 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I fancy doing Sticks Pass again and normally ascend via Keppel Cove. Is there another option for a change? Looking at the map i can see a BW via Randerside / Great Dodd, is that any good? And more importantly, is it rideable or a hike-a-bike job?Â
Great timing.... When you thinking of going?
The route from the north is indeed very rideable, but very conditions dependent. There is a big bog on the first bit up Brutts Moss. First time I did it was totally frozen, which was great. We rode about 95% of it to Helvelyn summit. More recently in summer I pushed a lot more even though it was relatively dry.
It should be in pretty good condition at the moment.
Â
Ah cheers. This Sunday, so hopefully it will be quite dry?
Â
I did the full ridge (north to south, over Helvellyn finishing on Dollywagon Pike) as a sponsored piece for this here website a few years back and it was a good day out. The Dodds from memory are more pedally than you think, but less of an arse than Keppel Cove. Definitely one for when it's dry. Up Grizedale Beck and Dollywagon is a great alternative, but that's a definite carry.
Up Grizedale Beck and Dollywagon is a great alternative, but that's a definite carry.
Seems to be gaining popularity, not done the Dollywaggon bit myself though.
Not sure how big a ride you were after OP, but it's great to head up from Thirlmere side, down Sticks & Seldom, then back up Keppel Cove to the summit and down Birkside.
Not sure how big a ride you were after OP, but it's great to head up from Thirlmere side, down Sticks & Seldom, then back up Keppel Cove to the summit and down Birkside.
Â
Ohhhhh. All rideable? I'm off to do some planning in Komoot...
Â
I walked it a couple of months ago - up from Dunmail Raise to Grisedale Tarn, up Dollywagon, across the summit then fork left and left to descend to Swirls Car Park on Thirlmere. Then back through the woods and across to Dunmail.
Apart from some slightly soggy bits around the bottom of Dollywagon it was all dry even then.
Saw a couple of riders descending from the summit southwards, didn't see which route they took though.
Ohhhhh. All rideable?
Going up from Thirlmere side is a definite hike-a-bike.
The one time I've ridden it, we went up from Glenridding.
Â
Ohhhhh. All rideable?
A lot of pushing and a bit of carrying up from Thirlmere, but it's not too awful IIRC.
I've "ridden" up from Broadrayne on the Grassmere side once. Actually now it comes back to me quite a lot of it actually was riding, just that I've blanked it out because it hurt a great deal. Going up Grisedale from the Patterdale side I've likewise done once but woudl do again. Pushing in places but okay. It's a carry up Dollywagon in any event. Up helvellyn once in a day is plenty for me...Â
Anyway, what's the next best descent after seldom seen? Does anything compare?Â
@chakaping route is one of my favourite rides anywhere. Up from Thirlmere is a bit of a slog though.
Up fromThirlmere is a bit of a slog though.
Generally forgotten by the time you're slogging up Keppel though 😀
Anyway, what's the next best descent after seldom seen? Does anything compare?Â
Birkside is really good, more gnarly than Seldom but very satisfying.
Dollywaggon/Grisedale Tarn is techy and awkward to the tarn, then sublime tech/flow down from the tarn towards Patterdale (so I'd pick that one).
Â
Not sure how big a ride you were after OP, but it's great to head up from Thirlmere side, down Sticks & Seldom, then back up Keppel Cove to the summit and down Birkside
Â
Ahhhh. All rideable
Â
Well it depends how you get up from Thirlmere.... We headed north along Thirlmere to the Coach Road then up the Dodds ridge that the OP asked about along the ridge to Sticks, down this then up Keppel then down Birkside ( which as the poster above says, is much harder than SS
Not sure if it is Strava or STW that is ****ing up the link...
I think that's user error - Strava now defaults to sharing a png of your route so you can overlay it on a selfie for the socials. Swipe for a different image or choose share link instead.
Interesting route btw, that must've been a big day out!
Last and only time I've done the full route I didn't go over Bruts Moss..
Â
Started in Patterdale, up to Dockray but then carried on along the coach road and then up to Clough Head, Calfhow Pike, Great Dodd where you join the normal route again
Â
I was meant to come down Dollywagon but got lost and ended up at the bottom of Birkside a bit confused - the pathless climb back up to Dollywagon Pike after that was hell
Â
Â
Started in Patterdale, up to Dockray but then carried on along the coach road and then up to Clough Head, Calfhow Pike, Great Dodd where you join the normal route again
 Did you go off piste from OCR to the summit of Clough head, or up the valley bottom Bridleway? That's one of the few BWs on Helvelyn that I haven't done but it's reputed to be even worse than the Moss.
I was meant to come down Dollywagon but got lost and ended up at the bottom of Birkside a bit confused - the pathless climb back up to Dollywagon Pike after that was hell
**** me, that's quite some error. Must have been gubbed after that...
Here you go, found it
Â
The map does show a path, but from memory I don't really remember it being there - and yes very boggy from the OCR to Clugh Head
Â
It was Lowey that told me not to go over Bruts Moss and follow the OCR further up
Â
https://strava.app.link/DEDilCZM0Sb
Â