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Free pass weekend means an away play date with the bike. Ive looked at this route a few times over the years and though hopw it would be a right pain in the Ar** in the wind and rain. But as the weather looks good and any incurtion into the heart of the Lakes will be greated by way to many people for my social battery its a possible why not .
The GPX will take care of the route but simple question Is it worth it
It should be getting into good nick. It's quite old school in the effort/reward stakes, the Bowderdale descent and the bit after it is actual kinda awkward in places and hard to find flow. The return leg back to Sedbergh is decent here and there, but a bit of a schlepp in others.
Think of it as a good day out with a summit, great views and some nice riding.
Tip - stay on tarmac between the foot of Bowderdale and Ravenstonedale. The 'classic' route involves a lot of field plodding. There is a minor road running parallel with the A684.
V much worth it. The descent into Bowderdale is v rutty, but still a fun ride and then...
the Bowderdale descent and the bit after it is actual kinda awkward in places and hard to find flow.
Strongly disagree 🙂 Just need to go quickly. Helps if you're chasing/trying to drop mates.
stay on tarmac between the foot of Bowderdale and Ravenstonedale.
Agree. To be got out of the way quickly which it can be. Good pubs in Ravenstonedale.
he return leg back to Sedbergh is decent here and there, but a bit of a schlepp in others.
Last time I did this was after three pints in Ravenstonedale, which definitely helped. What I've done a couple of times when I've done this route on my own, and never managed to persuade anyone else to do for some reason, is to ride to the base of Cautley Spout and then carry up, and then there's a thin and partly ridable path above the beck, which you cross to ride up to Great Dummocks on the Calf ridge, where you join the main bridleway for the blast down to Winder and Sedbergh. This is just very fast and not at all tech fun.
Was going to suggest the Cautley Spout carry, but it's not for everyone!
We did it in a dry spell a few years ago and enjoyed it. Perfect for an xc full sus to take the sting out of the rutty bit. Definitely get some kind of drink in Ravenstonedale as we ran out of water.
I went up Bowderdale! It was the 1990s but is there a statute of limitations on blaming some one for poor planing
Mind you I enjoyed trying to ride up the valley and they didn’t
Was going to suggest the Cautley Spout carry, but it’s not for everyone!
and the little path off the top has its sketchy moments
If you're riding up from Sedbergh, I'd suggest doing the ascent that goes through the farm, left along the wall then sharp right, and not the one further up Howgill Lane that takes in Winder. The former is far more ridable.
That would be Lockbank farm looking on the o/s and the return via Cautley does it run by the beck ?
Aye, that's the one: https://explore.osmaps.com/route/17110680/howgills-loop?lat=54.384441&lon=-2.521055&zoom=11.9414&style=Standard&type=2d
editing to say ha! ^^^ exactly that for the way up and back.
But at the end of Bowderdale I'd just ride up through Wath (less faff) and take the road to Ravenstonedale.
That would be Lockbank farm looking on the o/s and the return via Cautley does it run by the beck ?
yes and yes.
Good point about the way up - I've cleaned all the way up going that way, bar the steep corner up Calder, which doubtless some folks can ride.
The way back is road out of ravenstonedale through Banks on he map. Cruel with a headwind. Then you can branch off on the bridleway through Murthwaite, which I've never done; or go to the very end of the road and take the bridleway through Mountain View on the map, which I've walked few times though not for years or would rid fine; or do what I think most people riding this do and drop from the road through the farm at Adamthwaite and follow the bw until it turns into road at Thursgill.
you can branch off on the bridleway through Murthwaite
Good call, as the track immediately off the road is fun, but I actually edited that route before sharing to remove that lower path as it can be boggy as **** closer to the beck, so have opted to stay high the past few times I've ridden it.
Its a ride I have always wanted to do but never got round to it.
As above pedalling an mtb is a bit old school now, but looks a great route to me, especially with the dry weather of late
I rode it once after weeks of dry weather and there was still a bit of slop on the track at the bottom of Bowderdale. It's definitely not one to do in wet conditions.
Just heading off to do it now, entirely coincidentally...
Oww report back John
Do the West Fell path, not the bridleway. Ride it anticlockwise.
Ride it anticlockwise.
May do next time. I've ridden up bowderdale and it's okay, descent from the calf making it worth it.
In fact there were four dodgy looking MXers riding up the bw which they really shouldn't have been. Some little blue flags implying some kind of event tho I don't see how it can have been legit.
Anyway, good half day ride. Old school for sure. Bits where streams cross the path are always going to be wet but really not an issue. Bridleway from ravenstonedale was more fun than I remember.
