Aye, bit of a wilderness is the Criffel area!

Having biked in the Lakes for 20yrs or more I have seen a definite shift to acceptance of us mtbers out on the hills 😆

Too far away and not my kind of riding.

Because I was in A&E at Moorfields.

It is mostly rubbish…

A six hundred mile round-trip precludes such things.

I live in Scotland easier to cycle out mountains than English ones with rules about where you can and can’t go.

It’s almost as quick to drive to Morzine than it is to the Lakes.

Why don’t you ride your mountainbike in the Lake District ?

duh, because it’s too hilly

Never ridden there. It’s 2-3 hours away and my mountain biking tends to be limited to local bridleway bashing or the occassional soft Midlands trail centre.

I’d love to ride up there should time and/or money allow.

Mike….
Matching beard and gloves and a DIY fork brace splatter guard – a true pioneer. Is that second pic the cheeky path to Angle Tarn/Boredale?

I ride in the Lakes most weeks and had four great, quiet days there over the BH weekend. Traffic problems are usually only confined to Windermere and Ambleside. I did my usual thing of long, 40-70 mile loops with as much bridleway and singletrack as possible. One thing I have noticed over the last five years is the levelling of the trails by the Park Authority. Some of the best classic riding (Garburn, Walna Scar, Loughrigg etc) is now just wide gravel tracks with no interest other than the views. The PA will argue that it’s to stop erosion but I’ve talked to walkers and they also find these grey motorways an eyesore. As such, many riders I know are going back to the sneaky, technical footpaths and trails that the Lakes was always famous for, and the erosion/red sock issues begin again. The trail centres are fine, but are too short for most locals.

This year I’ve probably seen more bikers at my one visit to a trail centre than in the thirty or so days “out on the hill” throughout the UK. The busiest area was the Peak, saw maybe two dozen there; Wales – zero (and I mean zero); Lakes – about half a dozen; Dales – maybe half a dozen.

I think trail centres are the main cause – back in the 1980s you’d see MTBs out regularly in the Lakes but there wasn’t really any alternative. If you had two groups five or ten minutes apart then it’s likely that they’ll never see each other = “There was no-one else out. Where was everyone?” This does have its benefits: if all the trail centre riders were out riding on the fells and in particular the “cheeky” ones then we’d be seeing a lot of access problems.

It would be interesting to hear from those whose riding is mainly trail centres as to why they don’t venture out on to “natural” trails. I suspect the reasons would be similar to what you’d get from those who mainly use climbing walls rather than head out on to the natural crags.

Was going to go over from Newcastle (but not biking, walking). Cost was prohibitive. I only wanted one night in a B and B and most had a minimum of two nights. Looking at nearly £100 a night for places with vacancies.

I went into the Pennines instead, parked for free, and walked up cross fell. Then went north and did a work in the borders.

While the riding in the lakes is good it is a long way and on an August bank holiday I would assume it would be busy so I generally avoid.

It takes about 2 hours to get Ambleside of Keswick where most of the popular rides start. Off the top of my head 2 hours driving from Newcastle covers Glentress, Borders, Cheviots, Kielder, Penines, North York Moors, Guisboroug and, Hamsterley. There are 52 weeks in a year, I also ride and race both road and CX. This along with seeing my wife, horse riding and hill walking means I normally make it to the lakes with a bike 1 or 2 times a year.

As per earlier post, I wouldn’t dream of going to the Lake District on an August Bank holiday weekend.

I’d have been out with closetroadie on that Red Pike ride if I hadn’t been away camping in Wales with family & friends.

Very seldom you get any serious red-sock confrontation in the high places, away from the tea-rooms. Most of the proper walkers that you find in the higher places these days seem to be quite accepting and chatty. There’s plenty of space out there, just be nice to everyone that you meet along the way and we’ll all be fine.

Oh and I’ll be back this weekend poaching some high mountain lakeland tech somewhere TBD.

As such, many riders I know are going back to the sneaky, technical footpaths and trails that the Lakes was always famous for, and the erosion/red sock issues begin again.

