Lake District + Camping?

The Northern Monkey

Just had a call from my younger bro and he's ask if I wanna go somewhere in the lakes for a big ride and camping somewhere overnight in late june, when I get back form Uni.

Not sure what we want to do, but we were thinking about either around Windermere or up into the mountains somewhere, but we haven't got a clue where.

Ideally we're looking for some natural signletrack thats got some nice ups and technical downs, not sure of distance though.

Gotta be quite close to some reasonable camping too....

Cheers,
B

dave_hill

Have a look at Borrowdale or Wasdale.

There's good camping at Grange in Borrowdale and also at Ashness Farm, Stonethwaite and Seatoller. There's shops and pubs within easy reach and your not a million miles from Keswick either so you've got bike shops, pubs, food and so on within easy reach too.

Alternatively, if you want soemthing a little more remote try Wasdale. Again, there's three or four camp sites up the valley and there's a small shop at Wasdale Head. There's also the Barn Door Campsite which is right opposite the Wasdale Head Inn. It's £2.50pppn but they don't take bookings - you have to take pot luck but it's unusual if there's no room. Have a look at www.thewasdaleweb.co.uk

elPedro666

There's a camp site on the West shore of Coniston where you can ride straight up Walna Scar Road from your tent, or get the regular (& cheap) foot-ferry across to Grizedale forest.

Really beautiful site just down the valley from Grizedale too: http://www.grizedale-camping.co.uk/ really friendly farmer & nice facilities and again nice riding from the tent - the descent from the Fox has to be one of my all-time favourites!

Can't go wrong with the Lakes really... 8)

The Northern Monkey

cheers guys.

What "mountain" trails would people recommend? Don't want to do Grizedale this time, looking for something a bit more "natural" lol.

dave_hill

The Borrowdale Circuit is good, but tends to get busy at weekends if you leave it too late. There's Skiddaw House, and the Glenderaterra round-trip too, although these are on the Northern side of Keswick.

Course if you're feeling really adventurous, most of the high mountain passes (like Black Sail, Scarth Gap and Sty Head are all legally bikeable, and many of the ridge routes are too but you really need your mountaineering head on for these!!

DSA244

I agree both Borrowdale and Wasdale are good shouts. Wasdale is very remote but stunning.

I would also suggest camping near either Pooley Bridge or Patterdale and do the High Street which is superb. It's also close enough to drive to Keswick to fit in Borrowdale and Skiddaw. From Patterdale it is also a reasonable drive over to routes like Garburn Pass etc

If you don't fancy Grizdale which does have loads and loads of natural singletrack!! then Patterdale is a good bet.

The Northern Monkey

nice cheers guys... will look into it

Just been told that my bro wants to drive but he's a learner. He can drive with me sat in the car obviously, but whats the rules with bikes on the back? I'm not sure if he's legally allowed to drive with them on a boot rack.... if not then i'll have to get insurance on his little crapper

cougie

Cant see that bikes on a rack make any difference.

Obviously cant use Motorways though.

dave_hill

bigbenj_08 wrote:

nice cheers guys... will look into it

Just been told that my bro wants to drive but he's a learner. He can drive with me sat in the car obviously, but whats the rules with bikes on the back? I'm not sure if he's legally allowed to drive with them on a boot rack.... if not then i'll have to get insurance on his little crapper

Nothing to stop him. As long as

- you don't obscure the lights or rear number plate (i.e. use a proper lighting bar) and
- display the correct "L" plates, and
- providing that you are fully qualified and over 21, and
- he's a named driver on the insurance (or your insurance covers any driver including learners) and
- you avoid the M6

it makes no difference.

The Northern Monkey

- Check, got a numberplate with lights on to hang on the back
- check, he's got em
- check, i'm 22 with a full license
- check he's a named driver on the car
-check, gotta go through bloody Lancaster instead

Just thought it might be that a learner is only allowed in a standard car with no excessive laden weight or something

Good to know anyway, he's dying to take me for a drive

dave_hill

And don't forget - it ain't a crime if you don't get caught!!

gavin66

bigbenj_08 wrote:

Just had a call from my younger bro and he's ask if I wanna go somewhere in the lakes for a big ride and camping somewhere overnight in late june, when I get back form Uni.

Not sure what we want to do, but we were thinking about either around Windermere or up into the mountains somewhere, but we haven't got a clue where.

Ideally we're looking for some natural signletrack thats got some nice ups and technical downs, not sure of distance though.

Gotta be quite close to some reasonable camping too....

