lake district mountain biking – sample pages

Lake District Mountain Biking – Essential Trails is the full second edition of the bestselling guide to some of the fi nest mountain biking in the UK.

Featured are 26 of the best mountain bike rides in the Lake District, between 12km and 60km in length, suitable for all levels of mountain bikers. Explore classic rides around Walna Scar, High Street and Borrowdale, and discover many lesser-known gems.

Researched, ridden and written by local riders, each route features:

» clear and easy to use Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps

» easy-to-follow directions

» details of distance, timings and diffi culty

» refreshment stops and local knowledge

A Bonus Section includes information about the man-made trails at Whinlatter and Grizedale, Top Tens and a detailed Appendix.

designed & published by Vertebrate Publishing

040G

VG

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PRICE: £15.95 9 781906 148232 >

ISBN 9781906148232

LAKE DISTRICT M

OUN

TAIN BIKIN

G

Essential Trails

Written by Richard Staton & Chris Gore



Secondedition

040g Lake District MTB_2nd Edition Covers & Spine.indd 1 20/07/2010 16:26


Photography by John Coefield

040g Lake District MTB_2nd Edition Inside.indd 2 15/07/2010 10:03


Photography by John Coefield

Essential Trails


Every effort has been made to achieve accuracy of the information in this guidebook. The authors, publishers and copyright owners can take no responsibility for: loss or injury (including fatal) to persons; loss or damage to property or equipment; trespass, irresponsible riding or any other mishap that may be suffered as a result of following the route descriptions or advice offered in this guidebook. The inclusion of a track or path as part of a route, or otherwise recommended, in this guidebook does not guarantee that the track or path will remain a Right of Way. If conflict with landowners arises we advise that you act politely and leave by the shortest route available. If the matter needs to be taken further then please take it up with the relevant authority.PLEASE GIVE WAY TO HORSES AND PEDESTRIANS.

Copyright © 2010 Vertebrate Graphics Ltd and Richard Staton and Chris Gore

Published by Vertebrate Publishing First edition published 2006, reprinted 2008. Second edition published 2010.

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanised, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems – without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-906148-23-2

Front cover photo: Dave Balshaw dropping down from Boredale Hause.Back cover photo: Coniston Water from the top of the Walna Scar Road.

Photography by John Coefield.

All maps reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright. 100025218

Design by Nathan Ryder, production by Jane Beagley. www.v-graphics.co.uk

Essential Trails


CONTENTS v

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viiAcknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viiiHow to Use this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viiiRights of Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xThe Bike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiiEssential Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiiGeneral Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xivIn the Event of an Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xivRules of the (Off) Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xivPlanning Your Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvMaps & Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvLake District Area Map & Route Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi

SECTION 1 – ClassiCs

Classics Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi1 u Blawith loop – 12km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 u Claife Heights – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 u Cartmel Fell – 18km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 u Garburn Pass – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 u Black Combe – 14km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 u Grizedale loop – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 u Two from Keswick – 19.5km/16.5km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 u Ullswater singletrack – 18km . . . . . 419 u seathwaite & Dunnerdale – 18km . . 45

SECTION 2 – EPiCs

Epics Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5010 u Kentmere & longsleddale – 23km . . 5511 u Whitbarrow scar – 21km . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6112 u Troutbeck & Jenkin Crag – 20km . . . 6713 u ings & Winster – 23km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7314 u Broughton Moor & seathwaite

– 21km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

15 u iron Keld & loughrigg – 24km . . . . 8516 u Miterdale & Eskdale – 26km . . . . . . . . 91

SECTION 3 – EnDUros

Enduros Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9617 u»u Helvellyn – 22.5km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10118 u Grizedale & Parkamoor loop

– 27km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10719 u Borrowdale Bash – 27km . . . . . . . . . . 11320 u Grizedale Esthwaite – 30km . . . . . 11921 u skiddaw loop – 44km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12522 u High street north – 30km . . . . . . . . 13323 u Walna scar – 21km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

