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I've ridden the "normal" Howgills route - Sedbergh, past Cautley Spout to Ravenstonedale, south along Bowerdale to the Calf and then down to Winder and Lockbank Farm - numerous times and love it, especially the final uninterrupted descent to Sedbergh. I want to try some other routes, bridleway or cheeky, but can never quite resist the route I know is good.
Has anyone ridden anywhere else in the Howgills and found it a suitable rival to the standard route?
I've only done the Bowderdale route in a clockwise direction leaving the road here: http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=364186&Y=492960&A=Y&Z=120 which is steep but all rideable and doesn't take that long. The top bit of the climb up Calders is likely to be the only significant push.
There's a quad bike track on the ridge to the west of Bowderdale over Hazelgill Knott, you could make a loop of it and Bowderdale starting from the north, along the ridge which is grassy to The Calf then back down the valley.
I've done the Weasdale Horseshoe as a fell race but it would make a grassy circuit with just one push up to Randygill Top (assuming same direction as the race - anti-clockwise).
The rest of the fells are all grassy to some or other extent, I've run over most of them, if there's a quad bike track or the grass has been grazed short then you can pretty much ride OK I'd imagine but if it's tussocky then you'll be struggling. Can't remember any other tracks in the valley floors.
HTH
I've only done it once but was led to believe this is the classic route
https://www.mbr.co.uk/routes/northern-england/pennines/howgill-fells-gps-trail-download-322600
I also noticed this one while looking
https://pedalnorth.com/howgills-mtb/
Do it clockwise for a change. Descend Bowderdale and follow road/BWs back. The one through Murthwaite seems to be the best on the way back.
If you've still got the legs, push/carry past Cautley back up to the Calf and descend to Lockbank.