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Im in the Lake District next week and the wife has said she would drop me off somewhere and id cycle back to base which is near Ambleside. Is this a route worth doing? Ive never walked or cycled it before and there seems to be a couple of bridleways heading south towards Ambleside from Helvellyn. Any advice is much appreciated.
I don't know the specifics of Helvellyn to Loughrigg (down to Grasmere, along loughrigg terrace?), but if you can find a way down to Loughrigg Tarn there is a cracking bridleway along to Ambleside.
Which side of Helvellyn would you be getting dropped off at?
The mountain itself is epic riding but down the valley to Ambleside is more link-up stuff (although there are some nice bits you can do).
Nice wife 🙂
Not a local, so some of this advice may be wrong/out-of-date/too cheeky for words.
Easiest way up is to start from Patterdale, then up Glenridding/Kepple Cove Lower Man.
The obvious way down heading south is Dollywaggon Pike. It used to be one of THE classic descents, but got stepped a good few years back with no thought for any other users other than walkers - massive wheel-trapper drainage gullys abound, and while it is cleanable, it's not a vast amount of fun.
Non-cheeky would be to head down Great Tongue (not ridden that)
...but if I planned my timing carefully (ie dry ground, and either very early or late) I'd consider hikeabiking up to Fairfield then Great Rigg/Rydal Fell etc. Not ridden it, but walked it a while back and it felt like it would be a nice descent. Definitely cheeky, so usual rules apply!
As above I'm a bit confused by what you mean by dropped off at Helvellyn.
Also as above, I'm not a fan of Dollywaggon, though it is well over twenty years since I did it. The other obvious descent in that area is Birkside, which I did in spring. I absolutely loved it, though it is blummin steep in places.
If you're after maximum car elevation then getting dropped off at Red Moss near Dockray gives you a starting elevation of 412 metres and a brilliant ride along the whole ridge southwards ( start at 380219) first bit needs it to be very dry recently.
You could then descend either Birk Side or (DWG followed by Little Toungue)
As above, depending where you’re being dropped off, I’d climb Helvellyn, descend south via Dollywagon (it’s really not as bad as people make out), then climb up onto Fairfield and follow the ridge to Ambleside.
I wouldn’t descend all the way to the road (Birkside) as the riding wouldn’t be as good down in the valley and you’ll end up riding more on the road
As above (again), but maybe leave the Fairfield ridge near the bottom and head towards Alcock Tarn (it's unmarked on the map, but satellite will show you where), then down left from the tarn to Grasmere. Obviously it's a popular walking route. Grasmere you can either pick up the Coffin Road which runs parallel to the road and ride that all the way back to Ambleside, or, if your legs are up to it, follow a route over Loughrigg Fell (again, walker central).
Thanks for the replies. It looks like on the map the only obvious route (ie bridleway) is down Great Tongue and this spills you out near Grasmere, which is no problem. Is the Great Tongue bridleway any good to descend? I would probably want to take the footpath to Fairfield then Great Rigg/Rydal Fell however i dont think ill be doing it at the right time if day (ie morning on a weekday i think).
Failing the above then i might ask my mrs to drive me somewhere else so i can ride back.
weekday morning fairfield shouldn't be to busy, its quite open mostly anyway with plenty of room to dodge walkers. alcock tarn path could be a bit busyer but it wouldn't put me of doing it.
never been on the great tongue bridleway, usually go up the footpath on the otherside that meets the bridleway higher up, not to sure about it as a descent, its been a while but i think there's some unrideable bits on it.