Cheers,
B

Have a look at sites around ullswater and look up the 'high sreet' route(an all dayer with an epic descent)best avoided during busy weekend days though as the ramblers spoil the last 3rd of the route.As previously mentioned aswell Coniston hall campsite is very good and you can set off from your tent and do the 'walna scar road'route

elPedro666

Just thought it was worth you knowing - the pies at Waswater Inn are absolutely cracking! Wonderful beers too & the campsite's only £2.50 a head, although facilities are 'minimal' (there's a loo...).

These things matter...

topsey_turvey

Have a look at sites around ullswater and look up the 'high sreet' route(an all dayer with an epic descent)best avoided during busy weekend days though as the ramblers spoil the last 3rd of the route

Not if you choose the right way back. You can miss all the ramblers and have a brilliant ride. Get the map out.

The Northern Monkey

Awesome... will have a search around the "high street"

elPedro666
Cheers for the heads up! me loves pies!

DSA244

To avoid the very busy track section of High street by the Lake side go over via Boredale Hause

gavin66

Topsey Turvey wrote:

Have a look at sites around ullswater and look up the 'high sreet' route(an all dayer with an epic descent)best avoided during busy weekend days though as the ramblers spoil the last 3rd of the route

Not if you choose the right way back. You can miss all the ramblers and have a brilliant ride. Get the map out.

I'ts a few years since i did that route(when i was alot fitter)and we followed the route as described in the guide book..I will always remember it cos the bloody red socks wouldn't move an inch for us and we spent the last 3rd of the route walking and pushing our bikes past the miserable sods,which completely spoiled the day for us.I would like to back and do it again(when fitter) and if there is a way that avoids the walkers then i will look it up,,cheers

topsey_turvey

I've got it pencilled in for a Saturday after a week of dry weather. Won 't be coming back down the lakeside though. How many alternatives do you want?

gavin66

Topsey Turvey wrote:

I've got it pencilled in for a Saturday after a week of dry weather. Won 't be coming back down the lakeside though. How many alternatives do you want?

Won't be doing it for a while yet,the only alternative i'm bothered about is no walkers,cheers..

The Northern Monkey

is this it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPeuuAYpTL4
If so then its perfect. lots of climbing but the decents look very rewarding

Where do people start/finish? anyone got a route map?

I guess I should take more than just my trail pack on this ride?

hondafanatic

dave_hill wrote:

Alternatively, if you want soemthing a little more remote try Wasdale. Again, there's three or four camp sites up the valley and there's a small shop at Wasdale Head. There's also the Barn Door Campsite which is right opposite the Wasdale Head Inn. It's £2.50pppn but they don't take bookings - you have to take pot luck but it's unusual if there's no room. Have a look at www.thewasdaleweb.co.uk

I'll second this motion.... Wasdale Head Inn has some of the best ale i've tasted and the area is great fo riding...

topsey_turvey

bigbenj_08 wrote:

is this it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPeuuAYpTL4
If so then its perfect. lots of climbing but the decents look very rewarding

Where do people start/finish? anyone got a route map?

I guess I should take more than just my trail pack on this ride?

Looks like it, but I gave up watching a bloke driving a car. High Street is a big, big push up. If it's not completely dry it's a bit of a bog fest over Red Crag but Loadpot is great, so long as you go over Arhtur's Pike and don't go direct to The Cockpit, which is nearly always a bogfest. Return to Hartsop via the lake shore is always bulled up as being one of the best bits of singletrack in The Lakes. Wouldn't like to see the worst. Full of walkers at anytime and lots of off and on the bike. Anyone who can read a map can work out much better returns.

That's assuming that you are doing the tourist route from Hartsop. There are other ways up and down, notably from Askham or Pooley Bridge. The world is your oyster.

DSA244

That's the High Street yes.

You can either start at Hartsop near Patterdale or just above Pooley Brideg. I prefer Pooley Bridge side as a starting place as you get a long descent to finish the ride, but that means the killer climb is half way with legs beginning to tire. Pattaerdale means the climb is at the start so you get it out of the way.

If you want to avoid walkers go via Boredale Hause and not the lakeside.

If you have GPS go to http://www.mtbsharp.co.uk/routes/lakes/north/index.html and it is the Patterdale route or I can email you a Pooley Bridge start if you prefer there to start, I do.

If not use these directions on your OS map.

From Pooley bride park on the road leading up to Roehead at the top near the gate.

From here cycle through the wooden gate up an obvious wide track on to the fells and turn righ on the bridleway going towards the cockpit stone circle on the map. At the cockpit take the right path towards Howtown but stay on this track to Mellguards. Go through the gate at Mellguards (there is a house here) and then take left gate past the house which is posted as a bridleway and cross the river and cross the road. follow this path above "the coombs" and you will see a twisty road to your right when on this path after a few hundred metres to a wall and go right to join the road at the church.

