Hi,

I have 3 days in the lakes staying at winlatter this weekend 🙂

Any recommendations for your favourite routes?

I might do the Borrowdale bash one day but not decided on the other 2 yet

Cheers!

Add Helvellyn and nan bield to the BB that should be a good 3 days.

High Street starting from Brotherswater, lots of shouldering so a light XC bike is best. Back via Pooley Bridge then the BW along Ullswater shore. Fantastic day out.

What do you enjoy- are you put off by big hike-a-bike climbs to mountain summits, or would you relish that? Huge range of options but one riders idea of heaven is another’s purgatory!

If doing the bash, be sure to include walla crag to Ashness bridge. I’d do skiddaw/ullock pike then round to dash falls/skiddaw house/ Lonscale crags if weather is good for another day, then I’d probably be a bit knackered and ride the trail centre stuff in whinlatter but include a trip over grisedale summit and down hobcarton end. All local, no need to have the hassle of driving anywhere on bank holiday weekend.

Given that it’s bank holiday the lakes will be rammed so I’d be getting away into the wild somewhere.
The BB is really only half a day ride but you can easily extend it..what’s your view on cheeky riding?

Off the top of my head, but tbh I couldn’t separate about 15-20 routes that are awesome.

– Langstrath-Angle tarn-esk hause-sprinkling tarn-stockley bridge
– Kentmere horseshoe from Ambleside, down S of nan bield, 3 rivers descent, high borrans, Jenkins crag
– Braithwaite-Coledale hause-Wandope-Whitelss pike-Rannerdale knotts-Gasgale gill-Grisedale Pike-Braithwaite

Interesting to see what other peoples favorites are. Its a tough decide, but I reckon that the following are up there –

Ings-Garburn-Yoke-Thornthwaite Beacon-Nan Bield-Sadgill-Green 1/4-High Borrans-ings

Raise beck-Grisdale Tarn-Patterdale Common-Angle Tarn-Boredale Haus-Glenridding-Kepple Cove-Helvellyn-Birkside

Pooley Bridge-High Street-The Knot-Angle Tarn-Boredale Haus-Round Ullswater to Sandwick-Martindale-The Cockpit-Pooley Bridge

Going to be busy up there over the BH mind

After Whitless to Buttermere & back up to Grisedale are people using Gasgale Gill to ascend?
We did last year and it was a total PITA.

Any Skiddaw variation (figure of 8/summit+!/round the back of etc etc)
Borrowdale bash for breakfast /whinlatter* after lunch
Wythop & Sale fell – quick couple of hours 🙂
*Whinlatter bonus edition – from Thornthwaite. featuring many bonus sections! 🙂

Are all rides I did in the area over Easter to minimise driving.
Check out how to get from Bassenthwaite over to Binsey and up to Peter House farm. 🙂

After Whitless to Buttermere & back up to Grisedale are people using Gasgale Gill to ascend?
We did last year and it was a total PITA.

Aye, up the gill, not gasgale crags. Did it a few times, it’s fine.

An evening ascent of Skiddaw would be good if the weather was right, sunset at the summit for 8.40ish, will be just right, much less crowds in the evening of course. Mix that up with a ride round Whinlatter in the morning or time with partner/family who don’t cycle, then up Skiddaw in the evening.

Gasgale Gill has had some erosion over the last few years (especially the 2015 floods). The best track is ‘the middle way’- don’t stay in the bottom of the Gill but take the slightly higher line. It is a ball ache after a long descent but that’s how you earn your smiles….

I’d avoid rannerdale in he day time on bank holiday weekend- it’s peak bluebell season!

I’m on my geometon which weighed in at 36lb last night.

I’ve hiked up to high St once, riding back along ulswater that was pretty ace.

I’m happy with a proper height if the decents are fun

Enjoyed these rides just recently
https://www.strava.com/activities/2302509962
https://www.strava.com/activities/2221127132

As others have said, the Lakes will be rammed this weekend so the less you have to drive, the better and as such, I would recommend sticking to rides you can do from your accommodation.
We were out over Easter and chose where to ride mainly on how off the beaten track the trails were. Helvellyn has tons of good riding but if the forecast is good (supposed to be) then you will be forever giving way to walkers on every descent. I imagine that Skiddaw will be similar, as will the BB.

Going big is always good, but most of the above will be busy in places, but some quality suggestions. Everything is riding well at the moment with how dry it is.

If you are north Lakes I wouldn’t head south to ride Nan Bield etc. Not because it’s bad, it’s just a waste of a weekend driving on the BH weekend.

Four Passes is always a grand day out.

The suggestions above for Coledal Hause are worthy of consideration. Some memorable riding and scenery that all has to be earnt.

And the NW fells won’t be anywhere near as busy as the gluepot areas.

Agree with Tomaso – I wouldn’t travel all the way to Nan Bield, but I would check out Helvellyn just for variety. There’s so much amazing riding in the Keswick/whinlatter area, but it’d be a shame not to head elsewhere for a day.

A good extension on the Bash, is Warnscale Bottom descending to Buttermere, then back up honister to rejoin the bash.

Thanks all!

I’ll stick your suggestions on a map and pick some.

🙂

My mate’s lad on Hobcarton End- nice little vid!

Hobcarton descent

Glad you put this thread up because 2 of us went to the Lakes yesterday and the ride was just beyond terrible. It was around Staveley and Garburn Pass and most of it was just a right slog with slow climbs and constant gates. There were some good parts but the rewards were definitely not good for the effort.

I was thinking the Lakes must surely have much better to offer than this

Out of those mentioned I’ve done Nan Bield a while ago (via Green Quarter and Harter Fell) and at least that was worth the effort, the setting and the riding were some of the best I’ve done.

I was thinking the Lakes must surely have much better to offer than this

You’ve answered your own question in the next post. 😊

Op. How did you get on..what did you get up to?