I'm planning on doing tour of Coniston on Friday. Start at grizedale VC, up red trail, head south, round to torver, over to seathwaite, walna scar, round the top of the lake and back to grizedale.
I would normally do Parkamoor descent but I'm aware of the works. Am I better off doing one of the enduro trails down to the lake shore? I've never done any before, not sure what's open? Looks a bit of a trek along the road though too get to the south of the lake 🤔 any better option for this leg of the circuit?
If you want to be south of the lake you may as well do parkamoor, it's not terrible and will warm you up for what's to come at least. I certainly wouldn't want to hit any of the enduro trails blindly as my first descent and if you've not done them before from when I've done them they're not to be taken lightly.
I certainly wouldn't want to hit any of the enduro trails blindly as my first descent and if you've not done them before from when I've done them they're not to be taken lightly.
This. They're pretty ****ing steep and just get steeper the further down you go.
With recent dry weather, the time to have a crack at them is probably now, though.
Ok, decision made! I'm just after a good day out so don't need to be testing myself from the off. If I've still got legs and time (and battery 😉) on the return to grizedale maybe I'll take a peek
I certainly wouldn't want to hit any of the enduro trails blindly as my first descent and if you've not done them before from when I've done them they're not to be taken lightly.
This. They're pretty ****ing steep and just get steeper the further down you go.
With recent dry weather, the time to have a crack at them is probably now, though.
yes, in the dry is the right time. [rubs thumb joint and remembers 6 weeks in a cast]
Purple Peril is running again and goes all the way to the lakeshore, just one awkward rocky bit. Much easier than Cheeky V, Supernoodle, etc.
There's nothing really wrong with the Parkamoor descent as a means to get to the lakeside, but it's just rough doubletrack now.
The alternative is the further north BW descent out of Grizedale towards the other end of Coniston Water, then, on an EEB, maybe do a WS double, heading to Stephenson Ground down next to the river Lickle, which is a nice little descent, before returning via Seathwaite. That cuts out a bit of the tarmac and adds some challenge to the climbing as well.
Looks like a fabulous day out, either way.
We did this last week. Nothing wrong with it - just a warp speed blast with some sketchy corners. The best section was the single track back to towards Torver. We looped out of Coniston and up to Tilberthwaite/Oxen fell and then picked up the top end of the North Face trail. Note that a section is closed as they are working on this. Looks like it will be a new school bermy section which will bring the NF trail into the modern world.
Only a short section of NFT is closed I think, and the bridleway that runs parallel to that part is useable. Personally, I'd prefer less fireroad on the western side of the trail, rather than bmx stuff , to bring it up to date.
We took a look at those descents to Coniston water a week or so ago, even in the dry they looked pretty terrifying. Enjoy the Parkamoor double track and hopefully the views across the Lakes.
Yeah after Torver and in the woods I’d climb a little to do the one descent which spits you out at the small collection of houses before then swinging round and dropping the full amount and the push then up WS.
Whereabouts is purple peril? I can see vikings, down the bomb hope and log drop on trailforks running down to lake shore, I assumed that's what I would aim for.
Well that was a great day out..... Parkamoor is fine in the context of the bigger loop, just not quite as interesting as it once was. View is awesome as ever from the top before the decent starts.
pootled round, enjoyed a sausage roll in the sun in torver, enjoyed an AF beer in the sun in seathwaite, enjoyed an ice cream in the sun in coniston, enjoyed an iced coffee in the sun back at grizedale.
Found myself at the bottom of the black line when I got back to grizedale, had some battery left so nipped up and did a run of that. Save the off piste for another day.
For those interested in this sort of thing, levo sl, rode most of it in eco and put some effort in at least 😉 But did do the rake, a large part of walna climb and the run up to the black in trail mode. Was left with about 15% I think. 33 miles, 5300 ft.