Turn left on raod and folllow map to Boredale. Ignore a sign post on the road that says footpath - it is a bridleway. Follow obvious path to top of Boredale Hause and enjoy the view. From here descent slightly keeping left. just past the obvious track 90 degrees to your left that goes up you want to take the ppath a little past this that goes down. It is quite wide at the top and gets very steep going down. All other paths down are narrower so you will know if its the righ path. In a nutshell it is themost left path that descends. Follow this all the way to Hartsop.

Start here if begin at Patterdale.

Follow path up to Hayeswater from Hartsop. Cross the wooden bridge at Hayeswater dam and go straight up the hill here (vague at first) avoid temptation to follow path going diagonally up and left, best to carry your bike than push. Looking up you will see a taller peak and on the map its callled the knott. You want to go up around the back of this. Once behind and past the Knott turn left at the cairn up the path. This is just before the hole in a wall, if you go through the wall you have gone to far.

Follow obviuos path back to Pooley bridge. you can't go wrong other than a few minutes after the cairn keep to left path as the righ one is a footpath leading to Haweswater.

For you info when going along the beatiful high street path you will come across a ruin of a building but just looks like a big pile of stones now at Loadpot Hill. Here take the left narrow path which takes you around on some nice singletrack. you can go stright up but its officially a footpath and not as much fun.

If you have a map you should be fine.

Only places that are harder to navigate are making sure you get the righ path down at Boredale Hause but should still be fine. Also after Hartssop there are a few paths up to Hayeswater, just keep to wide track up and make sure you cross a car wide bridge to ascend on the other side of the river from where the climb starts. Also when descending from Loadpot hill keep right. It you go left don't worry you will just come out further down a track. If started at Pooley bridge turn right to return to the cockpit, if started at Patterdale go left.

Hope this helps.

Take a OS Explorer map - OL 5

I have a memory map route if you have GPS

A great route!! But long and tiring also, start in the morning!!. I would add if clouds are covering the peaks then stay away as navigation will be impossible and it can be freezeing and half the enjoyment of this route is the views.

The Northern Monkey

DSA244
Excellent thanks!!

Shame memory map doesn't work on iPhone

can anyone recommend any of these as an epic ride?
http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/lake_district_maps.htm

what they say "from X to Y" does that mean that it finishes at a different point from where you started?! we need to start/finish in the same place

The Northern Monkey

DSA244
How do you get back from Hartsop if you start at pooley bridge?
We're ideally looking for a loop, as its just gonna be the 2 of us... no pickup at the other end

topsey_turvey

Play sneaky. Go to Glenridding and catch the boat!!!

Alternatively go up to Boredale Hause then down either Boredale or Bannerdale.

You can read a map can you? You'll need to up there.

The Northern Monkey

Topsey Turvey wrote:

Play sneaky. Go to Glenridding and catch the boat!!!

Alternatively go up to Boredale Hause then down either Boredale or Bannerdale.

You can read a map can you? You'll need to up there.

My school had a lodge at glenridding

Aye, can read a map fine.... will have to dig out the trusty compass though
Just been looking at the OS maps on multimap, seems fairly simple

Out of interest, having never ridden au natural before, whats the rules with what you can ride on up in the Lakes? and how do you know from the OS maps?

Taa

The Northern Monkey

Which way is the best ride then?

from patterdale or pooley?!

mccmarc

lads you need an extra beer drinker

topsey_turvey

Out of interest, having never ridden au natural before, whats the rules with what you can ride on up in the Lakes? and how do you know from the OS maps?

Dave Hill has posted an excellent reply to that question here:-


http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12623732

Bridleways are totally legit, and are marked on the maps, so you have no excuse for going wrong.

Of course some ride on footpaths, which is totally and utterly forbidden. Never do it myself, but I understand that so long as you are sensible, don't go trying to be a downhill king where pedestrians are, go slowly past dogs and red socks, and most importantly say hello to everyone with a smile on your face you can ride almost anywhere. You can quite legally push a bike on a footpath, so if anyone challenges you just get off for 50 yards or so, but most walkers don't know that bikes are not allowed on paths.

topsey_turvey

Which way is the best ride then?

from patterdale or pooley?!

Whichever suits you best. I'm not being funny, but get the map out. By map I mean paper map. You'll have to carry one with you so get the 1:25,000 which tells you all you need to know. If you're riding anywhere away from a trail centre you'll need a map. You should have a collection. They come in most useful as something to read in the smallest room!

You'll be able to plot your route and decide which you personally prefer. Everyone has their own opinions, and there are so many alternatives that it's impossible for anyone to tell you what you'll enjoy best.