Technically they can’t complain as we just carry our bikes around in the Lakes:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/aAjmTm]Carrying up Nan-Bield Pass[/url] by brf, on Flickr

I have always loved riding in the lakes. But as was said, currently they appear to want to turn many of the bridleways into large wide ugly horrible tracks which I don’t really want to travel all that way to cycle.
There are many beautiful parts of the country to cycle. I can ride my road bike from my house round the roads of Bowland if I want a wide un-technical track to ride on. This is more fun that dragging a mountain bike around a gravel road.
The lakes district are currently pursuing a policy to try and attract cyclist but for me and many others it’s having the opposite effect. That is not elitist, I’m happy for everyone to ride but I don’t like classic trails destroyed which is what’s happening.

As such, many riders I know are going back to the sneaky, technical footpaths and trails that the Lakes was always famous for, and the erosion/red sock issues begin again.

I don’t think there has ever been any move away from those sneaky technical footpaths, so I can’t see how it’s now a case of “going back to”.
We’ve all been riding them just as often as ever. It’s probably been on a steady increase if anything.

The “erosion/red-sock issues” just don’t seem to be the issues that the vocal minority once thought they were IMHO.
I suspect it’s a case of the old-guard dieing off or at least being no longer fell-fit. The current mountain-user community are possibly more accepting of each other’s desire to be in the hills (be that walk/climb/run/bike) and maybe even participate on occassion. 🙂

2000km round trip for me. The alps is half that. The Vosges are half that again.

When I was in the UK I never bothered as it was still quite a long way

Always in Scotland for another annual hobby/pastime event that weekend, where it kind of isn’t a bank holiday, and sometimes double that up with MTBing in Lakes/Cairngorms the preceding or following week.

So I’ll be riding in the Lakes at some point, just not then.

edit: and the cost of the Amsterdam-Newcastle ferry, 2 tanks of fuel, means that if I did 2 trips, I’ll spend more on travel than the price of a new bike. And that doesn’t include the €16.95 for a plate of fish+chips on board.

In the last few weeks I’ve done Borrowdale Bash plus Warnscale, Helvellyn, Four Passes, and just got back from going up Stake Pass, over to Pike of Stickle then back over High Raise and down Greenup Edge/Lining Crag. Don’t think we saw a single other mountain biker the whole time.

If you don’t mind hike-a-bike there’s some truly epic riding in the Lakes. Actually better than Scotland in general IMO as the good stuff is in a much smaller area. In Scotland it’s a lot more spread out.

If you get away from the honeypot areas it’s not busy and the vast majority of walkers are friendly and encouraging, whether you’re on a footpath or not. I’d still avoid on a BH weekend though.

Really pleased that MTB is growing, but I’d say that’s solely down to the number of people who ride trail centres and never venture out with an OS map onto some of the more technical and natural terrain. That’s great for those that do though as it keeps the trails nice and quiet.

Whilst I’ve ridden TNF trail at Grizedale and the 3 x trails at Whinlatter and enjoyed them all, 90% of my time in the Lakes I’d far rather ride the unbelievably good natural trails or off-piste out there.

I bet there’s a whole world of mountain bikers out there who’ve only ever ridden trail centres. Some of my friends do 90% + of their riding on trail centre stuff. They wouldn’t even consider going anywhere else most of the time.

On the odd occasion I can convince them to try a more natural ride they seem to love it, but I do wonder why I’m always by default the person who does all of the map reading (perhaps because I’m normally the only person who owns and has turned up with an OS map)!

Family stuff over BH weekend couldn’t make it 🙁

been quite a few weeks since I’ve been to the lakes, really should remedy that.

If you know where to go, usually away from the Ambleside/Keswick, Langdale/Borrowdale honey pots, then even on a bank holiday you can have a quiet time. If you go early or late then it’s even more likely that you’ll hardly meet a soul.

Had a ride in the Northern Fells last weekend, saw just three people all day, all of whom were pleasant and prepared to chat. Similarly – get out west and you’ll be fine.

it would be interesting to hear from those whose riding is mainly trail centres as to why they don’t venture out on to “natural” trails

Time, really – small child, another imminent, masses of DIY to do, full time job, and missus doing part time study. The nearest trail centre is only 30 minutes away and yet I’ve managed it not even once in the last year.

