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Off to the lakes in a couple of weeks and I'm planning to extend my usual Grizedale route to include Claife heights.
I'll get to it via breasty haw, over the road and continue past Devils Gallop to Near Sawrey.
Based on the fact I'll need to get back to Grizedale via Hawkshead, what's the best route through Claife?
I've found a few routes that go pretty much due north via the tarns to Long Height, and then descend west. Other routes seem to hug the lakeshore to Belle Grange and then up long height.
My riding preference is slow, rocky tech rather than fast and swoopy (if that makes any difference to the route suggestion)
Ta muchly!
There's a couple of decent descents off Claife Heights. The BW along the lakeshore is a vehicle track and dead easy. The BW dropping down to/climbing up from here http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?X=338775&Y=497019&A=Y&Z=115&lm=1 can be done in either direction. From Long Height there's a BW dropping east to the lake but I don't particularly like it, it's a vehicle track but it's mainly set stones. The BW heading west to Colthouse is much better and probably my favourite descent off Claife Heights.
Then again what's your "usual route"?
Short route would be up past Moss Eccles tarn to the top and down towards Colthouse from Guide Posts. Colthouse descent isn't slow tech by any means, but is a blast, rocky in places. Struggling to think of any proper tech on a legit BW on Claife.
Longer route would be up to Far Sawrey, The BW which starts just past the Cuckoo Brow Inn up and over to the lakeshore, then follow the easy lake track to Belle Grange before turning left and climbing to guide posts again.
There are steeper alternatives dropping off the far side of Claife, and one off the north side towards Hawkshead that I can think of, but they are all FPs.
Not much rocky tech on the south side of Claife (where the tarns are). The best descents I reckon are down Colthouse (to the NW) and Harrow Slack, here:Â https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=338605&y=496425&z=120&sv=338605,496425&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=612&ax=338605&ay=496425&lm=0
Your obvious choice is up from Sawrey past the tarns and descend Colthouse, but descending Harrow Slack and going along the lake shore to grovel/push up Belle Grange to Colthouse is another option.
EDIT: too slow.....
Guide posts, take footpath onto Latterbarrow, then straight down to the Colthouse road.
Cheeky but steep and good. Although I personally prefer the Colthouse BW. Its a blast.
Might not fit in to your proposed loop but how about heading over to Iron Keld and doing the descent http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?X=333460&Y=501444&A=Y&Z=120&lm=1 towards Skelwith Bridge? You can then work back S&E towards Claife Heights and climb up from High Wray then do the Colthouse BW.
I think the ride up Moss Eccles and down Colthouse is excellent... then Iron Keld if you've got time.
After Devils Gallop, you can take a right and then follow the BW along Cunsey Beck - pleasant rather than technical. Then the road up to the Cuckoo Brow Inn (nice for a pint) and the BW behind it which goes up and then down to the lake shore (see link from whitestone above). It's not as technical a descent as Bresty Haw or Devils Gallop, but I rather enjoy it.
Then follow the lake shore for a bit - you could try the climb at Belle Grange but last time I did it I had to push most of the way. So I tend to go on a bit futher and come back on yourself before the descent to Colthouse
Thanks all!
Sounds like the descent from long height to colt house is the one to aim for, and I'd rather ride than push so I'll go up via the tarns instead of belle grange.
Iron Keld is probably a bit far north and tbh I was a bit disappointed the last time i did it.
+however many before me have said it but the drop to Colthouse is an absolute hoot ..hail, ( torrential) rain or shine ..and avoid at all costs the Belle Grange climb its hard enough pushing up this if its been even slightly moist ..
If you don't mind riding fp's the one that runs South to North beneath the mast in Heald Wood is challenging in places ( and you will be reduced to pushing a short section no matter how fit you are ) ..but morphs into a rocky descent which meets the b/ w from Belle Grange after the initial slippery section where you turn left to Colthouse ..
Enjoy ..