north wales or lake district mountain routes

bigbopper
bigbopper Posts: 4
edited March 2013 in Routes
hi all,

im looking for some routes in the mountains of north wales and the lake district. Im a keen walker and climber and ive also recently got back into mountain biking after a few year off.

I've done quite a few trail centers now but if im honest they're too busy and i dont really enjoy them that much, i want to get out into the mountains and explore the natural stuff instead of the man made centers and possibly top out on a few summits while im there. Im struggling to find any route info on the web and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

Ive got all the kit, good navigation skills and im more than happy to carry my bike if needed. Im just not sure where is the best place to start.

Comments

  • kathg
    kathg Posts: 142
    There are loads of amazing mountain routes to ride in Snowdonia. The best information is in the Bikefax guide books.
    1. Capel Curig - Llyn Cowlyd - Trefriw - Llyn Crafnant - Capel Curig
    2. Sarn Helen ride starts near Capel Curig - Dolwyddelan and back
    3. Snowdon. Up via Llanberis path, down Snowdon Ranger, over telegraph Col and then back to Llanberis
    4. Pont Scethin circuit
    5. Abergwyngregyn - Drum - Roman Rd to Rowen - back over Conwy mountain

    These are just a few of the gems available to the mountain savvy rider!! :D

    Enjoy!

    Kathg
  • frankspencer1979
    frankspencer1979 Posts: 525
    I've done a handful of "real" rides in the lakes in the 2yrs I've been riding. I'm not fit, not got the greatest skills and don't have a big travel full Susser and I've coped ok.

    Probably the most well known, and a great introduction to The Lakes is the Borrowdale Bash http://www.keswick.org/content/doc/lib/ ... route3.pdf
    It's a cracking route

    And there's the Skiddaw loop http://www.keswick.org/content/doc/lib/ ... route1.pdf

    Had a good day out last week viewtopic.php?f=20007&t=12906951 you should be able to work out the route on a map from the description I give. It gets pretty high, the views spectacular and the way back down is a corker.

    Also done a route starting at Ings, out to Kentmere and back over Green Quarter fell to Staveley. Easy to plot on a map and there's loads more trails out that way, plus there's the Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley :wink: And a frigging massive bike shop.
  • bigbopper
    bigbopper Posts: 4
    Cool, thanks for that. Ive just ordered the bikefax for snowdonia. The only copy i could find was on amazon for £36 so i decied to get the cd version at least that way i can just print out what route info i need. Is there much bother with the local walkers ? ive read stories of the purple rinse brigade getting pretty lippy with bikers as they seem to think the moutains are only for walkers.
  • kathg
    kathg Posts: 142
    No, all of the rides in Bikefax are legal. The walkers I've come across have all been fine.. I do smile and make an effort to engage in conversation and generally try to be as charming as poss! Obviously, if you go hurtling towards them they are bound to shite themselves and think they're about to be used as speed bumps.. scared people do tend to get 'lippy' ;-)

    Kathg
  • bigbopper
    bigbopper Posts: 4
    Thanks for the advice lol i will do everything possible to avoid any speed bump situations
  • lg18
    lg18 Posts: 92
    I find the Pedal North website very useful for natural cross-country routes - Lakes, Dales, NY Moors, Lancashire - a fantastic resource:
    http://www.pedalnorth.com/content/lake- ... mtb-routes

    Lucy
  • Graham K
    Graham K Posts: 329
    kathg wrote:
    5. Abergwyngregyn - Drum - Roman Rd to Rowen - back over Conwy mountain

    Does that take you past Aber Falls?
  • frankspencer1979
    frankspencer1979 Posts: 525
    lg18 wrote:
    I find the Pedal North website very useful for natural cross-country routes - Lakes, Dales, NY Moors, Lancashire - a fantastic resource:
    http://www.pedalnorth.com/content/lake- ... mtb-routes

    Lucy

    Thank's for posting this link. I've never seen this website before and It's great, especially with the OS links
  • kathg
    kathg Posts: 142
    Graham K wrote:
    kathg wrote:
    5. Abergwyngregyn - Drum - Roman Rd to Rowen - back over Conwy mountain

    Does that take you past Aber Falls?

    No Graham, it doesn't.. you follow the lane from the aber falls carpark uphill (killer tarmac climb), and then follow the roman rd in the direction of Rowen (Conwy Valley). You'll need to look at the map 1:25000 Snowdonia to spot the route!

    Kathg
  • Graham K
    Graham K Posts: 329
    kathg wrote:
    Graham K wrote:
    kathg wrote:
    5. Abergwyngregyn - Drum - Roman Rd to Rowen - back over Conwy mountain

    Does that take you past Aber Falls?

    No Graham, it doesn't.. you follow the lane from the aber falls carpark uphill (killer tarmac climb), and then follow the roman rd in the direction of Rowen (Conwy Valley). You'll need to look at the map 1:25000 Snowdonia to spot the route!

    Kathg

    Will have a peep on the map sometime, but deffo need to give it a try.
    I am going to Rowen tomorrow, but unfortunatly noy on 2 wheels.

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