Helvellyn by Bike - which way?

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 josh12345 29 Jan 2020

Hi,

Me and mate are intending to ride up Helvellyn in a few weeks, weather permitting. Looking at ride reviews and descriptions online there seems to be a general consensus that the route up Keppel Cove is the most ridable way up with the least pushing, then there seems to be a split between heading north over Raise then descending down Sticks Pass, or heading south to Grisedale Tarn and then down Grisedale.

I'm after any thoughts: is Keppel Cove the best way up and which is the most fun way down? We're not set on starting in Glenridding, if there is a better way and down on the west side we'll do that.

Thanks, Josh

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Rigid Raider 29 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

You'd do better to go and ask on the Singletrack magazine forum as there are lots of people on there who still mountain bike (as opposed to trail-centre bike).

We never bothered with Helvellyn as it looked like too much rocky faff but we got a good ride on Skiddaw, I seem to recall that it was possible to ride all the way from summit to base in one glorious descent - legal too as it's BW all the way. In fact we felt so fresh after that, that we decided to add in a circumnavigaton of the mountain via the BW that goes north to Skiddaw House. Be careful on the notorious bad step on Lonscale Fell though; there have been accidents there including at least one fatal. 

 DaveHK 29 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Both those descents are good but I think the Grisedale Tarn one is significantly harder. Excellent technical riding but sort of trail centre black plus a bit.

Guess it depends on your skill set!

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 Guy 29 Jan 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

Up Keppel then take your choice.  Sticks is more flowing, Dollywagon is steeper tech.  Have a look on youtube to get an idea of the difference.  You'll love being on the summit anyway!

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In reply to josh12345:

Have ridden Helvellyn several times, the consensus points to Sticks having the most flow, if you enjoy riding stone staircases Dollywagon offers a long descent in to Grisedale, from the tarn it is more natural but very tech. If you do decide on Sticks you must go to the summit as one of the best descents is from lower man down the ridge line then continue over Raise, this combined with Sticks and then into Seldom seen, this finish offers fantastic exposed singletrack for one of the best full descents in the lakes. 

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 neuromancer 29 Jan 2020
In reply to Andy Clarke1965:

Sticks and seldom seen is enjoyable, but certainly not particularly technical and I would say was a waste of altitude - unless going up on a super light 29er or cx bike.

Dollywagon is a stone staircase, which is fine depending upon what bike you have, but a little samey until the cove when it becomes proper lakes natural.

Best route on a bike is up keppel and zig zags, traverse summit, hook right and descend birk fell to Thirlmere. Ride along the road for approx 2-3km, then ride/hike a bike up from dunmail rise to red tarn, then descend the second half of dollywagon through grizedale.

As for the best descent in Lakeland - ullock pike off skiddaw has that nipped by a considerable way.

Post edited at 16:24
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 Rick Graham 29 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Fwiw, I have mountain biked helvellyn most ways, my favourite is clockwise from Glenridding .

Grizedale , push up dollywagon , then north over the Dodds to the old coach road. 

Least hassle with road sections.  I usually park in the first free option travelling north out of Glenridding .

In reply to neuromancer:

We are talking about best descent here, you lost me at CX bike! lets just cut to the chase, i have ridden those descents, including Ullock, but so what, there are even better descents in the Lakes  to be ridden, this is not a willy waving exercise, for a first timer i would describe Helvellyn via Sticks as a must do classic ride and one of the best.

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 J Whittaker 30 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Up Striding and down Swirral of course. But only if you have skills like Danny MacAskill

 DaveHK 30 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Some strange disliking going on here. Have we still got a few of the no mountain bikes on mountains brigade about?

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 Dave the Rave 30 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Did it twenty years ago up Stakes Pass and down Grizedale. In hindsight it would be better the other way and push up Dollywagon.

Didnt enjoy it and walking the edges is a better day out.

