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I'm unexpectedly off to the south lakes tomorrow (last minute change of family holiday plans!) staying near Coniston. I'm very much unprepared with my route planning!
I fancy a ride out up a big hill so Walna Scar would fit the bill. I rode it once probably about 15 years ago but not been since. I know it was gravelled a few years ago. So some questions:
1) Has it recovered from the gravelling into something interesting? Doesn't need to be a full on lakes terror-fest - just be some fun is all!
2) Also on the way down back towards the lake, am I correct in thinking this is the preferred descent for fun-ness?
3) from Stephenson Groud, is the best route to go down to Seathwaite and back up again, or to follow the river Lickle and the around White Pike. I'll probably take the Eeb to save on riding time and so that volume of climbing isn't so much of an issue
PS yes I have searched the forum, but piecing together the fragments of information is tricky
PPS Oh yeah, also if there are any 'must ride' bits of Grizedale I'd appreciate any pointers on that too. I can see there are a few enduro tracks that drop down around Brantwood area - will probably check them out but would like to be able to link them into somethign to make a proper ride (rather than just lapping them and not really going anywhere)
thanks!!!
1) Sort of. The top switchbacks are getting rougher again, as far as I could tell the last time I pushed up it. Worth doing, I'd say.
2)Yes, if heading to Torver. But it's mainly doubletrack after the first bit down to the quarry. You could turn right at the Walna Scar Car park and pick up the BW down towards Coniston itself. Bit more rocky and interesting in places. You can spin back to Torver on the easy lakeside path.
3) Best way, IMO, is to follow the fire road up on one side of the Lickle to Natty Bridge, then turn 180 and head back towards Stephenson Ground on singletrack on the other side, then up and over to Seathwaite via Park Head Road. The White Pike route is definitely the most pedalable and quickest way, obviously. I don't know if you can clean the Duddon side of WS on an ebike, probably, but I imagine it would be fun to ride as much of it as possible.
Grizedale is a winch and plummet kind of place. Depends how enduro-ey you want your riding. The best BW descents are the three witches to Satterthwaite, Bacon slicer all the way to the visitor centre, and Great Wood/Breasty Haw plus Hole in the wall on the other side of the forest. A scan on Strava segment explore will probably find those for you. None of them is massively technical, just rocky and fun.
That's perfect - thanks very much @martinhutch !
regarding (2) would this be the better descent option then? Don't really mind where I end up on the main road at the bottom - just want the best descent!
That's the BW, but go all the way down to the car park on the main drag and then pick up one of the FPs on the right that join it further down. It's pretty obvious. The descent starts at the first gate.
It's a decent descent - couple of gates, but a techy stream crossing and some rubbly stuff. In an ideal world, I'd actually turn left at the car park and go up behind crowberry haws and down the fp to the RH side of Church Beck. But not on August BH Monday, will be a human centipede of walkers.
Nice one, I'll be riding midweek and very early so hopefully the variation you suggest will be doable 🙂
Another plus being avoiding the rambler human centipede. What a lovely mental image 😀
No it isn't worth doing. it's climb after climb after horrendous climb and you'll get to the top to find the descent is rubbish! lol. relatively. The circuit of Coniston is much better.
https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/39703
clockwise.
I agree with Jekkyl, it is a long way up and the descent is only good in places.
If you head up (as per Jekkyl's route) behind Torver and join Walna Scar that will give you a good taste of the best bits.
I am in Coniston at the mo and have PM'ed you in case you fancy some company on a ride.
Jekkyl's route is pretty good. I'd maybe tag on the 3 witches, br3asty haw etc if you can though...
Grizedale is a winch and plummet kind of place.
Hmm. Disagree. I think it has a good feeling of travel personally.
Some lovely techie climbs too.
Though perhaps on second thoughts, compared to the rest of the lake District I guess it is a bit.
If you head up (as per Jekkyl’s route) behind Torver and join Walna Scar that will give you a good taste of the best bits.
That route doesn't give you any of the best bits of Walna Scar. You pop up on the flattish bit just before the car park, and your biggest descent of the day is on tarmac.
Well I'm in Coniston now but in the end decided not to bring the bike (only time for 1 ride in the end)
However I did walk down walna scar yesterday afternoon after doing a loop up round the old man and Dow crag (great walk, and surprisingly non - busy. No human centipede anyway)
Anyway, I thought it looked fun at the top. Some technical sections and definitely not easy. Definitely worth a go I reckon.
and your biggest descent of the day is on tarmac.
Came flying down that one winter and hit a massive patch of sheet ice, so went sliding down that on my side!
Still sounds better than negotiating the normal summer wagon train of tourist cars trying to pass each other.