Big mountain rides?
Discussion
Ok, over the past year I've got out of DH and am riding XC on the hardtail during the weeks, and visiting many of the new style trail centres on the big bike at the weekend.
What I miss from the days of going out with my Dad though is, proper, adventure style, ride up a mountain in the morning, eat dinner at the top, and ride back down, type rides.
I want to do a few big natural terrain rides, Got a month off work in september, ideal opportunity. Where do you reccomend?
Anywhere within a day trip distancee of Yorkshire, so Dales, Lake district, and N Wales.
May also do a bit of camping and 2 day rides.
Hit me!
What I miss from the days of going out with my Dad though is, proper, adventure style, ride up a mountain in the morning, eat dinner at the top, and ride back down, type rides.
I want to do a few big natural terrain rides, Got a month off work in september, ideal opportunity. Where do you reccomend?
Anywhere within a day trip distancee of Yorkshire, so Dales, Lake district, and N Wales.
May also do a bit of camping and 2 day rides.
Hit me!
Try some of the bridleways in the Lake District - the Helvellyn ridge for example, or Skiddaw or out the end of Langdale. All these are bridleways (so no legitimate argument from walkers) but be prepared for sections of pushing/carrying as they definitely aren't 100% rideable.
Large sections of the Pennine Way are bridleways too and the climb up Ingleborough is rideable until very near the summit.
Large sections of the Pennine Way are bridleways too and the climb up Ingleborough is rideable until very near the summit.
Big Rides, some of my favorites that are within your area (this is from memory, so may be some mistakes):
1) Hellveyn ridge. Approach from glenridding, past the youth hostel and take one of two tracks (both fine) - either straight up the valley, or up the zig zags. Both lead onto the ridge (at different points). South to Helvelleyn Summit. Now the good bits begin - follow the ridge North, plenty of fun and very riddable along its length. Decend off the Dodds at the North end and circle back via the coach road and the shores of Ulswater. 18miles? - but still a big ride
2) High Street. Option 1: Do the full length, from the north shore of ullswater, upto the summit (long gradual climbing)- decend South down to near Windemere. Then back over the road pass to ullswater.. I forget the name of the road but its a roadie favorite. Option 2: If you don't like much road in your rides - tackle it from the South end of Ullswater, up to the summit then decend to the Ludop Hill (spelling?) then back along the trails on the east side of the lake. 35miles (guess?) - option 1?, 26 miles - option 2?
3) Horton in Ribblesdale. Start - and make up your own routes on the rocky tracks that litter the map. You can make the ride as long as you like with barely a touch of tarmac.
4) Walnar Scar Road. Start north end of Lake Conniston, climb into Gridsedale forest, along part of the North Face Trail - till you arrive sounth of Lake Conniston. Climb over the hills to the west, and decend. Climb up to the forestry land south of The Old Man mountain group (my own description... don't have maps to hand), climb through the forest (Northish). Walk a short section os footbath (50 meters) links you to a bridleway that follows the hills round and joins the Walnar Scar road on the west side of the Old Man Mountain group - climb to head of pass.... decend all the way down... 30miles?
5) Nan Bield Pass & Gatesgarth circuit (anti-clockwiase). 15 miles, but you can easily lengthen it. One of my favorite streatches of singletrack down into Kentmere.
1) Hellveyn ridge. Approach from glenridding, past the youth hostel and take one of two tracks (both fine) - either straight up the valley, or up the zig zags. Both lead onto the ridge (at different points). South to Helvelleyn Summit. Now the good bits begin - follow the ridge North, plenty of fun and very riddable along its length. Decend off the Dodds at the North end and circle back via the coach road and the shores of Ulswater. 18miles? - but still a big ride
2) High Street. Option 1: Do the full length, from the north shore of ullswater, upto the summit (long gradual climbing)- decend South down to near Windemere. Then back over the road pass to ullswater.. I forget the name of the road but its a roadie favorite. Option 2: If you don't like much road in your rides - tackle it from the South end of Ullswater, up to the summit then decend to the Ludop Hill (spelling?) then back along the trails on the east side of the lake. 35miles (guess?) - option 1?, 26 miles - option 2?
3) Horton in Ribblesdale. Start - and make up your own routes on the rocky tracks that litter the map. You can make the ride as long as you like with barely a touch of tarmac.
4) Walnar Scar Road. Start north end of Lake Conniston, climb into Gridsedale forest, along part of the North Face Trail - till you arrive sounth of Lake Conniston. Climb over the hills to the west, and decend. Climb up to the forestry land south of The Old Man mountain group (my own description... don't have maps to hand), climb through the forest (Northish). Walk a short section os footbath (50 meters) links you to a bridleway that follows the hills round and joins the Walnar Scar road on the west side of the Old Man Mountain group - climb to head of pass.... decend all the way down... 30miles?
5) Nan Bield Pass & Gatesgarth circuit (anti-clockwiase). 15 miles, but you can easily lengthen it. One of my favorite streatches of singletrack down into Kentmere.
- 1 and 2 can be done from the same starting point. Top rides north of the border too if you have the time (multi day rides).
Edited by MTY4000 on Wednesday 15th August 11:26
Thanks, great suggestions.
Seeing as you asked - the only tarmac i want to ride is crossing the pub car park at the end of a ride.
I'll be using my big, not very light, very long travel trail bike. Crawl up the climbs, slow and steady. And absolutely MULLER down the descents, rougher the better.
I want proper, rock strewn, drop-off-tastic, loose, steep, scary descents please
I'll dig the maps out - looks like the Lakes is the way to go.
Any more?
