[Closed] Bowerdale & Howgill Fells... Some questions...

The descent down Bowderdale has got some tricky bits - a couple of rubbly chutes at the start, then some difficult narrows/stream crossings (with drops to the side) a bit further down. Other than that I can't remember much of technical note on the return leg. Nothing that compares with techy nasties in the Lakes, but awkward.

Pretty easy to navigate, except finding the right BW across from the foot of Bowderdale towards Ravenstonedale. But that might just be my crap mapreading skillz.

Views from the Calf are pretty cool, not sure it's worth carrying the big camera...

I did this ride 2 weekends ago. I really enjoyed the downhill section, it wasn't massively technical but parts are quite exposed feeling if that bothers you. My mate who I was riding with, who is experienced etc got quite psyched by some of it. It was also pretty wet at the bottom. My ex, who was also very fit wouldn't have been keen on parts of it, even though she'd be quite happy riding most trail centre red routes...

A few pics here; http://s95.photobucket.com/user/bigjohnskona/slideshow/Bowderdale
Done it both ways a number of times with riders of all abilities.
Clockwise out of Sedburgh expect to do a bit of hiking 💡
As others have said there are possibly a couple of bits where your Mrs can get off and walk but otherwise should enjoy the majority of the ride.
Another suggestion might be to visit Posties bike shop, Wheelbase for suggestions ie the Kentmere round

http://www.mountain-bike-cumbria.co.uk/articles.php?id=staveleyKentmereArea

http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/kendal-eng/kentmere-round-mountain-bike-ride-route-25376302

There are a couple of short section on Jenkyns Cragg where your Mrs may wish to dismount 😉

And are the views worth lugging the extra weight of my DSLR in my bag for?

There's a non technical (relatively speaking) ridgeline path parallel to the Bowerdale bridleway. Not easy to find from the Calf but would make a great alternative downhill (or climb without pushing).

Alternatively you can do the loop anti-clockwise and rather than ride up Bowderdale, ride up the ridgeline above Bowderdale to the Calf (it's a slog but entirely doable). That avoids any technical sections and is both 100% rideable (apart from one field above Narthwaite) & really good fun, particularly if you take the singletrack to the south of Winder rather than the main track to its north and descend to Lockbank Farm.

Bowderdale is my Nemesis! I know it's not overly technical, but the constant little nadgery bits wear me out, either direction. At least if you come down it you are spared the god-awful push at the top (which does make a nice descent). That track above it which has been mentioned is VERY wet and grassy.

When we did Bowderdale it was at the end of a dry spell so the only properly wet bit was right at the end just before the track rises as it leaves the valley (this is going North from the Calf). I thought the riding was great but it's much closer to "old skool" mountain biking than trail centres.

The bit that Martin mentions about getting to Ravenstonedale is awkward - there's a couple of "it doesn't go there surely" bits, we ended up out on the main road having missed the turn for the last bit of BW. The return to Sedbergh is straightforward if a little up and down, again "old skool" and quite a few gates. There's one tricky bit dropping through the woods of Murthwaite Park to the ford.

I thought the Howgills was very technical but then again I must be crap.

From what I remember, techy sections:

The last 10% of the climb up to first summit. It's very steep and full of loose rocks. This is the hardest part of the entire ride by far. I had to walk it.
The Bowderdale valley descent. It's about 10k of singletrack although the technicality of it varies considerably. It's narrow, rutted, exposed, bendy & rather steep to begin with. Then it flattens out but its still tough singletrack. Difficult muddy sections aplenty, tricky rocks, ruts, and the odd little uphill bit thrown in. Then there's a couple of steep slopes heading down to the river and you have to get across them.

The next part of the ride doesn't have much technicality. Depending on which way you go back, if you go back the standard way then your faced with a tarmac road climb then a bridleway which includes some very tricky sections. A descent through a forest with roots & a few steep sections and a river crossing at the bottom. A narrow track that traverses a hillside with river crossings & the odd little tricky rock sections thrown in and the odd step up - where these appear it's the hardest part.

It's a great ride but for someone who is only 2/10 for technicality I think they'd better be prepared to dab/dismount/walk a lot in the zones described above. I'd like to think of the Howgills tour as being about 7/10 for technicality. Yes I've heard it's not as hard as some other high Lake District routes such as Nan Bield but its still hard compared to most of the riding elsewhere.

One person in our group is quite good on the Llandegla black with above-average Strava times. Yet he struggled in the Howgills.

One person in our group is quite good on the Llandegla black with above-average Strava times. Yet he struggled in the Howgills.

My GF has some Strava times in the top 10% on Degla Black route... But that's not saying much, and I still rate her technical ability at 2/10. Degla black is basically a long blue route with a big climb, there's nothing technical on it really.

Anyway... Did Whinlatter yesterday. After the immense disappointment that was Grizedale, was very pleased just how good Whinlatter is for a trail centre. GF had her confidence boosted by first the (really rather fun if I do say so myself) blue route, then she managed all of (well she walked a couple of steep rocky sections) the south red loop. In fact she enjoyed it so much she went back and did both again on her own whilst I did the North Red loop.

Rest(ish) day today, still thinking of tackling the Bowerdale loop either tomorrow or Friday, especially given how dry it is right now...