South Lakes riding recommendations

Hi folks,

I’ve recently moved to the South Lakes area near Milnthorpe and wondered whether there were any recommendations for riding in the area. I’ve done some searching and aware there have been access issues at Farleton, but wondered if there was anything not too cheeky round the area? Aware of the Whitbarrow loop and have seen some riders along the top of the scar which having walked it looked excellent, but thought I’d see if there were any local golden nuggets!

cheers

The riding around Hawkshead dipping in and out of Grizedale and Claife heights is some of the best riding in the Lakes, also good riding around Chapel House woods near Stavelely in Cartmel.

Loads of squeaky bum off-piste round there too.

What sort of riding?

For techy singletrack, Chapel is great and there’s some good stuff in Grizedale.

@kramer intrigued by Claife being regarded as some of the best in the lakes. I’ve only been once and didn’t find much of interest.

@kramerintrigued by Claife being regarded as some of the best in the lakes. I’ve only been once and didn’t find much of interest.

There’s some nice rocky tech bridleways around there, or at least there used to be, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve made it round there.

It’s all IMHO of course.

Christ almighty what did you move to Milnthorp for?

10 miles East west or north and you’d be laughing. But yeah, whitbarrow has some nice bits and you can access Chapel House Wood from there but there have been a lot of forestry works in there so not sure on the status of the trails. 20 30 mins in the car and the worlds your lobster  for Staveley, to the north, newby  bridge for onward to grizedale, or west of windermere to the west and the dales to the east

ah well you live and learn

Claife does have some nice little routes, but various storms the last year or so, and the resulting forestry works have left the area a bit trashed. Much will recover, but a lot of hardback double and singletrack is now a bit of a boggy mess. I’m giving it a miss for a while to recover.

We ride a lot around the Coniston area. I’ve plotted a route on OS Maps here which is based on one found in a popular routes book:

MTB Routes – Around Coniston (osmaps.com)

Starts and finishes from the Sun Inn, only downside is a very stiff climb at the very beginning of the ride up to the car park at the beginning of the Walna Scar Road so make sure you warm up first!

Turning back northwards, the climb around High Nibthwaite is a difficult one but the view of the south end of the lake from the top is spectacular.

There’s also the option to extend the ride around Tarn Hows and pick up the Bridleway at Glen Mary Bridge which really would make it quite a big day!

Thanks folks, plenty to go at there. The coniston ride looks great too. 👍🏻

Saved that one @andrewhunter, thanks. Been far, far too long since I’ve ridden in the Lakes.

I think the coniston loop is one of the best rides I have done in the lakes.

Stephen foster MTB for a yt vid and gpx link.

Some fun to be had in Chapel House Woods (Staveley In Cartmel).

Also Bridleway over Hampsfell and into Eggerslack Woods (Grange over Sands).

Over to Bletherbarrow Lane, and High Ickenthwaite is ok too.