Seeing as you asked - the only tarmac i want to ride is crossing the pub car park at the end of a ride.
I'll be using my big, not very light, very long travel trail bike. Crawl up the climbs, slow and steady. And absolutely MULLER down the descents, rougher the better.
I want proper, rock strewn, drop-off-tastic, loose, steep, scary descents please
I'll dig the maps out - looks like the Lakes is the way to go.
Any more?
Top descents in the area:
1) Skiddaw. Fast (at points v v fast!) and gets v steep towards the end (expect brake fade!). No drop offs though.
2) Nan Bield Pass (descend the south side). Technical start then lovely single track
3) Gattesgarth pass (North side) - loose switchbacks (can be combined with (2) + the linking track accross Stile-end (IIRC?) has a loose rocky decent
4) Walna Scar Road (East side - jumbles of rock)
...have fun, but be aware the rides often have a carry element on the way up as mentioned earlier (e.g. the North side of Nan Bield Pass is a carry... with a lovely bit of rideable single track round a tarn at the half way point).
1) Skiddaw. Fast (at points v v fast!) and gets v steep towards the end (expect brake fade!). No drop offs though.
2) Nan Bield Pass (descend the south side). Technical start then lovely single track
3) Gattesgarth pass (North side) - loose switchbacks (can be combined with (2) + the linking track accross Stile-end (IIRC?) has a loose rocky decent
4) Walna Scar Road (East side - jumbles of rock)
...have fun, but be aware the rides often have a carry element on the way up as mentioned earlier (e.g. the North side of Nan Bield Pass is a carry... with a lovely bit of rideable single track round a tarn at the half way point).
Edited by MTY4000 on Wednesday 15th August 12:34
High Peak Loop in Derbyshire is quite a good all-dayer, 48km in fact. I did it a few years ago when I was alot fitter and it was brilliant. A proper XC ride if ever there was one, walking up Jacobs Ladder and riding down the other side is one of my best MTBing memories.
Link - http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_mtbroutes_centralengland....
Map & Distructions - http://mbruk.co.uk/Free/mbruk_route_highpeak.pdf
Link - http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_mtbroutes_centralengland....
Map & Distructions - http://mbruk.co.uk/Free/mbruk_route_highpeak.pdf
OK, one of my favourites is the Kentmere - Garburn Pass - High Ho loop
See map here: http://tinyurl.com/3496hf (link to Streetmap)
Park in Kentmere (top right), ride West up Garburn pass (just about ridable). Follow the bridleway down - rocky, some small dropoffs and technical sections near the top followed by fast flowing trail near the bottom. Go past Dubbs Reservoir and drop South East on a short road section to Mislet. Head north here past High Ho
and back to Kentmere. Good for dodgy weather as it's easy navigation and not that long.
It can also be combined with a High Street trip possibly camping at Limefitt Park if you spend a few days there.
See map here: http://tinyurl.com/3496hf (link to Streetmap)
Park in Kentmere (top right), ride West up Garburn pass (just about ridable). Follow the bridleway down - rocky, some small dropoffs and technical sections near the top followed by fast flowing trail near the bottom. Go past Dubbs Reservoir and drop South East on a short road section to Mislet. Head north here past High Ho
and back to Kentmere. Good for dodgy weather as it's easy navigation and not that long.It can also be combined with a High Street trip possibly camping at Limefitt Park if you spend a few days there.
Brilliant, Wildcards that sounds perfect as its quite close, always meant to do Jacobs Ladder. 30miles so doable but plenty long enough to feel like an adventure.
EwenM aswell, sounds good. I'm craving some altitude aswell, will check out all the links and maps tonight.
Posted on singletrack aswell, hopefully get some more suggestions.
EwenM aswell, sounds good. I'm craving some altitude aswell, will check out all the links and maps tonight.
Posted on singletrack aswell, hopefully get some more suggestions.
Peaks or Lakes if you want tecnical, rocky, roots and fast descents but also big climbs.
Like yourself I did all the manmade trails and just got fed up and now just ride the natural trails like I used to when I first started in the 90s. I've done a few around calder Idris in mid Wales which don't get busy because its so close to Coed y brenin and Betws y Coed. Some superb climbs and descents and you get jets flying past at eye level.
Like yourself I did all the manmade trails and just got fed up and now just ride the natural trails like I used to when I first started in the 90s. I've done a few around calder Idris in mid Wales which don't get busy because its so close to Coed y brenin and Betws y Coed. Some superb climbs and descents and you get jets flying past at eye level.
WildCards said:
High Peak Loop in Derbyshire is quite a good all-dayer, 48km in fact. I did it a few years ago when I was alot fitter and it was brilliant. A proper XC ride if ever there was one, walking up Jacobs Ladder and riding down the other side is one of my best MTBing memories.
Link - http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_mtbroutes_centralengland....
Map & Distructions - http://mbruk.co.uk/Free/mbruk_route_highpeak.pdf
I'll second this one! The peaks are brilliant 'big days out' - some monster loops to be had.Link - http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_mtbroutes_centralengland....
Map & Distructions - http://mbruk.co.uk/Free/mbruk_route_highpeak.pdf
I have a friend who lives in New Mills and rides every weekend up there, he's not on PH but if you want to know any more stuff - routes, places to stay etc just mail me and i'll ask him.
Moonie
If you could, that would be great. I'm moving back to Uni in Sheffield in a few weeks time, so the peaks will be on my doorstep (Used to ride up to Stanage from my house about twice a week.) I'll also be looking out for riding buddies as none of the Uni lot are bothered about venturing further than Wharncliffe!
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