SECTION 4 – KillErs

Killers Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14624 u Parkamoor & Tilberthwaite

– 40km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14925 u Big Day out – 50km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15726 uu High street – 60km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

SECTION 5 – BonUs sECTion

Bonus Section Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172The North Face Trail, Grizedale Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176Whinlatter Forest, Keswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Top Ten Climbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Top Ten Downhills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Top Ten Singletracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

AppENdIx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

ROUTE GRADESu=MEDIUMu=HARDu=EXTREME(see page x)


Tom FenTon dropping back inTo kenTmere From The garburn pass


INTRODUCTION vii

IntroductionWelcome to the second edition of this guidebook to mountain biking in the English Lake District. It’s been a few years since we completed that first edition and, going off sales, 100s of mountain bikers are getting out there and enjoying the ride!

There’s no doubt that mountain biking has changed. There is now a proliferation of ‘trail centres’ where you can park up, go for a ride on a fully waymarked trail which returns you back to your car and usually a café where you can sit and enjoy a pleasant latte! Nothing wrong with that, but hopefully this book will inspire riders to look beyond the obvious and go do something different…

The routes are graded, but not just for technical difficulty and length. We have also considered how much navigation is required and how serious the mountain environment is through which the route passes. For example, we have given High Street a double black grade, not because the route is highly technical but because of the potential difficulties which could arise from poor navigation or rapidly changing weather conditions. For navigation, GPS devices have developed considerably and continue to do so, however be aware of their limitations and get to know your unit! We recommend you still carry a good old-fashioned map and compass, especially useful if GPS batteries go flat!

On a less serious note we have maintained a good mix of rides, taking in the honeypots of Ambleside, to the magnificent forests of Whinlatter and Grizedale. But we were always keen to encourage exploration away from these areas, for example Bootle Fell and Whitbarrow Scar. Hopefully there is something for all tastes and abilities from short and technical to big mountain, singletrack to forest road, it’s all in here!

We have revisited all the rides here and found them to be still as great now as when we first rode them. In terms of new additions there has been the development of the Whinlatter trails near Keswick, and we’ve given them a good write up in the Bonus Section. If you crave trails of the man-made variety then these are definitely worth a visit and, on a good day, the views are the best of any trail centre in the UK!

See you out there.

Richard Staton & Chris Gore


lAkEDIsTRIcTMTB – ESSENTIalTRaIlSxvi

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CLASSICSBlawith Loop – 12km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p5Claife Heights – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p9Cartmel Fell – 18km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p13Garburn Pass – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p19Black Combe – 14km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p25Grizedale Loop – 15km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p29Two from Keswick – 19.5km/16.5km . . . p35Ullswater Singletrack – 18km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p41Seathwaite & Dunnerdale – 18km . . . . . . . . p45

EPICSKentmere & Longsleddale – 23km . . . . . . . . p55Whitbarrow Scar – 21km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p61Troutbeck & Jenkin Crag – 20km . . . . . . . . . . p67Ings & Winster – 23km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p73Broughton Moor & Seathwaite – 21km . . p79Iron Keld & Loughrigg – 24km . . . . . . . . . . . . . p85Miterdale & Eskdale – 26km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p91

ENdUROSHelvellyn – 22.5km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p101Grizedale & Parkamoor Loop – 27km . . . p107Borrowdale Bash – 27km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p113Grizedale Esthwaite – 30km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p119Skiddaw Loop – 44km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p125High Street North – 30km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p133Walna Scar – 21km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p139

kILLERSParkamoor & Tilberthwaite – 40km . . . . . . p149Big Day Out – 50km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p157High Street – 60km . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p163

BONUS SECTIONGrizedale Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p176Whinlatter Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p177


LAKE DISTRICT MTB – AREA MAP & ROUTE FINDER xvii

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Area Map & Route FinderCONTAINS ORDNANCE SURVEY DATA © CROWN COPYRIGHT AND DATABASE RIGHT


Classics sponsored by

www.shimano.comwww.madison .co .uk

SECTION1A quick blast after work, a night loop you can finish before your lights die, or a ride to squeeze in when you’re short of time. That’s a classic. Relatively low on distance and never taking you too far from the start, these are still good, solid rides. Short but not necessarily easy.

