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Staying up in Eskdale in a few weeks on a walking holiday. But thought I'd take my bike and each morning have a pedal up Hardknott before breakfast on the hardtail, what's the off road path like from the top that runs through the fort like as a descent for the way back down?
Worth a go, or is it a river like bog. This will be very early in the morning so the chance of seeing anybody will be slim.
Nobody?
Only ridden the road pass so can't comment on the trail conditions round there at the mo, but the path through the fort is a footpath isn't it?
[Edit] Having looked at the map, you could loop clockwise from the top round Harter Fell through Dunnerdale Forest, although unsure how ridable that is. From experience, too many bridleway type trails have been 'improved' by the addition of proper steps making them pretty much unridable.
I can't help Rik as I've not tried that path, but just wanted to applaud the plan of going up Hardknott every morning before breakfast - that will put hairs on your chest.
The bw up to the top of Hardknott from the south I've seen described as unrideable up or down, so maybe that takes away potential MTB traffic who might fancy the path back down to Eskdale you're talking about.
Cheers Garry - enjoy it on the road bike so got to be easier with a 11-40t rear cassette if a bit slower with the big tyres.
Yes in do know the path through the fort is a footpath but at 8am in the morning in February I hardly doubt I’ll see a soul let alone like the hoards of Loughrigg Terrace.
Looks like a nice loop if rideable
Bump again - if anybody knows anything
Having looked at the map, you could loop clockwise from the top round Harter Fell through Dunnerdale Forest, although unsure how ridable that is.
Rideable in parts, boggy as hell in places, IIRC.
Not interested in the Harter Fell loop, as I don’t have enough time to do that each morning (I need to keep it under 1hour - this is 1 up 1 down and 7miles and second that root is a bog fest even in summer!
I’d just give it a go on the first morning, you’ll have gravity on your side all the way down and it’ll definitely be more interesting than returning down the road. The riverside path through Eskdale is also a nice way to pass half an hour.