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I'm heading to the Lake District to ride on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. I'll be staying in Threlkeld near Keswick. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be raining all weekend so I'm in for a soaking. Can anyone recommend a couple of good routes for the Saturday and Sunday? I've been to the Lakes a couple of times and have done Nan Bield, Helvellyn/Sticks Pass, Ullswater and Borrowdale Bash. I'd be keen to try different routes that are fairly weatherproof. I don't mind driving a bit from the bunkhouse to get to decent routes. All suggestions welcome!
The key thing isn't so much whether it's raining (that's normal), but whether it's raining and windy enough to keep you at low level.
Most routes are weatherproof to a great extent, so it's just a case of how much protection you need.
My go-tos are mostly in the south Lakes - Grizedale BWs, Loughrigg loop, Walna Scar. One advantage of piss-wet weather is you can generally add in a few well-armoured footpaths without lots of potential conflict.
I’d definitely avoid the higher fells if the forecast isn’t good. Not only is it not much fun if you are delayed for whatever reason (accident or mechanical) it can get very unpleasant
You’re only thirty min drive from Ambleside - I’d consider sone of the south lakes routes, mixing and matching Loughrigg, Claife Heights, Grizedale, Tilberthwaite etc. You never actually go very high and it’s quite sheltered and wooded. And lots of nice pubs and cafes...,
Grizedale BWs +1.
Loop of Esthwaite from Hawkshead? South and west through Grizedale, east across to Sawrey then north through Claife Heights past the tarns. Finishes with a nice rocky descent to Croft Head.
There is a loop from dudden bridge, up to ulpha and back. I think it was in the mag a couple of years ago. I think they started at Ulpha. I can dig out the strava route if you want.
Ironically, we’re sitting in Threlkeld atm watching the driving rain. Have had 3 days of amazing weather and some fantastic riding so taking it as a rest day - after a fairly short discussion whether to go to Whinlatter. Are you staying at Blencathra?
Me and the Mrs are in the North Lakes this weekend as well, though heading up Friday. Saturday is looking a tad damp that's for sure! We're supposed to be meeting a couple of friends for a decent loop over Boredale Hause from Patterdale where the're staying on Saturday. No plans for Sunday so watching with interest.
Will also be in the Lakes this weekend getting wet.
Grizedale good ( not the TC obvs)
I did a round of Grizedale/Claife yesterday for the first time in a while - some of the descents seem to be getting back into excellent nick, or at least they felt a lot rougher and more fun than last time I was there! Worth avoiding a couple of the most popular descents (Fox to Esthwaite and Parkamoor to Nibthwaite) as they have been sanitised and need some winter storms to recover.
I really enjoyed this low level ride
From Therkeld you could do the skiddaw house loop. Mostly rocky trail so would be fine in the wet. Not much shelter though so if there was driving rain could be grime.
You could also do the Borrowdale bash.although the return leg is a bit exposed so may want to stay on the road as you head back up the east side of Derwent.
Both of these can be done from the door which is always good when it's raining imho:)
Thanks for the great advice so far, folks! We are staying at The White Horse Inn and Sunday looks slightly better so we might do the Back of Skiddaw loop then.
Saturday looks very wet. I had seen the Duddon Valley loop in an old mag and it looks great. Would folk recommend it? The route I found is here -
I also found a great sounding Grizedale loop but it sounds from martinhutch's comments like some of the descents may have been sanitised. Is this the case? The route is here -
Out of the two Grizedale is closer to where you're staying and better in the wet, there are some grassy bits on the Duddon loop. You'd be driving for an hour and a half to get to my neck of the woods
Duddon Valley - it’s at the other end for the lakes but all the main routes / descents are rideable year round, and in the wet.
Natty bridge, park head road and wallowbarrow descent. Wouldn’t bother with Walna scar.
I thought back of skiddaw was grassy near the hostel, but could well be wrong. TBH I don't actually have a clue apart from the name.
I also found a great sounding Grizedale loop but it sounds from martinhutch’s comments like some of the descents may have been sanitised. Is this the case?
To an extent - a lot of chippings etc have been laid on the bedrock of Fox descent, it's OK (it was never that technical), but not as much fun as it was. Most of the best bedrock on Parkamoor has been covered up as well, for now at least. On the upside, the lake at the top of the Fox and the water troughs on Parkamoor have been fixed!
I thought back of skiddaw was grassy near the hostel,
There's a boggy bit descending from Skiddaw House which might be a pain, the rest is fast doubletrack or road. It's a bit of an XC fest apart from one short section, where it switches to being quite technical and terrifying! Curious route...
In that case, does anyone have a GPX file for a really good 4-5 hour Grizedale route? I've never ridden around that neck of the woods.
Sunday looks good now- I’d go over blencathra west to east, or for a longer ride stonethwaite-stake pass-angle tarn- esk hause- sty head- seathwaite if forecast stable. Proper lakes adventures, if your happy up high,nothing too demanding.
In that case, does anyone have a GPX file for a really good 4-5 hour Grizedale route? I’ve never ridden around that neck of the woods.
You can pretty much make up your own route, there are LOADS of tracks and trails, half of them not shown on any map. It changes all the time, it's a working forest. The waymarked North Face Trail is a decent enough intro to most of the western side - some bits are quite draggy fireroad but it's got its rewarding sections. There's loads of bits of fireroad with trails heading off the sides that are worth just exploring. Some will be amazing. Some will be dead ends or rubbish!
I used to ride there regularly and we were still finding new trails on every visit. Also old trails which you'd suddenly discover were no longer viable due to felling or sanitisation. There used to be a downhill track through it (back in the days when "downhill" could be done on a hardtail!), the vast majority of it is either now incorporated into other trails or completely vanished due to felling and planting.
For reference though: [url= https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=335210&y=494140&z=120&sv=335210,494140&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=579&ax=335210&ay=494140&lm=0 ]THIS[/url] is the Fox descent (going west to east), Fox is at the top at the fireroad junction.
And [url= https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=336130&y=494270&z=120&sv=336130,494270&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=579&ax=336130&ay=494270&lm=0 ]THIS[/url] is the Devils Gallop descent, again going west to east. Starts on a slight climb from the road then turns into singletrack descent that goes through a broken down drystone wall.
Did grizedale BW's just t'other day!
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/GAmYB9P9cab
For reference though: THIS is the Fox descent (going west to east), Fox is at the top at the fireroad junction.
Is it? For me the Fox has always been the byway down towards Esthwaite from the same point. Dotted line on the map.
Here's my ride from yesterday if that's any use to the OP.
https://www.strava.com/activities/4128083104
Is it? For me the Fox has always been the byway down towards Esthwaite from the same point. Dotted line on the map.
Bugger!
Yeah, it's the track further north you want!
Sorry, was still looking at the Devil's Gallop one when I moved the arrow...
Yeah, I enjoyed the duddon valley route, the day I did it it was pretty wet and I missed off the last hill cos I was knackered