Nearly had a fight with a numpty descending from Lower Man  as a bloke was showing off and refusing to move until I was close to him.

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 MischaHY 30 Jan 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

Yeah there'll be some grumpy beardy lad fresh from sagging into his gear four metres up a diff who'll be getting all enraged about bikers 'destroying the natural peace' despite thinking it's fine for him and his equally crap friends to go and scrape around classic grit severes on top rope whilst complaining loudly about how it's too busy and blaming the olympics. 

I need a coffee. 

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 neuromancer 30 Jan 2020
In reply to josh12345:

Why oh why would anyone PUSH UP Grizedale and Dollywagon, only to descend the wide gravelly paths to the north?

That's like ski touring up off-piste to descend down the piste to the cafe. It's not willy waving - I'm not pretending I cleaned Birk Fell first time without a few tumbles - or even close to it!

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 Monk 30 Jan 2020
In reply to neuromancer:

Are seldom seen and ulllock pike still footpaths, or have they been upgraded? 

 TobyA 30 Jan 2020
In reply to neuromancer:

I'm getting confused.

I've never mountain biked in the Lakes, but would like to, I got quite regularly for climbing or scrambling, so could just as easily go with my bike. Because I'm currently mourning the apparent loss of English winter climbing, I need something to fill the void.

Right: my mountain bike has no suspension although pretty fat tyres that take some of the sting out. I have a dropper seat post that has made classic descents in the Peak like Jacobs Ladder or Cut Gate much more rideable and less pant-filling experiences. I'd prefer to ride slowly up gentler inclines than carry or push up steeper bits. I've skied up Helvellyn before - Stybarrow Dodd, Sticks Pass, Raise, Lower Man and notice that's all bridleway in the summer. Is that the best way up? Would it also be the best way down for the non full sus, non full face helmet type of rider I am? 

 neuromancer 30 Jan 2020
In reply to Monk:

Ullock has not been destroyed by fck the fells yet, but don't be surprised if that changes.

 Dark-Cloud 30 Jan 2020
In reply to TobyA:

Never done the full route but run it countless times (have ridden down sticks to Patterdale on hardtail) i would say South > North and down Sticks would be best on rigid, i can't imagine down Dollywaggon is within the remit of all but the skilled riders to enjoy it.

 DaveHK 30 Jan 2020
In reply to Dave the Rave:

> Didnt enjoy it and walking the edges is a better day out.

If you've got the skills and fitness to ride lots of it then there's brilliant fun to be had.

 Dave the Rave 30 Jan 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

> If you've got the skills and fitness to ride lots of it then there's brilliant fun to be had.

And there’s the point in question. I thought I had, but I hadn’t the skills so ended up pushing a lot on a hard tail. Fitness. I was as very fit at the time but just back from Mont Blanc. That fitness didn’t translate to mountain biking on Helvellyn unfortunately for me.

The chap in question that wouldn’t move is still a c—t though. He actually said that he wouldn’t move until I was 3 feet away from him.

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In reply to josh12345:

Clockwise is a reasonable ride.  As I was on my own decided to take the option of hiking Dollywaggon up rather than spannering myself on the steps descent and have to sort myself without any assistance. (Though a "spannering" on the Sticks Pass descent is still possible...)  It's a pleasant ride to Helvellyn top once you get the steps hike out of the way. The descent from Lower Man isn't overly technical but is a bit loose in places.  Sticks is fine but watch out for a slightly off camber left not long after leaving the col.  The zig zags before the hostel are probably the most challenging to ride continuously: "babies head" rocks. 

I was riding a Cove "Stiffee" with 140mm forks: reasonably light so the hike made sense in that respect too.

I've yet to find a hill overcrowded with mountain bikers but there are plenty overcrowded with walkers - and yes, I do realise that me being there is contributing to the problem.  But the route over Helvellyn is on bridleways co can be enjoyed by various means.  Dislikers dislike away.  I enjoyed myself and hope you have a good one. 


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