@thegeneralist

I would say go up via Levers Water and  Swirl Hause. The carry from the latter is not as steep or as long as you would expect. Makes for a pretty loop.

Very jealous!

Cheers

Sanny

Regarding Mellbreak there’s an easier ascent from Kirkstile up the western flanks. Still plenty of push / carry but not as fierce or loose as the northern end. Some of the tracks on these flanks are sheep tracks so keep bearing left at any fork.

You’ll see it on here running almost along the N-S grid line, joining the top at the saddle
https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map/idld?x=313800&y=519976&z=115&sv=313800,519976&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=map%5BFS%5Didld&searchp=ids&dn=751&ax=311800&ay=519476&lm=0

@scuttler

Spotted that when going up Hen Comb. Looks like it could make for an interesting descent too.

@thegeneralist

So did you do Wetherlam then?

Cheers

Sanny

****, wrong valley 🥵

Also, cramp

What a noob 🥺

So did you do Wetherlam then?

Er, not yet. I’m working on it.

Badly.

PS. How the hell do I have reception here…..

@thegeneralist

So where did you end up then? Did you learn anything from the experience? If it was me then probably not! Ha! Ha!

Right. The solitary photo…

So I went up slightly right behind the youth hostel, instead of slightly left, so ended up in Red Dell Instead of by Levens Water.  I decided to continue anyway, but the path was pretty scrotey…. bog and stuff.

In mitigation, I was utterly gubbed by that point as I took a mate round Coniston during the day: Semi Walna, Torver Common, Parkamoor, Hawkshead etc. So I was 40km in when I started up Wetherlam. Just looked on Strava and it appears I did 2.1km ascent, which is about what I’ve managed the rest of the year put together.

Anyway, so Wetherlam. Was a nice day out but I won’t be back. As someone said, loads of grass. Also loads of techie rock bits, but it just didn’t gel. The rocky sections tended to be unhelpful spikey with no real line. The easiest way was nearly always off the path down the side. Very unsatisfying. There were a few nice sections, after the junction but nowhere near as good as some of the classics.

Anyway, great to be out after such a long break, and even better to find I can almost do big days out still.

Just need to find the right hill fir the next one….. Which I think is Great End.  Just such a bloody long drive

@thegeneralist

Interesting. When I rode it the week before last, I have to admit that it was right up my street. I really enjoyed the rocky sections as I was able to play about with lines. The grass was super dry when I rode it too which made it flow nicely. Did you go down the stone pitched path at the bottom to drop down by the river where the weir is? Funny how two folk can ride the same route and have a totally different experience.

Re Great End.

That has the makings of a cracker as you can ride off the summit down to Esk Hause then have multiple options – Angle Tarn and Rossett Gill, Sprinkling Tarn and Styhead Gill (the classic) or even XC via Rossett Pike to Stake Pass. Did the latter in reverse last summer and saw tracks indicating it gets ridden down to Stake Pass. The only problem is deciding which route to take. I reckon Styhead Gill tops it followed by Stake Pass and Rossett Gill but that’s just me!

Kidsty Pike and Haweswater fells are next up for me. Return via Harter Fell to finish with Beda Fell. Big day out!

Cheers

Sanny

While I am on, has anyone ridden from Blea Rigg or Sergeant man down to Grasmere?

Cheers

Sanny

I’ve done Blea Rigg on foot. Please take the following with caution as it was a while ago…

Around the summit would be unrideable. Big chunky rocks and steep steps.

I climbed from Goody Bridge via Lang How. Descending this way would be OK once you got away from the summit, some mellow singletrack followed by a boggy stretch. The lower parts would be fun but short lived.

I descended directly down to Easedale Tarn. I think this was steep and narrow, probably unrideable in places but I don’t recall it being an absolute no go – you’ll probably be able so scope bits of it from the summit and make a call. Bridleway down from Easedale Tarn is good.

right up my street. I really enjoyed the rocky sections as I was able to play about with lines. The grass was super dry

Part of my problem was the grass being wet. I had one point where I was just accelerating with both brakes just below lock, hoping I would hit a flatter bit before the next drop. It was ok that time but it made me very nervous of the gradient.

Which is odd really as the gradient is generally pretty mellow. Certainly nowhere near that 40% figure where I generally know I have no chance whatsoever.

Ho hum. Some days it doesn’t quite click.  I’ll try something else.

Great End, yes indeed, my plan was to drop into Esk Hause and then follow the bridleway all the way down. Love that descent.

Interesting that you rate Stake North. I’ve only done it once and wasn’t master enough of endo turns to make it worthwhile.

There’s a theme emerging here….. 🤣

Kidsty Pike. I thought it was pretty good. Steep and techy until the last grassy bit.

@thegeneralist

Wet grass is no fun.  We had it bone dry which I suspect made a big difference. Felt super confident riding down it while the rocky path at the bottom was most enjoyable for a man made track.

Stake Pass is totally marmite. I love it but then i love an endo hop having practiced so many in verbier over the years. My pal Tristan did it with me  and hated it with a passion.

Great End will be a winner for you. It never seems to feature on lists of great Lakeland descents but it really should. When I was up it last June, it was a beautiful summer’s evening and I had a couple of gliders swoosh past me as I enjoyed the scenery in peaceful solitude.

@lowey

Great picture. Have you ridden the footpath on the shore of haweswater? My plan is to start at the Brotherswater side then up, over and down Kidsty Pike, loop the lake, up the two outlying fells beside the coffin road, drop onto Gatesgarth at the saddle, Harter Fell, High Street then head over to Angle Tarn which is a banger in my book before finishing with Beda Fell and the Ullswater shore track. Thoughts? It’s a big day for sure but satisfies my desire to link up the familiar and the new to me in a figure of eight loop. Basically a High Street highlights ride.

@Mark88

Thanks for the tips there fella. Most helpful. Any others you wish to share in that area, please do!

Cheers

Sanny

@lowey

Is there anywhere in the Lakes that you have not ridden? You seem to have a pic for every occasion which I very much approve of. Ha! Ha!

@sanny this wouldn’t link into Harter Fell, so probably not what you want, but from a couple of pages back re Branstree and Selside Pike:

The Wainrights aren’t worth riding but the Old Corpse Road to Haweswater would be a good techy descent – one for the dry I’d suggest.

From memory the Wainrights were boggy and pretty unremarkable.

head over to Angle Tarn which is a banger in my book before finishing with Beda Fell and the Ullswater shore track.

Place Fell instead of Beda Fell??

Sanny,

The lakeside path is pretty good actually, very undulating and quite rough in places. Not to be underestimated. I did it after Kidsty and an awful climb up High Street and the Pen Bridleway. It just about finished me off.

Your ride would be quite the day. Look forward to the report!.

@Mark88

I am expecting them to be boggy. The stuff round there is well known for it!

@scuttler

What is Place Fell like to ride? Never ridden it but looked at it many times.

@lowey

Assume you mean the Ullswater shore track?  I know it well and you are absolutely right, it is not an easy spin on flat track.

Any experience of the Haweswater footpath along the shore heading north-ish?

Cheers

Sanny

@Sanny

That was in reference to the Haweswater west Shore. Not the Ullswater BWW.

@lowey

Brilliant! Loving the pics. May have to revise my plans on the day but that is the beauty of riding in the lakes. Great to have options.

You got a great day there. Very jealous.

Cheers

Sanny