Classics


1sTarTing up The garburn pass From kenTmere (rouTe 4)


LonscaLe FeLL singLeTrack (rouTe 7)


laKEDISTRICTMTB–ClaSSICS 3


01BlawIThlOOp – GRADEu 5

IntroductionA great ride for those looking for some decent mountain biking but wanting to avoid the rigours of anything too technical. It is also a good ride for avoiding the hotspots of the Lake District – it really does feel remote on Woodland Fell and Subberthwaite Common.

The RideThis route takes an anticlockwise course from Blawith on quiet lanes, farm tracks and some great singletrack. The views on Woodland Fell are fantastic, as is the descent off the fell. At Spunham, the ride takes you along tracks and quiet lanes with a stiff climb before another bridleway takes you over Subberthwaite Common. After Birchbank Farm the trails become a little vague, but continue east to Kiln Bank and Raisthwaite Lane before heading back to Blawith.

01 Blawith Loop 12kmM

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BLAwITh LOOP GRAdE: uTOTAL dISTANCE: 12KM » TOTAL ASCENT: 368M » TImE: 1–2 HOURS » START/FINISh: BLAWITH CHURCHSTART GRId REF: SD 288883 » SATNAV: BLAWITH » PARkING: IN FRONT OF BLAWITH CHURCH OS mAP: LANDRANGER 96 » PUB: RED LION, LOWICK BRIDGE, TEL: 01229 885 366 » CAFé: BLUEBIRD CAFé, CONISTON, TEL: 01539 441 649


lAkEDIsTRIcTMTB – ESSENTIalTRaIlS6

From the church in Blawith, take the lane opposite, heading west, bearing R at the fork. At the next fork after a cattle grid bear R again (the left fork is signed Tottlebank

Only). After 800m the road reaches a T-junction.

2 Turn R then immediately L on to a bridleway signed Woodland & Cumbria Way. Follow the bridleway – superb riding – ignoring turnings until you reach the highest point of Woodland Fell amidst stunning scenery. At the bridleway fork soon afterwards, bear R and head downhill. A great descent takes you to Green Moor. don’t cross the river, but keep L heading south and uphill. The track levels off and then descends to join a farm track at Spunham.

3 Turn L along this track, ignoring all turnings, to join a metalled road. Turn R and then L at the junction, signed Grizebeck. Follow this road south for 1.7km to a 3-way junction. Turn sharp L, (ignore the bridleway signed Tottlebank on the left), climbing steeply up the hardest climb on the route. Turn L onto a bridleway at a sharp right-hand bend shortly before the road begins to descend. The bridleway runs east past a small tarn, becoming a little vague – don’t worry, just keep heading east.

4 At the road, go SA down the lane opposite, almost immediately turning L onto a lane leading to Birch Bank Farm. Turn L onto a bridleway just in front of the farm and turn R through the first gate reached after a small rise (the track ahead goes on to Tottlebank). Quickly pass through two more gates and follow the vague bridleway, keeping the wall to your right and heading east. At Mill Moss, go through another gate and join a better trail. Follow this to the buildings at Kiln Bank, dismount and walk SA through the farmyard (signed Cumbria Way) onto the tarmac of Long Lane. Descend to a T-junction and turn L back to Blawith.

Directions – Blawith Loop

Making a day of itHead east from Blawith and you’ll quickly pick up the Grizedale & Parkamoor route (page 107) which will lead you into the wonderful Grizedale Forest.


lake district mountain biking – sample pages

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fi nest mountain biking