Getting the roadie out is the only riding I do these days, and that’s mainly because it has a child seat on the back which means I get a ride in and jnr gets entertained for a bit. We’ve got some nice roads nearby so that’s not so bad.

We were up there this weekend too.

Met a few walkers coming down sticks pass, mostly yound’uns on DofE type stuff and they were friendly. Also rode down with a chap on a single speed rigid bike, kudos to him…

Hate the great dodd ascent although watching two friends go OTB into boggy streams eased my suffering.

Did borrowdale bash on sunday and met lots more walkers, only got evil looks from the red sock brigade towards the end of the loop but it was very busy and to be expected, I guess.

Also thought Whinlatter was reasonably good, especially the final descent on the north loop. Was pretty embarrassing when I was overtaken on the long fire road climb by a chap on a pink unicycle though 😳

Itching to get back up there and do some stuff around Skiddaw pity its so far from Soton.

We are up all this week on a family holiday. Alas, no bike, but i love the area. Saw loads of folks on hire bikes at whinlatter and around Keswick.
My favourite area is patterdale/hartsop/glenridding.

it would be interesting to hear from those whose riding is mainly trail centres as to why they don’t venture out on to “natural” trails

speaking as one half of a couple; so-called natural trails are usually too difficult, or boring, or difficult AND boring, often with miles and miles of tarmac linking the offroad bits.

show us a 15-20k ‘natural’ ride with lots of not-too-hard swoopy singletrack, with little or no time spent on roads, and we’ll be there in a shot.

(We do try, but it’s not quite as easy as just getting a map and going for it; we tried that…)

I was there on Monday – Did the Barrowdale Bash, but threw in Ullock Pike, Dodds Wood, Warnscale and Dale Head and Cat Bells – so basically nowt like the Bash 😀 I have to say I didn’t pass many folk be them on foot hoof or bike. Keswick town center on the other hand was booming at lunch time. Personally I’d be up in’t Lakes every weekend if circumstances allowed, I love the place.

Some pics from Monday

show us a 15-20k ‘natural’ ride with lots of not-too-hard swoopy singletrack, with little or no time spent on roads, and we’ll be there in a shot.

How about any of the natural singletrack in Grizedale Forest away from TNF Trail?

(We do try, but it’s not quite as easy as just getting a map and going for it; we tried that…)

Just buy this: Lakes Guide

Thanks for the replys folks, some very typical stw responses there 😉 Five of us set off from Keswick riding over the Bridleways from Watendlath to Harrop tarn, we then did some cheeky trails to Ambleside staying at the Yoof hostel at Waterhead on Sturday night .On Sunday we climbed Loughrigg terrace heading over Red Bank into Langdale towards Rossett, after the usual Mahoosive climb up Rossett Gill we dropped into the awesome Grain gill to Stockley Bridge and then Seathwaite farm.

After a few beers at the Sca fell hotel and a final ascent of the Bridleway over Cat bells we finished back at Keswick at around 6pm. On the whole yes, it was busy but we had no problems with the walkers and enjoyed some great descents, I was just very surprised to see no other bikes around with such brilliant weather.

Gav your making me homesick! I’d kill for a ride in the lakes in the sunshine right now.

It’s too far and last time I went there (to do the C2C in 98′) it was closed 😆

Weather too unpredictable, too many walkers, too far (even from Milton Keynes I can get to the Alps for a couple of extra hours at the wheel – last time to Lakes was 7 hours, I’ve got to Chamonix in 10)…

I love the Lakes, being a Penrith by, and having had all my early climbing, walking, sailing,paddling and MTB experience there. Fab place.

If it wasn’t the way work happened, that is where we would be living.

But, I now ‘have’ the Highlands. Win.

I’d sooner be hill walking when i’m in the Lakes.Some places are better for biking and some for walking.

Off up there in a couple of hours to ride some of the sumptuous bridalways in grizedale forest. May throw in Iron Kield and Hodge close in for good measure as well. Gotta love the Lake District, so many trials 8)

last time to Lakes was 7 hours

Try taking the car next time, instead of cycling?

You tried the M6 on a friday afternoon?!!