[Closed] Exploring from Buttermere

Definitely not a well informed local but remember doing Scarth Gap Pass for my 30th birthday with a hangover. If I remember right it was mostly a push up and then water bars down to Black Sail hut. Rode down the valley then back over via Whins and Floutern Tarn. I think this was more rideable but also possibly more susceptible to getting boggy (perhaps).

This was all 15 years ago though so I’m either remembering it completely wrong or bikes have come so much since then it might all be great now (or equally really dull). Not much help I know.

Whiteside to Crummock is not a viable descent and a bloody awful hike a bike up. Not sure about the path down to Beck House though.

Lad Hows is ok but VERY steep at the top.

Red Pike only done it as the ridge ride to High Stile. Never done the descent off the front to Bleaberry tarn so cant comment.

@TomB is your man.

Red Pike is very steep at the top, only from memory of walking it.
The best known descents into the valley are from the back of Honister (Warnscale), Whiteless Pike

Stoneycroft is not very tech and fast (there's a video by a lad called DistrictRider on youtube). Off the front of Causey is steep/difficult.
Grisedale Pike or Hobcarton into the back of Whinlatter are well known.

You could always do four passes - Scarth Gap/Black Sail/Styhead/Warnscale - big day out, lots of carrying.

Not to be that guy, but Whiteside & Lad Hows is a designated Footpath by Right of Way. Check out this map to figure out which bits are okay to ride:

https://apps1.wdm.co.uk/Pipcumbriahms/map.aspx?cg=PROW

Whiteside is also horrendously steep and the path can be tight and scramble-y. Good luck cycling down it. Lad Hows is very steep up top with some corners being tight and/or loose.

Red Pike albeit being steep and loose close to the summit should otherwise be fine, it's mainly 'paved' with big rocks. The path is a bridleway so you're good to go.

Agree with Hobcarton descent off of Grisedale Pike - a class descent on the bike.

Red Pike off the front of is a pretty crap descent, steep and badly pitched so repetitive and unpleasant without being varied or particularly challenging. Best to hike up it (arduous) and head down the ridge to Scarth Gap.
Sail Beck is usually climbed but is also great in descent, finishing over the col and down High Rannerdale.
As others have said Whiteless and Lad Hows are classic descents, Gasgale Gill is pretty good both up and down (bar the steep start), Hope Gill is superb low-tech singletrack from the sheepfold down, best done as an out-and-back.

The hills to the east of Buttermere are excellent. There's a wealth of good riding to be had there.

Options include-

A short loop up Gasgale Gill then up and over to Whiteless Like

A full loop up past Rigg Beck and Sail Beck then back up and over Crag and down Whiteless.

Grizedale Pike from Eel Crag, descending to Braithwaite rather than via Hobcarton (this is a very technical descent and one for a dry day otherwise you'll have no traction but I think it's the best trail in the Lakes)

Hobcarton into Whinlatter from Grizedale Pike is OK, a bit of a tame descent but a nice day out.

I have seen someone riding down Crag to the east- it looked mega tech but good. If I were to do this is go up Gasgale Gill, up and over Crag then down the main footpath to go up and over Barrow- descending off Causey Pike is mostly a carry down. Then back up and over however you like.

Of the routes you mentioned I would do none of them unless you've exhausted all the options I've listed. Red Pike is an OK day out but it is just steep paving slabs rather than anything genuinely fun. Stoneycroft Gill is just a Landover track for the last half. Lad Hows does look good but it's an unknown for me.

Other options worth considering are

-riding up Honister Pass and down Warnscale. That's only an hour and a half so good on an evening.

- The Four Passes Loop, starting with Scarth Gap, then Black Sail, then Sty Head then Warnscale. If you care about such nonsense, that route is all bridleway but also very good.

Thanks all, sounds like white side and red pike are out. I've done quite a few of the suggestions - whiteless (best of lot IMO) hobcarton, gasgale up, sail beck up, rigg beck down (great!), grizedale pike sleet how / hobcarton and causey.

So from the above I reckon lad hows sounds a goer, just I'll have to be mentally prepared for a bit of hikeabike down at the top maybe. I also like the sound of crag hill down and over barrow. Was thinking of something similarish but accessed from top of sail/rigg becks

Most has been covered above, and you’ve ridden the usual suspects. I actually like Causey- the ridge along scar crags is fun then after the initial scramble down off the summit a bit of luck and a fair wind makes the rest of the top section rideable. Heading down Stonycroft I reckon the best way is to traverse left off the main track just after it passes outerside on a good rideable track to barrow door then up to barrow summit and north down the ridge (dry day best or you won’t slow down if the grass, bit like grisedale main path in that respect.

The Four Passes is a perverse ride that is quite satisfying.Scarth Gap would be a good finish for a beer in Buttermere.

Did Whiteless Pike, Rigg Beck and Barrow last weekend and I enjoyed the latter trails more.

Gasgale Gill is a interesting place to ride.

For less extreme but no less fun you can head over to Ennerdale from Buttermere and Crummock Water.

A few other alternatives:

-Honister/Moses Trod/Green Gable, and you can either summit Great Gable or head down from Windy Gap to Styhead Tarn.
-From Styhead, you could head down to Stockley bridge and back up Honister, end the day with the descent down to Warnscale.
-Or Honister/Dale Head and descend Hindscarth, carry up Robinson and descend down into Buttermere.
-Or Honister/Dalehead, and descend via the tarn and Rigg Head Quarry. End with Honister/Warnscale again.

Expect lots of walkers. It's gotten stupidly busy on the fells over the past couple of weeks, only getting quiet after about 5pm.