Ullswater Route from WMB

scarbs85

Hi guys,

I had been reading a route feature on Ullswater in WMB a month or two back (Sept issue I think), but threw the magazine away. Now it turns out I'm going to the Lakes in a couple of weeks and according to WMB it should be a "must-ride" for any biker, so I best check it out whilst I'm there. If anyone has the article, or knows where I can find it, I would be most grateful for some of the details.

Thanks!

philcubed

Hi, the route was in aug 2013 mbr. They have the route here http://www.mbr.co.uk/routes/ullswater-g ... -download/. I didn't get time to do it this summer. I did do Lonscale fell http://www.keswick.org/content/doc/lib/ ... route2.pdf which has a good downhill bit into keswick which should be good this time of year as there'll be less walkers on it! The downhill bit is signposted footpath not bridle way which threw me for a bit. Cheers.

sniper68

philcubed wrote:

I did do Lonscale fell http://www.keswick.org/content/doc/lib/ ... route2.pdf which has a good downhill bit into keswick which should be good this time of year as there'll be less walkers on it! The downhill bit is signposted footpath not bridle way which threw me for a bit. Cheers.

The sign is misleading as there's a FP and BW that start more or less together
As said the route is in MBR and (as usual) with MBR is done the wrong way around.Not sure if I've binned the route card but could do you a gpx file if you need one.

frankspencer1979

I did this route a few weeks ago after seeing it in MBR. Had a great day out, but it's not an easy route, it's super technical. It is dead easy to navigate though, and the views are constant. I hit the Ullswater path around 1pm midweek thinking it would be fairly quiet, but there was a lot of walkers. Most of them laughed at me for attempting to ride the path, one nasty old censored told me I shouldn't be riding there as "it's not designed for bikes!" Unbelievable.

I combined it with a start at Pooley Bridge, up to "the cockpit" and the descent to How town, this is well worth it.


Descending from the Cockpit, looking over Ullswater.


At the top of Boredale House, looking back at some fellow mtb'ers going the right way (down!)


Heading down to the lake shore path from Boredale

stubs

ibbo68 wrote:

As said the route is in MBR and (as usual) with MBR is done the wrong way around

I disagree I have done the route both ways the MBR way round has the better scenery and the better downhill sections.

scarbs85

Thanks for that guys. No wonder I couldn't finding it, hunting for it in WMB. Of course it was MBR, I never buy it but happened to get a freebie in the registration pack for Torq in Your Sleep!

Those views look stunning, cannot wait to give it a go now! Does look techy though, hope I survive. So it seems to me, whichever way round I ride it I am going to have some fun. If people can't decide which way is best it usually means both ways are good, which is a bonus.

Thanks again chaps. Will report back when I've done it as to which way round is best, how good the scenery photos are, and what horrific injuries I picked up en route.

sniper68

stubs wrote:

ibbo68 wrote:

As said the route is in MBR and (as usual) with MBR is done the wrong way around

I disagree I have done the route both ways the MBR way round has the better scenery and the better downhill sections.

So you'd sooner climb up single track to boredale hause and descend down a bland grassy track about as wide as the average road?

stubs

A route is about more than one section, as I said I have done the route both ways and I prefer it the MBR way. Parroting that MBR does its routes the wrong way round is very singletrackworld, what next Superstar pads fall apart as soon as you take them out of the packet.

sniper68

stubs wrote:

A route is about more than one section, as I said I have done the route both ways and I prefer it the MBR way. Parroting that MBR does its routes the wrong way round is very singletrackworld, what next Superstar pads fall apart as soon as you take them out of the packet.

OK.
One should never make assumptions or accuse people they don't know Stubs so just for you I'll clear a few things up.
1.Never been on STW so can't really comment on anything that is on there.
2.I've ridden plenty of MBR routes(Peak/Dales/Lakes) that in my,and the riders I've ridden said route with,are done the wrong way.
3.My local riding is the Peak District and 9 out of 10 MBR routes are the "wrong way" or at least parts of them are.Can't really blame them as they obviously don't ride them all . This I can say with confidence as I have every route card dating back to 2003...and I have 5,6 or 7 of some so they don't(by their own admission on their Forum) ride every route before it's printed.
4.Now I can comment on Superstar pads as I've used them for the last 8 or 9 years and Kevlar aside they are really quite good 8)
So my opinion on the Ullswater route is mine,not STW/MBR/anyones and I too have done it both ways and in differing variations.

Briggo

To be fair the MBR route is the wrong way round, its much better doing it in the reverse to MBR on this example of Ullswater.