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Looking for some good xc rides to do in the current sodding wet weather. So armoured trails, fireroads. Anything as long as I don't sink or maintain an average speed below 2mph.
Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland. Maybe even the Lakes.
Swaledale seems to be a good option, but I can't find any specific routes on GPX to download.
Swaledale is getting battered by high winds lately .
Not worried about the wind. Can always wait for a window of opportunity...
Tour of Nidderdale, Grand Day Out and a combo of the Settle Loop and 'Tunnels and Bridges' off here are the most weatherproof rides in this part of the Dales
There are a couple of routes for Swaledale on there too - Again you might want to find a way to combine a couple of them as they're quite short.
You can make quite a long loop in Swaledale that it is reasonably weather proof (assuming that the floods have relented in the Dale - Dales Bike Centre looked close to flooding on shots on Twitter). Some routes (with GPX files) here http://www.netpositive.co.uk/node/10, note that the Gunnerside Gill route is better done in the opposite direction though the climb up from Healaugh is also a good descent - known as the Angry Man.
If you call at the DBC Stuart can give you directions to make the most of the current conditions.
All the lakes stuff rides year round, although logistics currently tricky due to flooding and road damage. When you can access them, areas like grizedale forest, borrowdale bash, skiddaw, etc are all mud free, generally.
So the Borrowdale Bash route would be fully rideable in this weather?
Done Skiddaw before. Although it would be nice to go up on a clear day so I could see it!
Possibly not the Lakes for a while, not just access but who knows what damage the trails have taken. I have seen photos of whole paths destroyed and there are some big landslides in lots of places.
butcher - Member
So the Borrowdale Bash route would be fully rideable in this weather?
Normally yes, but Mmmmmm?
Reckon some of those dried up becks we rode through a few months back may be raging rivers atm! Probably a fair bit of water at Watendlath. Bridges along the way to Castle Crag may be washed away? Only guessing..... It will certainly have changed a bit especially the descent after the climb from Watendlath.
A lot of the torrential water in unusual places drops away pretty quickly. I live near Keswick and ride all year, certainly the borrowdale bash is waterproof. As for current conditions, you may find some interesting new surfaces and need to 'explore' a bit, but it would be great for the area if folks didn't stay away. I've been out and about with the dog the last couple of days, although not up the bash route, and generally stuff is much as it was. It's road logistics and things like the railway line bridges that will cause most problems. Easy access to Keswick now via a66, and south lakes via a591, just can't drive between the two.
Good point. Maybe leave that one a little while 😐 At least until the water has receded a bit.
For those not from these parts;
http://www.itv.com/news/border/
Tempted by the 'Bash next week.....
As TomB says, there could be some interesting new lines!