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While I'm stuck in the flatlands for the time being we've booked a trip to the Lakes for early September. Who knows if we'll be able to go, but I need something to look forward.
We're staying at Grange-Over-Sands, just south of the A590. It's a family holiday but I'll be taking a bike and can probably squeeze in a couple of half day rides.
I've done most of the obvious stuff around there I think - Nan Bield and Garburn in various combinations, Walna Scar, all over Grizedale - and I'd quite like to do something new if the weather is decent (if it's not I'll likely just play in Grizedale).
Anything round there I should be looking at? Tech and length level mid, I'd much sooner ride singletrack than big wide passes. Not averse to a bit of cheeky (and setting off early).
Will have car, though less driving = more riding...
Usually lakes routes get lots of responses from people better qualified to comment than me. I think you have eliminated most of the obvious options.
My only thought is some kind of Langdale-Little Langdale loop. There are loads of variations. There is nothing here I've not ridden and enjoyed. But I can't say this the best route possible. Maybe other can chip in. I hope this work my first attempt to share via google drive
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rCKgBYRuxefuT_1mFCC1NHO2cIGgzvL8/view?usp=sharing
Coniston loop....
Start at Water Yeat
Go to High Nibthwaite
North, upUp the Track to High Parkamoor.
( Down Parkamoor & then back up.if you have time)
Else keep heading north past The Park to pop out onto TNF
Follow that for a bit north then down Lawson descent to Black Beck cottage.
Coniston
Up the start of Walna Scar to Torver Bridge. Down the first bridleway ( second one is shit) to Torver
Take the zig zaggy bridleway to the south of Torver up to the Tarn on Torver low common.
If it's dry continue south on cheeky to Beacon Tarn, else down the road a bit from Stable Harvey then cut the corner by the quarry to end up back on A5084 and roll back to Water Yeat.
Or if you have a full day then carry on to the top of Walna and then southwestish from the coll down to Stephenson Ground etc.
There's low level stuff around Grange, Carmel whincham and whitbarrow scar if you need a from the door option, all a bit old school xc but better than a smack in the mush. there's also some enduro-ey stuff in chapel house woods, brah. But it does get busy.
Broughton moor Forest and the Dunnerdales to the west have good riding too
Walna scar
Loughrigg
Grizedale
All well worth a punt
Duddon valley is good. Article in issue 117 of the mag
https://www.komoot.com/tour/162898154?ref=atd
Cheers for that, I've just requested access. That's not an area I know at all so it'd be good to have a bit of an explore.
*edit* that was a reply to Ampthill, just reading the other replies now!
If you've only got half a day, zipping directly up to Grizedale and chaining a load of good descents together offers most bang for buck.
You could do a loop out of Coniston up to Tilberthwaite, back via Hole Rake, up to Coppermines, down via Church Beck or over to the car park on Walna Scar, then either straight on to pick up the BW descent to Coniston, or back via Torver if you've got time.
Or the standard Walna Loop from Torver shouldn't take too long - Hummer Lane, Broughton Forest singletrack, fire road up to Natty Bridge, back down the other side of the river to Stephenson Ground, on to Seathwaite then push back over Walna Scar to finish direct to Torver.
That Coniston loop is great. Someone (might even have been @thegeneralist) recommended it to me a few years back.
I hope the link can be opened by anyone now
Works for me @ampthill, cheers! Definitely added to the list, and looks feasible in a half day too.
Some great looking other suggestions too, I'm bookmarking this thread to go through with an OS and start putting plans together.
Good to know there's some stuff to look at out the door too, that's really handy for early morning / evening blasts if I can squeeze in a couple of hours.
Yes that readily shouldn't take that long it's really easy to tune it length wise
Some fun to be had straight from Grange. BW on Hampsfell and playing in Eggerslack Woods. Bit round Cartmel and Staveley in Cartmel.
there’s also some enduro-ey stuff in chapel house woods, brah. But it does get busy.
which the forestry have started doing some work felling and planting so quite a bit of it will be gone soon. was up there last weekend and so far only one track had gone, flattend by a machine, annoying thing is they aren't working on that bit.
And the car park on Walna Scar rd is now pay and display and reasonably limited on spaces, rather than the previous free for all. Second for the xc (ish) in the Lyth Valley- there’s a route around Whitbarrow Scar in the Vertebrate lakes guide book. The Duddon Valley is excellent riding but is probably a full day.
I think I have the Lakes Vertebrate, if not I'll pick up a copy.
The Coniston loop looks like a goodun (I've done bits of it before and thoroughly enjoyed them) as does the Langdale loop - both should be good half days out. I'll have a proper look at the closer by stuff as well.
If the weather isn't great I'll definitely go for a play in Grizedale, but if it's nice I always like to take the opportunity to get up on a big hill if I can.
Even though it's on limestone the Whitbarrow Scar route can be a bit muddy after wet weather.
There were a few MTB's heading past me at work today on the way to Simpson Ground/Chapel House.
there's a few good descents down from the top of whitbarrow scarr. we quite often do the one i found in this vid
I've driven my car around on those slabs at around 6mins! That was way back in the 1980s before the vegetation sprung up.
tick
IF you enjoy the Grizedale stuff (assuming you dont mean the trail centre) its probably only a 30min spin up to Staveley-in-cartmel? (or just drive up in 10) for laps at Chapel House and Gummers How.
Second the Dudden valley loop from STW 117. It holds up in the wet as well
Bookmarking. I'm moving to Arnside soon and Grange is just a short train ride away so good to know about local stuff round there.
Definitely don't mean the trail centre stuff in Grizedale. I've done most if not all of the bridleway descents in there over the years, it's our rubbish weather in the Lakes go to option. Plus we're usually camped in the campsite there. So I'll definitely have a look at the stuff around Staveley in Cartmel. Whitbarrow Scar looks well worth a look based on that video too, should be ideal for early morning / latish evening expeditions.
Duddon Valley looks great but long loop plus longish drive might be pushing it time wise, plus the Coniston and Langdale loops look pretty mint and are a bit closer.
Lots to go at, cheers!
Staveley to Ambleside loop
Definitely don’t mean the trail centre stuff in Grizedale. I’ve done most if not all of the bridleway descents in there over the years, it’s our rubbish weather in the Lakes go to option.
Yeah, we used Grizedale and also the Little Langdale / High Close quarry area in rubbish weather as both were pretty hard wearing as well as being low-level. Bits of Grizedale can get very boggy indeed but the main tracks are all fairly all-weather.
There's a whole load of tracks in and around those quarries and as it's all slate it's almost impervious to all but the worst weather. The loop that @ampthill posted is spot on (clockwise) but try to hit the Rydal Water section at a quiet time. It's a great descent but it's also very popular with walkers...
Plenty to go at from the door. Be it stavely woods. Hampsfell, Howbarrow, bishops allotment,
Staying south Black combe is a nice little box to tick off. Awesome down.