Cheers Mulletus – I had that pdf but was still stumped. Sorted now – there’s a grub screw I was thinking was a grease port; it’s actually holding it all together.

A few Keswick riders passed by that way on Saturday – I’ll pop a link to your thread on our facebook page just in case. Cheers elliptic.

Catbells is a fun descent but I’d avoid it like the plague during daylight hours – it’s by far the busiest hill around and is always covered in walkers. There’s an excellent descent off the back of Catbells that’s actually a bridleway: from Hause Gate (between Maiden Moor and Catbells if you’re looking at a map). Climb up from Little Town and descend towards Manesty is the best direction – fix the fells steps, tight turns, and awkward drainage gulleys.

It’s pretty much always wet across that range – from the back of Walla all the way over to Blea Tarn. There’s maybe a window in April / May when it’s semi-dry or in the winter when it freezes. It’s not the worst ever though – worth it now and again for the descent to Watendlath. The next descent along off High Tove, now that’s wet 😀

It’s busy in town at the moment, being English half-term – I’d avoid anything cheeky before about 3pm. I’d also avoid that figure of eight ride around the back of Skiddaw – it’s a very dull ride. Glenderaterra in the morning and Borrowdale in the afternoon would be a better all-dayer.

Also worth considering Helvellyn from town – four hour round trip if you carry up Sticks and come down Birk Side (or up from Swirls and down Sticks is good too). Thirlmere over to Watendlath and down to Rosthwaite would add another hour or so – can be a bit wet coming over by Blea Tarn though.

Try Cavern by Liquid Liquid as a trick question (sampled by Grandmaster Flash for White LInes)

Sids, as in ‘Sid Littles’ in honour of the hilarious comedian – another North Manc one.

Mr Jolly Lives Next Door

Post-Dangerous Brothers / pre-Bottom plus Peter Cook.

No sorry anc 🙁

I just don’t think much of the bit off the top and down Scales fell, its man made, smooth with the odd tight corner and pretty untechnical really then just a fast grassy bank till you hit the zigzags.

Agreed. I’m not keen on that section – much better to duck left as you leave the summit and head down to the tarn.

Hi Trekster – ygm

I always find it fun – off-camber and loose at the top and that nasty fix the fells section following the beck down (that I still haven’t cleared). The chute’s off the end of the valley – there’s a right fork (easy to pick up once you know it’s there) and following your nose you can’t miss it. Zig-zagging scree is probably a better description than chute. The final fast section through the gorse though – that makes the earlier grind up worth the effort.

Thing is though there isn’t really any good descents off Blencathra, they’re either mundane or they’ll kill you!!!

I have to disagree with you there anc 🙂 The descent off the summit down to Scales Tarn and around the valley is excellent, as is ‘the chute’ if you know where to pick it up, and into the gorse-lined singletrack. Doddick is fun too but does fall into anc’s ‘kill you’ category. Don’t bother with Hall’s Fell though – it’s a scramble off the top. All very cheeky though mozzie.

Medium frame for me with 140 Floats – riding in the North Lakes. Tough frame (although I did manage to break my old one), great customer service from Dialled as well.

0% time in a car V 100% time riding.

That’s living in the North Lakes 😉

However, quite often it’s a longer carry up than the ride down (in terms of time spent).

It’s also a never ending source of new climbs and descents – we’re still finding new stuff to ride (good and bad). The weather’s a big factor too as the rain’s capable of changing a once familiar trail into an unrecognisable, fantastic ‘new’ descent almost overnight (although that does lead to dangerously nerdy conversations about how particular rocks have moved 30mm to the left).

I wasn’t sure if the spring would be an issue. Thanks Milky.

Thanks belugabob.

Great customer service from Mike at Dialled Bikes too. Highly recommended.

lots of rocky and washed out parts

Those are the best bits 😉

Parking in Thornthwaite or Braithwaite gives you those extra ups and downs (and lots of cheeky alternatives if you know where to look) – but if the kids are hoping to play on the new adventure playground in the woods rather than cycle, it’s worth noting there’s a fair sized (but interesting) walk for them there and back.

Did we have River Raid on the Atari 2600

Exhumed on the PS1

Manic Miner on the Spectrum

Thanks for the suggestions – I’ll have a wander. Not sure about exact dates as yet trekster, but if I have web access I’ll give you a shout 🙂

Excellent – thanks Trekster. I’ll be staying in Rockcliffe and I was hoping there was an offroad route that might drop me out at Mabie. Thanks for the Monday offer but I won’t be over there until end of the month.

Any idea what Criffel’s like – any interesting descents ?

The Bridge and the Sun are both good Troutie – not been in either for a while though ! Used to prefer the Sun.

has it been too wet to go up the Dodds

Most of the normally boggy areas around here (North Lakes)had dried out – but then a lot of rain dropped over the weekend. Probably not at it’s worst right now 😉

Going up in the evening or early morning would give you a bit more freedom on the more popular paths though.

Head out anytime after about 3pm and you’ll have the tops mostly to yourself.

It’d be a shame trying to stick to bridleways when there’s so much more good stuff that’s footpaths / unclassified 🙂

28t at the front and a 11-34 cassette – North Lakes. Tried a 32T up front – there’s always a hike involved around here but I was off carrying a bit too soon with the 32 and switched to a 28 inner.

I think that some of the highest routes in the Lakes are mire about ticking boxes and there is more interesting stuff lower down

You’re going up the wrong mountains 😉

The dale head addition looks like a good option had a look on the map and there are three tracks going down to the tarn hows this relate on the ground? does it really matter which one you take.

HiIamSam – just follow the most pronounced track from the summit cairn – you can’t really go wrong. Zig-zaggy at first, then into a long steep fix the fells set of steps.

Does anybody know of anything that can be added on to the bottom of the castle crag decent, going in a westerly direction, its one of the areas I’ve always wanted to have a go at?

One poss alternative to the normal bash route – head up to the top of Honister, right up onto Dale Head, then descend to the tarn and on down through Rigghead Quarries. Left and back down the graveyard as normal.

Any of the Western Fells are good – Coldale Horseshoe is good in either direction with lots of options. Whiteless like Lowey says, Grasmoor…on the other side of the road, Hindscarth and Robinson. High Spy, Maiden Moor, Catbells is a great run back into town. Best after about 4pm when the walkers have gone home.

Instructional video here

Plenty of pubs here.

B&Bs:

http://www.greystokeguesthouse.co.uk/
http://www.harvingtonhouse.co.uk/

Both owned by bikers.

Could try Smudge for a replacement battery:

http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/2.html

I’m not sure I agree with your blatant promotion of SPAM. Apologies if you’re not an employee of Hormel Food Ltd; perhaps you can give us a bit more information on chopped pork and ham ?

I’m not sure I agree with your blatant promotion of SPAM. Apologies if you’re not an employee of Hormel Food Ltd; perhaps you can give us a bit more information on chopped pork and ham ?

seathwaite, styhead, angle tarn

In reverse, from Angle Tarn down to Styhead, then on down to Seathwaite is a great descent. Then you could head up Langstrath from Stonethwaite and back over Stakes. There’s some nice stuff over and around Great Gable itself but it’s all very cheeky 😉

There’s a fantastic new kids play area just been completed – they’ll easily lose a couple of hours in there.

You will probably never want to do it again though.

😯 I live in the North Lakes and we’re on the tops at least two or three times a week. Good or bad ride, I only want to be out more !

😥 At least you got that descent down Sticks in !!