Howgill Fells MBR route

rockmonkeysc

I rode the MBR route in the Howgill Fells this week.
It seems to be getting quite a bit of traffic but I didn't think it was quite as the guide suggested.
After an hour and a bit push (very steep and long) to the summit with just a few ridden sections you get to the big highlight, a HUGE singletrack descent in to the valley. It starts open and fast but you soon have a massive, steep drop to the right which you don't want to fall down. The trail is quite technical and you have to remember its a remote location and rescue is hours away if it goes wrong!
Once in to the valley theres a couple more miles of single track. Thats the first 8 miles, the next 16 are not as much fun, a field followed by a big road climb then rather uninteresting bridleways with a lot of cow pats (you will be covered in it). There are a couple short interesting bits but not much.

frankspencer1979

Is this the same as the one in MBUK this month? Start/finish at Sedbergh, heading over Brant fell to Ravenstonedale and back? There's an article on it as well as the map, and a bit of discussion as to which way round to go. Was thinking of doing it soon, maybe tomorrow.

papertech202

Did the MBUK route earlier on in the year and I'd have to say I was a little underwhelmed.
The view from the top of the howgills is superb and the singletrack descent starts off with a lot of promise but soon degenerated into lots of washed away sections and stream crossings and a boggy field, then its a long road climb on the return before some more reasonable sections.
I've done it once but I don't think I'll be doing it again.

altern_8

papertech202 wrote:

The view from the top of the howgills is superb and the singletrack descent starts off with a lot of promise but soon degenerated into lots of washed away sections and stream crossings and a boggy field

We did Howgills last year and are looking at doing it again this weekend,we really enjoyed it and just hoping we will enjoy it again this time round as its a 3 hour drive to get there.......anyone know if the singletrack is still washed away?

rockmonkeysc

frankspencer1979 wrote:

Is this the same as the one in MBUK this month? Start/finish at Sedbergh, heading over Brant fell to Ravenstonedale and back? There's an article on it as well as the map, and a bit of discussion as to which way round to go. Was thinking of doing it soon, maybe tomorrow.

Thats the one

Giggsmaster

Fair enough, the climb up is a bit of a push, ain't all good DH's the same or likewise. You have got to go up to come down, true.....

I like up's and I like down's. What I remember is that you have to work the bike to enjoy the long DH, give it good going over, you can't relax. Each to their own, I suppose.

I've only done it the once, I'll let you know the 2nd time at the weekend though. Maybe I won't enjoy as much, I think the beer halfway round the 1st time helped out though.

http://s726.photobucket.com/user/giggsm ... 7.jpg.html

http://s726.photobucket.com/user/giggsm ... u.jpg.html

Guanajuato

Local to me, and would be a bit of a change from my usual routes around them. Anyone got a GPX or map of the route they could share?