Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Whats the best BW from Ambleside to Keswick?
  • samcamsdad
    Full Member

    Good evening stw, my dads planning a offroad ride from staveley to keswick, and we were wondering what is the best route from Ambleside towards Keswick.From the os map i can see 3 obvious BW’s. Greenup edge from Grasmere, the Cumbria way from Langdale, or over esk hause also from Langdale.
    Any thoughts on any of these routes appreciated.

    GaVgAs
    Free Member

    It depends on how technical you want the ride really,Through the Langdales into the Rossett vally and up towards Esk Hause, Styhead, Seathwaite, Borrowdale is the classic locals route, Green up edge is much harder with a very difficult section at Linning Cragg,the descent into Langstrath variess after wet weather but is very exposed over the summit and Boggy.

    Stakes pass into Langstrath has been trashed by the Sanitisers but is excellent North to South into Rossett

    hegdehog
    Free Member

    Imo, the most rideable route is-
    Staveley- High Borans- Dubbs Rd- Garburn Rd- Ill Bell- Thornwaite Crag.
    Alternate instead of Dubbs Rd is- Longmire Rd- Park Fell- Thornwaite Crag.
    Then High St & after that there’s a few different options..

    High Raise- Loadpot Hill- Pooley Bridge- quiet lanes to Dockray- Coach Rd- Threlkeld- Keswick.

    The Knott- Satura Crag- Boredale Hause- Patterdale- Rd to Dockray-
    Coach Rd- Threlkeld- Keswick.

    The Knott- Satura Crag- Boredale Hause- Beda Fell or Boredale Head- Sandwick- Ullswater Singletrack- Patterdale- Rd to Dockray- Coach Rd- Threlkeld- Keswick.

    I’d avoid Loadpot Hill unless it’s after a prolonged dry spell!

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    rascal
    Free Member

    When you get to Patterdale/Glenridding you could go up Helvellyn via the zig-zags or Sticks Pass and down to Thirlmere…

    samcamsdad
    Full Member

    Thanks for replies. We were hoping to miss Helvelin, as we’ve all done it before. So that’s why we wanted to try the routes further west.
    We want a track with as much riding as possible/ less carrying.
    Any other thoughts?

    samcamsdad
    Full Member

    Bump, for more advice, cheers.

    TomB
    Full Member

    Any route through the central fells will certainly involve a significant carry. GavGas has it right, ime.

    boxelder
    Full Member

    From Ambleside, ride to Grasmere village, either via Loughrigg Fell or Terrace and down Red Bank road, or via Rydal Mount using the FP/white rd round the back of the ‘Sports Field
    From Grasmere, use the back roads by Easedale and Helm Crag to reach the A591 over Dunmail Raise. 1.5Km up the main drag and you can pick up a BW on the west side down to the head of Thirlmere. from there, either round the back of the lake (minor road) to the dam or forest rd through Wythburn Woods which brings you out at a car park and loos (you could cross the road here and use the lakeside FP)
    From the dam, cross the A591 on the cycleway to St Johns in the Vale Head north for a mile and pick up the BW around the east flank of High Rigg, to the small church and centre. from there back roads to Keswick, or to Threlkeld to pick up the old railway (or the Glendaraterra Beck Loop). If cheeky, from the centre/church use the footpath north over Low Rigg and past Tewet Tarn.
    Nothing technical and lots of road, but interesting views and a pleasant sociable ride without hike-a-bike.
    EDIT – windy and snow showers here these last couple of days, so anything high = muchos unpleasant

    paulrockliffe
    Free Member

    The run from Sprinkling Tarn all the way to Borrowdale is one of my absolute favourite descents, it goes on for miles and miles and has a bit of everything. Push up towards Scafell for a bit of extra descent too if you want more.

    I’ve not done the Linning Crag one to compare, but you won’t go wrong with the push up Rossett Gill from Langdale then cracking on all the way to Borrowdale.

    Epic epic descent!

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    The run from Sprinkling Tarn all the way to Borrowdale is one of my absolute favourite descents, it goes on for miles and miles and has a bit of everything. Push up towards Scafell for a bit of extra descent too if you want more.

    This. Must be one of the best descents in the country, never mind the lakes.

    samcamsdad
    Full Member

    Thanks for the replies. We’re looking at doing the ride may or June time so hopefully the weather will be better, and the days longer.
    Bit ashamed to say, but most of us live in Staveley, but have never ridden much on this side of the lakes, so advice is appreciated

    ianfitz
    Free Member

    The BW over to wastenlath is scenic, bleak and sometimes grassy. In a dry June it’ll be mostly ok but more often it’s ‘a bit damp in places’

    Please be aware of the understatement above and go with some of the other suggestions!

    boxelder
    Full Member

    June? What Gavgas suggested then, but there’ll be pushing.

    samcamsdad
    Full Member

    Pushing’s fine, and what we expect. It sounds worth it for the decent!
    So how long we looking to get from Ambleside, over loughrigg, and do the route gavgas sugested? We’ll be a group of about 10, aged from 35 to 65, and all fairly fit, regular riders.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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