Here's a pic 
That looks great
It’s a bit of a grind I found and then b/w through the fields after bowderdale can be a slog, the adamthwaite bit with the old ruined farmhouse was quite nice on way back into sedbergh.
Was January and a blizzard when I went. Would be much nicer in summer tbf.
Possibly controversially I prefer to do the western line in both directions and skip the eastern roady line.
I rode this last weekend - very enjobale day out - came accross 1 group of about 6 riders all day but worried they might be STWers so gave them a wide berth:)
With regret I didnt both last weekend and ended up doing a Loop around Stockdale lane and the Dales . Im looking again for this weekend up im sure were close to the horse draggin and travellers weekend ....
Christ, thanks for the reminder - I was contemplating taking the bike up Cross Fell way next week. Think I'll postpone for a couple of weeks...
Thread resurrection.
Conditions in the howgills must be nearly as good as they get so thinking of popping up. I've done it from Sedbergh there and back again instead of the loop in the past.
There are two bridleways running west from the summit of the calf. Are they worth it as an extra loop. I am guessing either would be a reasonable push back up. If they are worth it which is better for the down or up?
And question 2. Is it acceptable to ride the ridge north from the calf instead of the valley bridleway. That was the line I took last time but it was a good few years ago.
1. Do you mean Bram Rigg and White Fell? I've carried up both decades ago. Depends how much you like 45° tussocky grass with no very visible path. I wouldn't.
2. Dunno about acceptable. You won't see anyone. Rode down it once, again more than 10 years ago and what there was of a faint track was pretty spongy.
There are two bridleways running west from the summit of the calf. Are they worth it as an extra loop. I am guessing either would be a reasonable push back up. If they are worth it which is better for the down or up?
And question 2. Is it acceptable to ride the ridge north from the calf instead of the valley bridleway. That was the line I took last time but it was a good few years ago.
I've never been tempted by the westerly descents, the terrain is very steep grass for the most part. This gives you an idea of the terrain on the northerly of the two (which they walked down) https://www.wainwrightwalking.co.uk/fell-head-the-calf-and-white-fell/
The prospect of pushing back up either of them doesn't really appeal.
Plenty of people ride the ridge, it's the Dales Way so is popular with walkers, and it rejoins the BW before you hit the farms, but again, I wouldn't choose it as a descent over the 'classic' Bowderdale version.
Yeah, bram Rigg and white fell.
Cheers, I'll skip them and try the bridleway
Plenty of people ride the ridge, it's the Dales Way
Blimey so it is. I'm sure it couldn't have been when I did it, in neolithic times. Maybe I'll give it another go
It's probably the quickest way back up to the Calf if you've ridden down Bowderdale and want to do one of the other descents back to Sedbergh, but I'm not sure it's a classic going the other way.
Yeah, done all those in both directions over the years. White Fell is a decent quick way onto the tops if you've got the legs and lungs - rideable until the stream crossing, then a push/shoulder carry. The track's clear and well defined, seen here on the left hand fell (Sept 23):
They're rideable down but there are better options. I might be up there this week.
I might be up there this week.
I was just looking at the weather forecast and thinking I could take an afternoon off and head up there this week. Still haven't done this ride and really need to sort that out.
Did this ride years and years ago in amazing conditions and yet never even felt a slight urge to return and do it again. I do remember there being a decent pint and chips at the pub/hotel in Ravenstonedale (if its still there) and epic views from the tops.
I'm agnostic about routes north from the Calf but don't see how anyone who likes riding bikes in the hills couldn't enjoy the fast descent south from the trig point over Arant Haw and Winder.
There's even a version of that descent with a moderately techy (for the Dales) finish from Arant Haw heading around the eastern flank of Winder and dropping towards Settlebank Ghyll. That's probably the best (road slog minimising) version of the big Howgills day - up via Winder, down Bowderdale, back up probably via Dales Way, then finish down this.
Glad the weather was there for you .. one I would never return to do though.
Just done the loop. The climb out of Sedbergh was harder than I remember but the conditions were nigh on perfect. Super dry everywhere.
One rude and grumpy walker. Otherwise no issues other excess sweating and my legs feeling like jelly by the time I got to the summit and still felt like jelly in Ravenstonedale.
The climb out of Sedbergh was harder than I remember
Yep it’s a killer , and was the final thing that made me get an ebike
I've done the Bram Rigg descent, you can see it running above the scree here (from the Wainright Walks link above):
Got a video of it too:
I have some other friends interested in heading up there.
Do people have a preference for which climb out of Sedbergh. From Lochbank or the one further west.
We did the more westerly climb last week. My guess is that they are both horrible and your brain convinces you that whichever you choose the other is easier.
The further west one is less steep, although it doesn't feel like it.
I did the first one. TBF, don't remember it being too bad - just endless...