I know there’s a couple (?) of ways to drop from Whinlatter back towards Keswick avoiding the road descent into Braithwaite but never sure what they are or how to access them. Seem to remember ‘Seldom Seen’ being mentioned?

On the OS I can see a BW dropping into Thornthwaite. Is that worth doing? Also seems to be some cheeky running down off Sleet How if I duck off the top of Hospital Fell on the South Loop?

whats the best cheeky descent in your neck of the woods 😉

Les Arc, though I’ve never done it @mikewsmith. 🙂

Though I’d love to know the answer OP’s question. That road back down is criminal, whereas ‘cheeky’ is, at worst, a civil tort. 😉

mikewsmith
whats the best cheeky descent in your neck of the woods 😉

In order to answer that question I’d need actual hills in my neck of the woods…

There’s loads off the north loop dropping down to Thornthwaite, but they’d be impossible to describe to you for the sheer fact that my sense of direction is woeful.

Sleet how is very very good. Or so I’ve been told anyway – you’d never catch me riding it 😉

There are off-road routes from Whinlatter to Thornthwaite, Braithwaite, Lorton, Buttermere, Beck Wythop and Newlands, but no off-road route to Keswick.

The track down to the other side of Thornthwaite turns off from the blue route, just before you start the climb up to the road crossing.

There’s no off road route back to Keswick but the back road through Little Braithwaite to Portinscale is nice and quiet.

Nip off through the trees at the top of the South loop and turn left down the grisedale pike descent. Drops you at the bottom of the road to Braithwaite.

but no off-road route to Keswick.

Yeah. My title was badly worded. I was really just looking for interesting ways of getting down to Thornthwaite/Braithwaite. Happy to use the minor roads (or even the main cycle route) to actually get back into Keswick.

As above, top of south loop, through trees to sleet how and down to Braithwaite-steps of doom challenge at the bottom, (sensitively please, easy to slither out of control on muddy slippery grass descent on a popular walking route).

There are 2 BWs down, one off the main whinlatter road which isn’t worth bothering, but the one from NY212247 down comb beck is great. You can pick a cheeky way along to `Braithwaite from the end of that one, along the track then FP above Ladstock and Lanefoot farm back to Braithwaite to avoid the road. I do the first section of North red, then turn right down the forest road to the start, well signed.

There is also the FP to Powter How, but you need to be better than me to enjoy the top section of that, and there’s an awkward scramble across a slimy slab that is tricky carrying a bike!

Thanks all. Starting from Keswick too, so tempted to get up via Sleet How, do the South descent and then the North Loop. Bit of the Blue then down via Comb Beck.

Get your os map out and have a shifty.

Wouldn’t bother going up via sleet how – you’ll be carrying most of the way. You’re better off spinning out on the pavement/cycle path to whinlatter and winching up the road climb. Once you get to Braithwaite the traffic calms down somewhat.

Do the borrwodale bash and then ride over to Thornthwaite,up the old garage fire road to whinlatter(you join up at lowest point of blue visitor centre side)… back down seldom seen on your return. Good day out imo.

Still not sure what/where Seldom Seen is…

It’s the bit of Thornthwaite village at the bottom of comb beck. There’s another famous (cheeky) seldom seen as an alternative on the sticks pass descent from Helvellyn.

Cheers.

Well, despite the stinking weather the advice to winch up the fire road from Thornthwaite was a good one. much better than (I imagine) the road would be. Only did the South Loop as I was totally soaked by the time I got to the bottom of it and didn’t fancy the drag up to the north loop at that point. Dropped down the blue and then followed my nose (and the cheeky looking muddy section straight over the fire road) after the exit of the second section which took me down a bit of the blue walking trail and the onto the bridleway and along Seldom Seen.

Cheers all. STW comes good again.