Planning on heading to the lakes for a weekend in October, looking for a good all day ride, something of a classic with a bit of everything… any suggestions?

Tour of Coniston is a classic.
Start at the southern end of the lake, head out west over Woodland Fell, head towards Torver then SW into Broughton Moor and up to Stevenson Ground.
From here climb north onto Walna Scar Road, down to Coniston via Spoon Hall.
Cake and coffe then round the top end of Coniston Water and up into Grisedale Forest, along to Low Parkamoor and then down the track to High Nibthwaite and back to the car.
Top ride.

The classic traverse of High Street, no contest.

Park at Brotherswater, ride/push/carry for 2000 ft up to the top of High Street, enjoy superb airy riding on the Roman road along to the monument on Thornthwaite Crag for lunch, double back and ride all the way gently descending towards Pooley Bridge then turn back along the shore of Ullswater for a tough technical ride back to the car. About 26 miles, 4500 ft of climbing, miles of superb downhill on ace singletrack and your body will ache for three days (mine has just stopped aching after Sunday!)

Email me if you want to see the route and some photos.

reedy at orchardhouse dot fsworld dot co dot uk

High street will be practically unrideable after all the rain.

Try these (click to make big):-

Coniston – Grizedale – Blawith – Duddon – Walna Scar by lowey.com, on Flickr

Grizedale from Coniston by lowey.com, on Flickr

Not much good riding in the Lakes, Whinlatter or the North Face Trail would be your best bet 8)

Walna scar is currently being sanitised 😥 but its still a good route… just not as good as it was.

Garburn>kentmere>Gatesgarth>haweswater>Nan Bield>kentmere>Garburn is a good one. The Bash is also excellent with all the cheaky bits added. Helvellyn via the dodds or the zigzags on keppel cove, then down dollywagon and grisedale>patterdale.

Brutts moss on Great Dodd would swallow you whole after this weather! Otherwise, Helvellyn would be good.

The best thing about the lakes is it rocky so does not suffer so much in the bad weather.

I’m mostly with anc on this one, can’t choose from:
Tour of Coniston (inc Walna Scar)
Three passes (Garburn, Gatescarth, Nan Bield)
Borrowdale Bash cheeky
Helvellyn (Via Dodds, Dollywagon, GRisedale)

Oh forgot to say the good descent into seathwaite(duddon) on the tour of coniston has also been flattened 😥

Hi,
Beware of any routes anc suggests…It will definitely involve hike-a-bike, so much so I’ve often thought of not taking my bike with me! 😛
anc – I’ll soon be back out, ankle is nearly better. I’ll get above and beyond my old fitness. Just bought a ti hardtail to do some secret training on. Oh, wasn’t meant to write that last bit. 😉

😆 Morning Dan.

Thanks guys, Highstreet was on the list, we were tempted to stay away from coniston as we always seem to end up there. We are planning to do a wainwright walk the next day, so plenty of time in the saddle versus pushing would be good.

Borrowdale Bash perhaps?
Back o’Skiddaw?

Check out the bogtrotters website.

You could post up on
Ride the lakes
also some route info on there.

ir_bandito – You’re three fields and a dyke out about the Borrowdale bash and the back o’Skiddaw being the best rides in the Lakes! 😯

…. Your Mum!

Sorry, just got back from a couple of drinks and couldn’t resist.

Time for bed!

high street will be rideable, just wet on the top which may slow you down on that section. i like it, great ride.

Borrowdale bash, excellent ride. We were down there riding at the weekend, did the bash on the saturday, and then Garburn on the sunday. An excellent weekends riding, Love the lakes.