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Planning a Lakeland loop, considering Borrowdale up to Styhead, then down to Wasdale. Few years since ridden it (carnage) - anyone know what it's like now? Better on BW south of Lingmell Beck?
Its ok I suppose, part is a carry down. Far Far better the other way, styhead to borrowdale is as good as it gets and if you do a loop of the passes Blacksail into wasdale is equally brill. 😉
Yep blacksail to Wasdale is great. Did it many years ago of a Tufftraks with no sus and cantileaver brakes
If it involved me, and if the trails are similar to conditions six years ago, I'd be walking a fair bit.
Cheers for that. Ever been over Scarth Gap, down to Black Sail YHA? Any idea what that's like? Might be better to link in to Black Sail Pass, though means shedloads of hike-a-bike.
Yep scarth gap is part of the 3 passes route. There's a fair bit of hike a bike up, but also there's a fair bit thats rideable up if your fit enough. Scarth gap, blacksail, styhead descents are all rideable this way round(riding level dependant, its a techy lakes rockfest). Scarth gap into Ennerdale isn't as good as the other 2 but it's still good. Folk often tag in the bridleway on the south of fleetwith pike(warnscale bottom) to make a full day of it, you go up past the Honister slate mine to access it.
I did Honister/Scarth Gap/BlackSail/Wasdale/Styhead in September.
Warnscale Bottom (if that's what it's called) is ace. Loose, exposed, rocky scary.
Scarth Gap is mostly hike a bike on the way up. (I'm told it's rideable to come down that way, but it's kinda comitting at the top). The descent down to Ennerdale is a bit tame - all slabbed and loads of pinch flat inducing water bars.
Ennerdale up Blacksail is a hike a bike. Mostly rideable if you came down that way, but there's a few sections I reckon I couldn't do.
Lovely descent from Blacksail to Wasdale.
Wasdale to Styhead - again hike a bike - it's very gravelly so traction is an issue. Some proper steep sections at the top - easy scrambling, less so with a 35lb bike on yer back. Like Blacksail, I reckon I could ride down most of it, but probably not all of it.
Styhead back down to Honister? Brilliant - although the flat top section is quite hard work - lots of well stuck down, very pointy rocks - very difficult to flow over.
Great hard day out. A proper epic ride.
Cheers. Doing a loop from/to Staveley via Keswick and Boot over 3 days, so wanted some big stuff for Day 2. Honister/Warnscale/Scarth Gap/Black Sail fits the bill (prob do the Watendlath-Rosthwaite descent as a warm up!). Killer.
How are the conditions there right now? Will riding the three passes route this weekend be viable?
the 4 passes has to be one of the best days out on these shores... 8)
The first 14 of these are from a perfect day back in October
[url] http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/sets/72157625146971356/show/ [/url]
😳 We're doing this in July 😳
Was up over High Street on Sunday - some snow, but not enough to make riding impossible; wet/boggy bits over towards Loadpot (as usual) under the frost. Helvellyn etc had quite a bit of snow, so I guess Styhead, Scarth Gap & Black Sail might be a bit dodgy.
Awesome pics, Nick. Where was the really techy descent (with the rider front-on photos)?
thats warnscale bottom (from Honister pass)
Ta very much. End photos good too - the one of Sharp Edge with High Street etc in the background vvg.