

Thanks for the replies.
I’ll do Ullock Pike/Skiddaw one day but keen on Grasmoor area.
Looking at the map once you’re up it looks like minimal up and downing plus you could pick up all these tops: Grasmoor, Hopegill Head, Grisedale Pike, Crag Hill, Sand Hill, Sail, Wandope, ending on Whiteless Pike down to Buttermere. Not sure of way up – Gasgale Gill maybe.
Summiting all those is a big draw for me plus a superb descent, even if it’s not us tech as U.P.
Anyone down similar?

On the ground, those tops don’t really lead one into the other. Probably the least worst combination would be: from the top of Gasgill, up to the summit of Grisdale, turn around and head up to Hopegill Head, down Sand Hill and up the valley between Crag Hill and Grasmoor, then down Whiteless. It’s worth considering the Coledale Horseshoe too, up from Stoneycroft and end with the descent down the front of Grisdale Pike.

I’m up in Keswick next week so this thread has been really useful, cheers. Couple of questions though…

Lowey – what’s the percentage riding/pushing on the route you posted? Would be done midweek if i went for it, so hopefully not as busy.

Keswick, Rigg Beck to Buttermere, Climb Robinson, Dale Head, Dale Head Tarn, then either Rigg Head quarries (mega tech) or ridge over High Spy, Maiden Moor, Hause Gate. Hause gate to Borrowdale (repsect for no Dabs).

Adding something onto Ullock Pike also sounds good, something techy would be nice, is there enough on the bash loop to be worth adding that on? Any other suggestions welcome!

Rigg Beck upeer section is a carry, as is the two climbs onto the summit of Robinson. Dale Head bit of a push but mainly ridable. Dale Head Tarn to High Spy is rideable if you still have the legs.

The Keswick Tuesday night nutters (sorry) sometimes do that as night ride, although up Newlands Hause on the Tarmac missing out Rigg Beck.

20141203_125007 by Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr

20141203_135730 by Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr

20141203_140608 by Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr

20141203_152615 by Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr

Brilliant cheers Lowey.

Last one I promise 😉 High Spy or Rigg head quarries?

Personally I’d take High Spy. Rigg Head is beyond my comfort zone.

rigg head has a slate staircase, as it continues the steps get progressively bigger and once on it you’re going to struggle to stop. Have fun!

High spy – hause gate is good, bit more drawn out* and slightly less deadly.

*in a good way

Personally I LOVE the ridge down from High Spy and over Maiden Moor, fast loose and a little bit of tech thrown in with great views.

Er… I should add that if anyone asks, I know nothing about this route, and if I did ever ride it, I was lost. ok. 😆

Yup, now worries, I’ll have gone the wrong way if i end up on it..

Rigg Head Staircase. 😳

Anyone got a gpx of munrobiker’s route they could email me? Pretty Please
GchippetteATmsnDOTcom

I missed out on a boys trip the other week – those photos by @munto are awesome – get me on upthere

Anyone got a gpx of munrobiker’s route they could email me? Pretty Please
GchippetteATmsnDOTcom

if no response mail me I’ll sort out some directions.
Descent into millbeck tho…hope you have a good sense of humour 🙂

Liking the sound of Paul rockcliffe’s route and a few more ideas up there ^^^ to be going on with. Just wish Keswick wasn’t such a ***tard long drive away.

Just thought i’d post back to show the results of Wednesday evening’s ride.

Followed Lowey’s route above but roadie’d it up to the top of the Buttermere climb before hike-a-bike up to Robinson, across the tops to Dale Head tarn and then along High Spy and Maiden Moor.

2015-06-08_01-27-52 by burchy80[/url], on Flickr

IMAG0421 by burchy80[/url], on Flickr

2015-06-08_01-29-33 by burchy80[/url], on Flickr

A really cracking route, helped by some amazing light in the evening. Cheers Lowey 😀

Missed this. Glad you enjoyed it mate. Some stunning scenery up there.

That last pic you posted Burchy, everytime I get up there as I walk closer to the edge (approaching from honister side) the view unfolds and just gets better and better. Stunning. Gives me goose bumps.

I need that view, where is it exactly?

Dale Head, looking NEish down Newlands valley

Quality thread and great pics. Did Borrowdale > Castle Crag > Honister > Dale Head > Tarn (eeek), High Spy, Maiden, Hause Gate (dib-dab-doo) about a month back (midweek) all thanks to people from here and had a cracking ride and great weather. I’ll post a couple of pics if I can dig them out (wrong laptop).

@D0nk – agreed on the view presenting itself.

Boxhelder has it, Dale Head. The descent to the tarn was fun aswell!

I don’t normally take pics whilst riding but that one made me want to.